Under Construction cover

Under Construction

Gentle Giant · 1997

146 min · 44 tracks · progressive rock

A treasure trove of unreleased gems and demos showcasing Gentle Giant's eclectic progressive rock evolution.

Why this album works

'Under Construction' is significant for its deep dive into the band's archives, providing fans with a rare glimpse of their unfinished works and evolution. The album's release was met with interest from both longtime fans and new listeners, which re-established Gentle Giant's relevance within the progressive rock community.
Best for
dynamic exploration of themes wave-like pacing throughout for long listening sessions
Context
By 1997, Gentle Giant had transitioned from their peak in the 1970s to a hiatus phase, with 'Under Construction' marking their first release after a lengthy break. This album represents a retrospective collection that highlights their creative process and musical experimentation during their career, featuring previously unreleased tracks and demos.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

Disc 1

  • 1 Radio Bit 0:13
  • 2 Freedom's Child Standout 3:59
  • 3 Hometown Special 4:26
  • 4 Weekend Cowboy 3:47
  • 5 Bringing Me Down Standout 5:51
  • 6 Nothing at All 8:26
  • 7 RONDO: Playing the Game 1:34
  • 8 DVS Guitars 6:30
  • 9 Robin Hood 1:43
  • 10 Interview Whispers 1:05
  • 11 Interview (live) 7:01
  • 12 Timing (live) 9:51
  • 13 Unreleased Civilian track 5:01
  • 14 You Haven't a Chance Standout 4:15
  • 15 Sample Archive - freely usable 9:18

Disc 2

  • 1 The House The Street 1:51
  • 2 Prologue 0:42
  • 3 Schooldays 2:56
  • 4 Peel the Paint (demo) 0:22
  • 5 Peel the Paint (studio) 4:23
  • 6 Mr. Class & Quality 3:04
  • 7 Advent of Panurge 0:57
  • 8 'SHH' 0:15
  • 9 An Inmates Lullaby 3:39
  • 10 Way of Life 7:07
  • 11 Experience 6:52
  • 12 So Sincere (demo) 3:31
  • 13 So Sincere (studio) 3:29
  • 14 Intro 74 2:29
  • 15 Cogs in Cogs 1:44
  • 16 Intro 76 1:40
  • 17 Just the Same 1:42
  • 18 Free Hand 2:59
  • 19 Time to Kill 3:34
  • 20 Interview (demo) 2:04
  • 21 Give It Back 2:24
  • 22 Design 0:48
  • 23 Another Story 2:25
  • 24 Empty City 3:38
  • 25 I Lost My Head (demo) 2:32
  • 26 I Lost My Head (studio) 1:42
  • 27 Convenience 1:06
  • 28 Freedom's Child (demo) 3:19
  • 29 Kerry 0:04

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata