Should Gentle Giant have continued after Civilian?

Because they weren't selling any albums, that's why.

Critically acclaimed, but never commercially successful. i hated them in the 70s: they were just too weird. It took me 20 years to "get" them and I bought all their albums, but too late to benefit them.

I agree. Of course if they went in the direction of Genesis then people would complain endlessly(like they do about later Genesis) but you can't please everyone and a paycheck is still a paycheck. 

Anyway, I finally voted and I voted "yes."

Giant for a day is a bit like open your eyes by Yes in that if it was released by another band nobody would think it was that awful. It's a half way decent pop/pop rock album with maybe some mild prog touches and gentle giantisms but it's a far cry from their proggy past. I actually like a few tracks on it especially the instrumental "spooky boogie." "Word from the wise" has some very good vocal harmonies and there's maybe a few other things too such as the catchy "little brown bag." Most of it is admittedly not that memorable but it's still worth checking out if you are a GG completionist or even a big fan. Just don't expect vintage prog GG.

I agree with you about the others. Both are maybe a bit uneven but with some solid moments. It's hard for me to pick one over the other. I possibly prefer civilian but not by much. The band could have gone out with a weaker record. At least this one doesn't have a song called "alien afternoon" on it. 

Only if they went back to prog

Still they dominate that decade with some spectacular albums, they are legends anyway

Hi,

AND, I think that a lot of that came out of the record companies not wishing to support stuff that was not making them money ... and GG, in those days, should have gotten COMPLETELY AWAY from the record companies and gotten onto their own ownership of the music and its distribution ... but it was easier to just give up. 

GG has stated that their this and that were no longer into it, but I think that a lot of the stuff underneath is what caused the problems. 

This group was not the only one that had issues with a record company ... one well known comedy group decided to "sign" with a record company, and it got a couple of dollars, however, none of their albums were ever heard from again, or their members, which kinda tells you that the record company probably said something like as long as they break even who cares ... right? 

But, in some ways, it was probably the best ... I doubt that GG would have been able to create new material that was as determined and eccentric as the early stuff, and be able to play it ... and when that happens, it's time to hang up the ballet shoes ... your feet can't handle any more bleeding!

I think it would have been interesting if they went in a more new wave direction while keeping the hard rock elements(like missing persons for example).