Why Is Interview One of The Weaker Giant Albums?

I guess it's a matter of personal taste, and most of the people who vote for an album according to how much they like it, will make the difference in how an album is rated. 

The band had been touring long and hard (for GG standards) and they were exhausted and also had less time than usual for writing, rehearsing and recording this album.

Interview is the band's most overtly complex album. Personally i think it's just as good as the album's that came before. I would even go as far as to say it is better for my ears. It's the same scenario as to why many liked Thick As a Brick over Passion Play. There is a threshold of complexity that listeners seem to stall at. As a musician myself i love the more adventurous complex arrangements of Interview. Sure the concept is nothing special but the musical delivery consists of what prog dreams are made of. Gentle Giant were geniuses. Even the more pop flavored albums that came after Interview were brilliantly constructed. Keep listening to Interview. It'll grow on you :)

SuperMetro wrote: When it comes to Gentle Giant albums, all the ones in between debut and Interview are considered masterpieces while Interview is left out of the mix often being seen as inferior. Here is probably how I would rank the 8 I heard: 1. Free Hand(Title Tack) 2. Acquiring the Taste(House, Street, Room) 3. In A Glass House(Title Track) 4. Octopus(Rancoteur Troubadour) 5. Debut(Nothing At All) 6. Interview (I Lost My Head) 7. The Power and The Glory(Proclamation) 8.Three Friends(Peel The Paint) While Interview is only 6th, it is no far in quality from the other ones. I Lost My Head and the title track are the highlights. I enjoyed the break on Interview and the infectious vocal melodies and for ILMH, watching Derek scream his brains out after that acoustic section is something to behold. I can picture all the tracks being apart of some news or talk show.

I certainly don't consider Interview as one of the weak (or weaker) GG albums.And the second-last good album overall, (Playing The Fool being the last one)

Sean Trane wrote: I certainly don't consider Interview as one of the weak (or weaker) GG albums. FTM, I rate it above TP&TG and FH, their previous two albums, and maybe even 3F. However, I do think Interview is the last good studio album of theirs...  And the second-last good album overall, (Playing The Fool being the last one) siLLy puPPy wrote: Interview is the band's most overtly complex album. Personally i think it's just as good as the album's that came before. I would even go as far as to say it is better for my ears. It's the same scenario as to why many liked Thick As a Brick over Passion Play. There is a threshold of complexity that listeners seem to stall at. As a musician myself i love the more adventurous complex arrangements of Interview. Sure the concept is nothing special but the musical delivery consists of what prog dreams are made of. Gentle Giant were geniuses. Even the more pop flavored albums that came after Interview were brilliantly constructed. Keep listening to Interview. It'll grow on you :) I'm not even sure Interview is that complex... it certainly seems more accessible (and warmer - less clinical) that FH & TP&TG. It alsoi has some reggae moments, which I tremendously enjoy.  .

^ I love the debut too. In fact i love all 10 albums from debut to Civilian. One of the best prog bands of all time in my book :)

I really wish everyone would give Interview a chance. It takes a bit longer to warm up to for many reasons but every time i put it on i am literally blown away.

Interview is not weak regarding composition and performance. The opinion which travels the internet is as such that the album is not good and several people point out its so called weaknesses. As to how or why this opinion grew in popularity I'm not sure. I've been hearing the negative viewpoints on the Interview album since the 70s.

A lot of knockers aim at "Give It Back", "Empty City", and "Timing" as simplistic and therefore Gentle Giant is short handing us. Or it's stated that "Another Show" is too much like "Cogs In Cogs" and that it all sounds like YES anyway so why bother?

These opinions about Interview are ancient fossil. Some people who are not exactly informed take these opinions as facts. Over decades these opinions were spread out like a cow flop and people believed it. Especially when critics voiced strongly against it ...trying to alter your thinking so you won't believe it's ranks with the other progressive sounding GG albums.

The publications industry doesn't help matters really. They would perpetuate hogwash about the album. Just like they often did with Jethro Tull albums.