THE MISSING PIECE

I have heard and have all of Gentle Giant's output except Civilian. Giant For A Day doesn't do anything for me, but The Missing Piece? Now, that's a different story. Wrongly lumped in with the two subsequent GG albums, The Missing Piece, even though it was somewhat of a departure from previous records, stands on it's own as a masterpiece!

I never tire of this record, and keep looking for the negative feeling that a fair number of others have for this record, and after countless listenings, I give up trying to find it. I love The Missing Piece! This album is pretty upbeat, and has a mostly happy vibe to it, and when I want something like that, this record always delivers.

There is still enough quirkiness and complexity going on to make it a stimulating and interesting listening experience. In the same breath, this is one of the most cohesive albums that I have ever heard by any group-there are different moods and paces being realised here, from the moving ballad "I'm Turning Around" , to the rock your socks off "For Nobody", and some sort of in between like "As Old As You're Young", but everything fits together so nicely I usually listen to this album not in sections, but all the way through. The recording is a transitional one, I admit, but a pleasant one, nonetheless. Though not quite like previous GG records, it is not like what came after it, either. The Missing Piece is gutsy, but not "in your face". It truly is a "missing piece", and I am glad I have it. I give it 4 stars.