ACQUIRING THE TASTE

Not often do I absolutely love an album after the first listen, especially a prog one, but this gem is an exception. The title reigns true; this album gave me a taste of Gentle Giant's peculiar style and I loved every minute of it. A well balanced mix of everything that makes Gentle Giant one of the most satisfying prog bands to listen to, including the vocal harmonies, some great instrumentation that never bores, and some well thought out straight up rock songs. If you are unsure which album to start with out of the Gentle Giant collection, I would say pick this one. It may not be their peak musically but this album marks the start of some great experimentation and is an essential listen. My picks are Black Cat, Pantagruel's Nativity, and Plain Truth.