IN SPITE OF HARRY'S TOENAIL

After a few listens, I find the comparisons between Gentle Giant and Van Der Graaf Generator to be highly exaggerated. Perhaps these guys were compositionally thinking about the music in a similar way, in a simliar era, but the execution sounds completely different. I haven't been moved, or really impressed, by this album at all. I find it, at times, irritating. I find it more irritating that I listen to it looking for some of the magic described by these aforementioned bands - it's about as compelling for me as Gentle Giant in their Missing Piece phase, and is no where near the best of their output.