THE MISSING PIECE

I won't lie with this review, (I never lie at all!). I will tell you how I feel listening to The Missing Piece, an album transitional in nature, with very interesting compositions, still good! And still entertaining! Yes, it's not their most experimental effort, nor their peak of maturity, but a sign of that times.anyway you can't turn back the clock! Is it pop? Was it thought for commercial audience? If so what's a pop!! If only all the then commercial albums had been arranged and played in such a beauty.in such a freshness.!

The new 2005 35th anniversary remastered edition is very well packaged, in "green- grass revealer" colour. The sound is very clear and strong. It's a pleasure to listen to such good reissues! Even if the booklet it's poor, only providing the lyrics. The front cover is very nice with that puzzle missing piece lying on the grass. reciprocally the back cover is the "almost" complete Giant's puzzle composition! Some funny surprises expect us!!

The first part of the album starts with a "shocking" (I admit it) Two Weeks In Spain, an excellent straightforward rocker about some great holydays (or tour?) the band should have enjoyed in that Iberian beautiful country that year, I suppose! (3 stars).

I'm Turning Around is a soft romantic ballad.this is the only "really strange" one here and after listening to it a few times I can't say it's bad, Gentle Giant never made "bad" albums! P.S. Giant For A Day and Civilian are not prog, but surely good commercial works.(2 stars).

Betcha Thought We Couldn't Do It, is even more rocker than the opener, very well played and sung, nice strong guitar riffs. Not really progressive, but good anyway! (2,5 stars).

Who Do You Think You Are is a well refine track, perhaps a little too repetitive.not the best of the album, enjoyable yet! (2 stars).

Mountain Time.for me this one is great and catchy, with a good funny tempo! (3 stars).

As Old As You're Young is a classic Gentle Giant's song. It reminds of the earlier years but it's at the same time as joyful and fresh as it's the general vein of The Missing Piece! (3,5 stars) P.S. Some references with the 1976 Jethro Tull's Too Old To Rock'n'Roll, Too Young To Die!"?

Memories Of Old Days is a real GEM, softly and sadly played. In my honest opinion the best of the album, with nice, atmospheric, delicate and acoustic guitar work and medieval feeling graced by Gary Green. It seems to me to hear to some Strawbs' passages.(4,5 stars).

Winning is a more happier song about a raising winner but a falling man! (3,5 stars).

For Nobody should have been the album's opener.so strong and in a traditional GG's vein.really STRONG! (4 stars). P.S. the remastered edition has also the live version of this great track, recorded in Cleveland (USA) during 1977.who saw them performing live in UK in those wretched punk and new wave days?

The Missing Piece remains a fine collection. The relatively poor sales say more about the changes taking place in the music scene at the time than they do about the album itself. All the excitement of Gentle Giant's unique chemistry is here! Let's enjoy! 3-3,5 the final score!

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