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Customer Reviews of The Missing Piece

Not really that bad
1977's The Missing Piece was basically the first Gentle Giant album many of their fans turned the backs on. To me, I never really thought the album was all that bad. Most of the album is very straightforward and song-oriented, but I am more blaming the record companies here, as they were looking for a sound for the band that might sell a few copies. But at least it still has a '70s sound. There are some great songs here like "Two Weeks in Spain", "I'm Turning Around", and "Who Do You Think We Are". The band was responding to the punk rock explosion with "Betcha Thought We Couldn't Do It", which the band tries to be punk, but you know they're actually a prog band. "As Old As You're Young" is one of my favorites, Kerry Minnear sings here, and has that same medieval sound the the band was so known for, even though the compositions were simpler than before. "Memories of Old Days" is clearly the album's best piece here, and the most progressive, which comes to show that the band really didn't want to leave their prog sound totally behind, it was more the idea of the record companies. I never really thought The Missing Piece was something GG should be ashamed of, but it's still a good album despite the rather simple compositions. Of course, start with any of their previous albums first.

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Good less fussy Giant
This album was released (I think) in 1977, and it shows, in the sense that the punk 'revolution' had come along and all the great bands of the art-rock pantheon had suddenly, and rather mysteriously, been labelled dinosaurs. This is GGs attempt to react to this. I think it works and it is certainly a very good place to start a GG collection as the songs are less complex and more straightforward. This album will introduce you to a band whose abilities were extraordinary by anyone's estimate. 'Betcha thought we couldn't do it' amuses me as I think it was meant to amuse the listener. It is GGs attempt at hard rock - they could not bring themselves to be actually punk - after all how could they - they were real musicians! As hard rock I think it is a good track. The rest of the album is excellent too. "Two weeks in Spain" by the way I do not find embarrassing. It is a track with a very British theme - that is all. The traditional British annual blue collar visit to the sun and sea in Spain. Fish and chips all the way and no attempt to understand anything about Spain or the Spanish.

What IS poor is the CD reissue, totally lacking in any bass. The original vinyl is much superior, no question. If there is an import version available then you should get it and not this version.

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TWO "WRONGS" DON'T MAKE A "RIGHT"
Although it has some excellent moments, "Missing Piece" marked the beginning of Gentle Giant's decline as they headed in a "pop" direction: 3 stars. "Giant for a Day" is almost unlistenable, as far as I'm concerned, considering what these incredible musician/composers were capable of: 1 star. Putting two of the band's weakest recordings together on one CD makes it easier to avoid both? Brilliant!