Album Rating: 4.0

I would agree with your 5 if it hadn't too much White and too little Bruford. Still an absolutely amazing ride of an incredible band veeery close to their prime!

Album Rating: 4.5

@e21, you're right about the mystery around the GG's capacity to play live their complex patterns, but I have my opinion on it; According to me, just like Yes and other complex bands, they always did their best to compose in a way that they can play everything live. In other words, they always made sure that all their songs were transposable live, hence their capacity to perform them all without any problem into their shows. Of course, it requires big talent and great musicianship to achieve it.

As for my Playing the Fool review, I seriously need to edit it, mainly in the trimming.

Album Rating: 5.0

I can see your point, Don. Despite Bruford be a much better drummer, especially much more complete and diversified, White is a great drummer. Besides and in general, I think White made great performances on some of the tracks on this album.

Album Rating: 5.0

I perfectly agree with you Jethro. But, I still think, the music of Gentle Giant is even more complex than many other bands, including Yes. Just see the amount of instruments used by all band members. Besides, all are multi instrument players.

But there always was another amazing thing for me on Gentle Giant's music. By definition, one of the main carachteristics of prog music are lenghty compositions. But that never was true with Gentle Giant. I always was amazed with their ability to create truly prog music, some of the most prog ever, in only 3 or 4 minutes. And it was always a landmark of their music. I think no other prog band was abble to do that. It always astonished me. This is one of the reasosn why I love them so much and I gave so many high ratings to their albums.

Album Rating: 4.5

Yeah you're right. Gentle Giant never felt the necessity to do long epic suites, probably because there's already so much going on into their tight, compact songs of 3, 4, 5 or 6 minutes. They all feel like complete, even if short. Their longest song is ''Nothing at All'' (9 minutes) with its extended drum solo accompanied by the classical music in the background. Other than that, the further they went was around 7 minute long songs found here and there, mainly in ''In a Glass House''. ''Small is beautiful'' as a philosopher once said lol...

Album Rating: 5.0

''Small is beautiful but not necessarily simple'' as also another philosopher once said. Me. lol...

Album Rating: 4.5

Lol

Gentle Giant have some beautiful and sophisticated 3 minute songs such as ''Cogs in Cogs'', ''Valedictory'', ''Three Friends'', ''Another Show'', and the more simple ones (in the GG standards): ''Think of me With Kindness'' and ''Shadows on the Street''...

And I don't count all these gorgeous... acrobatic 4 minute songs...

Album Rating: 5.0

Yeah. I think that is an amazing thing for a prog band with a complex and sophisticated sound as they had. This is against almost all canons of prog. It was really an amazing thing, actually.