What is wrong with a person who cannot give a compliment?

I am involved with a man who cannot give a compliment, however, he loves to receive them. When I ask why, he replies that he has been told this before. But still he will not give a compliment of any kind. He often, almost daily, gives himself compliments though. I can take time to look good for him, or spend a day in the kitchen preparing his favourite meal and he has no comment. I thought when you love somebody you want to show how much you admire and appreciate them. It comes naturally. It almost gets to seem undermining. Is this pive aggressive behaviour of some sort? We have been involved for five plus years.