4th Round Class: Scheherazade v. Octopus

rogerthat wrote:

True to my word, here it is:

yes!! Annie's feet are divine!! LOL

The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip

^ It's open until next Saturday, I think.

kenethlevine wrote:

how much longer uis the poll open? Does Renaissance still have a chance?

closes Saturday morning! Thumbs Up

The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip

Relistens - Octopus:

I've heard Octopus before but not paid it that much attention despite being a Giant fan. On this occasion, however, the sheer quality of the songs themselves has got me entranced. Think On Me With Kindness is a really powerful ballad and Minnear's vocal is beautiful. Knots is probably the best lyrical counterpart for the Giant harmonies I've yet heard. That the musicianship and counterpoint is stupendous is something I've just come to expect from Gentle Giant but the lyrics, vocals and songwriting here are astonishing. Many stars. Many plaudits.

TGM ... while I gave Renaissance my vote I'm not not completely convinced. Personally I wonder if multi octave voices are as much a hindrance as a help. Like some guitarists with amazing dexterity the gift is far too often overused. One of my favourite lines "just because you can doesn't mean you should".

I didn't get the Giant back in the day but am slowly coming around, at least to their early stuff. Otoh, while I like a lot of what Renaissance does instrumentally I do cringe at some of those lyrics. Then again if we are talking cringe factor, I reckon Stairway to bleedin' 'eaven should be taken out and shot, so what would I know. Big smile

Andrew B

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” ― Julius Henry Marx

t d wombat wrote:

TGM ... while I gave Renaissance my vote I'm not not completely convinced. Personally I wonder if multi octave voices are as much a hindrance as a help. Like some guitarists with amazing dexterity the gift is far too often overused. One of my favourite lines "just because you can doesn't mean you should".

I didn't get the Giant back in the day but am slowly coming around, at least to their early stuff. Otoh, while I like a lot of what Renaissance does instrumentally I do cringe at some of those lyrics. Then again if we are talking cringe factor, I reckon Stairway to bleedin' 'eaven should be taken out and shot, so what would I know. Big smile

Actually for a singer of her range, power and control, Annie has quite incredible restraint, something which becomes obvious on comparison to Kate Bush who often gets into singing styles that don't quite come off well even if the concept may be bold. Unfortunately, the music often seems to struggle to keep pace with her, but it would be a lot more boring without Annie breathing life into the songs.

This is a decent enough cover of Ocean Gypsy but you can see the singing lacks the fine nuances that Annie is able to bring out even in a straight up folk ballad:

Octopus.

Great poll!

"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021

I think this poll will divide the forum into those who like CHARM and those who like STRANGE.

No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man.

I love both, but Scheherazade takes the cake this time.

Poll Question: Pick One!
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Scheherazade and Other Stories (1975) - Renaissance	43	[46.74%]
Octopus (1972) - Gentle Giant	49	[53.26%]
This topic is closed, no new votes accepted

Renaissance, Scheherazade and Other Stories.