OCTOPUS

My dear. I mean just wow. In the past I've heard tidbits of Gentle Giant's Octopus, mostly that of 'The Advent of Panurge', still remaining one of my favorite of their lyrical and musical work, but there is literally no problems with this album. Every song has an amazing production, delves in deep without becoming unconventionally mixed about, and each has it's own personal flare. Perhaps the most hard rocking of their albums, featuring prototypical hard rock that could be considered influential to some, but that is hardly the main focus. A very notable stylistic quality the album features is an amazingly developed and varied vocal arrangement, using every open moment where the guitars grow quiet for Phil to take the lighter moments while Derek takes the stronger sections. Also on the subject the A Capella arrangement 'Knots' is a fantastical addition to the interesting vocalizations of Gentle Giant. 'The Boys in the Band' is probably in my top ten if not five instrumentals of all time. The more hard rocking tracks that you'll find are 'A Cry for Everyone' and the closer 'River' for anyone who is curious. I heartily believe that Octopus remains in the collection that Phil's wife Roberta mentions as the "octo-opus", perhaps as the best. Do not by any means pass this one up.