OCTOPUS

With its strong mediaeval and folk influences, this album is better suited to those who prefer melody to flash.

1. The Advent of Panurge 9/10 - mediaeval folk acapella to jazzy funk rock, and classic prog rock - and then back again. Kerry Minnear's organ sound in the bridge would make Jon Lord blush. He must be one of the finest keyboardists in prog.

2. Raconteur Troubadour 9/10 - mediaeval, classical. GG always have great bridges, and these are outstanding, reminiscent of Genesis, Gong and Zappa rolled up in one. 3. A Cry for Everyone 7/10 - this is the rocker. Starts off sounding like Tull. Then it continues to sound like Tull. Some strong rockin' moments

4. Knots 10/10 - the lyrics are about knotty relationships, echoed by knotty music. The interweaving acapella at the start gives way to Zappaesque counterpoint, and the various permutations are simply brilliant.

5. The Boys in the Band 9/10 - an instrumental based on a wicked unison riff. After a dizzying array of changes the song settles into a solid funk. What a rhythm section - John Weathers and Ray Shulman are magnificent in this.

6. Dog's Life 8/10 - GG's stately ode to dogs, reminiscent of Martha My Dear, but with extra twists, of course. The song was dedicated to their roadies. Gorgeous melodies and arrangement.

7. Think of Me with Kindness 8/10 - the ballad. Its melodies and emotion are so beautiful that they'd make Paul McCartney proud.

8. River 7/10 - a riffy rocker, with as many changes as you'd expect from GG. A bit funky, a bit jazzy, a bit progressive. About halfway through some drum breaks lead into a straight up blues rock guitar solo.

I love Kerry Minnear and Ray Shulman. Almost everything they touch is gold, be it keys, vibes, cello, bass, trumpet, violin or acoustic guitar.

This is on display in Excerpts from the bonus track, Octopus. It's a live medley starting with Boys in the Band. After a Tullish passage it segues into an acoustic guitar duo between Gary Green and Ray Shulman, covering abridged instrumental versions of Raconteur Troubadour and Dog's Life. Stunning. From there is an abridged version of Knots, then Advent of Panurge. From there is a recorder section, with several members playing along with bass and drums. The piece finishes with Advent of Panurg. It's 10/10.

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