Octopus - GENTLE GIANT***

The Advent Of Panurge/Raconteur Troubadour/A Cry For Everyone/Knots/The Boys In The Band/Dog's Life/Think Of Me With Kindness/River

Octopus is regarded as the most rocking album from the British progressive band Gentle Giant. The title is reputedly not referring to the sea creature but to octo opus, a play on words meaning eight musical works. (US:170)

“An album truly worth revisiting again and again, Octopus showcases the sheer diversity of the band, as well as demonstrating that they can rock out and get wild.”

“This is highly intricate and complex progressive rock. Prog almost doesn't get anymore complicated than this. If you like simple music this could be your nemesis.”

“At a time when most progressive rock giants were releasing elaborate concept albums and side-long epics, Gentle Giant took the genre in an entirely different direction with Octopus. A punchy release with easily distinguishable compositions, the album is a manifesto for prog eclecticism. Terse yet relentlessly complex, hook-laden yet frequently atonal and always pushing the boundaries of what constitutes rock music, it is a progressive release in the truest sense of the word.”

“The tracks on this masterpiece are varied and even more complex in their composition and approach than anything they had tackled before that would provide the gateway to the run of brilliant albums that would follow.”

“Octopus is slightly more straightforward than Gentle Giant's previous albums. They're best known for their complex and symphonic progressive rock style. This is a completely progressive rock album too but it's also the most hard rocking this band ever released.”

“This is the epitome of Gentle Giant's career, and one of my favourite prog albums. It ends up sounding like a more tight and concise Acquiring The Taste, not quite as experimental but certainly still out there, even for prog rock. What makes this a step up is simply that the melodies are better, and they were at an all-time high in songwriting skills.”

“Good variety, interesting arrangements and excellent drumming.. The album is clinical and nerdy even by prog standards, but it works somehow.”