OCTOPUS

A band of six musicians who together were capable of playing thirty instruments (and play them well), the musicianship of this band has never been in question (although some of their aesthetic choices can be scrutinized a bit more justifiably). Definitely an acquired taste (acknowledge by the band in essence with the title of their second album Acquiring the Taste), sometimes this reviewer wonders if this band made idiosyncratic and bizarre music simply for the sake of being idiosyncratic and bizarre. Highly unusual rhythmic meters, instrumental choices and medieval singing reinforce this. Classical and jazz influences are heard, and the music ranges from soft ballad to hard rocker. Octopus is composed of eight different tracks (hence octo + opus = Octopus) that serve as an excellent document of the band's stylistically unique sound and is a great starting point for anyone looking to learn more about Gentle Giant's music. Listen with an open ear and an open mind and formulate your own conclusions regarding the cohesiveness of the musical concepts and aestetic choices and don't be unduly influenced by my review or those of others. From my own perspective, however, this recording rates about 4.5 out of 5 stars.