OCTOPUS

After consolidating their sound on Three Friends, Gentle Giant surged forward with their first true masterpiece "Octopus"- and make no mistake this album is an absolute masterpiece- eight tracks and not one single dud.

Opening track 1 "The advent of Panurge" is a wonderful follow up of sorts to "The advent of Panurge" again inspired by q characters y French Renaissance writer Rabelais.Complex and melodic it is hard to believe it is actually less than five minutes long.

Track 2 "Raconteur Troubadour" is another successful cod- medieval track a style the group hinted at on Acquiring the Taste and it is just brilliant. They manage to sound medieval and Progressive at the same time.Only someone like Kerry Minnear who studied Composition at the Royal Academy of Music and I am guessing he had a major hand in composing this track could pull off such a stunt so effectively and seemingly effortlessly. The only other group I can think of (off the top of my head) is Gryphon who also cleverly fused ancient and contemporary styles.

Track 3 "A cry for Everyone" inspired by French writer Albert Camus is admittedly one of the lesser tracks but is still a very accessible prog rocker with some great polyrhythmic instrumental interplay.In Fact there is so much going on it is hard to believe it is barely four minutes long.

Track 4 "Knots" is the first use of Madrigal style of singing. Judging by some other reviewers comments this track seems to divide not only Prog fans but Gentle Giant fans.Anyone who has read my other reviews is my dislike of musicians being clever for the hell of of but seriously this track is so clever it is hard to believe anyone came up with the idea behind this song.It is based on fellow Glaswegian Psychiatrist RD Laing's poem "Knots" which used knotted rhymes much like the GG song of the same name.Complex and brilliant.

Opening Track 5 (side 2) is another prog-rocker and one of the highlights on the album.There are few bands who can rock so hard and complex at the same time.Gentle Giant had honed this particular skill on Three Friends and raised it up a notch on this album.

Track 6 "A Dog's Life" is another "Medieval' sounding song and a nice companion the "Racontour Troubadour"

Track 7 "Think Of Me With Kindness" is a lovely deceptively complex and yet intimate song.I was going to say "ballad" but even here there is so much going on with a great rousing instrumental trumpet flourish at the end

Track 8 "River" is an appropriately labyrinthine track which seems to sum up the various themes on what for me ia a very special album.

I cannot praise this album enough- a solid 5 stars

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