OCTOPUS

"Octopus" is the first album on which GENTLE GIANT really found their sound and style: less hard rock, extremely rhythm changing, very progressive and rather nervous, full of pauses. You also have many pleasant & unbelievably charming melodic & dissonant moods. Everything is perfectly synchronized and VERY structured. There is a perfect balance between the NUMEROUS instruments involved: electric & acoustic guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, vibraphone, cello, saxophones, trumpet, mellophone, bass violin and xylophone among others: no one wants to steal the show. All the tracks are at least excellent, and you do not feel the tracks are redundant, given their originality and variety! "The boys in the band" is VERY nervous, fast and loaded; this track sets the pace for the next album orientation. "Think of me with kindness" is the relaxing moment of this album: a beautiful, catchy & tender song, rather sentimental; the horns arrangements are really poignant! Finally, "River" is the more hard rock one, having the style of the earlier albums.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!