Gentle Giant - Octopus CD

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 70's Progressive at its best
This album reminds me of the very best of Yes: Original, unique and technically superb. The strong classical influence artfully executed in rock music is something rare and wonderful to find.
Submitted by a reviewer (Texas) 
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 Eight Opuses
Gentle Giant is indeed an acquired taste, and "Octopus" ranks as their best work. The album is somewhat of an eclectic mixed bag of progressive styles ranging from medieval classical to a hard rock reworking of Albert Camus to a complex a-capella track to a Zappa-esque instrumental and a beautiful off-kilter ballad in "Think Of Me With Kindness". The instrumentation runs the gamut from weird to wonderful and the Shulman brothers and Kerry Minnear prove to be an intelligent and able songwriting collective. I'd recommend "Octopus" as the doorway into Giant's catalogue.
Submitted by Will-T (Lawrenceburg IN)
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 Not the most obvious entry door to Gentle Giant
Typically the kind of album that gives prog rock a bad name... It seems that most prog bands went a step too far (and paved the way for the invasion of punk and disco) and Gentle Giant even went a step further. But make no mistake, the band is a heavyweight of prog rock and it deserves all your interest. Just start with Acquiring the Taste instead !
Submitted by Stéphane (Switzerland)
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 gentle giant in inspired form.
An absolute masterpiece no other music like it on the planet.
Submitted by peter_duff (London England)
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 Their best!!!
"Octopus" is simply the best GG album! With many perfect songs and again, fantastic musicanship! Not ONE weak song...Even "Dog's Life" is IMO excellent!! The first five songs are stunning eksamples of GG's creativity and complexity, and it fit's SO well to the album!!! The only bump with this album is the artwork that came with the US edition. The Roger Dean cover is SO much better, so if want a good purchase: Buy this album with the Dean cover!!! Anyway, Buy it, you will probably not regret! :)
Submitted by Bj-1 (Norway)
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