Octopus cover

Octopus

Released

The eight tentacles that comprise Gentle Giant’s masterwork each stick out as a prime example of prog glory. Everything came together on this — the folkier sections, their penchant for counterpoints, the baroque complexity of the compositions. They were decidedly musician’s musicians; no “Runaround” or “Money” here. Just some of the most dazzling displays of messing around with the potential offered by a rock band formation, including the madrigal singing of side one closer “Knots.” You could call it pretentious, sure, but it’s hard to hang that label on the band when they sound like they’re having this much fun.

Jeff Treppel

Recommended by

Suggestions
Three Friends cover

Three Friends

Gentle Giant
The Rainbow Goblins cover

The Rainbow Goblins

Masayoshi Takanaka
A. R. IV  cover

A. R. IV

Achim Reichel
Sunburst Finish cover

Sunburst Finish

Be Bop Deluxe
Dirt cover

Dirt

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan
Obsolete cover

Obsolete

Dashiell Hedayat
Magnetic Flip cover

Magnetic Flip

Birdsongs of the Mesozoic