Comus says: Be a Gentle Giant for Seven Days!

boo boo · 05-25-2009, 12:51 PM

I disagree with you on this one Comus. While it's a very experimental album it's also, I think, one of their most accessible and one of the first abums I'd recommend to those who want to get into the band. There's still some blues that pops up in Experience and the title track. But thankfully they started putting less emphasis on it and are beginning to explore their own sound more fully.

The lyrical subjects are a lot darker and more serious than their other work. An Inmates Lullaby for example is about a mental patient, but it's a very beautiful song, and it's an odd one because it's all percussion instruments like vibraphone and xylophone.

But the music itself on the album is very upbeat sounding. There's more of a bubbly folk sound on this record than the rest of their work. This is the only GG album where Green plays the mandolin, so that gives it a very unique flavor when compared to the other albums.

I do miss Phil very much, his brass instruments gave the first four GG albums a lot of their bombastic power, though his absence allowed the band to evolve once more.

So Piss, if you like Octopus enough to check out another album, make sure In A Glass House is the first.

Boobs' picks: The Runaway, Way of Life, Experience, In A Glass House.

Comus · 05-25-2009, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boo boo

I disagree with you on this one Comus. While it's a very experimental album it's also, I think, one of their most accessible and one of the first abums I'd recommend to those who want to get into the band. There's still some blues that pops up in Experience and the title track. But thankfully they started putting less emphasis on it and are beginning to explore their own sound more fully.

The lyrical subjects are a lot darker and more serious than their other work. An Inmates Lullaby for example is about a mental patient, but it's a very beautiful song, and it's an odd one because it's all percussion instruments like vibraphone and xylophone.

But the music itself on the album is very upbeat sounding. There's more of a bubbly folk sound on this record than the rest of their work. This is the only GG album where Green plays the mandolin, so that gives it a very unique flavor when compared to the other albums.

I do miss Phil very much, his brass instruments gave the first four GG albums a lot of their bombastic power, though his absence allowed the band to evolve once more.

So Piss, if you like Octopus enough to check out another album, make sure In A Glass House is the first.

Boobs' picks: The Runaway, Way of Life, Experience, In A Glass House.

It's a great album, but I think it's on par with Aquiring the taste, which is in no means an insult, it's tied second at the moment, but I'd say their debut is more accessible, while not as strong as Glass House.

Piss Me Off · 05-26-2009, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boo boo

So Piss, if you like Octopus enough to check out another album, make sure In A Glass House is the first.

First listen was encouraging, very odd but has charm which i feel is missing with what i've heard with other prog bands. I won't judge this early but it's looking good!

Comus · 05-26-2009, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piss Me Off

First listen was encouraging, very odd but has charm which i feel is missing with what i've heard with other prog bands. I won't judge this early but it's looking good!

Don't listen to boo boo though, if you want charm you need Acquiring the Taste and the self titled debut, once you've tried them Get Power and the Glory and then you can make your own choices about where to go next.