For all its complexity and sophistication, GENTLE GIANT‘s “Octopus” is more than a cult classic of a prog ilk; it’s an album which many love dearly. That’s why the news of its reissue in a remix implemented to the original tapes by Steven Wilson is causing a bit of a furor, despite the fact that it wasn’t news per se, as the PORCUPINE TREE’s man involvement hasn’t been a major secret. It’s his next project for GG after the work done on “The Power And The Glory” last year, and it’s going to be a CD and CD/Blu-ray combo this time, with new stereo and surround mixes, yet not a lot of extra material on Blu-ray – not counting five instrumental versions of the album’s tracks and the flat transfer of the original mix.
Still, there’s a 2,000-word essay by Anil Prasad who interviewed band members and Roger Dean who provided new sketches for his iconic artwork, although the second, American variant of the cover is included in the packaging too, and the story of how and why the two came to be. Out on October 27th, on the band’s own Alucard label, the record’s principal content looks like this (read the review here):
Octopus
1. The Advent Of Panurge
2. Raconteur Troubadour
3. A Cry For Everyone
4. Knots
5. The Boys In The Band
6. Dog’s Life
7. Think Of Me With Kindness
8. River
bonus:
9. Excerpts From Octopus – live 1976
