December Birthdays 
Agent Octopus - From Atlantis with Love CD (Self-Released)
The Agents are back with four tantalizing tunes playing what they call, “the Atlantic Coast Surf sound.” At the opening of, “Black Sea Reef” we are treated to a catchy melody of reverb-laden notes. The song then flows effortlessly into a toe-tappin’, smile-inducing image of what a day on the beach should feel like. “Surf Rider: Redemption” begins with a haunting melody that draws you like the siren song of anticipation awaiting your fate. The introduction of long, drawn-out melancholy from the bowels of a cello further fills the heart with curiosity. Strangely yet wonderfully, the tune takes a playful turn as mourning turns to joy. The song masterfully plays on the tension of these diametrically opposite feelings and doesn’t let up until the sustain of the final chord falls silent. “Lew vs The Kraken” continues transporting the listener to that sunny beach where the waves swell and recede. “Satellites… Revolt!!!” is a showcase of instrumental prowess. Musically, it’s involved and demands repeated listening to be fully absorbed.
The songs are unique yet harmonious. These Agents know how to play their instruments and are not afraid to incorporate diverse styles. The bass and drums play their roles well and add a depth of character to the textured atmosphere. There’s an intensity to the music that’s fundamentally different than the aural onslaught of say, Man Or AstroMan?, Daikaiju, or The Irradiates. It’s not ferocious or aggressive like the aforementioned, but there’s a force to be reckoned with.
The title’s clever spin on the ’63 James Bond film keeps their spy motif intact. On the cover, there appears a terrifying troop of mechanized spiders (a la 1982’s Tron) armed with a miscreant’s mixture on their dastardly dorsals. The back cover completes the story with a buxom beauty named, Rusalka, who’s working with the Agents in an effort to save the hidden (and underwater) village of Kitezh from the sinister Kraken.
Perhaps the four songs on this EP are a nod to the four-act Rimsky-Korsakov opera, The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh. While clever, if so, the four songs leave the listener wanting more. The CD, with a runtime of 15 minutes inhabits a cardboard sleeve.
Pick up a CD at Agent Octopus BC
As reviewed in Colorado Instrumental Fanzine Issue 1
Don't delay! Get your copy today
—Matthew
Purchasae Colorado Instrumental Fanzine Issue 3
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Email: Matthew_e_clark_6@hotmail.com
