There’s something to be said about a band that waits nine years to release its first full-length album. Whether the motives for such a delay stem from perfectionism, laziness, or simply different artistic priorities, one thing you can bet on is that the final product will display a level of cohesiveness not generally found in younger bands. Such is the case with instrumental/experimental hard-rock trio I, Octopus’ debut album I’d Rather Be a Lightning Rod Than a Seismograph. The 11 tracks contained on .…Lightning Rod are complex, yet organic, and present a very mature sound from a band that has worked tirelessly to carve a niche for themselves on the New Orleans music scene through years of steady gigging.

What’s most striking about the album is how fluid this band is at manipulating dynamics. From the dreamy psychedelia of “I’m Not Sad I’m Just Curious” to the cracked-out video game feel of “Rag Tag Bunch of Apostrophes “ to the aggressive, rock-your-face-off audio assault on “Exponential Flatland Theorem” I, Octopus proves it’s not afraid to take chances. Covering such a vast musical terrain gives … Lightning Rod an epic quality, and the ease with which I, Octopus makes these transitions speaks volumes.