Quote:
Originally Posted by MicShazam
It's a nitpick, but I seem to remember the video I used stating that the album is from 1990. Which might of course be totally wrong.
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The vinyl release was in 89, and the CD followed in 1990 with an additional track.
Pungent Effulgent - Ozric Tentacles
I’d been meaning to explore Ozric Tentacles ever since my initial forays into the Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble and related recordings of Amorphous Androgynous, but I’ve often felt turned off by the “rock” half of space rock and so from Hawkwind forward I’ve never really given it a fair shake. This week’s listen to OT’s first non-cassette release seems a fitting opportunity to explore the genre.
One of the properties of this album that helped ease me into the rock of it all was that it is almost entirely instrumental. That definitely enhances its accessibility in my book. I was also surprised by the really clean production quality of the recording, which was unexpected for a jam band album out of the late eighties. There are plenty of atmospheric swirling and shimmering effects here, and that’s certainly a plus for me. Slow it down a few clicks, drown it in heavily-sustained keys, and sprinkle in some random John Carpenter or NASA samples and you’d have something right off my shelves. Still, I heard some muted field recordings of birds chirping… so we’re not far off.
By the end of the third track I was getting in the mood for a bit of Bill Laswell so I was quite pleased to hear “The Domes Of G'bal” open with a laid back tempo, reggae rhythm, echo-laden laughter samples, and sweeping effects which clearly flirted with dub.
I enjoyed the majority of the album, though “Kick Muck” was not at all what I was looking for. That said, I imagine it works well to change up the pace here and there for the sake of interest. Thankfully, the closing track returned to a more atmospheric pace, with two minutes of gradual, beatless introduction. The percussion is complemented by more field recordings and world instrumentation, finally tapering off to the sound of cicadas. It appears that two additional tracks were added in subsequent releases - first "Wreltch” for the CD edition in 1990 which did not appear on the original LP, and “Ayurvedism (live)” in 1998 for the first bonus track remastered edition. In 2009 Vinyl Lovers pressed a deluxe edition featuring these two tracks plus five more bonus selections, but I won’t have time to survey the additional content tonight.
All in all an enjoyable listen. Yet another reminder of why return to this club each week. It’s definitely put me into a groove, and I plan to spin
Alice in Ultraland and FSOL’s
Lifeforms tomorrow.
[b]7.5/10[//b]