Customer Reviews

Pungent Effulgent

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Here's the history of Pungent Effulgent: THE original version of this album, from 1989, was released only on LP (a little odd in 1989, since the CD was quite common by that time and the cassette was still quite popular) on the Demi-Monde label (a label owned by ex-Hawkwind and Amon Düül II bassist Dave Anderson). "Wreltch" was not featured on the original LP since it already appeared on their final cassette-only release, released at the same time as Pungent Effulgent, The Bits Between the Bits. In 1990, the Ozrics decided to go back to releasing albums themselves, and launched Dovetail, first releasing Erpland, then re-releasing Pungent Efflugent, both in 1990, this time with "Wreltch" and apparently a new cut called "A Gog in the Ether" added. Thanks to Pungent Effulgent being their first proper-label release, the music really benefits big time with actual professional production, rather than the more homemade production of their previous five cassettes (actually six, but one was a live album, that is Live Ethereal Cereal). "Dissolution" was one of the rare times that there was actually vocals on an Ozric song, vocals courtesy of John. There's also a remake of There is Nothing's "O-I" with more real sounding drums than the original. "Phalarn Dawn" is a gentle ambient number with some didgeridoo being used. Of all instruments I wished to hear more on an Ozric album is the didgeridoo. At this time, the Ozrics still wanted to give us some reggae like they had with "Crab Nebula" (There is Nothing), "Sorry Style" (Tantric Obstacles), "The Dusty Pouch" (Sliding Gliding Worlds) and "Sparkling Oasis" (The Bits Between the Bits), this time they give us "The Domes of G'Bal". I take a star off, because if you already own The Bits Between the Bits and Sliding Gliding Worlds, it becomes a little redundant to have to hear "Wreltch" and "Kick Muck" again, simply because both of those appeared exactly the same on those cassette-only releases (not re-recorded like "O-I" was). But there's one other great thing the Ozrics benefitted from a proper record deal is Pungent Effulgent features for the first time Blim artwork in full color (Blim artwork was featured on all their previous cassettes except There is Nothing, and all were black and white since those covers had to be photocopied and having the artwork in color was not practical). Despite having to hear some repeats from their previous cassette releases, Pungent Effulgent is a great album to get, but even better things were to come, and that would be Erpland.

For Pungent, the Ozrics first major CD release, the band picked a number of previously written tunes, modified some of them, and combined them with some new material to produce one ear-churning album.

The opener, Dissolution, is neck-and-neck with Erpland's Eternal Wheel as the track I'm most likely to use when introducing someone to the Ozrics. Ed Wynne's delayed guitar intro has to appeal to just about anyone with ears. This same intro seems to follow some earlier live tracks on the Live Ethereal Cereal tape: Tentacular and Obstacular Explosions. Next comes O-I, an echo from the tape There Is Nothing. Pungent's version is a little more compact, with a tighter jam in the middle; I'd say the original version delivers more of an eastern aura. Phalarn Dawn is new, low-density stuff. The Ozrics really know how to use open space in their music, and this track illustrates that. The Domes Of G'Bal is a CD highlight. The swelling intro fans into a moving reggae environment. Wynne shows he's the best at melding genres with a fuzzy guitar solo over the reggae foundation.

Shaping The Pelm is the album's weakpoint, serving at best as an ambient segue into Ayurvedic: a song you don't mind having stuck in your head all day. Again, Ed creates the warmest distortion I've ever heard in some of the most soothing guitar work in this track's beginning stages. The song goes from ethnicity to meltdown to, surprise surprise, reggae--perhaps the strongest Pungent track. The Ozrics continue with another fuzzy gem, Kick Muck. This ripper is taken right from the Sliding Gliding Worlds tape, minus the ambient outro, and has as much energy as you can ask for in a song. Agog In The Ether serves as the replacement ambient segue from Kick Muck, and leads into another solid tune, Wreltch. The band took this track right off of The Bits Between The Bits, meaning four of the six tapes were represented here on Pungent. Wreltch starts creepily, then jumps like a step function minutes into the track. This would be a fine album closer, but a live version of Ayurvedic (Ayurvedism?) hauls in the countdown instead. This is twice as long as the original due to the end jam...wish I could have been at that show.

Pungent, like Afterswish, recalls some old Ozric winners and yields a cast of fantastic originals. I strongly urge Ozric fans without this CD to remedy the situation immediately. People yet to experience the sound of this band can't go wrong with the purchase, but might want to start with Erpland...arguably the finest CD out there.

Ozric's first "CD" release. Of the remasters, this is definitely the one to own, because although they almost ruined the beautiful cover art, you get an incredible 18-minute live track "Ayurvedsim" (which as you can guess is an mutation of "Ayurvedic" from the album proper). As the album itself contains a lot of rehashes of older stuff from the tape-only releases with better production and tighter musicianship, it serves as a launching point to where the Ozrics came from and where they would go. There's some decent dub work (although the best of that IMHO is to be found on their earlier stuff) and great, wierd, Orbish _Pomme-Fritz_ era ambient exercises. "Dissolution", a live standard (and one of the rare tracks featuring vocals by Jumping John) is the sound of things to come, with some incredible guitar work by Ed on the buildup, while eerie songs like "Wreltch" sound like the death of an evil synthesizer and hearken back to their earliest recordings. The blistering "Kick Muck" and "O-I" are also to be found on here. (4-1/2 stars)

is one of the best instrumental band ever but there's only one song that has singing in it. Disolution (The Clouds Disperse)

But it's not real singing although...esp. the bonus song is one of my all time favorite song on this album besides 0-1 song.

This band may not be well known, but they are a real treat. Lovers of psychedelic music and creative Rock should own at least some Ozric Tentacles. I own what I believe to be their best music. I have Erpland, Jurassic Shift, Strangeitude, Pungent Effulgent, Curious Corn, and the Floating Seeds Remixed album. Pungent Effulgent is one of my favorites. But the others are great too. They utilize so many things to make their music. It is really interesting, and never offensive. Pick up some or all of the titles I just mentioned if you like their vibe. It's all good!

"Pungent Effulgent" is one of the first Ozric records (it is their first 'proper' studio record), and has been around for a while now. But does it sound dated? Not a bit! This album is as original and refreshing as when it was first released more than ten years ago!

The album kicks off with 'Dissolution,' a track that features some beautiful delayed-out guitar work from Ed, which leads into what is quite possibly one of the best build-ups ever recorded; a true psychedelic jam in the best Ozric tradition! The second track, '0-1,' is peppered with eastern-sounding melodies, and an awesome drum beat by Merv, ending with a very expressive guitar solo by Ed during which he uses a phaser to make the guitar almost talk. The third track, 'Phalarn Dawn,' is an incredibly beautiful song that begins with a wash of acoustic guitar and features a slowly evolving drum track, whilst flowering into some beautiful flute playing by John; this is a very interesting track for the Ozrics, as it explores their somewhat-neglected ambient/atmospheric side. On the fourth track, 'The Domes of G'Bal,' original drummer Tig returns to pound out some awesome beats. This song, though somewhat reggae-oriented, is very spacy (the intro warps my brain every time!), with very fluid basslines courtesy of Roly, excellent use of synth effects from Joie, and Ed showing us some of his lead-guitar skills (without an ounce of pretentiousness!) towards the end of the song. Track six, 'Ayurvedic,' is perhaps one of my favourite tracks. This one begins with a low keyboard drone, overtop of which are layered some very exotic keyboard ramblings from Joie. The track slowly unfolds into a section in which John's flute and Ed's guitar play off of each other with perfect control and beauty, after which the song gets to out-and-out rocking for a short spell. After a very abrupt break, there is an ending jam in which Roly and Merv let flow with a hypnotic groove, which is seasoned by a bit of Ed's unique slant on reggae guitar and some outlandish synth noises from Joie! Track seven, 'Kick Muck,' is a driving rock track that begins with a searing guitar line from Ed (the song's main theme), and continues into a superb jam, during which the skill of every band member is made quite obvious (though once again, without a bit of pretention!). Ed's guitar solo on this song, though brief, is extra-ordinary; Roly's basslines writhe and dance with Joie's flaring synths, all the while being anchored by Merv's rock-solid drumming. (Though Merv does take a solo of sorts later on in the song, he somehow manages to maintain a perfect, rocking tempo whilst going nuts!) I should, at this time, note that tracks five, eight and nine are excellent tracks; the ones mentioned above are simply my favourite cuts from the record.

Well, there you have it! This is an excellent album, altogether; the production is great (you can hear everything quite clearly--quite a production feat for a group like the Ozrics), and the inspiration is there in truckloads (dare I say it oozes out of the CD case). This is one of the most diverse Ozric Tentacles records ever, yet all of the songs are consistently compelling and wonderful. How on earth do they do it? Well, we need not be concerned with that...happy listening!

With this album (being their first "real" album) the Ozrics showed the world how music is supposed to sound. And the sound sure is great. It is their most jazzy effort to date, but as with their other albums it contains elements from a multitude of other genres. Pungent Effulgent is, as the name suggests a bit weird (a lot actually), but it's the kind of quality weidness that no other band has, and I'm quite sure ever will produce.

What can i say that hasn't already been said by other reviewers?

Buy this album right now no time to waste, your ears will be missing out on the finest of jam sessions if you don't get this. Great introduction of Ozrics to any new listener.

I just want to say that there is nothing really to be added to the already excellent reviews of this album.

If you don't own any of the Ozrics then make sure that one of the two that you do own is this one.

It's good!

This is my favorite Ozric Tentacles CD after _Erpland_. It's a bit more experimental than their other stuff, and melody isn't as important. But I like everything on here, especially the wonderful journey called "Ayurvedic". Get it!