OZRIC TENTACLES — Pungent Effulgent (review)

OZRIC TENTACLES — Pungent Effulgent album cover

Album · 1989 · Jazz Related Rock

4/5 · 2025-04-25
FunkFreak75

Stepping into the world of professionally-engineered music and record company production and distribution, the Ozrics release their first album that will define their sound stylings and high quality engineering standards for the rest of their career.

1. "Dissolution (The Clouds Disperse)" (6:15) opening with over a minute of one of my all-time favorite Ozrics techniques: the delay-echoed fast-arpeggiated guitar chord picking, the song eventually builds, morphs and changes at 2;15 into a hard-drivin' space rocker that tries very hard, with the addition of vocals, to channel the space-psychedelic mastery of GONG and BRAINTICKET. (9/10)

2. "O-I" (3:58) a weird, sometimes blues-rockin' jam that introduces many sounds and instruments that will become Ozric mainstays for decades (to this day!) (8.75/10)

3. "Phalarn Dawn" (7:34) layers of bird noises and spacey acoustic guitar fast-picking arpeggi open this before relenting to the deep bass thrum of cosmic silence. Eden emerges and sensuous drum and percussion begin to emerge and establish the heartbeat of Life to a new world. This drum-centric song is quite reminiscent of the work being done at the same time by David & Steve Gordon for their own Earthlight Center and Sequoia record labels. I like it. (13.25/15)

4. "The Domes of G'Bal" (4:35) moving into another of OT's signature musical styles: Cosmic Reggae, we get a nice foundation over which Ed does some nice soloing on his stripped-down acoustic-sounding electric guitar. (9/10)

5. "Shaping the Pelm" (6:08) more "exotic jungle" rhythms and sounds merged into a kind of Pat Metheny ethnic imagining. (8.75/10)

6. "Ayurvedic" (10:57) for the longest time this has quite the polished MAHAVISHNU sound and feel to it: as we're just waiting for Jan Hammer or Jerry Goodman/Jean-Luc Ponty to break out into some fiery solo (which actually does happen at the six-minute mark). But this is a much more multi-faceted, multi-styled song, crossing through many cultural/ethnic domains before finishing. The first half is most excellent; the Reggae-based final third not so much. (17.75/20)

7. "Kick Muck" (3:53) funk rock and roll! Great bass play from Roly Wynne with very engaging drums and percussion to help drive it all beneath, the sound chosen for the delivery of the lead instrument (guitar) is so odd as to detract from the great groove being provided by the rhythm section. Usual GONG-like Ozrics' space synth noises flit in and out throughout. Sad, disappointing "cut out" ending. (8.875/10)

8. "Agog in the Ether" (4:05) again with the jungle noises! Slow-building gamelan-patterned synth textures are eventually infused with saw-guitar and many other synth noises and hand percussives. This is such a brilliant weave! Very dreamy/meditative and relaxing (despite all of the activity around!). (9.25/10)

9. "Wreltch" (8:31) cool muffled bass percussion wending its way beneath a show of tuned percussion play for over two minutes before a solid, hard-driving jam opens up at 2:25. At the three-minute mark Ed launches on a most excellent solo while John Hinton's synthesizers offer full support. This is, however, short-lived as the lead torch gets handed off (as do the stylistic motifs above the drums and pulsing bass) over and over among the percussionists and synths. Drummer "Generation John" is most excellent in his song-driving (at times disco) play. A sprawling song exposition held together by that solid rhythm section (mostly the drums). (17.75/20)

Total Time: 55:56

I must say, the sound quality and overall production of this album are definitely steps above those of their previously self-made and self-released albums (all released as cassettes, I believe). Also, is it possible that some of the members of the band have some South/Southeast Asian heritage or have spent some time there? (compared to the Caribbean influences--which stand without question.) Their eclectic musical expressions seem to indicate a lot of cross-cultural pollination.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music and definitely a fine addition to any prog lover's music collection. Definitely the album you want to start your Ozrics addiction with.