Ozric Tentacles - Strangeitude (LP)
- LP
- 1 piece(s)
- 1991
- 6 tracks
- 39 min
- space rock
Strangeitude
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4.6
Average of 5 reviews
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Back in February 1994, I reviewed this disc: Two years prior, there were so many promos of this album circulating that none of my acquaintances (including myself) bothered to give it a listen, assuming it must be rubbish. What a mistake! Why did I wait so long to discover the Ozrics?! They're the top-notch psychedelic space-jazz-rock-funk-ambient-techno band out there! Their music is instrumental and highly freeform, pulling from a wide array of influences. I checked out their 1993 album but didn't enjoy it as much as this one, although both are equally diverse. I'm truly pleased with this album. If I had to draw comparisons, I'd say they're reminiscent of Pink Floyd's pre-Animals era. Really, you can compare them to just about anyone; their influences are that diverse. The music itself is cohesive, with each track being more or less a jam, leaning towards a rock style. If electric guitars aren't your thing, you might want to skip this one. However, despite being a guitar band, they're not shy about using electronic equipment. Overall, it's a bit "out there" for some, and it definitely leans towards drug-influenced progressive rock, but it's damn good for what it is. The title track, which stood out the most to me, features 3½ minutes of synthetic ambience and 4 minutes of semi-industrial trance. "White Rhino Tea", "Bizarre Bazaar", and "Space Between Your Ears" are noisy-guitar-driven progressive rock jams that incorporate jazz, funk, Eastern, dub, and ambient elements. Each track has its standout moments but none are particularly unforgettable. "Saucers" is similar but uses acoustic guitars and sampled drums, with a more Middle Eastern vibe. "Sploosh!" is a fantastic blend of live drums, synth bass lines, spacey background, and splooshy sound effects. It's like Peter Gabriel vs Tangerine Dream, remixed by System 7. "Live Throbbe" is a live recording, a slower track with drums and a monotone synth bass line upfront, and some droning guitars and synths in the background. Very cool, kinda moody, it reminds me of The Cure for some reason.
Great pressing, solid dynamics, overall clean and warm sound, but it can be a bit harsh at times and there's some distortion on the high frequencies, especially during loud guitar parts like in the final track. Plus, I've noticed some pops here and there. Top album!
It's amazing how much more vibrant this album sounds compared to the Kscope remaster from 2020 - which, just to note, I've been spinning at least once a week since I got my turntable, 3 years back! So... who's interested: https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/2649810282 ? :-)
Among my all-time favorite albums, this one is the Ozrics' closest to absolute perfection. Every aspect is impeccable: the artwork that somehow includes trees, space, and hallucinations; the sound that perfectly complements the music; every style the band has ever explored; the classic Ozrics lineup's final full-length appearance; and some of their greatest tracks ever, with not a single weak moment. As for the sound, it's the last time Ed chose to muffle his guitar on a few occasions. The rest of the production holds up to modern standards and could easily be recorded even today. The subtleties and intricate details have reached incredible heights. The sound is richly textured, brimming with ideas that blend flawlessly at just the right volume and clarity, not to mention timing. We finally get the full range of influences: space rock (every track has space rock sections except Sploosh!), techno (Sploosh!), ethnic (the first part of Saucers and Bizarre Bazaar), dub (the first part of Space Between Your Ears), and, as the title suggests, their signature Strangeitude. Every track is brilliant, but my favorites are the reworked White Rhino Tea from the Sliding Gliding Worlds tape in a stunning version that never grows old, Saucers (I admit, I couldn't help laughing when I first heard the bubbles explode on this one a few times, and it's happened a few more times since), and Space Between Your Ears – that metal riff at the end makes me do the horns and bang my head. Let me digress for a moment: having only heard the two previous albums before buying this, I didn't get Strangeitude for a long time, so it was my least favorite Ozrics recording, probably until the early 00s! I simply hated the title track and the fact that it only had six new tunes annoyed me immensely. It sounded very little like Erpland, so I couldn't enjoy it. So much for those who say the Ozrics have recorded the same album thirty times. Thank goodness I came to my senses and managed to get it. I think the only version of the album available now is the Snapper one. Great sound, liner notes by Richard Allen again (apparently it's his favorite Ozrics album), and both the live version of The Throbbe first featured on the Sploosh! vinyl single and original Dovetail CD version, and the rare Weirditude, previously only available on ‘the Christmas tape’ of 1993, which was just given away to the audience at a gig! Ah, those were the days… The Throbbe, though as always different from the studio version on Erpland, is probably the closest ever to that version, only better and without the Muezzin prayer. Weirditude is basically a live jam, good, but wisely kept from the official releases. In summary, buy this album if you've heard anything by the Ozrics before and liked it, whether you own anything or not. Maybe it should have been called Superbitude. 10/10
I purchased this very CD, Matrix = "Made in U.K. DOVECD3 10158171 &", and when I ripped it, there weren't any error messages at all. This disc is just fantastic!
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