If you are looking for two-hours of mind altering space rock, then search no further than this new 2CD live album from veteran instrumental ensemble Ozric Tentacles. This is the first official live document from the English psychedelic in over ten years, and serves up a tasty concoction of the bands best tunes in a free-form, spacey ambient platter.
Those familiar with the band on albums such as Curious Corn, Strangeitude, or Jurassic Shift, will no doubt be delighted at hearing many of the bands classic material performed here in a fully energetic and inspired atmosphere. Guitarist Ed is in fine form, laying down gobs of smokin' solos (like on the intense "Myriapod") while keyboard player Seaweed uses a myriad of synthesized sounds that chirp, whistle, and burst through the mix. While some may find the space-rock genre a bit repetitive at times, Ozric Tentacles use just enough firepower in their songs which helps keep things way above the sleep-inducing situation that other bands have a habit of doing. The abundance of melodic, effects-laden guitar work, tight, at times funk/reggae rhythms, haunting flute passages, and trippy keyboards, make for an exciting ride. Each track in this live setting takes on an epic feel of massive proportions, as the band really cooks on all cylinders and serves up some serious "head" music. Included in the set are Ozric standards such as "Pixel Dream", "Oddendity", and the always great "Saucers", among many others, plus a few unreleased jams, which makes this a must have for the Ozric enthusiast.
This is a good segue into the Ozric's upcoming studio release. The sound on the CD is very good (the recording is from a sold out show at London's Shepherds Bush Empire theater) and the packaging is, as always for an Ozric's CD, very colorful and psychedelic. Fans of Hawkwind, Quarkspace, Pink Floyd, and the older Porcupine Tree stuff, will find much to like here.
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