Ozric Tentacles - Erpland

Year of Release: 1998
Label: Snapper
Catalog Number: SMMCD 554
Format: CD
Total Time: 73:51:00

The digitally remastered version of Erpland, which was originally released in 1990 (Dovetail, DoveCD1), is regarded as the first official album by Ozric Tentacles. They had released a series of cassettes in the eighties prior to this album. This 1998 version by Snapper Records brings the exceptional quality and multiplicity of Ozric Tentacles' music out with sonic delight on every track. The stylistic variety is breathtaking on this prog-space masterwork. From the rocking surfy "Sunscape" to the Middle Eastern deserts of "Mysticum Arabicola," the musical landscape changes at every turn. "Erpland" is a driving pulsating rocker, and one of the highlights of the entire CD. Then to make yet another musical shift, "Iscence" is a rock reggae splash of island sun.

This group is fully capable of handling whatever change of direction that every group member decides to go in a song. Each individual makes the necessary adjustments to follow along and fulfill their obligation to the group as whole. This is exceedingly intricate and hypnotic music; it can be mystical and soothing and also change in the next song to powerful and exciting rock. Its no wonder this is considered some of their best work, there isn't a whole lot that they missed on this session. It seems that just about every style was touched upon one time or another.

Albums like this serve as a benchmark for an entire genre and a landmark for the group that created it. This group spurred on the jamband sound, but in a different way than the Grateful Dead did, however they played a huge role in starting a fire that continues to burn today.

[Reissued again in 2003 by Snapper (Snapper Classics, SDPCD136) and on vinyl in 2009 by Vinyl Lovers Records (900495)]

Tracklisting:
Eternal Wheel (8:20) / Toltec Spring (3:03) / Tidal Convergence (7:14) / Sunscape (4:02) / Mysticum Arabicola (9:14) / Crackerblocks (5:40) / Throbbe (6:21) / Erpland (5:32) / Valley Of A Thousand Thoughts (6:32) / Snakepit (3:17) / Iscence (4:37) / Gift Of Wings (9:47)

Musicians:
Joie Hinton - Synthesizer, Sampling
Ed Wynne - Synthesizer, Guitar, Producer
John Egan - Flute, Voices
Marcus C Diess - Percussion
Roly Wynne - bass
Steve Everett - sampling
Paul Hankin - percussion
Merv Pepler - drums
Generator John - tea & tambourine
Tom Brooks - reggae bubbles

Discography:
Erpsongs (1985/1994)
Tantric Obstacles (1985/1994)
Live Ethereal Cereal (1986/1994)
There Is Nothing (1986/1994)
Sliding Gliding Worlds (1988/1994)
The Bits Between The Bits (1989/1994)
Pungent Effulgent (1989/1990*)
Erpland (1990/1998/2003/2009)
Strangeitude (1991/1992)*
Sploosh/Live Throbbe (12-inch single) (1991)
Afterswish (comp.) (1991)
Live Underslunky (1992)
Jurassic Shift (1993/1998)*
Vitamin Enhanced Ozric Tentacles (6 CDs) (1994)
Arborescence (3-sided LP w/extra track) (1994)
Become The Other (1995)
Curious Corn (1997)
Spice Doubt - Streaming A Gig In The Ether (ltd ed webcast live CD) (1998/2003)
Floating Seeds (remix album w/var. artists)(1999)
Waterfall Cities (1999)
The Hidden Step (2000)
Swirly Termination (2000)**
Pyramidion (ep) (2001)
Oakum (Ozric fan club only) (2001)
Live At The Pongmasters Ball (CD/DVD) (2002)
Spirals In Hyperspace (2004)
Eternal Wheel, The Best of Ozric (2004)
The Floor's Too Far Away (2006)
The Yum Yum Tree (2009)
Nodens Ictus - Spacelines (2000)

*CD has extra track; **not an official or recognized OT release

Genre: Psychedelic-Space Rock

Origin UK

Added: June 2nd 2002
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.ozrics.com
Hits: 2641
Language: english