CURIOUS CORN

An improvement over "Become the Other", looks like new members Rad and Seaweed are now finally adjusted. Looked like the band had some financial troubles in the two years between albums because their Dovetail label seemed to have went belly-up, so they signed up with Madfish, a division of Snapper Records (a label, which the band would quickly find themselves in trouble with). I bought this CD in December 1997, which came with this pseudo-acid ink blotter (which was really a psychedelically distorted picture of the band performing on stage in silhouette). You pretty much know what to expect from these guys at this point: extended spacy jams, with some pseudo-techno experiments, with often a strong ethnic bent.

To me, I think this is one of their better albums with Rad and Seaweed, although it doesn't quite live up to the stuff they did when Joie and Merv were still in the band, this is still worth having if you're a fan.

A bit eclectic. Afroclonk .....must listen to

We all like to be able to be spot influences in band's work. On one level it seems to make the reviewer look more knowledgeable (oh look at me I'm great because I listen to all this music) on the other hand it may help the reader gain some sort of idea what the band being reviewed sounds like. That having all been said..... Oolite groove perhaps is the most Satriani song ever recorded

There is a lot of dance in this album but do not pass this one by. Afroclonk on its own is worth 5 stars.

I've played a lot of Ozrics in the backgound when mates have been round for a few beers etc. Most of them are into british heavy rock and few would be more prog but all of them liked this album for one reason or another.

For me it's a 4. Afroclonk though is an absolute must listen to song: a sure fire prog 5.

I was a little surprised at the variety on this record after hearing so many people say their music all sounds the same. It's pretty cool too that the titles of the songs really do give a clue to what they will sound like.

"Spyroid" is a spacey song that does give the impression that the electronic sounds are spiraling. "Oolite Grove" is my favourite song on this record. It has some amazing guitar melodies that soar at times as the drums pound away. Spacey synths and electronics accompany. "Afroclonk" has a funky, dance-like beat. Xylophone and synths add a spacey vibe to this tribal sounding song.

"Curious Corn" has a good beat as well with different sounds coming and going. Some blistering guitar after 3 minutes. It gets very spacey as the drums stop for a while. There is some brief scorching guitar 8 minutes in. The song just seems to drift out into space as it comes to end. "Oddentity" has a pounding beat with a catchy melody. "Papyrus" is an uptempo, Eastern sounding tune with lots of flute solos. "Meander" as the title suggests seems to float and wander along with some good guitar as well.

I really like this cd it's a trip in space. Play it loud !

This is probably the more diversified Ozric Tentacles album (but I admit that it is not difficult).

It really starts very well with a great spacey and rhythmic opener Spyroid. One of my fave OT song just follows: Oolite Grove: it is a splendid ode to the guitar and the beat throughout this number is just great. It is a highlight of course.

The band are experiencing new musical horizons with Afroclonck. It is a very good mix of Afro-tribal inspired music and space-rock basics. I was never impressed with their mix of reggae and space-rock, but this one works considerably better. It features some excellent percussion work.

OT goes on in their ethnical experience and investigates into more Eastern sounds for the title track. They have been heading these sounds previously and it is always fine to listen to such a number. Curious Corn turns out in a more classical OT track after minute three or so, but it remains upbeat and even the electronic oriented second part offers good moments. So far so good.

The same influence are noticeable in Papyrus (which is just a matter of logic I guess). It is an orgy of great keyboards at times and it is welcome after a disappointing Oddentity which is a mix of reggae and dance music. Although I like the former, I just can't stand the latter.

The closing Meander is on the conservative end of their repertoire but it sounds as a fine conclusion. As I have said, this album is rather good. Three stars.

7/10

"Curious Corn" is one of the best Ozric Tentacles albums.

The best Ozric Tentacles album? Possibly. Compared to Arborescence, this is a much better album, mainly because the exotic part, as well as the melody, have improved a lot. Plus, it is a surprisingly solid album, with not many boring moments, unlike some other of their albums. After many albums, Ozric Tentacles have finally reached a mature sound, creating a perfect balance between improvisation and melody.

1. "Spyroid". Great song, as well as a great intro, with very cool effects and surrounding, which finally sounds like what the band always tried to reach: a true spacey and psychedelic song.

2. "Oolite Groove". Another great song, with a pretty good guitar that flows perfectly with the rest of the band, creating yet another fascinating atmosphere, very dreamy and spacey, that rarely the band was able to accomplish in such an effective way.

3. "Afroclonk" is exactly what Ozric Tentacles is famous for: the many exotic elements combined with electronic. It always never happens that an OT album has three great songs all in a row. Like the title suggests, there are different elements and instruments that remind of african music.

4. "Curious Corn" is the long title track, another excellent song, with a simple and banal riff that slowly evolves and shapes into many different tunes. If you want to try Ozric Tentacles for the first time, I suggest you listen to this song, if you don't like to listen to an album all at once.

5. "Oddentity" is another( yep, another one) fabulous song, even though the style is pretty much the same as all the other tracks. So nothing special to say about it.

6."Papyrus" is the last great song. Even here though there isn't much to say, and that is why I can't consider this album a masterpiece.

7. "Meander" is an interesting way to end an album: it's more like an ambient song, very different from the rest in a way.

An excellent album, even though, like I said earlier, It tends to be monotone and repetitive. I recommend it to whoever likes space rock, and especially to whoever wants to try the band for the first time.

On their 7th full length CD release, Ozric Tentacles do not venture much outside their known and worn-out path, but it's still a recommended album because it integrates their techno and space-rock leanings much better then any of the preceding albums had.

Spyroid is a brilliant spiralling progressive electronic piece, it's reminiscent of Vangelis' Spiral so the title can't be a coincidence. Oolite Groove is less remarkable, it's a fairly predictable Ozrics piece with psyched rhythm guitars and layers of thick space-drill, composed of synths, sampled flutes, guitar effects. Nice sound but fairly anonymous composition. With Afroclonk the band grows a new sonic tentacle, the African beats give it a nice Caribbean party vibe, and they develop the theme nicely into a full-blown techno attack halfway in.

Curious Corn is one of the most spacey tracks on the album, with lots of snake-charming Middle-Eastern melodies and the known upbeat Ozric pace. Again it doesn't grow beyond merely good but it will sure please fans. Oddentity finds them in one of their reggae moods. They came up with a very memorable lead guitar/synth interplay and a simply irresistible groove. Excellent track. Also Papyrus is graced with catchy leads and inspired playing. Meander returns to twirling Vangelis sequences before it changes into a laid back beat with fine soloing.

Curious Corn is an album with plenty of good songwriting and some brilliantly executed space grooves. There's one or two less engaging tracks but if you want to expand you Ozric discography with another title next to Erpland and Jurassic Shift then this one is sure recommended. Very good. 3.5 stars

Since I consider my review of Jurassic Shift to be highly representative for almost all the early Ozric Tentacles-releases, let's go a bit further in their discography and straight into the realms of electronic music!

By the end of the '90s the band began to move further into the realms of electronic music and it was only a matter of time until this direction would take over completely. Curious Corn certainly marked the completion of that transition featuring everything that would be expected of the band from that point on in their development. Actually, to be perfectly honest, I always thought that Space Rock was always striving towards the unexplored frontier of electronica from the get-go. Just recall Pink Floyd's On The Run, from the classic The Dark Side Of The Moon! I would also like to assume that if Pink Floyd began their career today then their music would probably have been entirely electronica-based, to the great discontent of David Gilmour!

Even if Ozric Tentacles comes from a slightly different camp, being primarily influenced by Steve Hillage's escapades into groovy Space soundscapes, their involvement with electronic beats and new sound effects came pretty early on in their career. Still, it never really sounded as extreme as this album's opening track titled Spyroid! This is simply groove electronica at its finest that doesn't really transition into pure Trance music but similarities are certainly there.

After the less spectacular Oolite Grove and the prolonged Afroclonk-jam that merely served as a reminder of the band's scope of versatility, we finally get another exploration of that new interesting Trance music-like setting on the album's title track. Although a bit long, this 11 minute performance certainly pushes all the preconceived notions related to Ozric Tentacles' music and makes me want to groove along to those crazy beats. Oddentity is another throwback to the World Music sounds of Afroclonk while Papyrus marks the unexpected return to the more traditional arrangements that do come off sounding out of place on this otherwise strictly electronica-based recording. Besides, I can't listen to this composition without thinking of how well King Crimson handled that same setting on Talking Drum. The final track feels much more organic in its style and I like how it winds the listener down after the upbeat rhythms that preceded it.

I'll be honest and state that my relation to Ozric Tentacles' music hasn't really improved since my first experience and I consider them to be a bit too groovy just for sake of it, which is not something I support. Even if Curious Corn has spent a lot more time on my play-list than any of their other albums I still can't give it more than a good, but non-essential rating due to the lack of any real innovation here, outside that which has happened within the band.

***** star songs: Spyroid (3:48)

**** star songs: Afroclonk (8:07) Curious Corn (10:56) Oddentity (7:00) Meander (5:13)

*** star songs: Oolite Grove (5:58) Papyrus (5:33)

With their new members settled in after Become the Other, the Ozrics turned out another capable but comparatively safe album. The trancey opener Spyroid might make you think they are taking on even more influences from dance music than before, but it isn't too long before things are back to business as usual. The production values are decent with a few hiccups - for instance, at points on Afroclonk the electronic drum sound seems particularly thin and unconvincing. On the whole, if you already know and love the Ozrics you know what to expect, if you don't already you might want to steer yourself towards their masterpiece, Jurassic Shift, for your introduction to the band.

What's not to like about an Ozric Tentacles album?

1. "Spyroid" (3:47) Berlin School electronic sequence opening evolves with incidentals and percussion. Morphs into more psychedelia than Klaus or TD. (8.75/10)

2. "Oolite Grove" (5:57) one of the more rock-guitar-hero songs I've ever heard from Ed & OT: like 1974-5 Todd Rundgren, Petri Walli (Kingston Wall), Al DiMeola, Jimi Hendrix, or even Robin Trower. A top three song for me. (9/10)

3. "Afroclonk" (8:06) the title says it all. Jam using African-Carribbean sounds and percussives. (13/15)

4. "Curious Corn" (10:56) like a OT rendition of Jan Hammer's Miami Vice Theme. (17.75/20)

5. "Oddentity" (7:00) opens just like "Jurassic Shift"--even with the first lead instrument continues to hold that vibe. I like it but it's a little too close to the original. (13/15)

6. "Papyrus" (5:32) a kind of metal take on Middle Eastern/Arabian sound. The guitars and drums are a bit too aggressive for my tastes. (8.25/10)

7. "Meander" (5:13) bubbly swamp synth noises with high speed bass guitar sequence is joined by STEVE HILLLAGE- like floating guitar and plenty of layers of high speed synth arpeggio sequenced. Bansurai and then seering electric guitar join in. This is totally awesome! Too bad it ends with a little too much quietude. (9/10)

Total Time: 46:31

Again: How can one not like an Ozrics album?

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection. Nobody quite creates the exotic space- psychedelic soundscapes of Ozric Tentacles.