On 'Opus 2' the long memorable opener 'Spirit of the Cat' is followed by 'Infinite Possibilities', a track that captures the great 'vibe' of Gong/ Steve Hillage instrumental music. There is a poem by Terri Burgess on the subject of non-programmed human beings; also some weird sax programming ('See') and a tirade against 'material world scientists' on 'Merlin..You Left Your Hat'. Some may find Census of Hallucinations too attitudinal and far out for their taste, but to my ears, when I first heard “Opus 2”, the candid forensic examination of the failings of self-seeking ‘movers and shakers’ and their negative impact on our planet was, and still is, refreshingly honest. It was also done with such musical ingenuity and humour! Following ‘The Moon’ and ‘Orion’ on the first album, “Opus 2” features another of the band's most accessible songs, 'Begin', and their considerable linguistic talents are put to the test in the alliterative word play of 'Retching Retarded Rectors'. When listening to 'The Serpent Race Is On (Again)' my mind went back to Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. There is space rock to come ('Beelzebub') and a 'sound collage' stretching to the final, engaging rock of 'Eight-Pointed Star'.
Census of Hallucinations take a lot of chances with their music and all credit to them for their highly experimental approach. Sometimes, like towards the end of “Opus 2” you wonder where it's all leading but it does, to quote John Lennon all 'come together' in the end. This remastered reissue is a timely reminder that little has been learned over the years since its first release.
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