Yes, ‘tis true. There are two bands that recorded under the moniker of the Godz during the seventies. But only one of them didn’t stink.

Based in New Yawk, the Godz (that didn’t stink) had something of a foot in the door at ESP Disk, the imprint that would eventually release music by the ensemble. At the time the label was working with fair as diverse as Ornette Coleman and the Fugs. That latter group, though, shared a bit of its musical terrain with Godz.

Either way, a few players comprising the Godz worked in distribution or as art directors for the ESP label. Of course, knowing the people who release records doesn’t necessarily guarantee a recording deal. And for whatever reason, unprompted by management, the Godz booked time in a studio, still unheard by ESP folks, and recorded an album in something like an hour.

The studio time resulted in Contact High with the Godz. Alternately revered as a landmark in out music and a piece of garbage, the disc sits in the same tradition as the Fugs and some of the lesser efforts from a Lou Reed led Velvets. But the musicality of the Godz sunk far below those other acts.

Intent, though, has as much to do with a final product as other’s perceptions.

“White Cat Heat,” the albums first track sports a guitar chord strummed into tomorrow with no remorse for its repetition. That alone couldn’t possibly make the Godz such a bizarre group. Adding a tuneless, rhythmless bass line, though, goes a long way towards that end. And even furthering the aural carnage is the cohort basically summoning impressions of cats getting’ it on in the alley. It was an auspicious beginning to be sure.

That first disc moved on through some relatively bucolic sounds. But on Godz 2, the band’s second full length, ‘natch, all involved amped up an electric vibe coming across best on the disc’s first two tracks.

“Radar Eyes” sports some relatively tuneful singing (and back up singing). The rhythm section serves the purpose of a traditional rhythm section. And while that guitar chord, pummeled into listener’s ear holes could become problematic, the song’s only two minutes long, leading into “Permanent Green Light.”

For a moment, listeners might get the idea that the Godz have aped some Eastern rock thing. It might be construed that way, but the same elements are present, just manipulated differently.

Whatever the general perception of the first two offerings from the Godz camp have been yoked with, each still counts as adventurous listening for folk and rock fans. Boss sounds all around.