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I don't know who these guys are or where they came from or better
yet what their name means. But this is some of the best music
I've heard in quite a while. Ozma is probably the coolest
name for a band yet. According to Wikipedia "ozma" could
mean anything from: ruler of Oz, a superboss from the game Final
Fantasy IX or the tag of a Greek graffiti writer from NYC.
What the true reasoning behind their name is, I will most likely
never know. But that's alright with me because the music I heard
on their most recent album Pasadena is brilliant. Its up-beat,
happy-go-lucky lyrics and rhythms make me think pop. Although
the "casiotone" driven theme to most of their songs
also takes me to a more electronic feeling. The genre may not
be definite, but after essentially being together for nine years
(minus a hiatus in the middle for a couple years) they seem to
have perfected their own genre. Along with the excellent band
name are some equally excellent song names. Take "Motorology",
for instance. This song starts out almost sounding like a hip-hop
song, with beats so low that it makes one feel like a thug. Don't
be fooled, because the original sound of the album comes into
play after a few seconds. "I Wonder" slows it down for
a moment. Much more focus is placed on vocals and harmonizing.
I almost get a Beatles influence on this one, which is
refreshing because they perform it so nicely. I skipped to the
last song, because it's always interesting how artists choose
to end their albums. In "Straight Flush," the raspy
voice... is that Tom Petty? I could swear that it is. Seeing
as how "voice" is listed next to every member of the
band, I won't be able to know who it really is without seeing
them live. Oh well. The heavy guitars and deep voice are powerful
to say the least. It's a curve ball thrown compared to the rest
of the album, but such an intriguing way to end [the album].
Ozma are from California... Pasadena, actually, as their album
title would suggest. I still don't know how they would define
their name. But what I have found out is the music is unmatched.
Something different from the day-to-day. My mind is intrigued
and hopefully one day they will tour this area. If for the pure
reason to see them live....and to ask a few questions.
-Rachel Fredrickson
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