Spending Time On the Borderline

If you like Ozma, buy this CD. If you think you might like Ozma, buy this CD. If you like CDs that rock out, buy this CD. If you like CDs that do something different without sacrificing that which makes them familiar, buy this CD. If you don't know who Ozma is, buy this CD. If you don't like Ozma, don't buy this CD.This is Ozma's best release yet. There are hits and misses. I don't really like Bad Dogs at all (although other fans seem to like it a lot). But Eponine, Come Home Andrea, Curve in the Old 1-9 and Utsukushii Shibuya are the awesome Ozma stuff we know and love with a little something new (traditional Japanese ostinato, anyone?). There are so many different styles, there's sure to be somethign for everyone. Your Name is really something new. They do sort of a jazzy, laid back, relaxing kind of driving music thing that is really smooth. The Enhanced features are really cool, including some silly videos of the recording process, some pictures, some cool synth music on the flash applet, and 2 EXCLUSIVE alternate version mp3s. Basically, if you're reading this, and you've already considered buying this album, there is no reason to hesitate. ...

One of my favorite albums, however the case was slightly cracked on the front and another plastic piece fell out once I opened the case.

This CD has what have already become my two favorite Ozma songs, in just 3 days. "Curve in the old 1-9" and "Light Years Will Burn" are just oustanding. Both rock harder than anything else done by Ozma, and are simply outstanding. That said, the rest of the album is not far behind. My only real complaint is "Bad Dogs", which is not an awful song, but for Ozma, it is subpar. It sounds almost exactly like a song (any song) from Weezer's Maladroit, which is a shame because I've spent a considerable amount of time trying to convince people that Ozma is not only different than Weezer, but better. I'm sure if you're here, you're familiar with one of the older songs, "Eponine," which sounds great on recording, I'd previously only heard it live. "Your Name" is quite a change of pace for Ozma, but it is still fantastic. "Spending Time" is classic Ozma, and it sounds great. The only thing keeping this from being their best is "Bad Dogs" and that the CD seems to lack coherency as an album, something Rock and Roll Part 3 was great about, but obviously the Doubble Donkey Disc wasn't really intended to do. Anyway, it is definitely worth the purchase. Thanks for reading.Here's an update: I don't know how I failed to mention "Utsukushii Shibuya". It's right up there with Curve in the Old 1-9 and Light Years Will Burn.

I didn't know what to expect from Ozma after the DDD. How could they get any better? In "Spending Time," Ozma's sound and songwriting has matured greatly. But gone are the witty quotable one-liners, strange as it is. They've got a bit of a country rollick in "Come Home Andrea" and "Your Name" is a ballad. My friend used to complain that although Ozma would start off all jazzy or bluesy or with a different style, they'd always go back to the same ole same ole Weezereque distortion somewhere in the song. Not so on here. My favorite song on this cd at this moment is "Curve in the Old 1-9" because of its passionate rockin' chorus that comes out of nowhere. Also, Ryen's guitar skills are quite impressive for a "mere punk rocker." I enjoy this cd as a whole because it's catchy and I like catchy music. But it's not formulaic to the point of conformity. Sometimes, though, the sound seems a little silly and childish to me, a kid who first fell in love with Ozma two years ago with "Rock and Roll Pt. III." Maybe I'm growing up. I dunno. But give it a spin, it's a fun listen nevertheless!

Ozma has been pegged for years as a cheap Weezer imitation. While both bands do share many things in common - an unhealthy obsession of foreign culture [Weezer with Asia, Ozma with Russia], powerful, chunky guitar riffs, a fascination with MOOGs - I detect something more there. Listening to the band's newest release, "Spending Time On The Borderline," I don't hear Weezer as much as I hear Cheap Trick.Yeah, that's right, Cheap Trick. One of the greatest, yet most underappreciated, rock bands of our time [not to mention they're from my hometown and I know all their kids]. Ozma's opening track, "Spending Time," is chock full of so much 70s bombast that it would have sounded great live at Budokan. Sure, there's some MOOG in there, but Weezer this is not.The band then takes two completely different stylistic turns with the next two songs, "Your Name" and "Come Home Andrea." The former is a moody, soft ballad comparable to something like Elliott Smith, and the latter is almost an alt-country song, reminding me of earlier Wilco or maybe the Jayhawks. So far, this album is all over the map, and I like it like that.The album's single, "Bad Dogs," is as hard rock as this band has ever been. To be fair, this does sound like Weezer.A lot.Moving on - Some of the material on this album dates back to the band's first tour with Weezer in 2001, as I remember hearing "Eponine" live in Milwaukee and being blown away by the song. Finally, the track makes it to an album [along with other long time fan favorite "Game Over"], but it lost a bit of it's shine over the past 2 years. It's still a great track, and fun as hell to belt out "OOOOOH! My Eponine / can't you hear the words I sing / can't you hear the woooooooooords I sing" as you drive down the street.The instrumentation on this album is rather impressive. Keyboardist Star Wick once again picks up the flute on some songs for a new-jazz flavor, and the band drops string arrangements in a handful of tracks, as well as marching drums [in the aforementioned "Bad Dogs"]. The group is still stuck in a "pop" mode, but they seem to be experimenting as much as they can under their pre-defined role as a band.I have never been the biggest fan of this band [writing them off after they opened for Weezer, and only owning "Rock and Roll Part 3" because I got it for free], but after this album, they've definitely piqued my interest. The band's past has been cemented in geek rock history, but tracks like "Curve In the Old 1-9" shows me that Ozma is just getting started. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what they do next.