Customer Reviews

Spending Time on the Borderline

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I would have rated this at 4 1/2 stars if it were possible, but since it's Ozma I have rounded up! Ozma fans will not be surprised to find "Borderline" to be full of well-written songs that will make them want to jump around. It is more electronic and produced than previous records; unfortunately, it seems a bit more inhibited than "Rock and Roll Part Three" and less idosyncratic than "Doubble Donkey Disc." Nonetheless, these are mere quibbles about a very pleasing record.

Highlights (in my humble opinion) include: "Spending Time," the opening track with a quirky guitar intro and the catchiest of refrains; "Come Home Andrea," which offers a new side of Ozma (that I am at a loss to describe) and strong vocals by Daniel Brummel; "Turtleneck Coverup," a good-humored, energetic track in the (ridiculously extended metaphor) tradition of "Apple Trees," "Baseball," and "You Know the Story"; "Gameover," which sounds great with the electric drums and the thick, melodic keyboard action (though I still prefer the accoustic version); "Restart," a gentle, melodic treat; "Eponine," with a funky, keyboardic verse; and "Light Years Will Burn," which is probably the strangest track on the record (though it has not yet implanted itself in my brain.) The album's first single, "Bad Dogs," is another immediately gratifying, thunderous rock track, but the vagueness of the lyrics prevents it from evoking the empathy of songs like "Iceland," "Battlescars," "Domino Effect," etc. Is "Bad Dogs" an anti-war track, or perhaps a bit of self-affirming irony? Hard to tell.

Finally, it must be said that Ozma have caught a bit of heat for "sounding like Weezer." Yes, Ozma sounds more like Weezer than the average band, and I'm sure that they would instantly acknowledge their indebtedness. Certainly not a bad act to follow, but Ozma continue to benefit the world of music with their own innovations and peculiar style. They are more light-hearted and life-affirming than Weezer, and often more musically provocative. (This is not to belittle Weezer by ANY means, but to distinguish Ozma.) In short, Ozma do not fear to tread in Weezer's waters, but there's a brilliant, mazy creek in which they play all by themselves. Jump in!

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.

Let me begin by saying that this review was written after Ozma's 2004 breakup. This was, to say the least, quite a heartbreak. And since there's been plenty of apt time to reflect upon Ozma's debut and sophomore albums [yes, the ones that sound like Weezer], I can now undoubtedly say that "Spending Time On The Borderline" is Ozma at its best. To put it plainly...a masterpiece. Admittedly, when I first picked this album up and popped it into my CD player, I was NOT impressed. Ozma could have broke up at that very moment and my response would have been, "Who cares...they're no good anymore." But as albums do have a tendency to grow on you, I decided to give this one a try. After all, what did I have to lose? Slowly and steadily certain tracks started to pop out at me..."Hey, 'Come Home Andrea' is one catchy song!" And, "Whoa, this Japanese song sure is poppy!" Then there are the deeper songs on the album, like "Eponine", "Bad Dogs", and "Game Over". They take a bit longer to love, but the wait is certainly worth it. To sum it all up, there's not a single track on this album that I wouldn't want to listen to, anywhere, anytime. Despite the mysterious tension that corrupted Brummel and Slegr, I, for one, know that they went out [no pun intended] on a good note with "Spending Time On The Borderline". Another "Pinkerton"? Perhaps. But only time will tell...



*Ryan and José have started up a new band labeled "Yes Dear". Hopefully they can continue their largely unpublicized legacy. Check them out at myspace.com/yesdear

Very good album.
By the way, every sentence in Drew Sullivan's review is incorrect.

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 continues to produce gripping and lively music, even when venturing to softer side ballads. Every song has been thoughtfully constructed. Ozma uses multiple melodies that give songs depth by teasing the listener to catch that lick. Harmonic vocal layering gives this group flexibility and nuances that hook a listener as well. Solo showcases of guitar and keyboards become a little predictable, but the tempo and styling of the songs is varied enough to overlook that flaw.
This album is not just pop-punk or geek rock that their more commercial contemporaries play. Ozma ventures to what could be called Alt-Country, but in its own sauce; Restart and Come Home Andrea have a twang that shows versatility and artistry.
Traditional power-pop and pop-punk will keep existing fans satiated. Spending Time, the opening track might reverb in your head for days. Eponine, is an emotional kick in the pants that will have you wailing along at the top of your lungs and later exhausted (its even better live). Turtleneck Coverup and Wake Up might remind you of Weezer, but this group's craftsmanship puts it a step ahead of their older friends. If you are asking for fun, Ozma has got.

I waited over two months for this CD, and it was more than worth the wait. Some old songs never relased are on the CD, as well as new ones. The Fab 5 of Daniel, Ryen, Pat, Jose, and Star all shine in this CD, with enhancements of MP3's, recording studio video, lyrics, and pictures. FANTASTIC CD, recomended to all old and new Ozma fans!

Ozma is taking pop rock somewhere great, somewhere it should go. Most radio acts literally ... music. Progess is nowhere to be found, it's all so standard and cut-and-paste. Ozma takes their sound from the previous two records and adds a new dimesion of epic fantasy guitar-attack. It's all here - the unpredictability, the swaying melodies, hooks to rip your head off; without all that retro-silliness that they could just as easy capitalize on. Buy this if you like music.

I just finished listening to Spending Time On the Borderline. The album is quite a departure from the other two. Ozme has grown and matured. More importantly they've blossomed into fantastic song writers and superb musicians. Bassist Daniel Brummel's bass playing is as great as ever. Ryen Slegr plays his best guitar work on this album. His guitar has never sounded better. As always, Pat Edwards is there with creative drum beats but also with steady rhythms to accomodate the varying time signatures of the songs. Jose Galvez's crunching guitar rocks the most on this album!! And the lovely Star Wick plays beautiful keyboard lines that make you feel like you're spinning inside a dream. Listen to "Utsukushii Shibuya" for her great flute playing. Overall, the album, though a departure from the style of the first two albums, shows their experimentation in the studio. You'll hear more than just guitar, bass, and drums on this album. BUY THIS ALBUM - This is what I like to call "sophisticated rock" and God does it kick [bootie]!

I think that Ozma is consistently one of the more "interesting" bands to come along. I do hear the Weezer influence, but at the same time it is filtered through a lot of other bands (Queen anyone?) as well as a lot of originality. The two part vocal melodies, instrumentation, tones, etc. are fully realized on this "studio" album. I like the whole Ozma catalog, but the production on this disc kicks all the other ones in the rear. As a guitarist, I have to hand it to Ryen. This is consistently one of the better riff orientated guitar albums that I have heard in a long time. He can also shred like a beast, but all his guitar lines support the song melodically and rhythmically. You can't ask for more from a guitarist. All the guitar is there for a reason. This is playing that I aspire to. It reminds me a lot of Brian May.

As for the songs, "Your Name" is one of the most orginal ballads I have heard in a while. I love "Bad Dogs" even though most don't. The lead on that song is exceptional.