 |
 Caught in the Carousel - Music Reviews and More
|
Ozomatli
Don't Mess With the Dragon
Concord
Throughout their career, the members of Ozomatli have blended various sounds, rhythms and influences into genre-bending music that speaks to the heart of multiculturalism and art. In part, they have embodied what it is to be a Los Angeles-based band and have incorporated the city into their music. With their fourth album Don't Mess With The Dragon, Ozomatli continues this tradition by mixing rock, hip-hop, reggaetón, funk and Latin rhythms with various regional instruments into a collection of songs that aspire to get you on the dance floor, get you moving and, most importantly, get you thinking. From the opening track ("Can't Stop"), the message is one of thought-inducing movement directed through the lyrics, which urge "we got to move on in a different way" and the constant reminder to "shake, shake." The hip-hop-driven, funk-styled "City of Angeles" is a hometown anthem, which succeeds in conveying pride without ignoring reality. And, "After Party" is a memorable take on popular cruisin' oldies with its Spanglish hook, "Oye Baby, Oye Mami. Donde está la after party." Elsewhere on the album, political and social activism blend seamlessly with hip-hop energy ("Magnolia Soul") and Spanish-language balladry ("Violeta"). The former is a direct response to the government's actions following Hurricane Katrina and the latter a commentary on the Iraq War through the eyes of a soldier. As bassist/vocalist Wil-Dog Abers describes on the band's web site, the approach to this album was different: "We did an art installation at Tropico de Nopal, a gallery near MacArthur Park in L.A. We stayed there for two weeks, writing; each member had a corner of the room, which we decorated ourselves. Visitors came in and each of us got a chance to show how we create music, individually and collectively. That environment gave birth to these songs." Incorporating instruments as diverse as the tabla (India), jarana (México), koto (Japan) and erhu (China), Ozomatli has succeeded in the final blend. The result is an album where reggaetón ("Here We Go" and "Creo") shares space with rock and ska ("When I Close My Eyes") only to come full circle for the title track. The sound is fresh even when it is familiar. And, it is familiar only because of its diverse influences.
—Daniel Galleno
Can we help you find something?