Published on Jun 1, 2007
Ten-member bands don't come along every day, but Ozomatli uses each member to create one infectious party CD with Don't Mess With The Dragon.
It's an unlikely achievement for a group this large, but on this disc Ozomatli manages to showcase each member's talents throughout the 12 tracks. This CD arrived without a lot of fanfare and, quite honestly, I wasn't looking forward to putting it in. I had no idea, though, that I was in for a series of energetic dance beats with rap seasoning interspersed. It's a CD for an all-night party.
How convenient, then, that "After Party" talks about partying all night. The salsa and thick backbeat make this song one of the best on this disc. If you step back and listen to the band with an awareness of where Ozomatli fits into the big picture, the band takes on a new level of impressiveness. The horn section makes one think about being on the beach in the Grand Bahamas at an all-inclusive resort with a rum drink in hand.
The title track is a cocky strut anthem with powerful horns and a light rap/salsa lyrical delivery. From the beginning, this band wants to stretch the dance band genre. They are not content to be the band that just gets played at parties, though they fit right in there.
And while some of the music is sung in Spanish, it's not important to enjoying it. The best song, "Lo Gallina," has an excellent tempo and lyrical delivery, as well as a rooster crowing throughout. It's interesting, and there are few bands like Ozomatli out there, making this a unique release this year.
"Magnolia Soul" begins the second half of this release with a smooth rap over a grooving horn section. I won't go into the individual accomplishments of the 10 musicians on this release, though I will mention that guest musicians are brought in as well — kind of funny when there are so many people already.
Other highlights include "Here We Go," which makes the foot tap and the desire to go clubbing intense, and the manic tempo of "When I Close My Eyes." The closing track "Lo Segunda Mono" showcases the Latin and rap influence in the group. In fact, one of the highlights here is how the band can pull off just about every genre it tries.
This release is easily going to be among the ones I listen to the most this year.