I already posted this on that leak thread, but for anyone that'd like to read my review
and anyone who wishes to get a tiny bit of a bearing on how it sounds/feels:
1. No One Needs to Know - Still kicks ass, but doesn't have the same feel as DDD, less Jewish sound. Less music, they make some instrumental parts shorter
2. Barriers - I don't know, I just can't get much into this song..reminds me too much of late Yes Dear which I didn't care for much. It's alright though.
3. Eponine - Nice remake, a lot more polished, but lacks a little of the feeling, yet they do play the more emotional chorus at the beginning instead of waiting till towards the end, and Ryen's badass solo at the end is cut a lot shorter.
4. Fight the Darkness - I think this song is cheesy. Again, not bad...just probably my least favorite.
5. Heartache vs. Heartbreak [Booklet says: AKA Should Have Been Love, AKA Perceptions of love (And Heartbreak Leading To A Catastrophic Wave of Emotional Destruction)] - Nice integration of the female vocals, has some real delicious hooks in there, pretty edgey/catchy Oh and nice overlapping of voices towards the end
6. Incarnation Blues - Starts out with negative seconds with Star, Dan and Ryen doing a little intro where they talk (Haha, oh and Ryen totally nabbed the solo from Yes Dear's "Orion" at about 0:55, but I guess it's okay, cause I'm sure it's his licks anyway..kind of badass though dual guitars, sounds Iron Maiden-y)
7. Lunchbreak (Cobras Theme) - Haha this is cute. Good job Ryen. I really like this song, it starts out with a "Chopsticks"-esque piano thing, and then the distorted guitars come, and it kind of makes you wish the whole song was simpler without the electric guitars, but it's still good. Album title is mentioned.
8. Motorology 3:39 AKA Commuter Music (No. 2) Not a fan of the DJ-ish esque beginning of slowing it down and throwing in weird-timing drumbeats, but I do absolutely love at about 1:25 how the song changes and it gets reeally catchy. Eery guitar effect after that, it's nice.
9. I Wonder Multi-layering of Dan vocals, very nice..Sounds like a futuristic sounding Weezer's "Butterfly" haha, but not really, a helluva lot better, does have the crickets-sound in the background, ha. The harmonies are very solid. Kind of a spanish rythm in parts.
10. Underneath My Tree (D-Song) - Pasadena's "Imaginary Wheels" Ryen's great contribution to this cd. Easily my favorite song on the album, I've always loved D-Song, and it's even better than before, what with clear lyrics and more polished. Something that kind of bugged me though was Dan's 2nd "Whoa" at the end just after Ryen's..he comes in like a second earlier than he does on the original demo, and I know I'm being anal, but to me, it's still great, just more powerful on the demo. Oh and a total Satisfaction's "Nothing, Oh Nothing" moment at 2:53 with the walking up the neck with the bass notes. Samuel song.
11. Straight Flush - I like Kenn's drums in this; very solid. Dan has some very powerful moments in this song. Very heartfelt at times. My favorite part is the dual metal guitar Jose/Ryen sounding parts, Samuel.
How does it compare to previous albums???..
Do u like the songs better than there live/demo counterparts...?
Can you just change your username to Howdoespasadenacomparetotheolderalbums and save us all a lot of time?
Ur a real jerk u know that?..
So im excited for a new album, and Id like to know about it..chill out..
Quote from: danorganplayer on May 02, 2007, 04:12:36 pm
How does it compare to previous albums???..
Do u like the songs better than there live/demo counterparts...?
The previous albums are classic to me, and have great sentimental value. This album is Samuel, just different. I wouldn't say that it is better/worse, just different, but in a good way. I love it.
I think everyone will be pleased with it.
Oh, and I do like these recorded better than the demo's/live versions, with the exception of that part in D-Song that I mentioned.
The best songs live are the older songs, to me...I heard them play Wake Up, Eponine, Natalie Portman, Spending Time, Rocks, and Shooting Stars and they were easily more enjoyable, live, than the new ones. With, once again, the exception of D-Song...that was beautiful, live.
Quote from: The Other Mike on May 02, 2007, 04:14:31 pm
Can you just change your username to Howdoespasadenacomparetotheolderalbums and save us all a lot of time?
Quote from: danorganplayer on May 02, 2007, 04:16:53 pm
Ur a real jerk u know that?..
So im excited for a new album, and Id like to know about it..chill out..
Haha, yeah man..leave him alone. Everyone's curious about the album.
Quote from: danorganplayer on May 02, 2007, 04:16:53 pm
Ur a real jerk u know that?..
So im excited for a new album, and Id like to know about it..chill out..
sorry, it's a natural reflex to people who don't spell out the word "you".
Well thats cool thanks for sharing.
Quote from: The Other Mike on May 02, 2007, 04:19:27 pm
Quote from: danorganplayer on May 02, 2007, 04:16:53 pm
Ur a real jerk u know that?..
So im excited for a new album, and Id like to know about it..chill out..
sorry, it's a natural reflex to people who don't spell out the word "you".
Good point, actually.
Fantastic max do YOU have aim?
I have the album if you want it.
just IM me, my screenname is: lrishb4st4rd
:P
EDIT - HEY GUYS THIS ISN'T REALLY HIS SCREEN NAME. I REALIZE IT'S DIFFICULT TO READ TWO EXTRA POSTS TO FIGURE THAT OUT, SO HERE YOU GO! STOP IMing ME! I'LL SEND YOU VIRUSES OR PICTURES OF BUTTS.
oh man, i almost sent the kid a folder full of pictures of butts thinking he was just being annoying!
lol had to do it.
i'm with you, this kid is annoying.
this album is very good! it lacks a certain feeling that ddd and rrp3 have. overall though, i love this album and will continue to let this grow on me. my favorites are motorology, hvh, and i wonder. now i need to learn these lyrics by tonight!
Quote from: Sandguy on May 02, 2007, 04:47:29 pm
this album is very good! it lacks a certain feeling that ddd and rrp3 have. overall though, i love this album and will continue to let this grow on me. my favorites are motorology, hvh, and i wonder. now i need to learn these lyrics by tonight!
Yeah, haha..have a good time man, it was good to meet you.
I'm telling you, just wait. Go listen to the demo or watch the youtube clip a couple times and do somethign else to get your mind off it. Starting tomorrow its only 12 days wait. Can you imagine how much more you will enjoy D-Song on the 15th by waiting a few more days?
Living on the east coast sucks..lol
You said it bro :(
The whole idea that waiting will make the album better is absurd. Are you going to enjoy it more than the west coast folks are? No. Download it, listen to it, buy it... or if you don't like it, don't buy it. That's what's great about the internet, nobody has to buy shitty albums anymore (not that this one is, I'm sure it's very good). And I realize I should lead by example here, but don't give this dan kid too much shit.
And Dan, if you really want the song, just leave your IM in your profile. Some kind soul will certainly see one of your many posts and send it to you.
Quote from: The Other Mike on May 02, 2007, 06:10:34 pm
The whole idea that waiting will make the album better is absurd.
Yeah I agree with you Mike, I was just messing with him because he seemed so desparate.
Wheres all the nice generous people on here?...O-o
Nah I wasn't messing with you in a malicious manner, just kind of fooling around with. Most the people on this board are very nice, I would consider myself one of them.
Quote from: Fantastic Max on May 02, 2007, 04:05:54 pm
6. Incarnation Blues - Starts out with negative seconds with Star, Dan and Ryen doing a little intro where they talk (Haha, oh and Ryen totally nabbed the solo from Yes Dear's "Orion" at about 0:55, but I guess it's okay, cause I'm sure it's his licks anyway..kind of badass though dual guitars, sounds Iron Maiden-y)
thats where it's from! I knew I heard it before. ;D
Quote from: wabut on May 02, 2007, 07:31:35 pm
Quote from: Fantastic Max on May 02, 2007, 04:05:54 pm
6. Incarnation Blues - Starts out with negative seconds with Star, Dan and Ryen doing a little intro where they talk (Haha, oh and Ryen totally nabbed the solo from Yes Dear's "Orion" at about 0:55, but I guess it's okay, cause I'm sure it's his licks anyway..kind of badass though dual guitars, sounds Iron Maiden-y)
thats where it's from! I knew I heard it before. ;D
You mean the Orion thing? Haha, yeah it's funny. I wonder if anyone else noticed yet.
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 03, 2007, 02:54:30 pm
LEKA IT
Don't you have a bad track record because of something to do with the Spending Time leak all those years ago?
Quote from: CT-700 on May 03, 2007, 03:04:20 pm
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 03, 2007, 02:54:30 pm
LEKA IT
Don't you have a bad track record because of something to do with the Spending Time leak all those years ago?
if by bad track record you mean leaks badass recorded tracks, then i will agree
wait... what DO you mean?
Jason said some not nice things about caesarsalad and that they had something to do with the Spending Time leaks. I was merely inquiring about the such.
Can people seriously stop IMing me? Tom posted my AIM name as a joke. Either you're too stupid to realize that (though I thought the subsequent posts and my edit to the original post made it pretty clear), or you're just a lurker who doesn't read all the posts and you're just looking for a leak; either way I don't have the album and if I did, I would only share it with boardies that I know.
Quote from: The Other Mike on May 03, 2007, 04:32:52 pm
Can people seriously stop IMing me? Tom posted my AIM name as a joke. Either you're too stupid to realize that (though I thought the subsequent posts and my edit to the original post made it pretty clear), or you're just a lurker who doesn't read all the posts and you're just looking for a leak; either way I don't have the album and if I did, I would only share it with boardies that I know.
Sorry Mike, I meant to edit that, and forgot.
Quote from: CT-700 on May 03, 2007, 03:36:49 pm
Jason said some not nice things about caesarsalad and that they had something to do with the Spending Time leaks. I was merely inquiring about the such.
i don't really remember anymore. everyone still hates me at the weezer forums but i havent posted there in a year and a half. i think i said something here about liking the green album, and then everyone questioned my musical taste and sexual orientation.
about the stotb leak.. i think i gave it a slightly negative review based on a few listens. many people jumped down my throat. a few days later i realized i was wrong and that the album was actually really good. i also laboriously typed in, by hand, a long review from an LA-area magazine, and scanned the album booklet when i bought it (i think a day before it was supposed to be released), to few replies/accolades. oh well.
also, is there a reason that Pasadena is so hard to spell? It's spelled "Pasadema" here, and "Pasedena" in the other thread. what the hell?
- Cesar, from PASADENA
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 03, 2007, 07:35:07 pm
also, is there a reason that Pasadena is so hard to spell? It's spelled "Pasadema" here, and "Pasedena" in the other thread. what the hell?
- Cesar, from PASADENA
Duely noted/changed.
Haha, I never noticed..guess I had the "m" from "Album" stuck in my head. Sorry for throwing your whole world upside down.
Quote from: Fantastic Max on May 03, 2007, 08:41:56 pm
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 03, 2007, 07:35:07 pm
also, is there a reason that Pasadena is so hard to spell? It's spelled "Pasadema" here, and "Pasedena" in the other thread. what the hell?
- Cesar, from PASADENA
Duely noted/changed.
Haha, I never noticed..guess I had the "m" from "Album" stuck in my head. Sorry for throwing your whole world upside down.
just teasing man
Guys, don't beg for the album here, or announce you have it to distribute. I will delete all such posts.
Do what you want off board, but lets respect the band here, k? Cool. :)
Quote from: heysarahsarah on May 03, 2007, 09:22:11 pm
Guys, don't beg for the album here, or announce you have it to distribute. I will delete all such posts.
Do what you want off board, but lets respect the band here, k? Cool. :)
Good call.
Thanks...Thats better than most people have shared..!!!
I appreciate that a lot!
Yeah motorology sounds really really good ..so far its my favorite from the album...I love the end of it..
Yeah the solo..is toned down, and synth ish...but I seriously love around 2:37 - till the end of the song OWNS..
Hmm....I wonder if these videos are being posted by Cesar Salad?
...fuckin retards.
i think what i dont like about this album (from what i have heard) is that the melodies aren't performed in the ozma way with the keyboard/guitar parallel thing like flight of the bootymaster or who knows what else but every song pre spending time on the borderline and some on spending time.
K, lemme splain in plain English:
Do.not.post.or.link.tracks.to.the.album.
Of any kind. I will delete all of that. Honestly. Please keep it off of this board.
I will not stop discussion of the album, especially since plenty of people have heard the album through legitimate means, and I will not police what anyone does off board, but no links of any kind, no begging and no announcements that you have the album to distribute or know where it can be distributed.
Eh...I really wanted to love this album...but I can't. It's just not as fun or catchy as the others. It ends on such a downtrodden note...I Wonder and Straight Flush should have their places switched. A lot of the songs have really awkward pacing/structure, like the verses drag on for too long. Heartache is by far the best track on it, following by Incarnation Blues and No One Needs To Know. Idunno, maybe I need to listen more, but right now i'm really let down.
I know, it's just a slippery slope. It's best to have a clear policy so I don't have to debate whether or not something is appropriate.
I love Straight Flush.
That's not much discussion, since I actually haven't heard the new album apart from the songs played live and posted on myspace, but I love that song. Dan's voice is awesome in it.
I already take back what i said.
Upon further listening i fucking love it haha
But I made a playlist with I Wonder as the last song and i think it works MUCH better.
Quote from: SteveLikesOzma on May 04, 2007, 05:20:29 pm
Eh...I really wanted to love this album...but I can't. It's just not as fun or catchy as the others. It ends on such a downtrodden note...I Wonder and Straight Flush should have their places switched. A lot of the songs have really awkward pacing/structure, like the verses drag on for too long. Heartache is by far the best track on it, following by Incarnation Blues and No One Needs To Know. Idunno, maybe I need to listen more, but right now i'm really let down.
Quote from: SteveLikesOzma on May 04, 2007, 06:13:35 pm
I already take back what i said.
Upon further listening i fucking love it haha
But I made a playlist with I Wonder as the last song and i think it works MUCH better.
Eh, I'm done with cliche album-endings with the slow emotional song at the end. "I Wonder" is fine where it is. I like ending on an awesome note, and I believe Straight Flush meets that criteria.. Although I
am supremely burned out at Ozma's never-ending desire to play 1988/Rocks at the end of almost every show..It bugs me muchly.
Oh and to your initial post(even though you took it back)..Dude, I love the album, it took a little bit to grow on me, but now it's effing Samuel, and although it's not "old" Ozma, like so many people complained about, it's a nice step into the future, and it works. Barriers and Fight the Darkness are still real downpoints in the album for me, sorry for any hardcore fans of these.
EDIT: Those of you messaging/email'ing me about the album/mp3s/advance copies. Stop it please, 'tis annoying.
I feel the same as the guy without the cd said, that he didn't mind if he had to wait till the album came out. I've always felt strongly about waiting till a band's ready for people to hear their stuff. There are reasons a release date is the date that it is.
If i didn't already get the album from a live show, I wouldn't bitch about other people getting to hear it first..I'd wait till the date and keep quiet. I know these songs are long-awaited but seriously...Less than 2 weeks, man..come on.
Quote from: SteveLikesOzma on May 04, 2007, 06:13:35 pm
I already take back what i said.
Upon further listening i fucking love it haha
But I made a playlist with I Wonder as the last song and i think it works MUCH better.
Dude, I was going to tell you to give it a couple listens. I think it rocks even more, the more I hear it.
Song by Song album synopsis to be posted soon.
"Release dates exist for a reason. Obviously the band doesn't want you to listen to the album until that date because the album won't be as good. It couldn't be because of production, marketing, or legal reasons that a release date is chosen to be when it is. Nope, that's the band-specified date based on when the album will sound best! Boy I'm sure glad I got my copy early, but you guys need to wait because it will make it better!"
paraphrased for ridiculousness.
imo, ryen's lunchbreak (cobra's theme) is [pop-]perfection defined.
as for the album itself... it's very tightly constructed and has a great/bold sound. probably the best thing they've done album-wise. my only gripe is how the two 'singles' come at the expense of new tunes. it's a very small gripe though. the whole thing flows very well--i actually liked the placement of "i wonder" since it winds things down before ending with two very dramatic songs.
i think i would have been even more impressed if i haven't heard anything (from pasadena) prior to getting it.
Quote from: The Other Mike on May 04, 2007, 06:58:22 pm
"Release dates exist for a reason. Obviously the band doesn't want you to listen to the album until that date because the album won't be as good. It couldn't be because of production, marketing, or legal reasons that a release date is chosen to be when it is. Nope, that's the band-specified date based on when the album will sound best! Boy I'm sure glad I got my copy early, but you guys need to wait because it will make it better!"
paraphrased for ridiculousness.
Yeah, Fantastic Max, that was a pretty retarded thing to say. I mean, at least play up the NANANANAN I HAVE IT AND YOU DON'T factor if you wanna take any route at all.
i'm also slightly disappointed by the album. i like barriers though, but fight the darkness shouldn't be on an ozma record.
however, i have a feeling it'll change. i do genuinely like MOST of the songs. i'll keep listening to it. it's very catchy.
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 04, 2007, 07:53:54 pm
i'm also slightly disappointed by the album. i like barriers though, but fight the darkness shouldn't be on an ozma record.
however, i have a feeling it'll change. i do genuinely like MOST of the songs. i'll keep listening to it. it's very catchy.
Yeah, you know, I often wonder how those two songs'll grow on me over time, but right now...eh.
Quote from: The Other Mike on May 04, 2007, 06:58:22 pm
"Release dates exist for a reason. Obviously the band doesn't want you to listen to the album until that date because the album won't be as good. It couldn't be because of production, marketing, or legal reasons that a release date is chosen to be when it is. Nope, that's the band-specified date based on when the album will sound best! Boy I'm sure glad I got my copy early, but you guys need to wait because it will make it better!"
paraphrased for ridiculousness.
Oh and if you were trying to get a rise out of me, i suppose you've done your job. I was simply making the statement that there are reasons behind release dates, not that they happen to be the band's preference(which I'm sure is rarely the case) That part of my post just happened to come right after I was mentioning band's decisions to release demos early or at album-release time, which in Ozma's case was semi-early and that alone can add to the hype of a release or ruin it.
So excuse me, if you read wrongly into my initial statements and figured I was just making a dumbass assumption about all bands and their abilities to control release dates. And forgive me if you felt I didn't express myself clearly enough.
I was also stating that you were being a hypocrite for telling people that it'll be better for them to wait while you're listening to the album.
I love Barriers. As for Fight The Darkness, I love the verses but the chorus is just too damn reptitive/corny. I don't hate it but...would have rather had something like Kid Icarus isntead.
There are oh so many things I could say about this album. I absolutely love it. But I don't really have time to get into everything right now, so I'll just say this about Fight the Darkness.. If there was one song I thought I wouldn't like, that was it. But then I heard Kenn's drums, and Dan's bass, both of which IMO are their best work on the whole album. So yeah.. I like it now.
yes, FTD is sort of like the Bad Dogs of "pasadena" - oops, I did it again. :-*
Ryen I still don't understand why some people dislike Bad Dogs, I've always thoroughly enjoyed it.
but bad dogs had a bad-ass extended guitar solo...
i still like FTD. i love the weird gothic twist at the end.
i LOVE bad dogs. i think it gets a ridiculous amount of hatred. i really, really like the song. maybe i have to listen to fight the darkness a little more.
Quote from: Bob Loblaw on May 05, 2007, 10:47:50 am
but bad dogs had a bad-ass extended guitar solo...
i still like FTD. i love the weird gothic twist at the end.
whenever i think of bad dogs, i think of that bad-ass solo. i think that's why i like it so much.
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 05, 2007, 11:03:33 am
Quote from: Bob Loblaw on May 05, 2007, 10:47:50 am
but bad dogs had a bad-ass extended guitar solo...
i still like FTD. i love the weird gothic twist at the end.
whenever i think of bad dogs, i think of that bad-ass solo. i think that's why i like it so much.
For me, it's not even the solo, it's moreso that I like the song as a whole, the melody, the vocals....everything.
No One Needs To Know - 7/10
Barriers - 4/10
Eponine - 7/10
Fight The Darkness - 8/10
Heartache/break - 7/10
Incarnation Blues - 9/10
Lunchbreak - 4/10
Motorology - 6/10
I Wonder - 9/10
Underneath My tree - 10/10
Straight Flush - 10/10
Obviously you can see some of the songs I just can't really get into...the album ends amazingly I wonder - tree - flush...nice.
Quote from: Fantastic Max on May 05, 2007, 12:13:31 pm
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 05, 2007, 11:03:33 am
Quote from: Bob Loblaw on May 05, 2007, 10:47:50 am
but bad dogs had a bad-ass extended guitar solo...
i still like FTD. i love the weird gothic twist at the end.
whenever i think of bad dogs, i think of that bad-ass solo. i think that's why i like it so much.
For me, it's not even the solo, it's moreso that I like the song as a whole, the melody, the vocals....everything.
yeah i like the song in its entirety, its a good song, the melody is great, the harmonies are nice and it does have a great solo.
Honestly, the main thing I don't like about Bad Dogs is the lyrics. Mainly the chorus.
All bad dogs go
to doggy hell
All bad cats go
to kitty hell
Hmm.. I think I'll do a track-by-track, in depth analysis. I've never done anything like that before, should be fun. Here goes!
1. No One Needs to Know - Okay, this is tough.. The original version of this is one of my very favorite Ozma songs. I wasn't sure how I would feel to hear it redone. On my initial listen.. I really liked it. I think I've decided that I don't like one version more than the other. The only thing I really missed a lot from the original was the little guitar slide right before the solo, that always got me so pumped up. I really like the flute trill that was added. I'll be listening to both versions in the future, whichever one strikes me in the right mood I guess. 9/10
2. Barriers - The guitars sound great, the bass is some of the best on the album (I'll get into that more later.) The song really moves, the drums and the guitar solo really get me goin. Very enjoyable lyrics, well delivered. I don't really see why many of you don't seem to like this one, I think it's great. 9/10
3. Eponine - I understand why they had to redo this song.. But I don't think it goes over as well as No One Needs to Know. Still a good rendition, but I'm sure most of you feel the same way.. We'd all rather have new songs instead. However, I've listened to Pasadena probably ten times now, and I haven't skipped Eponine (or anything else) even once. So, I think that says a lot about it. It was obviously a great song in the first place. 7.5/10
4. Fight the Darkness - Like I said earlier, I wasn't sure how I would feel about this.. The chorus is clearly repetitive. But that's not always a bad thing, and I they think they pulled it off pretty well. It left a pretty clear message anyway, hehe. What really makes this song great is the fantastic drums and bass. The more I listen to the album, the more great drum parts I'm catching, so I don't know if it's Kenn's absolute best song.. But it is Daniel's. He really shines on this one. And the keyboard at the end is very thrilling. :) 8.5/10
5. Heartache Vs. Heartbreak - This song is fantastic. Rachel Haden blows me away, as usual, and Ozma handles male/female harmonies as well as anyone. Samuel lyrics, great drumming.. But it's the little things on this song that really draw me in. Like the acoustic guitar in the background, the video game sounds near the middle. Dan's "Oh it's rusted now!" Love the solo, but I wish it was longer. Sweet little drum kick to end it. 10/10
6. Incarnation Blues - I've heard this song a lot now, since it's been up on myspace for quite a while, and it's taken a while to really grow on me.. But now I really enjoy it. Lyrically one of the best on the album. Great keyboards, another awesome solo. Don't know what else to say.. it just plain rocks. 9.5/10
7. Lunchbreak (Cobra's Theme) - The first time I heard this, I thought it was very weird. I really wasn't sure what to think. It's just so different from anything else I've ever heard from Ozma. I don't know how much of this song was Ryen's doing, it seems like a lot.. And I have to say, very well done buddy. I've really come around. Yeah, it's different, and that's great, because it rules. The piano intro is neat, and then the song takes a serious turn into something else. Just, fantastic lyrical melody all the way through. The little piano notes here and there are a nice touch. It ends abruptly, almost too abruptly, but it works. 9.5/10
8. Motorology 3:39 - Wow.. GREAT song. Love everything about it. The intro which gives you a hint of the great melody to come. Every member of the band shines on this song. Awesome lyrics, fantastic guitar parts. The lyrics in the second verse make me long for Kid Icarus, but I digress, hehe. Matthew Caws' guitar part seriously gives me chills every time I hear it. What a freakin cool guy he is. The buildup before the last chorus is riveting. Great kind of random noises at the end that remind me of the ending of some of the songs on the Bootymaster EP. 10/10
9. I Wonder - If there's one song on the album that made me want to pick up a guitar right away and learn it, this is it. Not a whole lot to say about it, it's a nice change of pace. Very nice lyrics, great singing. Again, very different for Ozma, but fits in perfectly. 9/10
10. Underneath My Tree - This song was hyped quite a bit here, my expectations were quite high. And yeah, just like any time you have high expectations, I was a bit let down. But don't get me wrong, it's a very solid song. Certainly nice to hear a studio version. I don't know.. I do like it, it just doesn't blow me away like some of the other songs do. The guitars and bass do sound very good. The instrumental section near the end does go over very well. And the "Whoa!" at the end is very cool. 8.5/10
11. Straight Flush - I heard the demo of this back when it was on myspace, and I didn't even remember what it sounded like, that's how little of an impression it left on me. So, needless to say, I wasn't extremely excited to hear it. Man, that was dumb of me. This song is stellar, and a perfect way to end the album, in the vain of Continental Drift and Light Years Will Burn. There's a definite Nada Surf influence, in my opinion, and that's a very good thing. Dan's singing is incredible, some of his best work. The lead guitar is seriously moving. I saw someone say that this and I Wonder should swap places, I completely disagree. An album like this deserves an epic closer, and boy, it has one. 10/10
Overall:
To recap my ratings,
No One Needs to Know - 9/10
Barriers - 9/10
Eponine - 7.5/10
Fight the Darkness - 8.5/10
Heartache Vs. Heartbreak - 10/10
Incarnation Blues - 9.5/10
Lunchbreak (Cobra's Theme) - 9.5/10
Motorology 3:39 - 10/10
I Wonder - 9/10
Underneath My Tree - 8.5/10
Straight Flush - 10/10
Pasadena - 10/10
This album stands right up there with anything else these guys have ever done. It is very different, which may be off-putting to some, but they are so good at what they do, they'll make you fall in love with the new sound. For quite a while now I've been struggling with the thought of putting Ozma ahead of Weezer as my favorite band.. And I think I can safely say that now. Weezer has made two 10's, a couple of 7's, and a 6.. Ozma has made four 10's. I think Ryen really shines on this album, probably more than ever before. He and Jose both pump out great guitar parts all the way through. Star's keyboard parts have become more intricate, and interesting, than ever before. It's nice to hear her voice too, and see a writing credit for her. Kenn is a fantastic addition to the band. I've always loved the drumming in Ozma (I know a lot of people wouldn't say that) but it's clear that Kenn took it to a whole new level here. And it's always nice to have another songwriting presence around.
Which brings me to my only sad note, and I really hate to say it.. Daniel Brummel is my favorite bassist. I play the bass myself, and I try my best to play like him. Most bands these days, the bassist really isn't too apparent, they just play along with the guitarist and call it a day. I love Daniel because he doesn't do that, he always has cool, interesting parts that are very easy to listen for. Again, it makes me really sad to say it, and I'm sorry Dan.. But the bass playing on this album was a huge letdown. Most songs he didn't do anything interesting, or different from Jose and Ryen. The great, and I mean GREAT, bass playing from the last three albums was just not there. It was very good on Fight the Darkness and of course No One Needs to Know, and decent on Barriers and Underneath My Tree. Other than that.. :( Now, it's important to note, I thought his vocals were fantastic, and I know he has a lot to do with the guitar parts too. But the bass in Ozma is one of the key reasons I love them, and it's just not there this time out. It doesn't affect the album too much, and I'm sure a lot of people won't even notice that much.. But being a bassist, and one who looks up to Dan very much, it had a big impact on me. I still love you Dan, and you're still my hero!!
Well, I guess that's all I have to say about that. Yep.. great album. Best I've heard in a long time.
My album review:
1. No One Needs To Know: Great song as always. Love the re-recorded vocals and the tightness of the drums. Not much has changed. Daniel kills it on this song.
2. Barriers: Not my favorite song on the record. Great synth harmonies. Could do without it.
3. Eponine: Sounds good. Love the shorter intro w/ out the horns and shit. Once again...Daniel's vocals are Samuel on this record.
4. Fight The Darkness: Has grown on me. Drums sound good. Lead guitar is kickass. Bass is badass.
5. Heartache Vs. Heartbreak: Great song. Can't get enough of the vocal harmonies and gang vocals towards the end. Everything works so good together on this song. Everything just flows together perfectly.
6. Incarnation Blues: Kickass song. The synth melody on this song may be the best on the album. The double-kick drum brings the song into a new dimension. Once again, Dan's vocals sound great.
7. Lunchbreak: Awesome pop song. Sounds like it would fit perfectly on a Cars album. Ryen sounds great on this son of a bitch. Everything works on this for me. Could've done without the "phone dial noise" at the beginning, pushes the cheese factor a bit too high.
8. Motorolgy: Every time I hear it, I'm expecting HvH to break in at the end of the intro. I like this song after just about the 50 second mark. I think the song comes full circle and kicks so much ass after that point. Not that the extended intro isn't good, I just don't think it fits with the rest of the song, but it doesn't harm the song at all. The breakdown at 2:51 is my favorite part of the record so far (3 listens).
9. I Wonder: Motorology flows into I Wonder almost perfectly, going from the most fast paced and kick ass song on the album to this acoustic canticle. I like it. Alot. Very simple song, which is all it needs to be.
10. Underneath My Tree: Does this song almost sound live to anyone else? Never liked D Song all that much. But god damn, has this song evolved or what? I think its Samuel to hear a song 4 years ago, then hear it now, and see what its been made into. I like. Very nice.
11. Straight Flush: This song sounds so much like another song to me. Can't figure it out...but whatever. It's still a pretty good song.
Overall: A great step forward for OZMA. IF they sounded the same as they did when they were 16, which is what I think a lot of people are expecting to hear, it would really depress me. Their sound, I can say, is completely their own. They give new meaning to "wall of sound" on this record. There isn't a dull moment on the record and I think a lot of people will have mixed reviews or say "it sucks." But you're wrong. If you don't appreciate this record, you don't appreciate music. Not only does it make a name for OZMA, in my opinion, it opens up a whole new sub-genre of Power Pop, if you will.
Quote from: tom on May 05, 2007, 07:01:36 pm
If you don't appreciate this record, you don't appreciate music.
::) ok man...
Quote from: tom on May 05, 2007, 07:01:36 pmIf you don't appreciate this record, you don't appreciate music.
i like the album but this is a fucking retarded thing to say.
On the Seattle show tonight Ryen introduced Fight the Darkness as "the Bad Dogs of the new album".
Quote from: mike on May 05, 2007, 08:27:30 pm
Quote from: tom on May 05, 2007, 07:01:36 pmIf you don't appreciate this record, you don't appreciate music.
i like the album but this is a fucking retarded thing to say.
wow dude, cool.
get a fuckin life.
Quote from: mike on May 05, 2007, 08:27:30 pm
Quote from: tom on May 05, 2007, 07:01:36 pmIf you don't appreciate this record, you don't appreciate music.
i like the album but this is a fucking retarded thing to say.
i like the album but this is a fraking retarded thing to say about a retarded thing to say! aaaaaarrrrrrrr!
I love love LOVE Underneath My Tree!
It's my favorite song currently.
Straight Flush is starting to grow on me, i love the solo at the 2 minute mark...so tasty.
Yeah, how the hell do Tom and Mike have copies? You're not allowed to leak the album, but random east coast people have it? What the fuck's going on?
I cannot reveal my sources.
But I will say this: I have a physical copy, not just a ripped version.
I'm in Wisconsin and I have one. ;D
Quote from: funwithsponges on May 05, 2007, 10:53:22 pm
Yeah, how the hell do Tom and Mike have copies? You're not allowed to leak the album, but random east coast people have it? What the fuck's going on?
You can't leak it on the forum. What people do offboard is up to them.
1. No One Needs To Know -- It's actually quite funny; I never liked this song much when it was on Doubble Donkey Disc, but on Pasadena, I actually think they improved it. I'm not saying that I think they should have redone it, but it does start off the album rather nicely. [8.5/10]
2. Barriers -- You know, I've heard some people say that Barriers is not a good song and I'm inclined to disagree. I love the lyrics and solo; overall, really good song that shows that Ryen has really grown musically and is more capable than ever of writing awesome songs. [9.5/10]
3. Eponine -- Another rehash, but this time, I'm not sure if it's an improvement or a loss. I understand that they had to do it for a single, but I would have opted for a mix of the two released versions. I never liked the horns, so I'm glad to see them out of there, but I also wish they hadn't cut Ryen's solo shorter... Ryen can shred. [8/10]
4. Fight The Darkness -- I'm not a fan of the repetitive chorus, but I do think that musically it's actually a cool song. I would have taken Kid Icarus over this song anyday, but overall it fits into the album quite well and I can dig it. [8.5/10]
5. Heartache Vs. Heartbreak -- Power-pop perfection. I like everything about this song and, as said earlier, I'm glad to see Star getting her fair share of the songs. That girl has talent. [10/10]
6. Incarnation Blues -- In my opinion, the second in a trilogy of great songs. Keyboard is really nice here and I can't get over how cool the chorus sounds. Ryen's solo is great, even if it is ripped from a Yes Dear song. [10/10]
7. Lunchbreak (Cobras Theme) -- More proof that Ryen is becoming a better songwriter with time. In any other environment, the lyrics would have been out of place and rather odd, but in the sonic environment that is created, they fit perfectly. [10/10]
8. Motorology 3:39 -- Not impressed with the intro, but hey, different strokes for different folks. I think that the lyrics are cool and that the music, though I'm not a huge fan, is fitting. [8/10]
9. I Wonder -- I wonder how this band is capable of writing quality songs like this in large amounts. The only gripe I have about this tune is that the guitar sounds out of tune and awkward at some points, but then again, I'm not the greatest judge of guitar tuning. [10/10]
10. Underneath My Tree -- D Song. Brilliant. I've always enjoyed this song and in this incarnation, nothing is lost. [10/10]
11. Straight Flush -- Is it a good song? Yes? Is it the song I would have chosen to end an album? No. While it is a good song, I feel that it moves a little slow for my tastes. [8/10]
Overall, I'll give the album a 9.5-10. It's probably my favorite Ozma album for the fact that it's not the same as anything they've done before... it's more mature and mighty than the older stuff was. I really think that Kid Icarus should be on the album, but look at D-Song; they had D-Song for a while and it only made it out now... so I think Kid Icarus will be out sometime in the future.
Good job Ozma!
Sincerely,
Ron
No One Needs to Know didn't really change much, except a few "radio edit" type cuts. So if you're not gonna completely change the song, why redo it?
Eponine is really bad. The radio edit cuts are terrible, the lack of wanking at the end sucks, and it just doesn't sound good. But if they always play the real version live, I won't ever say another bad word about this remake. Cuz I'm sure that makes their day, right?
I dig Barriers, it's kinda cheesy and fun. Fight the Darkness is good, but at times it kinda reminds me of a Green Album-era b-side.
Heartache vs. Heartbreak, I Wonder, Underneath My Tree and Straight Flush are really terrific songs. I'm excited to hear those live (though I believe I've heard Straight Flush live when they played at SC last year).
there's dissonant chords in i wonder but that's for effect.. i don't think the guitar is out of tune..
1. No One Needs To Know - i was skeptical about this, but it turned out great. The flute parts and harmonies are a nice touch. I don't think I could ever go back to listening to the DDD version.
2. Barriers - This could not have been produced any better... I think the people who don't like this song probably just have a general aversion to Ryen's butt-rock tendencies. I like the lyrics, and the drum/guitar fill towards the end is a great moment.
3. Eponine - while other people are bound to bitch about the rehashing that went on here... I believe the edits make it a much more effective and exciting song. Sonically, it's waaaay closer to what the live show has always delivered. Kenn also brings a whole new level of intensity to it (see that fill that brings the chorus back in for the last time)... i'm also very glad they didn't do that goofy thing from the old version where the recording drops off in volume for the bridge... i would always have to fiddle with the volume in my car. bad production choice! Anyhow, this is the recording that the song has always deserved.
4. Fight The Darkness - I was ambivalent towards the demo, but this is so superbly produced and over-the-top in it's butt-rock ridiculousness that I'm completely sold on it. More great work by Kenn. I think that Bad Dogs comparison is pretty apt... but I always liked that dumb song too. I think the album needed this.
5. Heartache Vs. Heartbreak - This is my favorite Dan song on the record. I think the mix of programming and live drums was a brilliant idea, and the vocals contain some of the great moments on the record. I do sort of feel that Ryen's solo could have been longer, because whats there is sweet.
6. Incarnation Blues - Kenn again proves his worth with that double kick drum thing. As throughout the record, the vocals are really well performed.
7. Lunchbreak (Cobras Theme) - This is Ryen's best writing spot on the album. Very interesting melodically, and the myriad of sonic touches really sell the whole thing. I love that glissando thing before the chorus, and the whistling.
8. Motorology 3:39 - I agree that the intro and the rest of the song sound disjointed, but I also think that was sort of the point. Listening to the bootleg, i always thought the missing link was the lack of harmonies, and they definitely delivered for the recording. It's also nice to hear them doing the classic vocal trade-off thing they used to. I have no complaints with how this turned out.
9. I Wonder - A great song by anyone's standards. The subtle addition of the string sound towards the end was a good idea.
10. Underneath My Tree - Epic sounding, as anticipated. Kenn makes this song much more killer than it already was.
11. Straight Flush - The vocal performance makes this one. another song that greatly benefitied from the addition of harmonies. I think this was the correct choice for the last song.
Overall - This may sound like new album excitement, but I really do think this is a truly great record; I enjoy it all the way through. If I had never heard any Ozma before, and picked this up, I would be intrigued. It cannot be overstated how much Kenn adds to this band. Sonically, I don't think anyone could argue that this isn't the best sounding thing they've ever put out. I'm glad they're continuing to experiment and push the envelope rather than sticking with the basic power-pop thing they could have easily slumped into.
keep the good shit coming, Ozma... you have done well.
in what way are "i wonder" and "straight flush" different from the demo's that we heard?
on first listen to "i wonder," i noticed kenn has a new harmony part added in one spot and theres that string part at the end, and other synth stuff randomly
"straight flush" didn't sound too different from the demo. theres that new guitar part at the end as well and more/different backup vocals.
I think the overall production/sound of this album is PERFECT. That's one thing you can't diss about it.
after a few more listens, i gotta admit, i don't know how ryen does it but this fight the darkness song has definitely grown on me.
the album is pretty damn good. i agree with the comment about the production -- this album has excellent production!! way better than stotb's.
The album gets better and better with every listen.
I'm at a point where I love every single track, even FTD (especially the WHOAAAAAAA)
Heartache and Underneath My Tree are still my favorites, but the rest rules.
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 07, 2007, 01:26:02 pm
after a few more listens, i gotta admit, i don't know how ryen does it but this fight the darkness song has definitely grown on me.
the album is pretty damn good. i agree with the comment about the production -- this album has excellent production!! way better than stotb's.
Me too, although, Im still iffy about Barriers :-\
motorology is about back to the future, right?
i just got that... this morning... in the shower.
-Jordan :)
Quote from: JordanInHelsinki on May 08, 2007, 08:20:47 am
motorology is about back to the future, right?
No, no I don't think so. That one line "I'm still dreaming of clock towers and synchronicity" is in reference to it, sure. But I don't think the song is about BTTF. That sentence is more about Dan than anything.
Quote from: Fantastic Max on May 08, 2007, 08:12:41 am
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 07, 2007, 01:26:02 pm
after a few more listens, i gotta admit, i don't know how ryen does it but this fight the darkness song has definitely grown on me.
the album is pretty damn good. i agree with the comment about the production -- this album has excellent production!! way better than stotb's.
Me too, although, Im still iffy about Barriers :-\
heh... i liked barriers from the very first time i listened to it.
I'll keep this brief, as I'm hopefully doing a proper review of this for my site in the next week or so, and I doubt anyone actually reads everyone else's track-by-tracks anyway, but :
The utterly awesome : Straight Flush (one of my favourite Brummel songs of all time, I think), Motorology (even my non-Ozma-liking girlfriend likes this), No-One Needs To Know, Incarnation Blues, Heartache vs Heartache
The pretty darned good : I Wonder, Underneath My Tree, Barriers, the first thirty seconds or so of Lunchbreak when it sounds like a fun rock 'n' roll musical pastiche
The eh, not so much : Eponine, Fight The Darkness
The ew, no : the rest of Lunchbreak
So all in all, it's a success, and contains some of the best material they've ever recorded. But bits of it still sound a bit too high-schooley. Somewhere between three and four stars for me, I think.
Brummel's voice is just ridiculously sweet on this album. It is so powerful.
Incarnation Blues <3
Quote from: icecreamman on May 08, 2007, 11:25:50 am
Brummel's voice is just ridiculously sweet on this album. It is so powerful.
Yes, I fully take back anything I said about his voice from last week.
Quote from: Seb on May 08, 2007, 10:46:14 am
I'll keep this brief, as I'm hopefully doing a proper review of this for my site in the next week or so, and I doubt anyone actually reads everyone else's track-by-tracks anyway, but :
The utterly awesome : Straight Flush (one of my favourite Brummel songs of all time, I think), Motorology (even my non-Ozma-liking girlfriend likes this), No-One Needs To Know, Incarnation Blues, Heartache vs Heartache
The pretty darned good : I Wonder, Underneath My Tree, Barriers, the first thirty seconds or so of Lunchbreak when it sounds like a fun rock 'n' roll musical pastiche
The eh, not so much : Eponine, Fight The Darkness
The ew, no : the rest of Lunchbreak
So all in all, it's a success, and contains some of the best material they've ever recorded. But bits of it still sound a bit too high-schooley. Somewhere between three and four stars for me, I think.
aw. lunchbreak is my favorite song on the album :)
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 08, 2007, 04:12:41 pm
Quote from: Seb on May 08, 2007, 10:46:14 am
I'll keep this brief, as I'm hopefully doing a proper review of this for my site in the next week or so, and I doubt anyone actually reads everyone else's track-by-tracks anyway, but :
The utterly awesome : Straight Flush (one of my favourite Brummel songs of all time, I think), Motorology (even my non-Ozma-liking girlfriend likes this), No-One Needs To Know, Incarnation Blues, Heartache vs Heartache
The pretty darned good : I Wonder, Underneath My Tree, Barriers, the first thirty seconds or so of Lunchbreak when it sounds like a fun rock 'n' roll musical pastiche
The eh, not so much : Eponine, Fight The Darkness
The ew, no : the rest of Lunchbreak
So all in all, it's a success, and contains some of the best material they've ever recorded. But bits of it still sound a bit too high-schooley. Somewhere between three and four stars for me, I think.
aw. lunchbreak is my favorite song on the album :)
Yeah. haha..I used to think that, but now the rest of the song has grown on me :P
Took me about 3-4 listens through the album. The only song I'm not digging but can handle is Lunchbreak...everything else is golden for me. Oh joy.
i used to dislike 'fight the darkness,' now i can't stop dancing to it.
fight the darkness gets the title for most difference between first impression and current impression. why do i like it so much
The phrase "fight the darkness" is said 20 times in the song. Wow.
That said, I still quite enjoy the song. (still miss Into Light!)
the biggest improvement to the "demo" songs on the album is that i think they found a way to change straight flush into a song that feels like its dragging to a slower rock song that sounds cool.
Quote from: Kyosho on May 11, 2007, 01:45:12 pm
The phrase "fight the darkness" is said 20 times in the song. Wow.
and how many time is "can't you hear the words i sing?" said in eponine? 16?
Quote from: I Like Ozma on May 11, 2007, 03:58:37 pm
the biggest improvement to the "demo" songs on the album is that i think they found a way to change straight flush into a song that feels like its dragging to a slower rock song that sounds cool.
straight flush on the record is the demo with a few vocal overdubs. i wonder is the demo with strings added at the end.
Quote from: hipsun on May 11, 2007, 04:16:02 pm
Quote from: I Like Ozma on May 11, 2007, 03:58:37 pm
the biggest improvement to the "demo" songs on the album is that i think they found a way to change straight flush into a song that feels like its dragging to a slower rock song that sounds cool.
straight flush on the record is the demo with a few vocal overdubs. i wonder is the demo with strings added at the end.
what i meant to say was that "they found a way to change straight flush from a song that feels like its dragging into a slower rock song that sounds cool"
It's been so long since I used this site I forgot all my info. But I re registered because I want to see how the other fans thought of something. I've been an Ozma fan since the beginning and though I really like Pasadena, it's just sitting awkwardly with me. I miss the catchy keyboard melodies from RRRpt3 and DDD. Does this strike a chord with anyone else?
thats how i felt when the demo's came out, but now that the album is almost out i think we have all come to terms with it. i do however wish this album had all that classic ozma stuff though.
Quote from: ireadcomics on May 12, 2007, 10:35:50 am
It's been so long since I used this site I forgot all my info. But I re registered because I want to see how the other fans thought of something. I've been an Ozma fan since the beginning and though I really like Pasadena, it's just sitting awkwardly with me. I miss the catchy keyboard melodies from RRRpt3 and DDD. Does this strike a chord with anyone else?
Did you listen to Pasadena? Because there is some pretty damn catchy keyboard melodies on there. It may not be sugar-coated pop like they used to be, but they still write fantastic songs.
Quote from: tom on May 12, 2007, 11:48:55 am
Quote from: ireadcomics on May 12, 2007, 10:35:50 am
It's been so long since I used this site I forgot all my info. But I re registered because I want to see how the other fans thought of something. I've been an Ozma fan since the beginning and though I really like Pasadena, it's just sitting awkwardly with me. I miss the catchy keyboard melodies from RRRpt3 and DDD. Does this strike a chord with anyone else?
Did you listen to Pasadena? Because there is some pretty damn catchy keyboard melodies on there. It may not be sugar-coated pop like they used to be, but they still write fantastic songs.
Exactly what tom said. Plus even if someone is yearning for the old songs, there are two on the album. Plus the coveted release of d-song. You can find the dualing guitar/synth solo sound on just about every song except I Wonder. And if I say so myself, they really upped the anty in the production of those sounds with all the harmonized layers and such. Extremely effective.
Quote from: CT-700 on May 12, 2007, 12:45:11 pm
Quote from: tom on May 12, 2007, 11:48:55 am
Quote from: ireadcomics on May 12, 2007, 10:35:50 am
It's been so long since I used this site I forgot all my info. But I re registered because I want to see how the other fans thought of something. I've been an Ozma fan since the beginning and though I really like Pasadena, it's just sitting awkwardly with me. I miss the catchy keyboard melodies from RRRpt3 and DDD. Does this strike a chord with anyone else?
Did you listen to Pasadena? Because there is some pretty damn catchy keyboard melodies on there. It may not be sugar-coated pop like they used to be, but they still write fantastic songs.
Exactly what tom said. Plus even if someone is yearning for the old songs, there are two on the album. Plus the coveted release of d-song. You can find the dualing guitar/synth solo sound on just about every song except I Wonder. And if I say so myself, they really upped the anty in the production of those sounds with all the harmonized layers and such. Extremely effective.
Please don't miss construe my post. I really like the new album and though there are a couple of oldies on there, I still yearn for the Domino Effect-esque, power keyboard type of lead melody. Believe me, I am digging this new album but it's no secret their style has changed some since their earlier work.
does anyone listen to the intro of motorology and expect it to kick into incarnation blues after the drum machine intro :D
all in all though it's a good album, i wasn't expecting to hear anything from ozma again when they broke up so anything is a plus.
D song and I wonder are my favorite.
edit** and both ryen's and daniels voices are fantastic.
Quote from: JordanInHelsinki on May 08, 2007, 08:20:47 am
motorology is about back to the future, right?
i just got that... this morning... in the shower.
-Jordan :)
It's by dan, so probably.
i dont like the vocals in d-song as much as i should. and the guitar when they say "when it fell"
I'm not sure if i've mentioned this yet, but when i was taking a rock and roll history class we were talking about the twelve bar blues and that was when ozma first got back together, so i messaged them on myspace, but i never heard anything back and now "incarnation blues" is out, i'm not too sure if it was written in the twelve bar blues, but it kind of sounds like it plus it has the word blues in it! i just wanted someone from ozma to either confirm or deny the fact that they wrote this song because of my brilliant idea
another thing, i think d-song is pasadena's "shooting stars"
12 bar blues, eh? I'm sure that dan, as a music major, never stumbled across that one.
Oh, and it's not. Check the tab that was posted if you want evidence of that.
Quote from: Cremo on May 12, 2007, 04:39:10 pm
does anyone listen to the intro of motorology and expect it to kick into incarnation blues after the drum machine intro :D
Yeah, I do all the time, even if I've heard the record like 20 times now.
oh. it's available on itunes.
oh.
and the order is different...
no one needs to know
barriers
eponine
fight the darkness
heartache
etc on from there ...
Quote from: Andy on May 13, 2007, 07:01:36 pm
oh. it's available on itunes.
oh.
and the order is different...
no one needs to know
barriers
eponine
fight the darkness
heartache
etc on from there ...
Um, that's the order as it's meant to be, isn't it? It's definitely the order as listed on the back cover, on the leaked version, and the order that the lyrics were posted in. Surely it's just Myspace that's got it wrong?
Quote from: I Like Ozma on May 13, 2007, 08:14:51 am
another thing, i think d-song is pasadena's "shooting stars"
The start of these sound a bit similar to me.
what?!?!
aside from the guitar being strummed in a similar fasion, they sound nothing alike. not to mention there is a piano in d song.
weirdos
not just the way they sound. but the meanings of the song and the overall feeling that it gives me.
I'm not too fond of it. My general opinions can be found in the "i hate it" thread.
No comments on the old songs. They really shouldn't be on there.
Barriers
I don't like this one. I don't like the verses or the chorus. The part after the second chorus is cool though. Really cool, almost cool enough to save the song, but noe quite.
Fight the Darkness
I don't like this one. I don't really mind the vocal repitition. Its not a great thing, but its not what turns me off from this song. I just don't like any of the music of the song. Except for the last part. But again, not cool enough to redem the song. Weak ending too.
Heartache
Man Star should not being singing. Back up somtimes is okay, but I really don't dig her opening, or any of her vocals in this song. And pairing her inexperienced vocals with Daniels, bad move. It actualy makes Daniel sound not so good. I actualy like the song though, but man, take Star out.
However, if you want to be famous then I guess it is a good move. The forums were obsessed with her before Ozma broke up, and live people cheer more for her than anybody else. All it takes is a somewhat pretty female face for some one with no talent to be cool. And it makes the band "cool' too. Ozma, or the management, knows this I'm sure, and thats why she is so prominent here.
Incarnation Blues
I'd rather have Jose singing falsetto than Star's backing vocals, but at least its not so prominent. Good solo melody in the begining. The music here is actualy pretty good. The chorus and verse aren't the best, but there are lots of melodic peices thrown in inbetween. Another weak ending though...
Lunchbreak
This song is just... not good. Least favorite song easily. It actualy gets a LOT better as the song progresses, but I still dislike it. The opening of the song is terrible I think.
Motorology
Its not bad. But there really isn't a part of this song that I love. Nothing that catches my ear.
I Wonder
This is actualy probably my favorite song on here. Esch, I didn't see that coming. However, I really really wish they would have made a more live sounding recording. Or maybe have Ryen and Daniel double both the guitar and the vocals and record it liveish.
Underneath My Tree
This one has some cool parts in it. I like the build up at the end pretty well. Its a pretty close buildup to the Ozma standard, but its a big different. I like the triplets. Pretty weak ending though.
Strait Flush
Probably my other favorite. Again I would have produced it in an totally different way. This one has some power in it, which I feel the other songs lack. The overdriven vocals are a cool idea, but just a bit off.
Overall...
I'd rank the album 2/5
For reference so you know how I rank the albums and other bands.
Ozma
RRP3 4/5
DDD 4/5
STOTBL 3.5/5
Piebald
WATOFTWH 4/5
ALAEATT 4/5
Yes
Fragile 4.5/5
Close to the Edge 5/5
Quote from: varnon on May 17, 2007, 03:19:13 pm
Strait Flush
Probably my other favorite. Again I would have produced it in an totally different way. This one has some power in it, which I feel the other songs lack. The overdriven vocals are a cool idea, but just a bit off.
okay mister producer... how would you have done it? please, i want to know.
i'm not really fond of the mixes, but for the most part i hear a solid record.
Well I'm not a producer. But I have been in studio. And I plan to go back into studio some time in the near future. Most of the ideas I have in things I hear are things I was NOT able to do durring my quick rush job in studio. We really didn't have enough time (or money for the time). I've also recorded my own stuff several times. Its really provided me an ear for what *I* like.
Also my current job involves proccesion audio taken from public speeches and putting them together with the video to be made into DVDs. I've had to develop a good ear for effects and equalizations for this. Most of the audio I have to work with is really bad quality, its a bitch to clean up.
Really the reason I listen so closely to production details is so my next recording can be better. I don't do it to hate on other bands just for fun.
Anyway, if you want a quick summary, the I'll say I want it more 'raw' sounding. I think the the music and vocals are very powerfull and I think that a more raw sound would be very fitting. This goes for the rest of the album too, but especialy for this one. I would actualy really like to hear a good quality live recording of this song.
There are allways different ways to produce songs, mine isn't the best way for everyone.
And if you want specific details then read on.
So I'd want the guitars in the intro would be a little overdriven or distorted. Not heavy, but just enough that you would be pissed off if you wanted a clean sound. I really like the chords made in the begining either by playing all the notes at once or by arpeggio. A little bit of distortion would enhance the sound I think. I would have a dirtier tone, which I think would be more fitting.
You can cut out all the effects on the vocals. Both Dan and Ryen are very good singers, and I feel the effects just hide that. With out the effects they sound better and more real.
"leave it up to me babe"
The first two times you hear this you really hear too much of wind sound on babe, I'm sure they had a wind screen, it probably just went unnoticed.
I'd also turn the guitars up for most all of the song. Its a powerfull song, and the vocals are definatly powerfull enough to cut through louder guitars.
Theres some acoustic guitar in there too. Pretty hard to hear. I'd at least try to increase the sound caused by picking the strings if not the whole instrument. Even if you really don't want the listener to hear they guitar, the picking sound has a nice percusive sound too it. I think it would add to this song rather than take away from it.
The bass... as in almost all rock is very difficult to hear clearly. Especialy on a crappy system like I'm listening to this on. I like to mix things so they sound good on a crappy system. Ususally when you do this you can't hear much of a difference when listening on a good system, but it makes a world of difference on a crappy one.
I'm pretty sure that there is a Star saw wave on most of the song. Ozma allways like to turn her way down on parts that don't emphasis her. But I'd turn it up enough so the normal listener would hear it. I do think it should be much less prominient than the other instruments. Just make it a litte easier to spot.
And man, not even a production note, but I'd have to mention it to these guys if I produced them. The ending is weak. The ending note is unresolved, and thats probably intentional... but I'm sure there is a better way to end it.
I think the dissonance in the Daniel/Star harmonies in HvH is some of the best sounding vocal stuff on the album.
Varnon really needs to shut the fuck up with the star bashing. ;D
I hope to god that members of ozma don't take any of these posts seriously. The album is great. Barriers, FTD, Heartache v. Heartbreak, and Incarnation Blues could easily be radio hits with the right exposure. Lunchbreak, motorology, I wonder, under my tree and straight flush are not radio songs but perhaps even more rewarding to listen to. The production is great- sonically the album sounds more similar to the band live than any other album they have released. The synths and effects are integrated more seamlessly than the ones used on Spending Time. All the instruments blend and sound more true and lifelike than they have on the previous albums. There is a LOT going on in each song, I can't believe that people can take one listen and decide they don't like it. There is sooooooooo much to like. But I guess thats why I'm more of a fan than all you tards. ::) ;)
I agree with you, Nerd Reich.
Fight The Darkness could especially be a good single... it's catchy enough to hit the radio hard and hit the radio swinging. Heartache Vs. Heartbreak could also do well, however I'm concerned whether, if released, it would actually garner airplay and be able to compete in a market where traditionally, more energetic music is played, although I'm relatively sure (at least in the L.A. radio market) that Indie 103.1 would give it at least a few spins.
Moving on... I really believe that this album is the best example of production in an Ozma album. It's somewhat glossy, but yet, it doesn't sound overproduced. I will agree with someone's post earlier and say that the overdriven vocals on Straight Flush aren't the best option, but I'm not the producer or the band and I'm not about to tell them how to make a record. They've been doing that far longer than I have.
Sincerely,
R.C.
I've got to say that barriers and incarnation blues age better with time. I tried to listen to the each of the songs a bunch so that aging wouldn't be a factor. But I like those two better now.
Piebald released and album once (All Eyes...). And I actualy hated the whole album. But now I love it, its weird.
I feel the same way about Pasadena as I originally felt about Maladroit. ...Just kind of conflicted. But it's growing on me.
Quote from: varnon on May 17, 2007, 03:19:13 pm
Heartache
Man Star should not being singing. Back up somtimes is okay, but I really don't dig her opening, or any of her vocals in this song. And pairing her inexperienced vocals with Daniels, bad move. It actualy makes Daniel sound not so good. I actualy like the song though, but man, take Star out.
However, if you want to be famous then I guess it is a good move. The forums were obsessed with her before Ozma broke up, and live people cheer more for her than anybody else. All it takes is a somewhat pretty female face for some one with no talent to be cool. And it makes the band "cool' too. Ozma, or the management, knows this I'm sure, and thats why she is so prominent here.
Is that Star? Where's Rachel on the album then? Or is it both of them? (edit: it sounds like both of them)
Quote from: nerd reich on May 18, 2007, 02:08:28 am
I hope to god that members of ozma don't take any of these posts seriously. The album is great. Barriers, FTD, Heartache v. Heartbreak, and Incarnation Blues could easily be radio hits with the right exposure. Lunchbreak, motorology, I wonder, under my tree and straight flush are not radio songs but perhaps even more rewarding to listen to. The production is great- sonically the album sounds more similar to the band live than any other album they have released. The synths and effects are integrated more seamlessly than the ones used on Spending Time. All the instruments blend and sound more true and lifelike than they have on the previous albums. There is a LOT going on in each song, I can't believe that people can take one listen and decide they don't like it. There is sooooooooo much to like. But I guess thats why I'm more of a fan than all you tards. ::) ;)
C'mon... everyone's entitled to their own opinion, and yours is no more valid than that of someone who doesn't like the album, or some bits of it, or the production of it or whatever. Varnon has made a good shot at making his opinions clear and supported, and acknowledged that they are subjective.
I'm pretty sure Ozma doesn't really care what we say (well mostly).
Anything we can say bad about the album probably doesn't matter to them, unless its something that they aren't happy with anyway, and allready wanted to change.
Seems like I remember Daniel getting pretty pissed when STOTBL leaked because they weren't the final version though. Rightfuly so I think. I don't even know which versions are on my computer. I might have been listening to the bad ones all this time.
For a production value comparison... I really like what they did with Lightyears. Although I've moved away from standard rock and listen more to prog now (which is allmost allways 'under'produced) I do like the little things they added with Lightyears. Gameover though, it was just too much for me.
Quote from: varnon on May 18, 2007, 06:40:19 pm
Although I've moved away from standard rock and listen more to prog now (which is allmost allways 'under'produced)
Haha, I went through a prog phase a few years back. It's not really underproduced, I think. Generally the bands have enough money to buy really expensive stuff that allows them to do what they did in the studio live (i.e. Rush). If you want an example of something Prog which was on the studio recording but not really reproducible live, it's the bit in Perpetual Change by Yes where they pan the band off to the left playing the fast riff, and fade in the band playing the slow riff at the same time (and put a guitar solo on top). That's at least three guitar tracks! On Yessongs (live album) the drums and guitar (until it has to solo) and organ play the slow bit and the bass and synth play the fast thing along with that, and there's no fade in, just a sudden transition.
Upon first listen, my prediction came true. I liked about half the songs. Some of them have grown more on me now, but I'll go through them one by one as that seems to be in high fashion as of late.
no one needs to know - like eponine, this seems stale to me on the new album. it was never my favorite though. the new flute it kinda cool.
Barriers - used to not like it, but it has grown on me a little. I can listen to it now and enjoy it. It does rock in concert.
eponine - Love the original, but the new one seems...stale to me. Not as much feeling as the other one. I don't really think that it would do well as a single, so I kinda wish they would have just left it alone.
fight the darkness - for some reason I've always liked this song. the lyrics don't really do it for me, but it rocks. I think the drums during the prechorus really sold me on it. I don't think it would do well as a single, like someone said though. I mean, just read through all the reviews of people who hated it on first listen. that's not what you want in a single.
Heartache - awesome. they should have made this or incarnation blues the single instead, because it's catchy, and I think people could get into it right away. Plus it's filled with simple lyrics about love that 13 year old girls (aka the only people who listen to the radio) would be able to understand and sing along to.
Incarnation Blues - 2nd favorite song on the album right now. a really great idea for a song. The idea that maybe it would have worked out if they could think like the other person magnified into actually being the other person is really cool.
Lunchbreak - I loved the intro first time I heard it. definitely cars like someone said, but I get a big ELO vibe too. At first I thought the rest of the song ruined something that started so great, but it's starting to grow on me. Not quite there yet, but maybe like 10 more listens and it might get better. Does anybody think that Ryen's writing has been seriously altered by drug use or something, because I don't what the crap he is singing about in the songs he wrote on this album. Mainly barriers and fight the darkness I guess. Weird lyrics plus weird guitar stuff that never really clicks in are pointing me to the thought that he's been having some seriously good times writing music.
Motorology - Another song I was iffy on, but is growing on me. Dont really know what it's about, but the bttf thing is interesting. My wife also pointed out to me the strong 1984 references, which I'm not sure if those have been brought up before or not, but "double think" and "the truth will set you free..." are pretty overt, I think. Well, she thought, and I agree with her.
I Wonder - I've loved since the moment the first chord opened. the strings really add to it too. Favorite song on the album.
Underneath my tree - I can see the resemblance to shooting stars in the first three chords, I guess. I don't remember Ryen and Daniel singing in unison like that before. works okay I guess. this song may have been a little overhyped for me too, but it does rock. It's definitely one of the better songs on the album. the build up part is definitely rockin.
straight flush - for the life of me, I cannot get into this song. the growly vocals seem to not fit in at all, and the lyrical content just seems completely pointless. If there's some deep meaning to the poker references, i don't get it. It was pretty good at the SF concert, but wish they'd cut it out and played heartache instead. Seems like the worst song on the album, which surprises me because I always like Daniel's writing better. I'm somewhat surprised at how much all of you like the song so much, but I guess it's just another testament at how much musical tastes differ, even within the same band.
Overall, it's pretty good. I'll still have to listen to it a few more times before the songs will really sink in and I'll know for sure. But it's definitely better than ozma being broken up, so I'm happy.
Quote from: FireAarro on May 18, 2007, 05:17:44 pm
Quote from: varnon on May 17, 2007, 03:19:13 pm
Heartache
Man Star should not being singing. Back up somtimes is okay, but I really don't dig her opening, or any of her vocals in this song. And pairing her inexperienced vocals with Daniels, bad move. It actualy makes Daniel sound not so good. I actualy like the song though, but man, take Star out.
However, if you want to be famous then I guess it is a good move. The forums were obsessed with her before Ozma broke up, and live people cheer more for her than anybody else. All it takes is a somewhat pretty female face for some one with no talent to be cool. And it makes the band "cool' too. Ozma, or the management, knows this I'm sure, and thats why she is so prominent here.
Is that Star? Where's Rachel on the album then? Or is it both of them? (edit: it sounds like both of them)
It is both of them. So I don't know how he can say anything about her inexperienced vocals, because who is more experienced than Rachel Haden. I rather like the way the three of them sound together. Also, I really think it's rude to say she's "a somewhat pretty female face with no talent." Seriously Varnon, what do you do that makes you so great?
Varnon should not be listened too. That song is fastly becoming my favorite Ozma song of all time, and the vocal harmonies are the main reason why. Rachel Haden is most certainly the main vocal (I've heard her work enough to recognize it), and if you don't like Rachel Haden singing, there's something effing wrong with you. The woman's voice is Samuel. And why the hell are you bashing a band member in every damn thread? Star is a capable musician, and this song indicates she should probably write more songs...the lyrics are great. Hell, the full title is great.
I don't believe in ass kissing. I didn't like STOTBL that much when I first heard it, though it grew on me steadily. This album really really grabbed me on first listen. I don't think the band is unhappy with the album, and I don't know what gave you that impression. I don't think they would have chosen to put the reworks on there, but I don't think they distract from the album too much. I like that version of Eponine better that the original (:o) which has never been my favorite song, but is still catchy. I like the No One Needs To Know better on DDD, but that version isn't awful either. I think Ozma was probably smart to listen to management if it means they will be able to make more albums in the future, though I agree with Scott that HvH or Incarnation Blues would have been better singles.
Lunchbreak is growing on me hardcore. I always liked the song, but its quickly becoming my favorite track on the album.
Well she still sounds awfull to me.
Anyway, I'm not saying anybody is somewhat pretty and not talented.
But if you have a chick in the bad that is somewhat pretty, thats all it takes.
Its like having a novelty instrument. People favor keytar over synth even if they play the same things.
People just really like stuff like that. I know its weird to say a girl is a novelty, and I don't agree that it should be that way.
But if you just watch the way people act, you will see what I'm talking about.
And at this point I don't think I need to go on my little rant explaining why Rachel whoever shouldn't be singing if she doesn't play with them. But as much as I don't like her vocals in the song, maybe Star actualy does a better job live. She did Wake Up too right? Sounds fine there.
Varnon, not only do you not have to go on your rant about Rachel Haden, but you do not have to go on any more rants. It's completely obvious that no matter what factual evidence we provide for how talented Star and Rachel Haden are, you will just try to disprove it with dollar-store logic and complete misinformation.
Let us get this straight; you are on an Ozma fan board and you're still taking shots at Ozma, the band that everyone on this site universally likes. I admire the fact that you don't get angry when you get flamed, but for God's sakes, get some musical knowledge and realize that Ozma is doing you one better with music and quite obviously is a collective of five talented people.
No disrespect intended to anyone through this post, but I just don't think Varnon is listening and doing his homework on what we have told him.
Sincerely,
R.C.
Sorry, I just really dont like her vocals in that song. I did say she sounds good on STOTBL.
"
Quote from: varnon on May 20, 2007, 12:40:49 pm
Sorry, I just really dont like her vocals in that song. I did say she sounds good on STOTBL.
"
I'm confused, are you talking about Star here still? Because Wake Up is also Rachel Haden.
Just wanted to point that out, but might as well state my stance while I'm at it.. Rachel and Star are both Samuel.
Rachel Haden.
Star does the stuff live though right? I actualy couldn't hear much when I saw them, the house sound guy wasn't the best that night. I hear Star does a pretty good impression though.
Ah, its been fun playing with you guys, but I got to go. (ozmafans rejoice!) The internet is ruining my life, and by that I mean I am letting the internet take up all my time.
Rachel Haden is also a member of that dog. and has sung songs for both Weezer and The Rentals. It is seriously baffling that anyone could not like her vocals, or compliment them more on Wake Up in which they are just barely audible.
Seriously, dude. You're insane. Entitled to your opinion, but insane.
Also, no one prefers the keytar to the synth...why would they? They serve vastly different functions. So I hope that was just a joke line to prove your stupid point that Star is just a gimmick. Which doesn't work because she isn't. And LOTS of bands bring in guest musicians that are friends to round out songs on albums...heck, Postal Service would not have exited were it not for this concept. Bands have done this for decades and its a standard and awesome practice.
varnon has other things to do with his time?
Quote from: machatte on May 20, 2007, 03:28:55 pm
varnon has other things to do with his time?
...no. He's writing a book called "why females are inferior at music"
If Varnon ever does write a book like that, I want first copy.
I need to hold up my chair with something.
Sincerely,
R.C.
Quote from: heysarahsarah on May 20, 2007, 08:50:43 am
Rachel Haden is most certainly the main vocal (I've heard her work enough to recognize it),
When I listen to it closer, most of the female vocals in the song seem to be sung by two voices simultaneously, to my ears at least. Some bits where it isn't are the "almost perceived it was love" bits. I reckon the two voices do about equal work overall. Basically varnon's argument about untrained voice is dead now though.
To my delightfully-untrained ear, the only place in the song where Rachel Haden is singing would be the chorus.
The rest of the song would appear to be Star's vocal underneath some sort of effect, though for the life of me I can't figure out which effect they put on her voice. It just sounds like two people because the effect makes the vocal sound expansive and even a bit like it is doubled.
Sincerely,
R.C.
I think that's just the vocals being doubled.
Yeah, listen to enough Elliott Smith, and you get used to double-tracked voices.
Can I just add that with every listen, Motorology gets that bit more awesome. I think one of the most inventive and challenging things they've ever recorded. I love that it starts out sounding like something cheesy and almost eighties metal, and then turns into something else entirely. There are about three or four different songs in there. It's brilliant.
And if you don't like Straight Flush, you need your ears testing. It's as pure and straight-down-the-line a great piece of songwriting as Brummel has ever come up with.
There are still tracks that I skip past (Fight the Darkness and Lunchbreak, mostly), but all in all... it's a fine record. It's just too short. And Eponine shouldn't be on there. But I've a real hard-on for the new version of No-One Needs To Know.
Quote from: varnon on May 17, 2007, 04:12:57 pm
So I'd want the guitars in the intro would be a little overdriven or distorted. Not heavy, but just enough that you would be pissed off if you wanted a clean sound. I really like the chords made in the begining either by playing all the notes at once or by arpeggio. A little bit of distortion would enhance the sound I think. I would have a dirtier tone, which I think would be more fitting.
You can cut out all the effects on the vocals. Both Dan and Ryen are very good singers, and I feel the effects just hide that. With out the effects they sound better and more real.
"leave it up to me babe"
The first two times you hear this you really hear too much of wind sound on babe, I'm sure they had a wind screen, it probably just went unnoticed.
I'd also turn the guitars up for most all of the song. Its a powerfull song, and the vocals are definatly powerfull enough to cut through louder guitars.
Theres some acoustic guitar in there too. Pretty hard to hear. I'd at least try to increase the sound caused by picking the strings if not the whole instrument. Even if you really don't want the listener to hear they guitar, the picking sound has a nice percusive sound too it. I think it would add to this song rather than take away from it.
The bass... as in almost all rock is very difficult to hear clearly. Especialy on a crappy system like I'm listening to this on. I like to mix things so they sound good on a crappy system. Ususally when you do this you can't hear much of a difference when listening on a good system, but it makes a world of difference on a crappy one.
I'm pretty sure that there is a Star saw wave on most of the song. Ozma allways like to turn her way down on parts that don't emphasis her. But I'd turn it up enough so the normal listener would hear it. I do think it should be much less prominient than the other instruments. Just make it a litte easier to spot.
And man, not even a production note, but I'd have to mention it to these guys if I produced them. The ending is weak. The ending note is unresolved, and thats probably intentional... but I'm sure there is a better way to end it.
regarding what you said, specifically the part about the ending note...
its one thing to tell a band how they should "produce" their music, but you're telling them how to write it. i usually refrain from saying such things but, dude, shut up.
PS: I like it when musicians play around with abnormal cadences.
Isn't Rachel Haden on vocals on HvH?
Quote from: Brady on May 22, 2007, 05:18:13 pm
Isn't Rachel Haden on vocals on HvH?
if I'm not mistaken, Rachel Haden only does the back up harmony and the "could've been love" in the chorus and the "almost believed..." in the pre-chorus...though I could be wrong
Quote from: justin on May 22, 2007, 06:33:48 pm
Quote from: Brady on May 22, 2007, 05:18:13 pm
Isn't Rachel Haden on vocals on HvH?
if I'm not mistaken, Rachel Haden only does the back up harmony and the "could've been love" in the chorus and the "almost believed..." in the pre-chorus...though I could be wrong
Could be wrong, and
are wrong.
Sorry,
High Fidelity moment. I had to.
i greatly like incarnation blues
i thought rachel and star both did the "heartache will get you down" intro.
i dont know if it just me but the more i listen to the album the LESS i like it. right now im kind of already tired of it. anyone else with the same feelings?
Quote from: I Like Ozma on May 23, 2007, 06:38:48 pm
i dont know if it just me but the more i listen to the album the LESS i like it. right now im kind of already tired of it. anyone else with the same feelings?
I do believe you're alone in that. :-\
I wouldn't say that I'm tired of it, but I haven't listened to it in a while. Then again my mp3 player died and I've had my sister's iPod for a while.
Quote from: Fantastic Max on May 23, 2007, 10:31:29 pm
Quote from: I Like Ozma on May 23, 2007, 06:38:48 pm
i dont know if it just me but the more i listen to the album the LESS i like it. right now im kind of already tired of it. anyone else with the same feelings?
I do believe you're alone in that. :-\
nah you're not the ony one...ive already put the cd on the shelves for like a week now. already switched my cds. im listening to good old classic wheatus and marigold
I've listened to it every day for about two weeks now.
My favorite songs vary, but lately it's been I Wonder. I know I talked smack about the dissonant guitars, but lately, I've fallen in love with the sound of that song. Anybody else seeing religious connotations in the second chorus?
I also have to say that Fight The Darkness just keeps growing on me. I don't understand it... it's not a lyrical or musical masterpiece... there's just something so cool about that song that hooked me. I also absolutely love the mix on the second repetition of the last chorus where the guitar is palm-muted and the keyboard just barely peeks out above that guitar. Awesome.
Sincerely,
R.C.
Wheatus?...I'm just a teenage dirtbag?...wow.
Quote from: Seb on May 22, 2007, 02:52:39 pm
And if you don't like Straight Flush, you need your ears testing.
I love it when people say stuff like this. It always reminds me that my opinions are in fact inferior to others', and that my tastes are wrong.
Oh wait, I forgot that music snobs' elitism doesn't count if there are grammatical errors. So I guess I'll go get my "ears testing" and see if that makes a difference.
Seriously though, I am loving more and more of the album, but still haven't come around on Straight Flush.
Don't know if this has been discussed but is Daniel writing songs about break-ups because he's looking for fresh material to write about, or did he and Andrea not make it?
I heard from reliable sources that all Ozma members are currently unattached.
i dont think ozma members are ever ATTACHED
Quote from: I Like Ozma on May 25, 2007, 03:12:18 pm
i dont think ozma members are ever ATTACHED
sorry, but you lost all grammar and spelling correction privileges eons ago.
Er.. When did he do that?
He had a blog on his solo myspace about his songs being featured in a podcast along with the Henry Clay People, the Electrolites, the Fresas, etc. He described the Fresas as such. I believe it was the Shifted Sound podcast.
Overall I just basically love this album. All the songs are great, some more than others, and whenever I go somewhere I HAVE to have it with me. I like the remake of Eponine, even though it's kind of weird to put the two songs back to back. My favorite songs would have to be No One Needs To Know, because I love the bass in that song, and Incarnation Blues because I like the lyrics.
I was waiting for this album mainly so I could put it in my CD Player. It's a 4-disc changer, so now I have it fullof Ozma ;D
Did Star end up getting married, or did that never actually go through?
Yes, I believed it was described in a blog that they are all "unattached".
I don't know how appropriate it is to speculate on the band member's relationships and private lives, as they are, in fact, private.
Quote from: CT-700 on May 26, 2007, 11:16:28 am
He had a blog on his solo myspace about his songs being featured in a podcast along with the Henry Clay People, the Electrolites, the Fresas, etc. He described the Fresas as such. I believe it was the Shifted Sound podcast.
Yeah. It happend a while ago. Daniel told me some about it but its really not much of our buisness to talk about it on a message board like this.
Quote from: oatmeal on May 29, 2007, 12:41:55 pm
Quote from: CT-700 on May 26, 2007, 11:16:28 am
He had a blog on his solo myspace about his songs being featured in a podcast along with the Henry Clay People, the Electrolites, the Fresas, etc. He described the Fresas as such. I believe it was the Shifted Sound podcast.
Yeah. It happend a while ago. Daniel told me some about it but its really not much of our buisness to talk about it on a message board like this.
I agree 100%.
Someone give him a +1
i don't. this is an ozma fan forum. why can't we talk about their private lives?
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 29, 2007, 06:12:05 pm
i don't. this is an ozma fan forum. why can't we talk about their private lives?
that is so true...
anyway, ive just listened to the album again. thought of giving it a try again but ended changing my disc after 'underneath my tree'. ive also skipped lunch break and i wonder. been listening to their past 3 albums for the last 2days but never really touched their latest release though
Quote from: cesarsalad on May 29, 2007, 06:12:05 pm
i don't. this is an ozma fan forum. why can't we talk about their private lives?
Is see no problem in what we said to far. This was just an atempt to keep it from going into detail. The people in ozma are real people with real feelings. I know if people were to talk in detail about me and my problems on the internet I would not be happy about it.
why would you mention that daniel told you personal stuff on the forum in the first place then? i'm not saying that you should write it on the board...i agree with you...but, again, why mention it in the first place? -- look at you, you're soooo 1337.
Becuase I like to brag. Duh. not really so much
Plus I was not the one to metion it in the first place. It was just ment to add another confermation and to keep the coversation from going to deep.
Why do I have to explain my motives or reasons for things that I do. I thought the reasons why stupid people do stupid things are easy to understand.
And what on earth does 1337 mean?
yeah, I mean, I don't think we need to go into who said what to whom, or who got to keep the cd's that they bought together or whatever it is, I just like understanding the motives behind the songs. So knowing that the forlorn songs that Daniel wrote may have some foundation on real life events interests me. I mean, I guess I'm interested in whether Star got married or not, but I don't think it has effected ozma as much as Daniel's relationship has.
I guess what I'm saying is, any beatles fan has an opinion on how much yoko changed the music. As long as the talk of ozma's relationships is pertinent to the music, I don't see any harm in a little minor digging into their personal lives.
anyways, back to the album...can someone tell me where the trombone comes in? I listened for it, and could not hear it anywhere. Same thing with the guest vocals on Lunchbreak.
I think the point I mean is not to spread rumors, or, more importantly, it would be very rude for anyone to discuss personal matters that they may have heard privately.
I don't want GOD to be a rumor mill sewing circle is all.
Quote from: Scott Peltz on May 30, 2007, 10:17:15 pm
anyways, back to the album...can someone tell me where the trombone comes in? I listened for it, and could not hear it anywhere. Same thing with the guest vocals on Lunchbreak.
I've been trying to find it for a week. Still haven't.
Quote from: Scott Peltz on May 25, 2007, 12:19:32 pm
Quote from: Seb on May 22, 2007, 02:52:39 pm
And if you don't like Straight Flush, you need your ears testing.
I love it when people say stuff like this. It always reminds me that my opinions are in fact inferior to others', and that my tastes are wrong.
Oh wait, I forgot that music snobs' elitism doesn't count if there are grammatical errors. So I guess I'll go get my "ears testing" and see if that makes a difference.
Don't put my words in quotation marks in a pathetic attempt to pick holes in my grammar where there are none. Yes, it's grammatically incorrect to say you'll "get your ears testing", but that's not what I said - you took me out of context. Now, look up "gerund" in a fucking dictionary and then come back at me.
And it was quite clear that my comment was meant in a light-hearted way. Not in a snobby "You're an idiot if you don't like the song" way, but in an "I can't believe anyone would dislike the song!" way.
I love Straight Flush more and more everytime I listen to it. Goddamn, this is a ridiculously good song.
Quote from: Seb on June 01, 2007, 02:02:25 pm
Quote from: Scott Peltz on May 25, 2007, 12:19:32 pm
Quote from: Seb on May 22, 2007, 02:52:39 pm
And if you don't like Straight Flush, you need your ears testing.
I love it when people say stuff like this. It always reminds me that my opinions are in fact inferior to others', and that my tastes are wrong.
Oh wait, I forgot that music snobs' elitism doesn't count if there are grammatical errors. So I guess I'll go get my "ears testing" and see if that makes a difference.
Don't put my words in quotation marks in a pathetic attempt to pick holes in my grammar where there are none. Yes, it's grammatically incorrect to say you'll "get your ears testing", but that's not what I said - you took me out of context. Now, look up "gerund" in a fucking dictionary and then come back at me.
And it was quite clear that my comment was meant in a light-hearted way. Not in a snobby "You're an idiot if you don't like the song" way, but in an "I can't believe anyone would dislike the song!" way.
Okay, not that I care that much, but there is no grammtical difference between "get my ears testing" and "you need your ears testing". Both of them should equally be "tested" instead. So I wouldn't really say that it was taken out of context. There's no need to get snippy.
But more importantly, maybe it would help me if one of the many of you on here that love this song so much could explain to me why. I'd ask someone I know in person, but honestly no one I know likes the song at all. So if my friends don't like it, but all of you do, perhaps other than ozma we have widely varying tastes? What exactly makes this song so "ridiculously good"? I just can't ever get a handle on whether it's supposed to be a slow song or a rocking song. The opening vocal melody does nothing for me. I can't get into the lyrics
at all. I mean, you know how some people think that "Bad Dogs" is dumb, because it's all about dogs? Well, that's how I feel about "Straight Flush". Except "Bad Dogs" is actually a pretty cool metaphor. And I assume that "Straight Flush" is also supposed to be a metaphor, but I don't get it.
So, maybe if you guys tell me why you like it so much, I'll realize what I'm missing?
You know, I can't put my finger on why I like this song, but the more times I listen to it, the better I like it. It might just be the part when Dan yells, "If you want the odds..." Honestly, I really didn't like that song at first.
Reminds me of more of a hard-rockin' "Come Home Andrea" in some parts like "Leave it up to me...babe" and "Well, if I was the king, babe, I'd buy you anything" Kinda country-ish sounding. Love it.
Then other parts there's more of a metal sound where there's the guitars are harmonizing and everything..and although it's not my favorite song, Dan's vocals are flawless from the middle to the end.
And the harmonizing of Ryen's guitar with Star's keys throughout the song as well.
EDIT: Motorology's easily probably my favorite.
Quote from: Scott Peltz on June 02, 2007, 08:23:21 pm
Okay, not that I care that much, but there is no grammtical difference between "get my ears testing" and "you need your ears testing". Both of them should equally be "tested" instead. So I wouldn't really say that it was taken out of context. There's no need to get snippy.
There is, though. If you use the word "get", you have to follow it with the past participle "tested". If you don't use it, then yes, you CAN use the past participle, with the implied words "to have your" or "to get your" missed out (eg "You need
to have your ears tested"). However, you can also use the GERUND, which is "testing". A gerund is a verb acting as a noun. Like I said, look it up. In that instance, "testing" becomes an OBJECT that you're being told you need. If you re-arrange it : "You need the testing of your ears". Sounds silly when arranged that way, but is still grammatically correct. "You need your ears testing" is just a better-sounding rearrangement of that.
Now, I can't say that all that was running through my head when I said it, but it's still a fairly commonly-used phrase, and certainly it's the one that came to my mind first. Try googling "need your ears testing" and "need your ears tested" - they come out with almost the same number of results (the former actually brings this thread up as second result!). As you say, it's hardly the most important thing in the world, except for the fact that I don't like people being smug and superior about my grammar when it's actually perfectly legitimate. What you've done is a thing that a lot of people on the internet do - you've seen a piece of grammar that you don't understand, or don't like, and you've assumed it must be wrong.
The way Dan's voice sounds, the harmonizing of guitar and keys in between verses, plus I think that when I listen to the album version I can remember how they played it live, and I thought it was really good live.
I don't usually listen to the lyrics until I've listened to a song a couple of times, and even when I do listen for lyrics, I don't really try to break them down. So I don't care what the metaphor is. So I don't have that bugging me the same way it bugs you.
Quote from: Seb on June 03, 2007, 01:15:21 am
Quote from: Scott Peltz on June 02, 2007, 08:23:21 pm
Okay, not that I care that much, but there is no grammtical difference between "get my ears testing" and "you need your ears testing". Both of them should equally be "tested" instead. So I wouldn't really say that it was taken out of context. There's no need to get snippy.
There is, though. If you use the word "get", you have to follow it with the past participle "tested". If you don't use it, then yes, you CAN use the past participle, with the implied words "to have your" or "to get your" missed out (eg "You need to have your ears tested"). However, you can also use the GERUND, which is "testing". A gerund is a verb acting as a noun. Like I said, look it up. In that instance, "testing" becomes an OBJECT that you're being told you need. If you re-arrange it : "You need the testing of your ears". Sounds silly when arranged that way, but is still grammatically correct. "You need your ears testing" is just a better-sounding rearrangement of that.
Now, I can't say that all that was running through my head when I said it, but it's still a fairly commonly-used phrase, and certainly it's the one that came to my mind first. Try googling "need your ears testing" and "need your ears tested" - they come out with almost the same number of results (the former actually brings this thread up as second result!). As you say, it's hardly the most important thing in the world, except for the fact that I don't like people being smug and superior about my grammar when it's actually perfectly legitimate. What you've done is a thing that a lot of people on the internet do - you've seen a piece of grammar that you don't understand, or don't like, and you've assumed it must be wrong.
No, I understand perfectly what a gerund is. I did not make fun of it because I didn't know what it was; you were a jerk and I wanted to make you look like an idiot. So you may not be an idiot, but you're still a jerk.
It may be a correct sentence theoretically, but it doesn't seem right for what you were saying. It reminds me of the scene in Love Actually where Colin Firth's character is speaking portuguese, and his new fiance is speaking english, and their verbage is all screwy. I can't remember how much of it was wrong, but there were phrases like "yes, is being my answer". It grammatically all makes sense, but that doesn't mean it's the right way to say it.
It also sounds to me like a prearranged event. As in, "Man, my ears testing appointment is tuesday. I don't want to go." said Larry.
His wife responded "I really think you should. Your hearing gets worse every day. You need your ears testing"
Actually, no, even then it still sounds like english is their second language.
And 'testing' would not be an object. It is a noun, yes, but it would perhaps be a thing, or more accurately an event.
And you still haven't said why you like it so much.
Personally, I just love Dan's vocals in the song. The "Nooooooo rush, straaaaaaaaight flush" sounds really..I dunno...maybe sexy is the right word. I think it's some of the best vocals on the album apart from HvH.
agreed Sarah, great vocals.
this isnt much of a synopsis, but my favorites from most to least are,
1. Incarnation Blues
2. Underneath My Tree
3. Heartache v. Heartbreak
4. Motorology 339
5. I Wonder
6. Straight Flush
7. Barriers
8. Fight the Darkness
9. Lunchbreak
10. Eponine
11. NONTK
Quote from: heysarahsarah on June 03, 2007, 01:53:41 pm
Personally, I just love Dan's vocals in the song. The "Nooooooo rush, straaaaaaaaight flush" sounds really..I dunno...maybe sexy is the right word. I think it's some of the best vocals on the album apart from HvH.
I love the vocals too. What I love about Straight Flush overall is the dynamics. It gets absolutely bone-crushingly heavy by the end, and is balanced by some really tender bits. It feels really emotional, to me, anyway. Also I love the harmony in it. But yeah, it's really intense and beautiful.
Quote from: Scott Peltz on June 03, 2007, 12:38:45 pm
It may be a correct sentence theoretically, but it doesn't seem right for what you were saying.
It doesn't seem right... TO YOU. That doesn't make it wrong. You spell "colour" and "neighbour" wrong. You're probably one of those people who say "could care less", or "you've got another thing coming". They don't sound right to me, but people still use them.
And I can't be bothered to go into why I like the song (aside from the fact that it's a matter of personal taste) because I don't see why I should do you the courtesy when you're persisting with the idea that I speak crap English when I've got a degree in it that included extensive and intensive study of the history, use and theory of the language.
Boys, boys, you've run this thread into the gerund.
I.. I like Straight Flush too.
Jeremy O'D for the win.
Quote from: Scott Peltz on May 30, 2007, 10:17:15 pm
anyways, back to the album...can someone tell me where the trombone comes in? I listened for it, and could not hear it anywhere. Same thing with the guest vocals on Lunchbreak.
Trombones are heard at the end of the song. They start as Ryen sings the last word of the song, "Go". It's a very mellow instrument so it's a bit hard to pick out especially since there is only one attack at the beginning of the first note. The rest are legato.
Guest vocals... "one day we'll go... room 117, oh I'll be there" Left channel, very loud and clearly heard with Ryen at center. They also appear throughout the rest of the song.
Thank you.