Description
Ozma like Weezer have powerful, chunky guitar riffs, a fascination with MOOGs, but they also sound like Cheap Trick. Ozma opening track, “”Spending Time,”” is chock full of so much 70s bombast that it would have sounded great live at Budokan. Sure, there some MOOG in there, but Weezer this is not. The band then takes two completely different stylistic turns with the next two songs, “”Your Name”” and “”Come Home Andrea.”” The former is a moody, soft ballad comparable to something like Elliott Smith, and the latter is almost an alt-country song, reminding me of earlier Wilco or maybe the Jayhawks. So far, this album is all over the map, and I like it like that. The album single, “”Bad Dogs,”” is as hard rock as this band has ever been. To be fair, this does sound like Weezer. The instrumentation on this album is rather impressive. Keyboardist Star Wick once again picks up the flute on some songs for a new-jazz flavor, and the band drops string arrangements in a handful of tracks, as well as marching drums [in the aforementioned “”Bad Dogs””]. The group is still stuck in a “”pop”” mode, but they seem to be experimenting as much as they can under their pre-defined role as a band. The band past has been cemented in geek rock history, but tracks like “”Curve In the Old 1-9″” shows me that Ozma is just getting started. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what they do next.
I do hear the Weezer influence, but at the same time it is filtered through a lot of other bands (Queen anyone?) as well as a lot of originality. The two part vocal melodies, instrumentation, tones, etc. are fully realized on this “”studio”” album. The production on this disc kicks all the other ones in the rear. This is consistently one of the better riff orientated guitar albums that I have heard in a long time and their guitarist can shred like a beast, but all his guitar lines support the song melodically and rhythmically. You can’t ask for more from a guitarist. All the guitar parts are there for a reason. It reminds me a lot of Brian May. Your Name”” is one of the most original ballads I have heard in a while.
Release Date May 6, 2003
Duration 49:46
Tracklist:
Spending Time 4:01
Your Name 2:31
Come Home Andrea 3:59
Bad Dogs 3:06
Utsukushii Shibuya 4:58
Turtleneck Coverup 3:45
Gameover 4:13
Curve In The Old 1-9 3:51
Restart 5:01
Eponine 4:14
Wake Up 3:42
Light Years Will Burn 6:25
Denise (Acoustic) 3:54
Utsukushii Shibuya (Japanese Version) 5:04
An Afternoon With Ozma: Recording Spending Time On The Borderline 4:50
Translating Utsukushi Shibuya In To Japanese 3:12
Kung Fu Records. 12 songs + Enhanced CD part
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, enough said,
This album is nearly flawless. With its powerful lyrics and impressive melodies, “”Spending Time”” is yet another gem by Ozma.
1. Spending Time – Solid opening track, very infectious melody. Definitely one of those tunes that will stick in one head for quite some time. 8/10
2. Your Name – Pretty little track, nothing too complex, just some well-written lyrics and a pleasant melody. 8.5/10
3. Come Home Andrea – Arguably one of the strongest tracks on STOTBL, my personal favorite though others may disagree. Brummel lyrical ability is beautifully illustrated through this country-esque ballad, and the dreamy melodies are, as usual, catchy and colorful. 10/10
4. Bad Dogs – Another great track vocally, Slegr and Brummel are at their best with interesting lyrics and spot-on harmonies. 8.5/10
5. Utsukushii Shibuya – Best track on the album if not for “”Come Home Andrea””, Brummel outstanding songwriting capabilities truly shine on this tune, and, as always, a beautiful melody accompanies the heartfelt lyrics. 10/10
6. Turtleneck Coverup – A fun track, with well-done harmonies and blaring guitar melodies. Overall, it pretty decent. 7.5/10
7. Gameover – A song jam-packed with nostalgic references, primarily to various classic video games, such as “”Super Mario Brothers””. This track is once again held together by a poppy yet artistic melody and clever lyrics.
7/10
8. Curve In The Old 1-9 – Without a doubt one of Ozma shining moments instrumentally, with multiple “”sections”” that are all equally awesome. 9/10
9. Restart – Undeniably one of Ryen Slegr best songs in the Ozma canon, a lovely melody topped off with sparkling lyrics that will serve as a great listen, over and over. 9.5/10
10. Eponine – Yet another great tune, with overlapping vocals by Slegr, Brummel, and Galvez, and some very impressive guitar work. However, one may argue that the Pasadena version is superior, though I’ll stick with the original 8.5/10
11. Wake Up – Features Rachel Haden on backing vocals, who has appeared with many other spectacular bands such as that dog. and Jimmy Eat World. Overall, it a decent track and is a good predecessor to the album closer. 7.5/10
12. Light Years Will Burn – In simple terms, this song rocks. It clocks in at a lengthy 6:24, but it is six minutes and twenty four seconds of excellence. Another sparkler by Brummel, which also serves perfectly as the album finale. Very well done. 9/10
All in all, this album is a must-listen for another who loves other “”geek rock”” bands (a term I am not too fond of).
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5.0 out of 5 stars Pinkerton-esque,
Let me begin by saying that this review was written after Ozma 2004 breakup. This was, to say the least, quite a heartbreak. And since there been plenty of apt time to reflect upon Ozma debut and sophomore albums [yes, the ones that sound like Weezer], I can now undoubtedly say that “”Spending Time On The Borderline”” is Ozma at its best. To put it plainly…a masterpiece. Admittedly, when I first picked this album up and popped it into my CD player, I was NOT impressed. Ozma could have broke up at that very moment and my response would have been, “”Who cares…they’re no good anymore.”” But as albums do have a tendency to grow on you, I decided to give this one a try. After all, what did I have to lose? Slowly and steadily certain tracks started to pop out at me…””Hey, ‘Come Home Andrea’ is one catchy song!”” And, “”Whoa, this Japanese song sure is poppy!”” Then there are the deeper songs on the album, like “”Eponine””, “”Bad Dogs””, and “”Game Over””. They take a bit longer to love, but the wait is certainly worth it. To sum it all up, there not a single track on this album that I wouldn’t want to listen to, anywhere, anytime. Despite the mysterious tension that corrupted Brummel and Slegr, I, for one, know that they went out [no pun intended] on a good note with “”Spending Time On The Borderline””. Another “”Pinkerton””? Perhaps. But only time will tell…
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5.0 out of 5 stars Speechless…
I picked up Rock and Roll Part 3 and Spending Time… and I love them both. Ozma sound has definitely matured on Spending Time on the Borderline though and has made me a sold-out Ozma fan! Ok sure that they sound like Weezer, less so now, but WHO CARES! Weezer rocks and so does Ozma. You can’t tell me that there aren’t a million punk bands out there that don’t sound just alike. Everyone sounds like somebody else, and who better to sound like then Weezer. People should stop avoiding this band because they sound like Weezer. I haven’t been too impressed with Weezer newer stuff anyways, yet Ozma has managed to hold on to the vitality and awesome melodies from their previous albums and add to the mix other influences. Although songs like Turtleneck Coverup, Game Over, and Bad Dogs sound quite abit like their geek-rock counterparts, Ozma has managed to find their own twist and identity and what better compliment then being compared to Weezer. They must be doing something right! I’m excited to see how this band with shape up in the coming years, but as for now I’ll be blasting Spending Time on the Borderline for a good long time.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Great,
Very good album.
By the way, every sentence in Drew Sullivan review is incorrect.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Album
Spending Time on the Borderline is in my opinion Ozma best album. I have been listening to it nonstop ever since I bought it a few weeks ago. Ozma is progressing in a rad way; each of their cds shows musical and lyrical growth. Tracks like Eponine, Gameover, Turtleneck Coverup, Restart, and Wake Up are tracks that especially stand out on this album.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Ozma strikes again!!!
What a beautiful CD! I like it maybe more then the first two albums. Restart is song for 100 times in the row listening. All others are great too.
Some critics say Ozma just repeats the old stuff. I disagree. This is very different CD compare to previous two. The big step forward for Ozma. Good job guys.
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5.0 out of 5 stars ozma rocks my world
Ozma just keeps getting better and better and better. If you dont have this album yet, you MUST have it!
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5.0 out of 5 stars The Borderline Is In Your Mind!
If anyone says one word about Ozma sounding like Weezer, I will track you down and slap you.
Okay, now that I got that out of the way, on to the actual review. Awesome is probably the best word I can use for this almost completely flawless third release by the band known as Ozma, straight out of LA. Ryen, Dan, Pat, Jose, and Star really show us the type of range the band truly has on “”Spending Time on the Borderline,”” as songs such as “”Come Home Andrea”” and “”Your Name”” display the band softer side, while fan favorites “”Game Over”” and “”Eponine”” display some major rock-out moments. Some people may be disappointed by some changes in the lay-out of the tunes since their introduction on past tours, but to me Ozma is almost two different bands. Live they rock out with the best of them, playing potential hit after potential hit, and getting the entire crowd behind them. In studio, the tracks are slightly less loud, and a little more melodic. Flute, cello, synthesizer, Casio keyboard, saxophone, and some other goodies really liven up the tracks on this album, as opposed to the traditional keyboard, bass, guitar, drum set-up to be found at their live shows.
Compared to their past albums, “”Spending Time on The Borderline”” can be viewed as more refined and mature. Leaps and bounds ahead of “”Double Donkey Disk,”” and almost as many catchy tunes as “”Rock and Roll Part Three,”” this album is certainly worth the money. “”Bad Dogs”” is bound to be a hit in some parts of the country (not New York of course, thanks to our lousy radio), while “”Restart”” and “”Curve In The Old 1-9″” really display that maturity I mentioned earlier, while still preserving the fun associated with their tunes. Oh, and listen the Soprano sax on “”Eponine.”” Then let me know how cool this band is. It just so darn perfect for the song!
I’ve known how good these four guys and a girl can be for three albums now. If this is your introduction to Ozma, I welcome you into the world of Pop-Rock fusion. Trust me; it nothing like anything else out there. It hard to find a band that can constantly stick a song into your head. Right now, I simply cannot get the opening words to “”Come Home Andrea”” out of my brain, and I’m sure you won’t be able to either once you give it a listen.
“”The world we live in is so interesting. Girl make a one man cry, make another man sing. Come home Andrea, come home Andrea, come home Andrea, to me.””
Some of the sweetest words I’ve heard in rock music in some time now. Now, let Ozma, take their rightful place on the top. How can you help this happen? I’m glad you asked. BUY THIS ALBUM! You will not be disappointed. And if you are, ask Ryen and Dan for a refund. I’m sure they’ll be more than hospitable about it. 🙂
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5.0 out of 5 stars Great follow up
In under 2 years, Ozma has released three – yes THREE incredible albums. What even more amazing is how much they’ve matured from each one. “”Rock and Roll Part Three”” is their signature album, lots of the keyboards and (hate to use another comparision) but very Weezer-esque. While that album was a classic they also were branded a Weezer rip-off. The next album “”Doubble Donkey Disc”” showed off incredible maturity and definitely took them in a very different direction than before. Now with their third album and more hype than they’ve ever experienced before, Ozma possibly showcases their best album yet. “”Spending Time on the Borderline”” is different than the other two but still has a special quality that Ozma seems to possess.
The album does start off pretty weak, but after the first few songs the album really kicks off. From the government metaphors in the first single “”Bad Dogs”” to the beautiful “”Utsukushii Shibuya”” and “”Restart,”” this album contains very much variety. There are country riffs “”Come Home Andrea,”” metal riffs with the post 9/11 “”Curve in the Old 1-9″” and possibly the most different Ozma song yet – “”Lightyears Will Burn”” featuring a strong mix of metal and keyboards. Also hidden among the mix is one of the best Ozma songs ever (also most reminiscent of R&R Part 3) “”Turtleneck Coverup.””
It incredible to believe this is Ozma third album and even more so the variety between the three albums. This is definitely a recommended purchase for anyone who has enjoyed their past tunes. They’re only getting better.
KEY TRACKS: Turtleneck Coverup, Utsukushii Shibuya, Restart, Game Over
LISTEN TO IF YOU LIKE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING BANDS: Rentals, Weezer, OK GO, Ash, Jimmy Eat World, Saves the Day
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5.0 out of 5 stars Spending Time on the Borderline
This review is from: Spending Time on the Borderline (Audio CD)
If you like Ozma, buy this CD. If you think you might like Ozma, buy this CD. If you like CDs that rock out, buy this CD. If you like CDs that do something different without sacrificing that which makes them familiar, buy this CD. If you don’t know who Ozma is, buy this CD. If you don’t like Ozma, don’t buy this CD.
This is Ozma best release yet. There are hits and misses. I don’t really like Bad Dogs at all (although other fans seem to like it a lot). But Eponine, Come Home Andrea, Curve in the Old 1-9 and Utsukushii Shibuya are the awesome Ozma stuff we know and love with a little something new (traditional Japanese ostinato, anyone?). There are so many different styles, there sure to be something for everyone. Your Name is really something new. They do sort of a jazzy, laid back, relaxing kind of driving music thing that is really smooth. The Enhanced features are really cool, including some silly videos of the recording process, some pictures, some cool synth music on the flash applet, and 2 EXCLUSIVE alternate version mp3s. Basically, if you’re reading this, and you’ve already considered buying this album, there is no reason to hesitate. …”
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