Most Popular

"Most Popular" tools sponsored by:

Recent Articles

Recent Articles by Eryc Eyl

National Features >

  • Broward-Palm Beach New Times

    Sexual Healing

    For Florida's sole remaining sex surrogate, love is a many splintered thing.

    By Michael J. Mooney

  • City Pages

    Your Friendly Neighborhood War Profiteer

    It's not just giant companies cashing in on America's defense industry.

    By Jeff Severns Guntzel

  • The Pitch

    Supersizing Sonic

    How a throwaway idea at the Barkley ad agency became the "Sonic Guys."

    By Justin Kendall

  • Houston Press

    Temples of Tex-Mex

    A diner's guide to Texas's oldest Mexican restaurants.

    By Robb Walsh

Ozomatli

Don¹t Mess With the Dragon
Concord Records

By Eryc Eyl

Published on March 22, 2007

The multi-ethnic, multi-disciplinary L.A.-based tribe known as Ozomatli made its name by cutting up salsa, hip-hop, traditional Mexican music, funk, jazz and more into barn-burning, irresistible party music. Unfortunately, this followup tries too hard to capitalize on the group's Grammy-winning success by aiming straight for the multi-culti pop charts. While tasty cream like "La Gallina" and "Magnolia Soul" -- along with a few infectious horn lines -- floats to the top, cheesy melodies and female backups (not to mention uninspired raps and absolutely inexplicable hair-metal guitars) weigh down most of the tracks. Ozo has never been subtle, but there's a desperate, pandering vibe to tracks like the No Doubt-biting "When I Close My Eyes" and the Jack Johnson en español groove of "After Party." The collection is a pale imitation of the blazing albums that precede it. Here, the dragon that once breathed fire only conjures a disagreeable belch.



Westword Insiders

  • Local food, music and news blasts
  • Free Stuff
Backpage.com