Ozma

by Melvins

Overview

With Black in on bass and the band relocated to San Francisco, the Melvins started, in a subtle way, exploring and developing their already-trademark sound further. The genre-dipping and out-of-nowhere efforts of later years were still some distance off, to be sure, but moments like the vocal/drum-only part on "Oven" and the needle-thin feedback treatment punctuating "Revulsion/We Reach" (along with occasional chimes) show more chances already being taken. Osbourne's tribute to Ozzy reaches new heights throughout -- opening track "Vile" in particular blends that and the running Gene Simmons fascination into a twisted monster, insistent, unnerving, and threatening all at once. "Green Honey" is another great, one of the quicker songs (at least comparatively speaking) going off as a slightly echo-shrouded Osbourne fires off a few quick rambles. Crover once again is the band's not secret weapon, as the clattering start of "Agonizer" and the subtle but spot-on tempo shifts on "Claude" make clear. Black's bass playing is steady-as-it-goes enough not to get in the way of anything, and she and Crover make enough bedrock thump for Osbourne to let loose with both his pipes and his guitar. Whether it's the creepily calm start of "Let God Be Your Gardener," plucking rather than bulldozing forward for once, or the grinding do-not-pass-go attack of "Raise a Paw," Ozma is out for blood and gets it. Killer song titles this time out include "Ever Since My Accident" and "Cranky Messiah." The random what-the-hell moment is right at the end, though -- "Candy-O," a cover of the Cars song that shouldn't work but actually does the business. Also fun -- consider the lead-guitar melody of "Love Thing" and how it oddly resembles Pearl Jam's breakthrough hit "Alive" from a few years later. ~ Ned Raggett

Product Details

Release Date:	03/01/1992
Label:	Boner
UPC:	0038161001628

Tracks

1. Vile
2. Oven
3. At a Glance
4. Let God Be Your Gardener
5. Creepy Smell
6. Kool Legged
7. Green Honey
8. Agonizer
9. Raise a Paw
10. Love Thing
11. Ever Since My Accident
12. Revulsion/We Reach
13. Dead Dressed
14. Cranky Messiah
15. Claude
16. My Small Percent Shows Most
17. Candy-O
18. Eye Flys
19. Echo Head/Don't Piece Me
20. Heater Moves and Eyes
21. Steve Instant Newman
22. Influence of Atmosphere
23. Exact Paperbacks
24. Happy Grey or Black
25. Leeech
26. Glow God
27. Big as a Mountain
28. Heaviness of the Load
29. Flex With You
30. Bitten into Sympathy
31. Gluey Porch Treatments
32. Clipping Roses
33. As Was It/Over from Under the Excrement

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Melvins   Primary Artist
Dale Crover   Drums,Vocals
Buzz Osborne   Guitar,Vocals
Lori "Lorax" Black   Bass

Technical Credits

Paul Stanley   Composer
Joshua Roberts   Engineer
Gene Simmons   Composer
Mark Deutrom   Producer
Jeff Ament   Composer
Mark Arm   Composer
Peter Criss   Composer
Ace Frehley   Composer
Stone Gossard   Composer
Buzz Osborne   Composer
Ric Ocasek   Composer