Reviews (page 3 of 7)
What an interesting mix of Latin, rock, and rap. Lots of super catchy choruses that had me head bopping. It was cool seeing Chali 2na pop up too. I wasn't sure what to expect here but ended up really enjoying it.
Except for the rap songs this is a great album. I can’t understand the lyrics but it sounds great.
Enjoyed the vibes. The FIFA Street song definitely gave this album a boost.
This is so good. Artists I was reminded of while listening to this include Carlos Santana, Robert Bradley, the Gorillaz, Linkin Park, Sugar Ray, Chance the Rapper - which is crazy, but it somehow all works.
This is a hard to find album (the one I found was stitched together from various sources on Youtube) but is absolutely worth it
This was a cool album. It was very salsa-y, and I don't listen to a lot of Salsa music. It was almost entirely jams. I liked essentially every song. It's not my favorite sound in the world, but I liked it a lot. 8/10
A hidden gem of an album! Had to go to some extra effort to tick this one off but it was definitely worth it. Latin-flavoured funk/rock with hip-hop elements and just all-round great vibes. Immediately swivelled my head when I heard Chali 2na's guest slot on Who's To Blame (aka the best voice in rap, IMHO) and repeatedly wanted to add tracks to my Spotify playlist but sadly couldn't as it's not on the UK version. So yeah, I bought myself a copy of the CD and can see myself coming back to it often. Reading a bit more about Ozomatli is fascinating too, just a cool group and one I am really glad to have discovered.
I had heard "saturday night" before but never listened to this album (or even heard of the artist, really) before this. This is a good album!
Exciting. Rousing. Passionate. Earnest. These are the first words that come to mind when I think of how to describe this wonderful album. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-street-signs-by-ozomatli?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Knowing a little Spanish helps. I enjoyed it. Not my favorite, but good.
Decent, with one really great song.
Enjoyed the Latin influence. Great to see an album with Cut Chemist and Chali 2na on the list. Pretty fun album overall. 3.5/5 Will listen again
I own the first Ozomatli album and really like it. I never followed the rest of their career, but I was happy to hear this album is great, and I am excited to listen to more of their albums now that I'm reminded of them. Just a great mix of styles, hip-hop and latin styles.
I very much liked this album. I liked how it differed from the other albums I had previously listened to. I was starting to get bored listening to the same genre over and over again. I am glad this album came on when it did! 4 stars!
Not bad. Pleasantly surprised.
There's something for everyone in here
This was fun! Lotta variety here, but I didn't love the rapping focused tracks. 'Dejame En Paz' was my fave.
Was really happy to see the OZO kids when I opened today's album. I have that street sign as a little sticker. Picked it up at one of the shows I saw around the time of this album, really really energetic affairs. Yeah the lyrics can get a little cheesy but they can get a crowd jumping. So maybe it doesn't really capture the vibe when you are not part of the collective delight, or don't know spanish, or have a salsa or rock en espanol affection, but damn I check those boxes and can't (won't) separate now from those occasions. I love this.
I have known of this band, but had never listened to this band. That was my loss. they’re great and this album is great
I knew just a little going into this — somewhere in my past Ozomatli crept into my consciousness. On one hand, I loved a lot of it. Particularly the Latin, Spanish-language fare stands out. The rap, largely, isn't my preferred flavor in the genre and there were other times during the album where it felt a bit forced. So... rating such a beast. The highs were high, and the lows were mid, so the 3.something gets the bump. I didn't love it like a 4, but it was a good soundtrack for the weekend.
Loved this. Thought the album got stronger as we progressed through it.
Funkadellic. I think i like the weird fusion of fast paced music and rap.
Whoa, what a pleasant surprise! It's like taking a bowl, and mixing the ingredients of Latin American Music, as well as System Of A Down, Gorillaz, and a touch of The Flobots. A diverse group of sounds, and genres made this a fun album. Favorite Track: "Saturday Night"
Great album
i usually can’t get into albums that aren’t in english but this was a great listen throughout. cool mix of songs and styles and was never bored with anything going on
(Dancing Face Emoji) Where did they come from?! And why have I never heard them before now?! And how did they mash up those musics and those messages and make it work?! And what have they done to my need to categorize musical styles?! And how can I see them live?! And am I the first person to ever have their mind blown by Ozomatli while making bread and butter pickles?! They’ve raised so many questions…
Genres all over the place - Latin, strains of Bollywood, hip hop, interesting & eclectic
After the first song of this album, I was ready to turn it off. But I’m glad I stuck it out! It was so fun and refreshing to have an album with such diversity of sound! While the lyrics may be repetitive, and not particularly moving, this was a fun 51 minutes. I’d listen again.
This is just amazing. Hit a piece of nostalgia I didn't know existed. I don't know of this record but it and I definitely occupied the same universe. So fun and all inclusive.
Great mix of genres.
Gezellige, niet al te kleffe latino-pop met een snippertje hiphop ertussendoor. De zomer breekt door en je kunt er vast een mooi feestje mee bouwen. Wat wil je nog meer.
Het begint met licht arabische tonen met bijpassende (ook licht) trillende stem. Toch voelt het westerse ritme dominant. De rest van het album voelt meer licht-latin. Wat blijft is de dominantie van de westerse klanken. De band houdt van lage tonen, pop-ritmes en een rapje af en toe. De combinatie maakt het geheel best toegankelijk, maar toch interessant genoeg om niet geestelijk af te haken. Ik heb hier met plezier naar geluisterd en zou het zo nog eens kunnen opzetten.
Alas, Spotify UK only allowed me access to track #1 of the album, so...not able to fully assess the whole thing. But, I "Believe" that I'll be tracking down some other access method, it's sounds damned interesting. A twist of Quantic, a slurp of Yerba Buena and a slug of Tinariwen. An exotic mix.
Not fully sure what to think about it, but I liked it quite a bit.
Latin funk hip hop! Something about this one just brought me joy, the songs feel good. It doesn’t make sense that they aren’t more popular in the U.S., they should be.
The only album I've ever listened to from these guys is their debut album. I remember liking it, but I never revisited it or listening to any of their later albums. This is a fun one. A nice melting pot of hip hop, latin grooves, and I hear some middle eastern vibes at some points. Oh, I recognize the song "Saturday Night." Not sure where I heard it before. My favorite is Dejame En Paz. I don't dance, but it makes me want to shake my tuccus.
I liked this one. To me it occupies the same headspace as Bixiga 70 or Orgone. Moreso Bixiga though, except Bixiga has a more raw organic sound.They do a good job combining traditionally Latin music with hip hop elements and electronic sounds without losing the feel of the two different worlds. It was cool to see Charli 2na make an appearance. My favorite was Nadie Te Tira.
This was a really cool album, for me it was out of left field, surprised and delighted me
J'ai pas mal de rattrapage à faire, alors je vais garder ça bref. Cool album
Difficult to find, but quite listenable once you get to it. Kind of get the feeling that it's trying to hard to be what it is - like, I get the use of non-funk music in hip-hop, but this seems a bit deliberate and cynical.
I mean, it is a bop, but is it just the 2 tracks on spotify?
Really rather good stuff
I'm not gonna lie, this kinda slapped. Definitely saving a few from this album.
This was great as i had just started my holiday in mexico.
Energetic, latinoturkodetroit music that wakes you up
This album has EVERYTHING
Now that's how you blend genes. A fantastic mix of Latin and hip hop. But like a classic kind of Latin. Great stuff
Great grooves. 4 stars
Not much substance, but I love the mix of styles.
May 6, 2024 Hey this guy stole the guy from Jurassic 5's flow- oh, it's the same guy. Cool I'm quite enjoying this. It's trying to be all things to all people, but it's also vibrant and celebratory- & something I needed to accompany some of the first warm weather this year. HL: "Love and Hope", title track, "Te Estoy Buscando", "Saturday Night"
Sono ciò di cui avevi bisogno senza saperlo
That was fun
This album was stylistically interesting with latin rock, middle eastern melodies, and rapping. I enjoyed the cover of Waiting for the Bus by ZZ Top.
10 min langt
Felt like a Saturday Night full of Love and Hope.
This is so CRAZY funky! Saturday Night is a BOP and the record as a whole is so much fun! A perfect blend of rock, funk and hip-hop. A WONDERFUL album overall.
Overall a nice surprise. A very listenable and enjoyable recording with Latin, hip-hop influences. Even the songs sung in Spanish are enjoyable. Notable songs are "Believe" and "Love and Hope". I am glad this album was included in the list!
Geen tijd gehad om alles op youtube op tr zoeken maar dit smaakt zeker naar meer Is dat obama??
Latin rock, funk, jazz, hip hop. Some of the early 2000s record scratching elements are a bit cringe, but overall it's really cool and fun. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Believe Date listened: 13/03/24
I enjoyed this.
What a fun listen! Latin funk, rap, pop, ballad. Even though they're singing in Spanish, there was something about a couple of the tracks that reminded me of the music in Bollywood films. Love and Hope and Ya Viene el Sol were favs.
Pretty good. I liked the variety. Didn't dislike most of the rap, which is saying something for me. Another great candidate for 3.5*. Rounding up with this one, for a change.
Good
Very fun and chilled, with so many different genres it almost sounded like a compilation album (in a good way) But ... a pain in the proverbial to listen to, since it's not on any of the streaming services. I can't give it 5 when I couldn't hear it all, even though I loved what I did listen to
It’s not earth shattering but it had me grooving the entire time. Very enjoyable listen even if it’s not a “great” album.
What a jam — shocked I missed this album in 2004. Love the blending of all these genres (rock, ska, salsa, some middle eastern inspired strings 😍)
Spotify is missing most of the songs on the album
Good mix of different genres. Not something I would usually listen to.
Much hip & shoulder action was had during the playing of this album, it varied greatly, but was overall a fun album.
Toller Slap Bass im ersten Stück!
This is a fun album I’ve never heard of. Incredibly, wildly, and comically inconsistent in style, but always consistent and quality. 4/5
I enjoyed what I listened to but most was unavailable!
Alors la c'est enorme, obligé d'écouter des covers de l'album tellement il est visiblement blacklisté par toutes les instances musicales. Dommage car il était vraiment pas mal.
A little too much rapping on some songs, but some really strong ones as well. Would love to see them live one more time....
Love me some Chali 2na
This was actually really fun and I kept listening to songs of theirs after the album finished.
It's a dang party!
liked
I enjoyed this. Buena Vista Social Club vibes.
Put this one in the category of new favorites. I feel like I have been on a roller coaster of emotions with this list the past week. Two all timers gave way to a stinker, and now that stinker has turned into gold. I don't think this album made any splashes, per the wiki, but it was used on a ton of soundtracks, specifically video games. I read on there that there was an MX vs ATV game that I swear we played on the Xbox, I listened to that one, Saturday Night, and while no memories popped up, I could tell that was a good song for that game. Regardless, this was one of the more fun albums I've heard on this list. In fact, I listened to it a few times last night while I was doing some Aqua Death Run on Fortnite. When I think of Latin music, and especially that sort of music you'd hear at some big party, this is exactly that kind of music. I didn't like every song, and it is slow to start, but once it gets going it really cooks. Also I was shocked and delighted to see Chali 2na gracing Who's To Blame, his lyrics sounded so similar to some of his on Jurassic 5 and Reanimation. Guy definitely had a message he was trying to convey, and all those albums came out within a year or two of each other. Favorites: (Who Discovered) America?, Who's To Blame, Te Estoy Buscando, Saturday Night, Nadie Te Tira, Cuando Canto
Dude this album was awesome! If I'm honest I love Chali 2na so his feature helped me get on board. I'm going to explore more of their music. That's only happened with a couple different groups on this whole list.
Cool record. Not at all what I expected. I gave it a second listen and ended up just as intrigued.
Latin jazz + salsa + funk + hip-hop... These are all things I like. Recommended, would shake my ass again.
I think its fair to say this is a unique band and sound. I thought it was great, but can appreciate it may not be everyone's groove.
7/12, 58%
Like an American Cat Empire. Some of it was kinda corny and the rap verses definitely didn't help with that. But damn there are some great songs here
Great upbeat Latin Funk! The world needs more music like this…
Yeah loved this guy
Good fun. Lively and different. I almost understood some of the slower Spanish! Hooray!
Cool shit. Really enjoyed this.
Fun little album. Very dance-y, I loved the fusion of international sounds. Latin, reggae, hip-hop, etc. Makes me wish I was fluent in Spanish.
I feel like I’m in an episode of burn notice (extremely complimentary)
After so many decades of rap, fusion is needed to make it bearable. This fusion with Latin music works for me. I’ll keep this in the Thanksgiving weekend rotation.
N E V E R H E A R D O F T H E M AND E X P L O R E D T H E I R OTHER ALBUMS AND THAT WAS FUN This music *could* rock the house, up loud. Party music for the 90's ? Its dated, so now sounds almost ironic, in a good way, mostly, but not fully.... its ok, like the others day. I think for today it needs speeding up slightly, we're more caffeinated now. Catchy lyrics ... Their kids maths song is so, so good. "maths, thumbs, "
A lil reggae, a lil ska, a lil hip-hop. Not bad!
I can (and did) listen to this all day. Best track: (Who Discovered) America?
Put lyrics aside it's a pretty nice collection of world music...
It was alright. Not sure I'd listen to it again. Also not sure why it's on this list. Not anything mind blowing.
Ozomatli was everywhere in LA in the early 2000s and somehow I never listened to them until now and guess what... I wish I had seen them. I must've been afraid of anything that would need thought and was looking for less chore in my music at the time. Now, all these years later when I want nothing more than to smoke a bowl, put in some earbuds and drown out the family and the kids... this hits the spot.
"Street Signs" was a very cool mash-up of styles from Ozomatli. For such a diversity of sounds, they came together well. I was surprised to hear of the group's early connection to Jurassic 5, with Chali 2na and Cut Chemist being original members who came back to contribute a bit on "Street Signs." Great sound, great political messages, great positivity.
This was almost a five for me but there are too many tracks I don’t love. Excellent throwback for me and reminded me of some very fun concerts with friends. Love the jumble of styles and the LA-ness of it all.
Couldn't find the actual album on spotify but listened to some of their other stuff and really liked it.
Fun album, a lot to like here
Really enjoyed the album. Going to need a few more listens to catch the lyrics given they're half in Spanish, but really enjoyed the 3 listens.
I managed to scrape together a few tracks, as the whole album is not on any streaming service accessible to me. From what I have heard, this is a very nice mixture of styles, Latin pop being predominant. I could do without the occasional Hip-Hop/Ra, but it's still quite strong in spite of that. 3.5/5
I love the energy of the album; seems like an extension of what Santana did with Supernatural. I also love J5 so I loved the Chali 2na song. My only complaint would be that at some point the music did get kind of formulaic/repetitive, but overall it's kind of a banger all the way through.
Sounds like a different artist each song. Thought it was a great wee slice of fun
Músicas del mundo. Está bien. Un 4.
Oh what fun! I'm glad I had a chance to listen to this album it was really enjoyable. Fave tracks would be (Who Discovered) America?, Saturday Night, and Dejame En Paz. Cuando Canto is the perfect closer leaves you feeling relaxed afrer all the hype.
Had a lot of fun with this one, but some songs feel repetitive.
I had never heard of Ozomatli before today. But I liked what I heard. A very cool and unique blending of styles forms an enjoyable sound.
this is very nearly a 5 star album, maybe 4.5 it's a bit all over the place, but i like it, reminds me of ondatropica
Really excellent.
Mixture of Latin music and rap. Really fun. 4/5
Nice
Very eclectic...
This was a cool surprise, really fun Latin fusion rap rock.
Fun upbeat music with some variety. Most of it joyful
A very welcome swerve from the procession of old white dudes
3.5/5
Great mix of world music sounds and grooves. A good choice of music to work or clean the house to.
Very solid. Always liked this album.
Started off like 70's funk, but it's a interesting mix of ragga, reggae, dub, latin, and ska. I liked it.
Never heard of these before, really enjoyed the album!
I liked this. Crazy eclectic sound - from Indian raga vibes to sounds approaching klezmer, and it's always a nice change to have socially and politically aware music that is largely positive and upbeat.
I only listened to an incomplete version of this album on Youtube with some tracks being live, so definitely not entirely as the album was intended. That said, I'm happy this was at least something different than the 50th crappy punk album or the 80th interchangeable alternative rock album. It had personality, was fresh, and offered an interesting mix of styles. I didn't like all of it though, Déjame En Paz was horrible. But that's what you get with a mix of styles and an album with personality. At least it stood out, and the good parts were quite fun!
I really enjoyed this - I was already a fan of Chali 2na of J5 but hearing him and others over this ace Latin music was really enjoyable, and the additional African and Middle Eastern influences made it really varied and interesting. Definitely one I'll revisit.
4, bordering a 5, really good record.
Despite sounding like the soundtrack of a Fast and Furious movie, I have to say this was a fun listen. Obviously I didn’t understand it but it’s catchy as hell.
Its a party album, no doubt. Lots of fun but Im not sure an album of this title even exists. Has it become lost to time?
Not familiar with the band at all (although one of their songs from 2010 is in my itunes library -- probably from some compilation sampler I got). Have to say that I really liked the mix of funk, latin and rapping. Maybe they are more well known outside of the US, but they deserve some visibility here too.
This was one of the most unique albums we've heard so far. It featured a variety of sounds, genres, and languages yet nothing sounded out of place. Parts reminded me of the Roots, Santana, the Black Eyed Peas among others but the album still had a cohesive feel. I wish some of the melodies were stronger.
What a fun, funky album, reminded me of the first US3 album! 4 stars easily. Nice find.
Amazing mix of influences and cultures. Never heard of this group before but I like what I find when I'm researching them a little bit. This vibe of taking you around the world by taking you around LA is really cool because of how international LA is. The biggest influence I hear coming through is the Latin one with Spanish lyrics and Latin beats. I love this mix of R&B Salsa Samba Jazz etc etc. It keeps me so interested throughout the album and makes me want to dance some salsa. Really great! Who Discovered America? Wow what a poem, amazing tune too.
It has been really hard to listen to this album as it isn't anywhere online. I think I've managed to listen to most of the songs on YouTube, albeit some were live versions. But I certainly had an impression - wow this was so fun! I bet it would be so great to see live. Loads of energy, fun, big sounds - loved what I did hear!!
Really enjoyed that, felt like it spanned a few different genres nicely. Never heard of Ozomatli but in looking them up found out they are friends with Jack Johnson.
This is what I love about this 1001 experience. I would never have discovered this without this group. I really enjoyed this. It moves right from the start. Loved the guitar in Santiago and the piano in Dona Isabella. This would be the perfect album to play in the background for a warm summer night party.
This was a hard one to rate because of how uptempo and over the place it was. I loved Santiago and America the best, but there were plenty of replay able songs. The combination of rap and Spanish pop(?) was a novel idea to me, and I can’t say that it disappointed.
Super fun hybrid hiphop latin stuff
Jammer dat zowel Spotify als Youtube niet het volledige album hebben. Ik vond dit gevarieerd en leuk. Niet alles overigens; soms vond ik het ook Enrique-Iglesias- en Songfestivalachtig. Over all toch enthousiast. Ik houd wel van groepen met veel muzikanten. Hier nog een leuk filmpje: https://youtu.be/jpAYZKX2Cz4
It's not all available on Spotify or Youtube it seems. What I did listen to I actually enjoyed a lot
A great album with amazing musicality and great musical diversity! Kept me invested the whole time. Best tracks: Believe, Who's to Blame, Saturday Night, Dejame En Paz, and Ya Viene El Sol
Man, that was way more fun than expected. The musicianship is top-notch, the songwriting is lighthearted but still significant, and the recording quality is legit. I don't know, I really enjoyed it and added several tracks to my personal playlists.
Très cool!
Really fun album. I've never listened to these guys but they've got a great sound. Funky, cool latin rhythms, classic old-school hip-hop, it just works. They're creative and playful with their sound and structures, and just sound like they're having a really fun time on the album. They're not my style overall, but I'd listen to this again anytime.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Believe, Love and hope
This was something I'd never heard before, but it makes complete sense when you put it next to contemporaneous stuff like the Cat Empire or Manu Chao. Good fun.
Actually kinda a jam
That was a trip. And Jurassic 5 is a big part of it. Wow catchy and very unique. Whole lots of genre influence
Fun!
Lively fun Latin rock and roll
Pretty awesome blend of rap, funk, and Latin music
little spanish, good
Músicas del mundo. Está bien. Un 4.
Latino flair from LA, Good listening.
I don't care what genre, the world needs more socially conscious music that makes you want to dance as much as this does. I wouldn't normally gravitate to any of the genres explored on this album, and can't say I would go back to it, but glad I now know it exists.
What a mix of styles and genres, seriously loved this experience
Cool hip hop/funk/Latin fusion album. There's a lot of variation in the style of songs on this album which makes it fun to listen to
Mitt nya favorit band. svänger! även om det är svårt att få tag på tyvärr. men så är livet. ques que se
Quite liked this. The Roots but in Spanish?
A different vibe completely from what I listen to. Tons of fun and well worth a listen.
The English lyrics leave a little something to be desired but this is great
Albums like this are the ones I look forward to the most on this list due to their sheer uniqueness. Latin rock is much more interesting than hearing another boring 70s-80s rock album. Fav: who founded America
Rock latino. Fusión. Interesante
J'ai bien aimé, signe d'une grade ouverture d'esprit.
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Who's To Blame My interest was twice piqued, first when hearing the transition from rock music to hip-hop mid song on Believe, and second, upon reading that production of the album included Charlie 2na, whose deep voice is instantly recognizable for me (shoutout to Jurassic 5). Ultimately, however, this was not an album that I cared too much for. It went very Latin-heavy on the back half of the album, and I was neither expecting this nor particularly into it today. I have no real objections to the album, its just not for me.
Unfortunately only one song from this album is available on Spotify, and I dont think I'm going to have time/capacity to listen on YouTube. It's a shame, because it sounds like some fusion music I would have enjoyed
Maybe this sounded more special, 20 years ago? It's pleasant enough, not offensive, but also hard to get super excited about the music. Between a 2 and a 3, for me. Was gonna go with a high 2, but the last few songs are good enough, I think (just barely), to go with a low 3 instead -- with a slight assist from the significance of achieving a decent level of quasi-mainstream success in the U.S. in 2004, while playing Latin musical styles, rhythms, and instruments (and singing in Spanish).
Realmente rarísimo. Completamente desprevenido me tomó. De vuelta lo tuve que escuchar por Youtube, cosa que no me gusta. Igualmente, me sorprendió muchísimo. Ya el hecho que sea en spanglish es excelente y la música así medio asiática-latina por momentos es muy buena. Sorprendido para bien.
This was different, initially I was put off a bit about the tracks seeming to jump around in style a lot. The Latin funk rock rap seems to sort of work though. Cool to hear T-Ray and Chali 2na on this.
This is the type of music that plays during the credits of a 2000's family comedy movie. Like diegetic music at the family BBQ turns into non-diegetic credit music type shit. Side note, Saturday Night was used in the trailer for Hot tub Time Machine back in 2010, which I guess isn't a family movie... but I rest my case... Side side note, I saw that movie with my dad in theatres when it came out (not a good movie if I do recall), the only thing I remember is some scene where some ladies tee taws where out, and me thinking how awkward this is watching this with my dad as a teenager... Anyways. I was expecting something way different from the title and album name, like some sort of industrial electronic music. But instead got zumba class music... Boomer white dads will throw something like this on when they're trying to get a lil' crazy at happy hour. "I know the BEST latin music, just you guys wait", or "Cmon kids, why are you sitting down! Get up and dance with us!" 3 is generous in my opinion, but this music was still fun at times, and I'd feel like a real curmudgeon giving this anything lower. 5.5/10
I couldn't listen to this one in full (and some of the songs were covers, not the original) so this rating carries with it an asterisk. Despite the annoyance of interrupting YouTube ads this album was broadly fun to listen to and I'd certainly check out more of their stuff.
Do you like Ozomatli? Their early work was a little too party-boy for my tastes, but when Street Signs came out in '04, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate maturity that really gives the songs a big boost. They've been compared to Santana, but I think Ozomatli have a far more playful, lively sense of musicianship. In '11, Ozomatli released this, Happy Feet Two: The Video Game, the original soundtrack; their most accomplished album. I think their undisputed masterpiece is "Moose on the Loose," a song so catchy, most people probably don't listen to the lyrics. But they should, because it's not just about the unpredictability of dangerous situations, and the hazards of letting your guard down, it's also a personal statement about the value, towards overcoming obstacles, of persistence itself.
Tuesday, 22 September, 2026 Great! Eclectic mix of songs. I saw them live at Bonnaroo 2003. Great live performance.
The 2000's must have been an awfully good time to be an eclectic, politically minded, and world music inspired rock adjacent music outfit. Street Signs ended up being a lot of fun. In an interesting twist, Ozomatli's base sound is effectively a gumbo of Latin music, which they spice up with rock, Hip-Hop, electronica, and more. They keep things kinetic and varied, the mixes are bright, and most importantly, they sound like they are having fun. And I will admit I was a little skeptical of the sound at the front end of this thing, but their incorporation of influence is smooth and aesthetically cool, making something that feels more their own than anyone else's. And the fun factor here ended up going a long way too. I was having a great time by the end. It may not be something I spin while sitting around the house, but Street Signs has a nook carved out somewhere in my life.
Ozomatli - Street Signs Did my best to track down as complete a copy as possible in YouTube. Not sure it was worth the effort but maybe white Yorkshireman isn't the best person to judge 🤔 It had cowbell, mentions of Amereeka, lots of percussion, latin rap, scratching and a little bit of flamenco guitar. So all the ingredients to make it what it no doubt has ended up being. Best tracks were the Easyjet ad, and the one where you have to save the King from being eaten by a snake. 5/10
123
Yield, Stop, Crosswalk, Children Crossing, Deaf Child In Area, School Zone, the list seems endless.
Fun album
So it’s latin island music with dance beats. It’s fine. The Spotify profile said if La has a soundtrack this would be it. I don’t think so. It’s fine. Great production. Sounded fresh.
Half these songs feel like they belong as the background to a rom-com or Scooby Doo 3. Some of the lyrics read like a high school kid smoking pot for the first time and becoming socially conscious for the first time. However there are a couple tunes that were real toe tappers which takes precedent over bad lyrics.
I like this one.
This is the kind of album I feel like I should love, but I don't know. The mishmash of influences seems forced at times in a way that Manu Chao or someone doesn't. It has its moments, but doesn't always feel cohesive. 3/5
All over the place. Wasn’t bad per se
Interesting variety. Would listen again 3.
Really enjoyed this, I thought it was such a cool mix of each of the member’s cultures and what they brought to the table. Playlist add: “Ya Viene El Sol”
A big melting pot of sounds to put a smile on your face.
Kan inte ge ett rättvist betyg då albumet inte finns på Spotify annat än 2 låtar. Dessa var dock helt ok så sätter betyg utifrån dem så kan man hoppas att albumet blir tillgängligt någon gång i framtiden.
Solid even though I'm confused what I listened to.
This album was annoying at times. I probably will never listen to them again, but they were on to something at some points in the album.
No fue de mi agrado
Believe - 4 Love and hope - 4 Street signs - 3 (Who discovered) america? - 4 Who's to blame - 3 Te estoy buscando - 4 Saturday night - 4 Dejame en paz - 3 Santiago - 3 Ya viene el sol - 3 Dona isabelle - 3 Nadie te tira - 3 Cuando canto - 3
Some of this was really fun and some of it a real slog. 2.5 rounded to 3 because I prefer to focus on the fun.
Fuck Don Callis
(4/7) I thought this started pretty strong and then kind of faded fast. Interesting stuff though
I listened to a cobbled-together YouTube playlist that was missing some tracks. But what I heard, I enjoyed.
Not what i expected
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. This is a Latin rock album. A few of these tracks seem like they would fit in on the radio alongside late 90s-/early 00s-era Santana. I did not care for the rap tracks much. Overall I am happy to have heard this but I doubt I would come back to it.
Latin sounds (including Spanish language and English), plus other world sounds/influence (middle eastern, etc). Includes some rap too. Interesting mix.
I wanted to like this more than I did, but the mixing of hip hop with Latin/world music feels like it comes from a time when just the novelty of merging the two was enough, and the songs didn’t have to be more than that. Sort of to music what “fusion” was to cuisine.
Was super hyped after the 1st track! The rest was a bit lackluster
Couple of decent songs but overall kind of average
Strong opening track and a few other gems. They’re on Real World Records, so that says a lot.
#1033. Decent, but not my cup of tea. 3/5: I prefer Earl Grey tea
Couldn’t find the whole album so anoygling could only listen to the majority, not the full thing. Enjoyed it, didn’t love it
Ne mogu nađem 3-4 pesme niđe morao slušam drum cover za jednu.
It was ok.
a fun listen ! pretty fun, but didn't think much else of it tbh
Haven't thought of these guys in forever. The genre mashup can be a bit much at times; some of the rapping works, some doesn't. When it locks in like on the Eddie Palmieri tracks, it's solid.
2.69
Hard to find on streaming. Listened to some other songs, never heard of this band but they seem kind of dope!
Didn't love this, but I liked it for being different. Really shows the lack of Latin music on this list too. Honestly this is more of a 2.5 for me, but I'm rounding up because it's something more unique on the list, and that deserves to be celebrated.
This was decent. Still not blown away by it though.
I appreciate how up beat it was
Cool, pretty vibey. Love the variety. Some of the songs were kinda sucky though which held it back.
Really enjoyed some tracks more than others-the ones that stayed out of the rap/hip hop vibe were much stronger. Wish album had focused on non-hip hop tracks & would have been stronger rating
Some good and some bad with this one. I think the most obvious bad for me is thay it almost feels like two separate albums. You got the hip hop stuff on one side and the more Latin rock on the other side. Within a second or two you can tell what kind of song your getting. It just doesnt feel that cohesive. Its not that big of a deal I guess but it does bring it down a little in my book. Now I will say that In every part of this the energy is very good. It moves pretty well. Not too much down low time. A couple songs that are slower more introspective tracks but those add to the tracklist without feeling out of place. Im less into the vocals, at least in some tracks. The rapping us always good. The singing is hit or miss. Sometimes the vocals are treated in a offputting mega clean way. Like the producers just manhandled them into exactly what's perfect. And thats just not my style. I like a little bit of rawness. And sometimes that raw is forced out of a track with some know turning fuckery. But overall this is good. Im not blown away but there are some highlights here. Specifically love and hope, and djame en paz. Those were my saves here. I would say the rest of it is good too other than the things ive brought up already but just not enough to hear it again and again like my saves. I had fun and might like to check out some more. Maybe it will be on streaming without dumb contract record label bullshit.
Very enjoyable. I really liked the Latin stylings mixed with the occasional (North?) African elements. Cool album. ⭐⭐⭐.49
Un peu surpris du style, il y a quelque chose de nu-metal en background sur certaines pistes (guit disto avec des bouts rappés par dessus). Et il y a un côté Enrique Iglesias qui me fait sentir un peu mal à l'aise comme si j'écoutais quelque chose d'un peu honteux. Santana des pauvres aussi c'est un bon qualificatif merci Guillaume pour l'épithète!
Jeg syntes den var helt fin, ikke noget der kommer i rotation men jeg nød de fleste numre. Sidste nummer lyder som noget fra Broadway (positivt). Jeg blev så forvirret da Obamas stemme dukkede op på 2. nummer, for albummet ligger i så god forlængelse af al den ska der var populær i slutningen af 90'erne
Couldn't really rate this fairly as only two tracks available. Neither was really my cup of tea to be honest but maybe the rest is great?
something about it sounds cheap, and eminently 2000's. but it's a very fun bit of fusion, kinda dope. i think it mostly makes me want to listen to more focused latin music without the rap breaks. maybe i'm the weird one but it feels like these two puzzle pieces really don't fit and just distract from each other. favorite song is Te Estoy Buscando or Cuando Canto. solid 3
Some of this was outside of my wheelhouse, but at least it was creative and a different spin on the genre. The first track got my attention and I liked it. Then about midway through, “Who’s to Blame” came on and I had to listen to it twice. Great track. It’s so refreshing to not hear the copycat gangsta rap with all the language and same tired phrasing that typically comes from hip hop of this era. Almost worth a round up but I’ll stop short of that since the depth is not there for me overall, but I definitely favored those two tracks. 3.5/5
Not really my favorite style, but I can appreciate their unique take on the hip hop/rock genre that with other bands can sound pretty homogeneous. Not the case here. Definitely a unique mix of styles all converging that in the end works well. I can see myself even breaking out some sweet salsa cumbia moves to this to impress the ladies.
A bit all over the place and not my typical listen (which I guess in the point of this whole thing) so I was a little skeptical at the beginning but overall enjoyed this. Wild mix of different styles which shouldn’t work…but it does. Easy listen, nice beats and something different to mix things up. I could see myself going back to this. 3.25
Not my cup of tea and corny at times...but gets the middle aged ladies booties shaking so that's enough to warrant rounding up. 3/5
Funky switch up to what weve had recently! And a Madden throwback!!! Nice flow, I dig the tablas/Indian influence fused with the latin grooves. Overall, fun experience.
This was fun
The early 2000s is a repository of unique music that never broke containment. This album sounds like a combination of Santana and hip hop with some Indian (?) influences in the instrumentals. Strange but surprisingly catchy.
It was fun. And one song had Isabelle in the title :3
Lot of enjoyable stuff, interesting fusion of Latin beats and some hip hop
2.5
Gonna start off with a small complaint that I couldn’t listen to this album on any streaming service as it was unavailable! I managed to find a playlist containing all the songs on Youtube. Despite this, I surprisingly liked the album. Very fun to listen to, and I don’t typically enjoy latin music but really enjoyed this album. Shame that I’d have to watch Youtube videos of the songs to listen to it.
This was fun and unique and well performed. I didn’t get a lot from the album though, and kept thinking this would be a good band to see live, or perhaps hear playing live while walking around a bustling city center after work hours. It’s a solid record though and a good introduction to a new (to me) band.
kinda fine, quite backgroundy, couple were decent. Overall not quite worth the effort
Not on Tidal! Go on youtube. There's not all the wikipedia-listed tracks on one playlist but you can find the tracks about. It's nice enough but it feels like background music Listen for a specific phrase (hint, on Dejame en paz)
I started off pretty high on this, I remember listening to Ozomatli's debut in college and thinking it was pretty sweet (they were sort of in the Jurassic 5 orbit if I recall). The more I listened, there were a few moments where it was just a bit too polished and cheesy honestly, and ome of it veers into Santana/Rob Thomas territory. The more hip hop oriented moments are the best, and the Chali 2Na appearance is probably the high water mark for me. I just didn't find this as thrilling as I expected, it's a generally fine listen but didn't quite hit the mark.
I went through an Ozo phase in the early ‘00s. They played super fun live shows and it was a hot ticket. I remember all the instruments, the infectious energy, and the Latin beat. All of that is present on this record from that era, but it doesn’t do much for me now. The tracks are simultaneously overlong and lacking in depth. There’s a bunch of sounds, many pleasant, with absurd guest stars (Eddie freaking Palmieri? Chali 2Na?), but it feels dated - the imposition of rapping en espanol over Latin funk, the everything-and-the-kitchen sink instrumentation. It’s fine. Not great
Easy listen, but it sounds like something from a kids show
First listen.. like the sound, not sure about the lyrics
This was a damn weird experience. This is whats usually playing on the radio in a weeird dream I had riding that tiny ass car in india.
?/10. Me pareció un gran disco al principio, pero no está completo en Spotify ni oficial en YouTube, así que no puedo clasificarlo bien. Igualmente, las dos canciones que escuché fueron muy buenas y me sorprendieron.
I wasn’t really into this album on a personal level, but it has an expansive sound and some personality.
I think I was ready to give this album 4 stars yesterday immediately after listening, but I forgot to do so before leaving work. Then I briefly forgot that I had already listened to this album when I got back to work this morning. That tells me that this album wasn't quite as memorable as I thought it was going to be. I did enjoy this album, there are some very fun tracks, and it's a neat fusion of Latin music and a more contemporary sound. I know just enough Spanish to follow along on most tracks, so it was also kind of fun to listen as a way to practice the language. After listening to a few tracks again, I think that I'm right to change my rating based upon my feelings today. It's still a very good album, but now that the shiny newness has worn off, I think it won't be an album I would come back to very often. Favorite track(s): "Te Estoy Buscando," "Cuando Canto"
They have some songs, not all of them though Will I listen to again: 10%
teilweise coole Musik (who discovered america), gegen ende aber abgefallen
Something new and not bad, but more enjoyed for the novelty rather than the actual quality of the music
Had a good variety to it and I enjoyed it. Won't be reached out to listen to it again anytime soon however.
I enjoyed this, although can't help but feel this was included to tick several diversity boxes at once. Would have enjoyed more if it wasn't so difficult to find
Strange but entertaining mix of funk, rap, world music
Full disclosure: I wasn't able to listen to about a quarter of this album due to geographical restrictions. I really liked Who Discovered America? but the rest of the album was just okay to me. Sometimes the different styles of the tracks felt disjointed, so much so that I looked at the tracklist to make sure these weren’t just random songs.
I feel like this deserves better than its average rating but I'm going to give it pretty much exactly its average rating. RYM: N Saved a song: N
I don't really know what to do with this. I only have access to two tracks, but I like those. Gonna go with a propably unfair 3.
A cool blend of hip-hop, rock, and Latin elements, but also frustratingly quite stiff (white?) at times.
Groovy
I fucked w this
Yeah it's pretty good nothing special though?
Hooked me on opening song. I’m glad Ozomatli is now on my radar. Hard to NOT move to the music. I would have preferred album to lean into non-rap or more rap. “Street Signs” broke my chair sway. Good, but messed with momentum. “Who Discovered America” picked me up again. Piano on “Dona Isabelle” was lovely but stopped my shimmy for a bit. Possibly should have moved it before “Cuando Canto.”
sympathique
very upbeat and lively. annoyed that it wasnt on spotify, that has ended up making me fall very behind bc it wasnt convenient lol
annoyingly hard to listen to, I wandered around youtube and spotify and even checked their bandcamp before finally finding it on their record label's youtube This is a wild mix of genres. Which is the kinda stuff I wanted to find on this list. I'm kinda digging it unfortunately it's quite hard to find the full album I'd say I actively didn't like the hip hop songs which drags this otherwise 4 start album down to a 3
this was a funky mix, another idk if i wldve stumbled upon
Took a while to get into this one, but it started to cook. Really just appreciated it as something different and a blend of different influences.
There are some fun moments, but nothing really special.
Decent background music.
From the artists that brought you “Happy Feet Two: The Video Game”
309/1001 Ozomatli - Street Signs Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ I enjoyed the horns section and funk with the hip hop on here. However, as they're not on Spotify, it's not likely I'll be hunting this down again.
Before I even get into the review Ozomatli is one of those bands that you if you get to see in person you must take that chance. There was a big kerfuffle in the "Live music capital" of the world Manhattan, oops I mean Austin, Texas. (https://www.nme.com/news/music/ozomatli-4-1364010). With that being said I don't think that this does Ozomatli justice. Their first self titled album is just bangers after bangers.
It's a weird fusion of genres, but I think it works well for most of the record. Favourite Track(s): Saturday Night Least Favourite Track(s): Believe
Really good I enjoyed a couple tracks. It sounds probably a bit too overproduced if that makes any sense but the writing and beat production is good.
On paper, this should be a great album with the blending of latin, rock, hip hop, etc. but somehow it still feels a little lifeless. It's latin only in stylistic sense, but packaged in a very overproduced, formulaic box. Worth listening to for sure, but I don't see myself returning to any of these tracks except maybe Saturday Night.
There is a lot of talent on display here. And I normally love eclectic albums, those that draw many styles together. Fishbone’s “Truth and Soul” from 1988 is a lifelong favorite. Ozomatli does this here with funk, rap, R&B, and more. However… the polished production wipes everything too clean. I could recognize the talent without fully embracing it…or feeling embraced by it. It really wasn’t until the last song, one where I don’t even speak the language, that I could really feel something personal. My 3/5 is subjective. I totally understand someone else walking away with a lot more delight in this album. Maybe they can feel what I don’t feel, speak its languages in a way I just can’t.
This is a very well produced album. I am not sure whether understanding the lyrics would enhance my appreciation or not, but Duolingo isn't helping. It is so, so much easier just to keep listening.
Only one song from this album is currently available on Spotify, and did like it. But maybe not enough to invest the time in tracking down the rest of it. An average three is what I'll give, purely in order to move on to the next selection.
This has a little bit of everything. Great blend of latin, alt rock, hip-hop, maybe even hints of jazz and R&B. Absolutely able to put this on and just enjoy.
I have heard the name over the years but was never into Latin music or songs in any foreign tongue. Multiple Grammy's and they're from L.A., I learned a lot. Not impressed with the listener counts for a 22 yr old album. I enjoyed the music for "Believe" but not the lead vocals (or the unnecessary American rapper). "Love And Hope" was all in English and was catchy, again the music is lively and Latin flavored. "(Who Discovered) America" could have been a Santana track. Chali 2na on "Who's To Blame" was a swing and a miss. There's an underlying message they're serving throughout the album. I just wasn't into their overall sound or the completely unnecessary rappers on every other tune. This has an audience, I enjoyed a lot of the music, but it's so polished it just didn't feel authentic. 3 stars
Good zest.
funky and good flow idk whats going on
This is fun, but it gets a bit boring. I like that they put a latin twist to funk rock, but every songs tends to sound the same unfortunately. It was fun to listen though.
The best I can say about this is that it’s not offensive
cooool
Pretty fun, would listen again
Love this album
3/5
3,5
There are only two songs on Spotify
Sure
Very little sounds more early aughties than this. It's multi-genre, fusion, whatever you want to call it: music that wants to be a lot of things. Sometimes that means a lot of upbeat Latin rhythms or Arab influenced strings or whatever. Sometimes it means cringe-rap. Embracing culture can be a beautiful fusion or it can be a misunderstanding of someone else's reality. This does a little of both. Honestly, musically a lot of this is very good, and it was very promising from the start. I think where it loses me is that it has a very After School Special vibe to it. A lot of the lyrics feel like a song shown on a high-school news broadcast, adults trying to talk about world problems in a hip cool way but managing to just sound corny. The best of this, then, is where they stick to Spanish, which I understand minimally and ergo cannot tell if the lyrics are similar vibes in another language. I think i was most taken by Dona Isabelle. A strong 3* but ultimately that"s where it lands
Highlights: Cuando Conto, Santiago, Love and Hope, Nadie de Tera, Saturday Night
Standouts Believe Saturday Night
Wasn't sure what to expect from this one. Found it a bit interesting.
A fun fusion of Latin American, Western rock, and Indian sounds. Was a very pleasant surprise hearing Chali 2na of Jurassic 5 fame popping up on track 5, too. I'd say that the rap heavy tracks were actually where this album shines. More of those and I'd be rating this album higher and adding it to the playlist. As it stands, it was interesting enough but won't live long in the memories.
Latin Rock/Hip-Hop with a middle eastern soundscape. Truly a worldly fusion :) Favorite track: Who discovered America? other picks: believe, saturday night
I've heard of these guys, maybe heard a track or two but not really listened to much. Good music. super fun.
A strange but intriguing mixture of genres indeed! Not on iTunes so had to listen on YouTube, with all the adverts not ideal, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Pues me ha alegrado la mañana
Man, there's a lot of dislike for this album in the reviews, and for what I can't really tell. It's not some world breaking genre fusion masterpiece, but it's fun pop music with basic latin influences. I'm actually surprised this wasn't on the radio more; maybe it was marketed poorly? The only thing this band is missing is a charismatic character that stands out, the rest of it is like a midwesterner's idea of "foreign" music, but performed really well and with a nice variety of instruments and voices. It's perfectly fine, don't get the hate. It's fun even. I liked Dejame En Paz the best with the punk breakdown at the end.
3.0 One of those rare ones where I couldn't find it on Spotify, not the full album on YouTube. Best I could do was listen to the one track that exists on Spotify, and then have a spin through their top songs. It's a shame, as I quite digged the one song from this album but the top tracks were a scattergun, some good, some bad. Not usually my thing but the upbeat tempo does bring a bit of joy. I can't imagine loving it, but it's nice to have a bit of variety.
Overall: 5/10 This is kind of a mishmash of a bunch of different genres. I had a decent enough time with it, even if there wasn't much of an emotional connection. Just a meh album that could be good to dance to. Fav Song: Te Estoy Buscando
First I’ve heard of them; catchy! Enjoyed it.