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On its fifth studio album, "Fire Away," Ozomatli shows a remarkable ability to innovate with its most expansive and energetic set in years.
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Ozomatli’s fifth studio release, “Fire Away,” delivers a characteristic 75 mph, 20-car pileup of thunderous brass and irrepressible percussion from the opening track, which demands to know, “Are You Ready?” Yes, we are and so is the band.
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It’s a genre experiment that might encourage more sceptical listeners to err on the side of caution, but if you’re willing to let yourself be swept away, then the rewards are worthwhile.
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Sprawling LA collective Ozomatli return with Fire Away, their fifth full-length to date, and offer another rich dose of positive energy and musical diversity.
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Now a septet, Ozomatli are tighter than ever. Berg manages to keep the grit and dirt in the band’s live sound while adding just enough studio ambience to make the album jump hard.
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UncutFire Away makes an energetic fist of recapturing in the studio their raucous collision of salsa, hip hop, funk and R&B. [Aug 2010, p.91]
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While their verses might be disappointingly lightweight this time out, Ozomatli provides more than enough substance where it counts.
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Though it might pain those fans who prefer Ozomatli to be Ozomatli, the album’s best tracks are those on which the band finally comes to realize they can be whatever they want to be.
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Q MagazineAs the tempo drops, however, their shortcomings as songwriters become obvious. [Aug 2010, p.124]