It’s been more than 10 years since OZMA formed, but that hasn’t dulled the enthusiasm of the band’s lead vocalist and bass player, Daniel Brummel.
Brummel, who joined the earliest incarnation of OZMA when he was a high school freshman, said the bumps that had threatened to derail the band before it found its niche are past, and the members are more grounded musically than ever. He speaks enthusiastically about how the songwriting collaboration he has with the band’s founder, Ryan Slegr, has matured in the four years since their last album. A lot of that growth is due to experimentation with various sounds and techniques.
“We had a kind of revolving door into the studio, and we kept going there whenever we were home,” Brummel said.
The result is “Pasadena,” an 11-track CD the band released last month. It builds on the pop strength of OZMA?s previous albums with plenty of synthesizers, energy and bouncing vocals mixed in. The sound seems to suit the five-member band (yes, it?s from Pasadena, Calif.), which boasts a loud, energetic on-stage persona that integrates backing tracks and heavy vocals up front.
Fans? disappointment and critics’ thumbs down about the band’s previous album, “Spending Time on the Borderline,” caused the band to rethink its entire sound during the four-year hiatus, Slegr said.
How had a band many thought was the heir apparent to Weezer gone so far off track?
Slegr and his band mates knew the answer wouldn’t be simple, so they took some time to sort it out.
“We definitely took more time off between records” than most bands do, he said. “Some of it was looking at our past work. We had 20 things we liked about the past work and a lot we didn’t like.”
The process took the band back to the musical drawing board, where members experimented with keyboards, vocals and other elements to regain its signature sound. The result is a back-to-its-roots sound that OZMA hopes its fans will embrace.
“I learned a lot about writing during that time,” Slegr said. “That gives this album a solid sound and connection.”
IF YOU GO
OZMA
» Venue: Sonar, 407 East Saratoga St., Baltimore
» Time: 7 p.m. Saturday
» Tickets: $12
» More info: www.ticketmaster.com; 401-547-SEAT
