Album: Beginnings
Band: OzGoode
I love hearing new bands. I am always so excited to hear what they have to say and the style they choose to get their message across. I love it even more when a band feels confident enough in their music to produce their first EP and present it to the world.
Beginnings is the first EP from Toronto & New York-based OzGoode. The band formed in 2002, and their songs are full of tight harmonies, emotional lyrics, and strong, female vocals. Their sound is unique, but if you like bands like Evanescence, Alanis Morrisette, U2, and Within Temptation, they you will definitely like OzGoode.
This EP is perfect because the variety of songs allows the musicians to demonstrate exactly what they are capable of. With only four tracks on the EP, the music ranges from rock with a slight jazz flare to harder rock.
“Where Did You Go” starts with drums that remind me of the song “Stolen Dance” by Milky Chance. The bass and guitar set the overall mood and the vocals rise to meet the tone. However, I found that the strength of the start faded as the song went on. I was expecting the strong beat to continue and crescendo with the vocals just before the chorus, as heard with most rock, but it didn’t. And that left the song feeling anti-climactic, flat, and frustrating, but maybe that was their intention. The lyrics are dark and ominous, full of an unfulfilled want, so the lack of that dramatic increase just before the chorus enhances that feeling.
“Save Me” is a beautiful track. The guitar riff at the start is obviously influenced by the music from U2, but it sets the atmosphere perfectly. The addition of the piano gives the song a lingering emotion that lasts long after the song is finished.
“Repose” perfectly showcases OzGoode’s robust vocals and lyrics. The music is softer, but still powerful, a balance that is often hard to accomplish. I feel as if there is a slight jazz or blues influence to the singing, as the notes tend to be held much longer on the parts that the lyricist wished to emphasize.
“Shake It Off” is the final track and my favourite on this EP. The sound is much harder, and the singing equally so. The guitar solo and rhythmic drums at the beginning piques the interest right away, and the vocals are angry and seductive, an element that I love in harder rock music with female vocals. The lyrics make you get up and move after a rough day, perfect for those days when you may feel like everything is against you.
Overall, Beginnings is a great introduction to OzGoode. I feel like a bit more polishing could be done in some areas of their music, but I look forward to hearing their first full-length album. Beginnings is now available on iTunes.
Samantha Stevens is an aspiring writer who loves combining her love for literature with photography, painting, music, and all creative pursuits.
