Ozma is the second studio album by the American sludge metal band Melvins, released on November 1, 1989, through Boner Records. It is the first Melvins album to feature bassist Lori Black (also known as the Lorax) and was recorded in May 1989 after the band relocated to San Francisco.
Background
The album's title refers to the character Princess Ozma from L. Frank Baum's Oz series of books. The cover art was drawn by Chris Dodge, bassist of the band Spazz and owner of Slap-a-Ham Records.
The CD version of the album includes the entirety of the Melvins' debut album, Gluey Porch Treatments, as part of the same disc. The printed track listing on the CD lists 34 tracks, but the disc contains only 33, due to "Exact Paperbacks" and "Happy Grey or Black" being mistakenly combined into a single track.
Music and Genre
Ozma is characterized as sludge metal, hardcore punk, and grunge. AllMusic critic Ned Raggett noted that while the genre experimentation of later Melvins work was still some distance off, the album showed the band already taking creative risks. Ira Robbins of Trouser Press described the record as "an outpouring of overweight weirdness cut into short slices." The album was included in Revolver magazine's list of "10 Grunge Albums You Need to Own," where it was described as "a bestial metal-punk hybrid that's lumbering, ponderous, and completely frightening."
Track Listing
All tracks written by Buzz Osborne except where noted.
Side one:
- "Vile" – 3:47
- "Oven" – 1:28
- "At a Crawl" – 2:46
- "Let God Be Your Gardener" – 1:52
- "Creepy Smell" – 2:04
- "Kool Legged" – 2:48
- "Green Honey" – 1:13
- "Agonizer" – 1:40
Side two:
- "Raise a Paw" – 1:11
- "Love Thing" (Kiss cover; written by Criss, Frehley, Simmons, Stanley) – 1:17
- "Ever Since My Accident" – 1:30
- "Revulsion/We Reach" – 6:21
- "Dead Dressed" – 2:07
- "Cranky Messiah" – 1:25
- "Claude" – 1:15
- "My Small Percent Shows Most" – 0:58
CD/cassette bonus track: 17. "Candy-O" (The Cars cover; written by Ric Ocasek) – 1:27
Personnel
Melvins:
- Buzz Osborne – vocals, guitar
- Lori Black – bass
- Dale Crover – drums, backing vocals
Additional personnel:
- Mark Deutrom – producer
- Joshua Roberts – engineer
- Chris Dodge – cover art
Covers
"Love Thing" is a cover of the Kiss song "Love Theme from KISS" from their eponymous debut album. "Creepy Smell" begins with the intro to "Living in Sin" from Gene Simmons' solo album. "Candy-O" is originally by the Cars.
