Vodka picked Israeli band Ouzo Bazooka, not for its spot-on vocals or the production quality of its videos, but because of the totality in the lack of each, while embracing a rock, progressive rock, vibe that is in itself different from anything else you will find in music today. In essence, Ouzo Bazooka does not take itself too seriously, while still putting together interesting music that defies simple categories. They fit neatly in the Vodka mantra: “Music that isn’t the same old thing…mostly.”

Ouzo Bazooka creates a melding of Middle Eastern meets Western rock and progressive rock that is both hypnotic and satisfying. The drug trip of Space Camel (seen/heard here), from the group’s latest long-player, Transporter (January 2019), takes the listener on a visual hallucination with both quirky charm and musical deftness. 

Progressive rock bands often have more exploratory songcraft, taking instrumental journeys that can often last minutes within a track. Here, Ouzo Bazooka steers clear of that trap, exploring, musically, what they can wrap around in a matter of three to four minutes. Space Camel is actually the longest track on Transporter, clocking in at 6:37. 

You can find more information on Ouzo Bazooka by heading up to their retro, minimalist, but fairly complete, website. Missing is a store link, but you can find the band’s music on their bandcamp.com site, mostly digital-only, although a few long-players have CD and vinyl purchases still available. 

If you are looking for something that is entirely different from what your radio is spewing out, check out Ouzo Bazooka now!