OUZO BAZOOKA

Garage psych exotica and rocking ragas from Israel.

Based out of Tel Aviv, Ouzo Bazooka are, according to their bio, “the undisputed champions of middle eastern psych rock”. They certainly advance a fairly compelling case on third album Transporter, with a sound that nails the twangy but tough sweet spot between the 70s Anatolian rock scene and the 80s garage psych of bands such as The Steppes. There’s a fun, almost cartoonish vibe throughout, the type of album to get a party started without being completely mindless. It’s A Sin kicks it off in fine style, its gothic surf rock vibe and catchy melody guaranteed to have you singing along by the second chorus. Latest News pushes the heaviness, its thumping riff laced with some nice horrorshow Vox organ, while Trip Train is one of several cuts here paying homage to the Nuggets bands and the British Invasion sound of the Stones, the

Kinks and Them. However, the undoubted highlight for prog fans is the wonderfully daft Space Camel, Mediterranean cosmic disco with spangly funk guitar and bouzouki, but also a synth line that could be straight off an early Marillion album. Eastern spirit at high velocity.