How Bizarre (CD) by OMC

OMC is the nom de guerre of Pauly Fuema, a former Maori gang member whose debut album is an interesting cross-pollination of musical genres. Like Beck, OMC (which stands for Fuema's defunct former group Otara Millionaires Club) paints with vivid aural colors, whether it's the ripe mariachi trumpet that shows up on the title track or the country-flavored dobro coupled with a Naughty By Nature-style drum machine on "Breaking My Heart." The opening track "On The Run" finds Fuema using his gang-banging background for song fodder, rapping over twangy, New Order-ish bass. French horn and gospel-flavored female vocals find their way into the mix on the hopeful "Land Of Plenty." Basking in the multi-cultural atmosphere of the 90's, OMC continues the quirky musical legacy of skewed pop left by fellow New Zealanders Split Enz.