what a diverse band of sounds. jazz fusion instrumentals what great musicianship arranged at the very top of ones game.you must get this album.

Stanton Swihart of The All Music Guide: ONOFFON Surrender Now Reviewed by Stanton Swihart, The All Music Guide "From the very beginning of Surrender Now, Onoffon displays their ambitious cross-genre skills. Opening with a rumbling Von Babasin bassline, the title cut might be called jazz fusion were it not for Don Lake's wailing harmonica that cuts through the smooth, effortless music. When the airy vocals enter the picture, imparting vaguely mystical sentiments, it makes for something akin to new age jazz-rock. Very eerie, actually, but something that is unique and intriguing. That new age/jazz-rock mix is not wholly characteristic of Surrender Now. Jazz is certainly a beginning point for the band, but there is a also healthy dose of progressive rock influence and perhaps the slightest hint of blues. "Your Reality," too, shows psychedelic influences, particularly in the lyrics and Lake's slithery, snaking guitar work. Despite being a three-piece, Onoffon creates a dense and full canvas of sound, and their playing is complex and exciting. Babasin is nothing less than a virtuoso on bass, while Lake's guitar is tensive and spacy, making many of the songs, even those with lyrics, sound mysterious. Dave Goode's drumming builds a tricky and complicated foundation for the music that can be either heavy or dexterous, but is never less than interesting. Lyrically, the songs can be occasionally indiscriminate and nebulous, and the band could benefit from a more dynamic vocalist (Lake handles most of the lead vocals on Surrender Now), but those are only slight criticisms of a band that is as consistently inventive as Onoffon. The production -- handled entirely by the band itself -- may have a bit too much sheen, but otherwise is beyond reproach. Everything from a Japanese koto and saxophone to vibes and marimba to bluejean and newspaper taps (on the doo wop-ish "Please Baby Please") are employed to fill out the songs, and to good effect. Surrender Now never stops short of surprising or delighting the listener who is willing to give the music the effort it deserves." This reviews is posted at: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=1ONOFFON

ONOFFON Surrender Now - 10 Reviewed by Kevin Kreiner, MP3critic.com "Simply put, ONOFFON may be the most aptly named band on earth. Their new release, a full length CD called "Surrender Now," is schizophrenic in the best possible sense of the word. This power trio of Don Lake on guitars and vocals, Von Babasin on bass, and Dave Goode on drums goes from modern rock to straight jazz to long orchestral arrangements to Tom Waits style narrative without missing a beat, and the overall result is dazzling. It's like what you want radio to be, you're not sure what's next, but you know it'll be interesting. Add some guest musicians on saxophone or marimba, and you're in for quite a ride with this one. The album kicks off with the title track, the lyrical "Surrender Now." It's a pretty thing, no two ways about it. "Rock Garden" doesn't rock as hard as the title suggests, but the introspective lyrics more than compensate. The third number "Your Reality," is closer to your standard indie rock fair, a quick moving number built around a series of repeated phrases. Three down, eight to go, and that's where it gets funky. "Weekend in Montreal," the album's fourth track, is straight ahead jazz. Featuring Glen Garrett guest starring on tenor sax, without lyrics to get in your way, if you just came in at this point you'd think you were in the middle of damn good jazz record. Which, I suppose, is why "I Don't Give No," track five, hits really hard. On its own, "I Don't Give No" is kind of ordinary as angry rock songs go, following smooth jazz, it kicks you right in the teeth. In case it's not already obvious, this record's a radio programmer's nightmare. If you listened to "Weekend in Montreal" you'd say ONOFFON is a jazz band. If you just heard "Inside my Soul" (track 6) you'd be thinking lyric driven progressive rock. On the other hand, turn on track nine, "Letter Received," and you'd say Tom Waits is back with a story about getting screwed by the IRS. Skip ahead to track ten, "If a Thief Were I" and you'd be back to progressive, orchestral style like Yes used to do it. The best part of this record, aside from the skill with which the whole thing is executed, is the variety. I can't recall the last time I found a band so proficient at so many different things, and, more importantly, one willing to show it off on a single album. The best way to enjoy this one is just to put it on and let it play all the way through, beginning to end. You'll be glad you did." This review is posted at: http://www.mp3critic.com/review.asp?pm=23

ONOFFON Surrender Now Reviewed by Jason Spatola, Local Music Store Reviews "Progressive Rock has finally found a savior with the California-based trio ONOFFON. Led by musicians Don Lake (guitar & vocals), Von Babasin (bass), and Dave Goode (percussion), this group defies a definite genre. Their debut album, Surrender Now, shifts through pop-rock (Rock Garden, Inside My Soul), pure prog-rock (Surrender Now, If a Thief Were I), good ol' blues inspired rock (Your Reality, I Don't Give No...), and more. There are also two instrumentals: "Weekend in Montreal", a jazzy sax solo with awesome rhythm accompaniment; and "The Gift Must Always Move", featuring some really cool guitar riffs. Don Lake's vocals are down to earth and at times amusing, as shown on the dark blues track "Letter Received", a tale about getting one of those "you screwed up on your tax return" letters from the IRS. Don, Von, and Dave are very talented musicians, as are the additional musicians that played various instruments on the album.The bass lines are awesome, especially in "Surrender Now" and "I Don't Give No...". The percussion is equally good, and a few rare "instruments" are used in "Please Baby Please" (blue jeans, fannypack, and newspaper). Don's guitar playing is melodic and has a rhythmic feel. Every track on Surrender Now is beautifully arranged, played, and mixed. My two favorite tracks are the psychedelic prog-journey "Remember Only.." and the instrumental "The Gift Must Always Move". Both of these songs display the band's enormous talent. I have no complaints about anything on the album; I only wish there could be more. I recommend Surrender Now to anyone that likes decent rock music, and I hope that their next release will be as good as their first." This review is posted at: http://localmusicstore.com/bbs/reviews/5.html