The Los Angeles Anthem of 2007: Ozomatli's "City of Angels"

(Pic by Christian Lantry, via the L.A. Times.)

Few other bands look, sound and feel like Los Angeles than Ozomatli. And few songs capture the thrill of living in Los Angeles circa 2007 than the group's newish track, "City of Angels."

Listen to the track here.

Ozomatli horn player Ulises "Uli" Bella talked to the L.A. Times in January about the motivation for the song:

"L.A. is in everything we do, that's the sound of us, but with this 'City of Angels' we wanted to do an actual anthem for L.A., an ode to the place, you know, like that Randy Newman song but with a beat and with the sound of the street."

"City of Angels" is on Ozomatli's new CD, "Don't Mess With the Dragon," which drops at the end of the month.

To promote the single, the band is running a contest on its official website, asking fans to produce their own music video. The site includes the "City of Angels" MP3 and seven rolls of camera footage; users can edit it on their own and then post the finished product on YouTube or another video site. (Videos can also use other footage and even include alternative mixes or mashups of "City of Angels.")

You've got a week left to throw something together; the video needs to be posted online by March 15. Winner will receive $2000, with the second-place finisher scoring $1000, and third place, $500.