Ozzy Osbourne: Ordinary Man
I must apologize, really. I’m a lifelong metalhead…and I’ve never been a huge fan of Ozzy.
Heresy, right? But it’s the truth. I’m a (not-so) secret fan of the Dio era of Black Sabbath rather than the classic period. He’s been good for single songs and is, of course, the Godfather of Metal and the Prince of Darkness himself. But he’s never been my favorite.
And now, at age 71, he’s produced an absolutely amazing album, called, ironically enough, Ordinary Man. This album is, as my YouTube crush RazorFist says, “All killer, no filler.” I may have to revise my opinion of Ozzy.
And that’s no joke. Aside from the things that fueled this album (a Craig’s list posting for a cannibal, aliens, and the time that he got busted with a pile of cocaine, so he snorted it all to get rid of the evidence), the Ozzman is, quite obviously, obsessed with his impending demise. He’s also teamed with his kids, Kelly and Jack, to write the songs. Something about that touches me deeply.
I won’t bore you with my extremely inexpert technical review – I haven’t got one. I will, instead, simply ask that you sit down and listen to this album, from first song to last. In an era where good full albums are extremely difficult to come by, I’m playing this one so often that my co-workers and my SO are complaining that even they know the lyrics…and they don’t like metal (I’ve also done this to them with Ghost’s Prequelle, but that’s another story for another time).
The lyrics are incredible, the music is superb, and the duet with Elton John is unexpected and beautiful (probably didn’t see that one coming, did ya?). This album is so good, I’m at a loss for words. A writer, being at a loss for words because something was so amazing. Go figure.
True, though. I cannot stop listening to this, recommending it, making other people listen to it (Sorry, but you’re going to get socked with this one whenever you get in the car with me for the foreseeable future). Even if you’re not a metalhead or an Ozzy fan, I am still recommending this album. I think it has enough crossover appeal for many people to enjoy it.
Do your ears a favor, get this album.
The Painted Corner 