Ozzy Osboure - Down To Earth Review
Posted by Evocator Manes on 09.04.2002
Part V of The Black Sabbath Channeling Weekend Spectacular
I guess there is no way that I can really reference this disc in the Dio review without reprinting this review for purposes of context. Widro wants to keep the reviews current to 2002, and this came out in 2001, but it was late 2001. So, by popular demand, I present this review.
Some people just do not know when to quit. Seriously. Ozzy’s first clue should have been the disappearance after the last record of Zakk Wylde, who operated as much of a spokesperson for the cause of all things Ozzy as he did guitarist, due to, in Zakk’s words, “fucking cunt producers fucking the fucking record up with bullshit alternative-sounding songs and shitass guest-writers”. That records was Ozzmosis and had one great song on it, a pattern which repeats itself to horrid effect here. Zakk also returns, but only to connect the goddamn dots. There is one good song on this disc and it’s not Imagine Dreamer.
It’s also not the ridiculous single Gets Me Through, an aging metal legends fellatio toward his fans in the form of a song. It’s also not the rehash of the Sabbath song Into The Void, here referred to as No Easy Way Out. Like the song Tomorrow on Ozzmosis was the only stand out song on the disc – and one of the best twenty of Ozzy’s career – Facing Hell is this disc’s only redeeming feature. Just as with Ozzmosis, the artwork is better than the actual disc and the artwork sucks. As much as I have always admired Ozzy throughout the majority of his career, he should just give the shit a rest and hang it up.
Sharon is making him a mint with Ozzfest, now that he has a teleprompter to keep him from skipping or repeating the lyrics to War Pigs (see Just Say Ozzy disc for empirical evidence, unless it has been edited out in subsequent versions, like the dub-over job done on Blizzard Of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman. Ozzy is too easily led astray. He has always been too easily led astray. If not by Sharon, then by producers or drugs or both. The guy should just stick with playing a drug-addled doddering old fool, stumbling around his house and muttering fuck under his breath at every available opportunity.
It is a role he was born for and fits perfect. He had a great career, made some classic records and was a heavily influential part of music history. Why rust this shit all away by putting out pathetically sorry albums like this? He doesn’t need the money. The lyrics don’t even make sense anymore – “There’s no reasoning why cause the mirror don’t lie.” (Junkie) Are you serious What is this shit? – which is probably part of the reason why they were not reprinted in the booklet.
The producer Tim Palmer and an army of ringer fix-it writers are arrayed on this album, never a good sign for an artist who wishes to remain valid. Don’t buy either this or Ozzmosis, instead go find the song Tomorrow and be thankful you don’t have to hear the piano-tinged entanglement-laden wreckage of pop-Ozzy. So much for metal and so much for a legacy. Know when to say when, Ozzy. Hang it up. Not at all recommended.
The 411: Of no discernable use beyond that of a drink coaster. A shameful and pitiable sham.
