George Starostin's Reviews

OZZY OSBOURNE

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Introduction

Tim Blake (28.07.2006)

As far as I'm concerned this is definitely Ozzy's best album. Blizzard Of Ozz was ok, but given way too much praise because it is really just a borderline mediocre collection of songs. Most of them plodded in a dull way, whereas Diary finally has some good rollocking energy on it. I hate how there were almost no solid fast grooves on Blizzard, every song bumped along at mid pace with Ozzy being his usual dumbass self (by far one of the most famous but least talented vocalists I can think of, the other three made Sabbath the pure brilliance it was, but Ozzy is best known? Life eh?), the riffs saving only the first two songs.

The album opens with Ozzy's best song, 'Over The Mountain'. Finally a huge amount of energy and forward drive to supplement Rhandy's impressive riffage, fills and solos. Unfortunately, we go straight back into Blizzard territory with the supremely boring 'Flying High Again', 'nuff said 'bout that one. 'You Can't Kill Rock N' Roll' sounds reasonably good, a passable melody and as per usual great guitar and a lush atmosphere. 'Believer' is interesting, in that it is still a slow plodder but the riffage has so much energy that the whole song is saved and becomes good. Then another drop...'Little Dolls' is just like 'Believer' but the riffs don't save it. 'Tonight' is your typical overwrought Ozzy ballad. S.A.T.O is atypical in that it has probably the amount of speed and balls you'd find in Iron Maiden, which is very welcome. Great track. The final 'epic' 'Diary Of A Madman' is quite neat actually, as it manages to recall a bit of the gloom of Ozzy's Sabbath's years, which is a welcome change to his usual 'retardation' behaviour.

As much as this is Ozzy's best album it isn't that good a sign when I can barely make myself be particularly enthusiastic about it anyways. It's so half crap half excellent it isn't funny. I mean I'd almost consider giving it like two extra points for 'Over The Mountain'...what a fantastic opener. It's a mixed effort, but the positive parts shine through the black cloud of Ozzy's supreme mediocrity. 'Bark At The Moon' is a close competitor though imo. Anyways, Ozzy is still pretty much a joke. End.


ALBUMS
BLIZZARD OF OZZ

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DIARY OF A MADMAN

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SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

ESIO G GUERRERO <gabriel65@attbi.com> (08.07.2002)

you forgot to mention 'paranoid' the best version of this song ever (on the speak of the devil albun)

<DebNMarkW@aol.com> (19.11.2003)

The problem I have with this album like others is Ozzy's vocals. Ozzy cannot sing worth a s**t and his vocals (like all the rest of his albums) had to be pitch corrected. He even went in the studio and overdubbed some of the vocals. Nowhere is this more evident than on the very first song 'Symptom Of The Universe'. Listen to the very first two lines in the song, and you'll faintly hear his voice crack where it was cleaned up in the studio. Oh...but I forgot, it's Ozzy. Rock on dude.


BARK AT THE MOON

Alexander Zaitsev <zaitsev@perm.ru> (15.06.2003)

Geez, George, do really think that Ozzy was sincere? Much as I respect the man, he is just a clown. All his songs are fake, totally fake. If he really wanted to fight back, why did he put all those goofy, spooky songs and "confessions" on the same album? The former reduce the effect of the latter to nothing, because the contradiction between the songs is ridiculous. Ozzy has a formula of songwriting and he is unable to stop following it, even if he wants to. He wanted to do it on Bark at the Moon, but failed. And besides, he has an obligatory "leave me alone" song on EVERY album. Can confessions be obligatory? Some of the songs are really good, though. I give the album two and a half stars.


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