A one of a kind personality, recording artist, father, husband, bandmate, and ICON, Ozzy Osbourne returns for the first time since the 2010 LP Scream when his new album, Ordinary Man, drops on Friday, February 21, 2020 via Sony Music.
What is left to say about the man, the myth who is actually not a myth but very much a reality, the legend himself, Mr. Ozzy Osbourne? Ozzy Osbourne’s career has turned this boy from Birmingham, England into the creator of Heavy Metal, a Grammy Award winning singer, and a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer with Black Sabbath.
For a staggering fifty years, whether on Black Sabbath’s eponymous debut album, being his spectacular self on MTV’s The Osbournes, or tearing up the road on Ozzfest, Ozzy has dedicated his entire life to bringing the utmost joy to Heavy Metal fans the world over. In return, the hearts of Ozzy fans are filled with gratitude for what Ozzy’s music has meant to them in their own lives and they show it every day especially on social media.
As of late, Ozzy has been fighting to conquer some health issues but that has not stopped the Ozzman from gifting his loyal fans with new music. That being said, Ozzy announced Ordinary Man back in October of 2019. Shortly thereafter, Ozzy began releasing singles and up first was “Under The Graveyard,” followed by “Straight To Hell,” and then came “Ordinary Man” featuring an unexpected duet between Ozzy and Sir Elton John. The backstory, Ordinary Man was recorded in Los Angeles, California and it all pretty much came out of a jam session Ozzy had with some names you may have heard of – Bassist Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), Drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and, on guitar, Producer Andrew Watt. In the end, after just getting together to jam here and there, the supergroup ended up crafting Ozzy’s new album which is why previous collaborators like Zakk Wylde are not a part of this LP.
Putting the Ozzy touch on Modern Rock, “Straight To Hell” opens up Ordinary Man complete with haunted themes and a ripping guitar solo that many Heavy Metal fans will appreciate. Track two, “All My Life” offers lyrical content that looks back at childhood innocence with the slow parts being the most emotional. Longtime fans may feel like this song could have been on the No More Tears album had the tune been written during that period. Beginning with the same drum opening as Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” along with a gang vocal, “Goodbye” features a heavy melody followed by a dragster speed performance.
In what will become a classic, “Ordinary Man (feat. Elton John)” is single hand-idly one of Ozzy’s absolute best ballads ever next to “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” Both performances by Ozzy and Elton John are both heartwarming and heart-wrenching all in one. Hearing Ozzy sing the line “The truth is I don’t wanna die an ordinary man” is just incredible. Then, the debut single, “Under The Graveyard” is a fine return to the dire sounds of Black Sabbath before “Eat Me” gifts old timey harmonica with muddy guitar as “Today Is The End” envisions the apocalypse in an uptempo ballad.
If you believe, the “Scary Little Green Men” paint a fun picture of a bad but good Sci-Fi flick with the amusing lyric “They might just try to eat us.” Next up, Ozzy gets “Holy For Tonight” before the super fast, almost Punk inspired “It’s A Raid (feat. Post Malone)” sees the guest star taking on the second verse in a song you may not expect from Ozzy yet one that is moshable. In culmination, Ordinary Man includes the Post Malone track “Take What You Want (feat. Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott)” to close the book on this new release.
Adding another album to his immaculate collection, Ozzy’s Ordinary Man mainly features arguably his best ballad in “Ordinary Man (feat. Elton John)” as well as a couple of stand out rockers in “Straight To Hell” and “Under The Graveyard.” Now, some fans may not find Ordinary Man to be 1980’s Blizzard of Ozz or 1983’s Bark At The Moon and may feel Post Malone’s appearance is eye-brow raising. At minimum, “Ordinary Man (feat. Elton John),” “Straight To Hell,” and “Under The Graveyard” make this new material worth checking out if you are a die-hard Ozzy fan.
Lastly, fans all over the world wish Ozzy Osbourne a speedy recovery and good health for many years to come because we all love this not so Ordinary Man. And it is for all these reasons, Cryptic Rock gives Ordinary Man 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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