Ozzy Osbourne's 'Ordinary Man' - Album Review

While there are lots of great classic bands that are still regularly putting out new albums, there are plenty of older bands for whom the creative well seems to have run dry. For someone like me who loves many of the classic rock and metal bands still touring, but who also actively seeks out and consumes as much new music as possible, it is a shame that some bands seem content to join the nostalgia circuit - playing the same fifteen songs night after night for crowds largely made up of people who probably could not care less whether that band ever releases anything new. For me, this issue seems to be fuelled from both sides. Some bands seem to be unable to adapt to the ever-changing music industry, with the days of huge advances from record labels and all the pampering that came with that long gone; while large chunks of many fanbases are stuck in the past, content to endlessly relive their youth and the handful of hits that were big during 'their day'. It frustrates me to see a band like Foreigner play almost the exact same setlist for around a decade, despite releasing the fabulous Can't Slow Down in 2009 - which has largely been ignored since it came out. On the one hand I can understand it, but on the other I think it shows a real lack of creativity and gives the impression that some bands really are still touring just for the paycheck. The reason for this lengthy preamble is that, until very recently, Ozzy Osbourne fell into this category. While he released an album with Black Sabbath in 2013 (which I reviewed here), Osbourne's creative streak has certainly been very low over the past couple of decades. Prior to last month, his most-recent solo album came ten years ago. Scream, as the album was eventually released as, was a pretty forgettable album and in truth really summed up Osbourne's solo career since probably 1991's No More Tears. I am not sure that anyone was really expecting a follow-up to Scream given the album's fairly muted reception and the fact that Osbourne's solo setlists are extremely predictable - but last year he announced that he was working on new material with producer and guitarist Andrew Watt (California Breed). A couple of singles dropped in November of last year and it is fair to say that both surpassed my expectations. Given Scream, Black Rain, and some of the other albums that came before, my expectations for Osbourne's new material were low. The singles, however, saw Osbourne sounding energised with the music from Watt and a host of other musicians recalling both his solo career and his time with Black Sabbath. They sounded fresh, so I looked forward to Ordinary Man's February release with something resembling excitement. I have lived with Ordinary Man for around a month now, and I have to say that I think it is, on the whole, a strong album and easily Osbourne's best solo album for a number of years. Vocally, he sounds pretty good throughout and Watt's fuzzy guitar tone and riffs are perfectly-suited to his style. The album's core band of Watt, bassist Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses; Loaded; Velvet Revolver; Walking Papers), and drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers; Chickenfoot) have co-written the album's material and have helped Osbourne craft a strong set of songs that, I think it is fair to say, no-one was really expecting.

The album kicks off with one of the early singles, the up-tempo and riffy Straight to Hell. Ordinary Man is a surprisingly diverse album that packs quite a lot into its ten tracks, but Straight to Hell is a back-to-basics slab of old-school sounding metal that recalls Osbourne's tenure with Black Sabbath. I never listened to California Breed's only album, Watt's short-lived band with Glenn Hughes, so I was unfamiliar with his guitar playing prior to hearing these songs. While certainly no Randy Rhoads or Jake E. Lee, Watt's playing throughout Ordinary Man helps to bring the best out of Osbourne's ageing voice. Before Watt's riff kicks in however, a gothic choir sets the tone; but the song really gets going with Watt's bluesy riff and Smith's tight drum groove. Mid-period Black Sabbath vibes are present throughout the track; with Osbourne's voice acting out a call-and-response pattern during the verses with the rest of the band - with a simple chorus containing some strong melodies. Osbourne, of course, does not sound as good as he did in the 1970s or 1980s, but his recognisable howl is still intact. Some awful lyrics aside (I'll make you scream, I'll make you defecate being the absolute nadir), he holds up his end of the bargain throughout the song as the band strut around him. An emotive, yet speedy, guitar solo courtesy of Slash (Guns N' Roses; Slash's Snakepit; Velvet Revolver) helps to add some additional class to the song, and brings Osbourne's first solo track in a decade to a strong close. All My Life is a bit more low-key. McKagan's bass shines throughout the verses, providing some deep, chiming melodies along with Watt's guitars and some shimmering keyboards. The ballad-esque verses allow Osbourne to approach the vocals in a more emotional way, but the sparser instrumentation also starts to reveal the cracks in his ageing voice. The flaws only add to the charm however, and the heavier choruses act as something of a contrast as Smith's drums crash in to beef everything up. Osbourne's howl is still well-suited to heavier numbers, with the dynamic nature of the piece both showing his current strengths and weaknesses. Goodbye, a murky piece, seems to pay tribute to Black Sabbath's Iron Man a little during the intro with a lumbering drum pulse and an effects-heavy spoken word piece. The Sabbath vibes are present throughout the whole song in fact, with Watt's guitars creating an atmospheric backing during the sparse verses; before he launches into a lumbering riff that backs up the hard-hitting chorus. Much of the song is quite slow, using the atmospherics or riffs to create a heavy, brooding vibe; but there are parts of the song that speed up with Smith really laying into his drum kit to drive everything forward while McKagan's punky basslines fatten up the sound. A couple of strange, tortured guitar solos from Watt add further to this strange vibe too, and help to keep the listener on their toes.

The album's title track is a heartfelt ballad, and sees Osbourne duetting with another British music legend. Elton John, who sings some of the song with Osbourne as well as playing the piano, has certainly aged better than Osbourne but his voice is also showing a few cracks these days. The two singers play off each other nicely however, and John's mournful piano lines are the perfect backing for the somewhat autobiographical lyrics. The fact that neither Osbourne or John could ever be described as 'ordinary men' is an irony that the song seems to be somewhat aware of; but it helps the further the poignancy - especially during the sing along chorus. Another guitar solo from Slash only helps the emotional impact of the piece. His playing is full of his trademark bluesy runs and patented searing tone, which cuts through the piano and strings perfectly to further the song's overall cause. Under the Graveyard was the first song released from the album back in November last year and it instantly piqued my interest. I still think it is one of the best things here, and could easily be Osbourne's best individual song for a good number of years. It opens quite slowly, with Watt's furtive clean guitar licks and some simple keyboard tones - which is vibe that continues throughout the verses. There are a few songs on the album that have low-key verses that then explode into a powerful chorus, but in my view this is the best example of that style. The song also features possibly Osbourne's best vocal performance on the album, with a confidence and control that certainly defies his age and past life choices. This is especially evident during the anthemic chorus, based around a powerful Watt riff and some fantastic drumming, which sees the Osbourne from the mid-1970s resurface briefly for some powerful and emotionally-charged vocal lines. Eat Me opens with Osbourne's mournful harmonica, something that I am not sure has been seen since The Wizard on Sabbath's debut album, before an appropriately Sabbath-esque guitar riff kicks off which keeps the song moving at a mid-paced strut from that point on. This is a song that leaves the dynamic arrangements of many of the other tracks behind, and instead adopts a simpler approach that really takes the listener back to the early days of Osbourne's career. An anthemic chorus, complete with some subtle gang vocals, provides a strong hook, while Watt's guitar playing cements itself firmly in the 'heavy blues' territory. Watt's choice to keep the guitar playing throughout the album fairly simple was a wise choice. The simple, but powerful riffs, really allow Osbourne to shine vocally; and he is unlikely to ever be able to competed with Rhoads, Lee, etc. from a technical standpoint. That being said however, his solos are still very enjoyable, with a squealing run of notes here adding to the song's overall bite. Today is the End is a bit more hypnotic overall, but with pop hooks that shine through - particularly during the choruses. This is a track that seems to take Osbourne's love of The Beatles and run with it. The choruses sound like something that they might have written during their more experimental phase, with shimmering melodies and a strong beat that keeps the song moving despite the overall murk of the piece. It does not really sound like anything that Osbourne has done before, showing that his new partnership with Watt has taken his songwriting and mindset in a few new directions.

Scary Little Green Men, in many ways, is classic Osbourne. The vibe here is similar to much of Osbourne's solo work throughout the years, but with a bit of a modern twist thanks to Watt's production. Osbourne's songs have often been filled with humour, and this track is no different with his tale of aliens delivered with a certain amount of wit. The dynamic sound present in many of the album's songs also returns here, with spooky verses mixing well with fast-paced, heavier choruses - featuring some powerful, hard-hitting riffing. Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine; Audioslave; Prophets of Rage) is also featured throughout the song, contributing some of the song's more strange-sounding guitar parts. He is known for being able to make his guitar make a lot of otherworldly noises and that talent has been put to good use throughout this track - with a strange effects-heavy instrumental break replacing the traditional solo. It is another standout track on the album, and one that shows Osbourne's humour is well and truly still intact. Holy for Tonight is more of a ballad, and features some excellent emotion vocals from Osbourne, with the pop duo Lucius (who have recently been touring with Roger Waters) adding their gorgeous backing and harmony vocals to the mournful track. Musically, the song is quite grand. There is quite a prominent string presence throughout, which helps to add a lot of depth, but it is actually McKagan's bass that adds the most to the track in my opinion. While he does not play on every song here, with Watt covering the bass duties on a few tracks, his muscular playing really bulks out the songs that he does appear on. His 'lead bass' approach here however really drives the entire track, with his low melodies keeping everything moving - as well as working nicely in tandem with the strings. The album comes to an end with It's a Raid, a fast-paced, somewhat punky track that features rapper Post Malone - with Malone clearly returning the favour after Osbourne appeared on his hit Take What You Want (which is also included here as a bonus track). Malone's vocals here take on something of a pop-punk style, which works surprisingly well in the frantic context of the song. There is very little respite here, with the riffing and speedy drums really keeping everything moving while Osbourne spits the lyrics out in a powerful manner. It is a surprisingly strong song, but it does feel quite different to the rest of the album. Much of the album sounds quite retro, despite some modern production techniques present, with It's a Raid certainly sounding more current. The contrast is a bit stark, but it still manages to work - especially as the albums to a chaotic, crashing end with industrial beats and fuzzy guitars building up to an abrupt climax. Overall, Ordinary Man is a surprisingly strong album from Osbourne that sees him sounding refreshed and vital again after a glut of fairly mediocre albums over the past couple of decades. I think this was intended to be his final album, and if that does turn out to be the case then he will have ended on a high, but recent reports suggest he and Watt have already started work on a follow-up piece - so it seems there is more to come from his duo yet.

The album was released on 21st February 2020 via Epic Records. Below is Osbourne's promotional video for Under the Graveyard.