STACK #185 Mar 2020

MUSIC FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

5 Under The Graveyard Don’t be fooled by Under The Graveyard ’s gentle beginnings, demon forces seep through thanks to the sinewy, sinister riffs that underscore the choruses. Multiple guitar freak- outs at song’s close demand your very best stank face. 6 Eat Me Harmonica opens this one before McKagan’s classy bassline struts in, gluing us to the spot. "I'm on the menu you won't get in the kitchen/ I even come with dessert" - Ozzy's humorous lyrical content is always welcome. 7 Today Is The End Guitar work conjures Enter Sandman vibes in this song's intro. Smith’s cymbal-heavy drumming penetrates viscous riffs, there’s a delicate piano melody and then the song ends abruptly, mid-headbang. 8 Scary Little Green Men This alien invasion-inspired track employs relatively minimal instrumentation during verses until syncopated riffs usher in cacophonous choruses. Listen out for retro Scary Little Men phrases such as “take me to your leader” and “we come in peace”. 9 Holy For Tonight Here Osbourne hilariously enters the confession booth: "Pray for me father for I know not what I do/ I am the monster/ Yeah, you must have read the news." Strings and a choir elevate this arrangement to epic proportions. Just add Tom Morello on guest guitar and we're truly not worthy. 10 It's A Raid Osbourne snaps straight back to the unholy with this fast and furious l’il number featuring Post Malone on co-lead vocals. Cue: mosh mayhem. A breakdown sees guitars sounding like sirens, it ramps up again like a runaway roller coaster and then this song concludes with, "F-ck you aaaaaaall!" 11 Take What You Want A song by Post Malone featuring Ozzy and Travis Scott, this one appears on Malone’s third album Hollywood’s Bleeding as well as Ordinary Man . A match made in Hell, but you've gotta admit it works! So who do we have to thank for this pairing? It turns out Watt met Kelly Osbourne at a party and pitched the idea of a Post and Ozzy collaboration to her. According to Watt, Post couldn't make the session so phoned his parts in.

Ordinary Man by Ozzy Osbourne is out now via Sony.

Ozzy Osbourne Ordinary Man "We recorded it quickly, which I haven’t done since the first Black Sabbath album." Ozzy Osbourne has compared recording Ordinary Man , his 12th solo album - which credits legends such as Elton John, Post Malone, Slash andTom Morello within the liner notes - to the creation of Black Sabbath's seminal self-titled 1970 debut. This album should be toured with a full orchestra - no sh-t! Words Bryget Chrisfield

gallop through the arrangement, taking no prisoners. “The crowd is still waiting/ I took my final bow…” – yep, we are still waiting for those postponed tour dates to be announced (especially after hearing this album). Smith’s skins cannot have survived the pummelling they cop at song’s close. “Is it tea time yet? Do they sell tea in Heaven?” – sure sounds like they had a whole lotta fun in the studio. 4 Ordinary Man That piano is so distinctively Elton John! And Elton also sings back-to-back with Ozzy on a verse during this song. “I was unprepared for fame then everybody knew my name/ No more lonely nights/ It’s aaaaaaall for you” - we like to think this one’s for Ozzy’s long-suffering wife Sharon. Enter lush strings, Slash on guitar and then Ozzy verbalising what everyone’s thinking: “…don’t know why I’m still alive.” We can already see the sea of swaying smartphone torches held aloft at arena shows during this one-song rock opera.

1 Straight To Hell Celestial choirs welcome us Straight To Hell (featuring Slash). “You’re flying higher than a kite tonight!” Phew! From Ozzy’s first line he’s in such ferociously fine voice! “I’ll make you scream, I’ll make you defecate” – ugh, there it is! Ozzy’s back. There’s menacing laughter, Chad Smith's drum demolition and riffs that’ll make your eyes bleed courtesy of guitarist AndrewWatt and bassist Duff McKagan. Talk about a dream backing band! 2 All My Life Ozzy goes all misty-eyed nostalgic – looking back at himself as a child – on this power ballad. It soon ramps up, though, as guitar riffs screech and protest like a banshee getting kidnapped. 3 Goodbye Right when you think you’ve got this one all nutted out, at around the two-and-a-half minute mark The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse

70

MARCH 2020

jbhifi.com.au