In light of world health developments, the release of "Ordinary Man" was a good time (Feb. 21) for Ozzy to revisit his death obsession. He made a damn fine album out of it, too.
"No one can save me from hell." "Replace me, now I'm gone." "Don't forget me." "Watch me disappear." "Today is the end." "I'm someone that they won't remember." Each line from a different song.
Ozzy's best death album remains 2000's "Down to Earth," which featured the grittier "Facing Hell," "No Easy Way Out," "Running out of Time" and "Can You Hear Them?" ("sick of living and so afraid to die"). On "Earth," he sounded authentically desperate and, yes, paranoid. "Ordinary Man" approaches death from a more tuneful yet resigned perspective, while retaining a similar overall approach -- gangbang songwriting and a deep, highly arranged sound, this time wrestled together by producer-instrumentalist Andrew Watt.
For cohesiveness, Watt could hardly have chosen better than Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, whose huge foundational thud could support a 10-foot wedding cake. And GNR's egoless Duff McKagan has no other agenda than to lock in and drive his bass in its assigned clef, so everyone else has room to fly -- one obvious avian being his old bandmate Slash, who contributes swooping, fluttering wah guitar to two songs. Listen to McKagan on the dunder-riffing "Under the Graveyard" (downtuned to E-flat) for an example of his righteous fundamentalism.
Ozzy, whose given name is John, could never decide whether he was John Wayne Gacy, John Lennon or Elton John, and "Ordinary Man" may be his best shot at uniting the schizophrenia. It didn't hurt to link elbows with the actual Sir Elton for the sentimental title song (reminiscent of Ozzy's biggest crossover hit, "Mama, I'm Coming Home"); nor would E.J. blush to receive obeisance for the swaying ballad "Holy for Tonight," with its Eltonian high-harmony obbligatos. And since Ozzy has always yearned to visit Strawberry Fields, "Today Is the End" now makes his dream come true.
There are many flavors to enjoy here, not least Ozzy's voice, which is treated with numerous exotic effects without diminishing its distinctiveness. Angel choruses! Symphonic strings! A touching, chiming hymn of regret, "All My Life"! Bonus: Just when we fear the whole pudding will collapse under its own humility and portent, we encounter "Scary Little Green Men," the peppiest, silliest thing Ozzy has ever done, with a chorus that sticks like toffy. Major craft.
If Ozzy intended "Ordinary Man" as his last word, he makes us hope it's not.