Artist: Ozzy Osbourne
Label: Sony
Release Date: 10/16/01
Average Rating: 3.33
Go to Judgment Committee Reviews of this Album
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Title: Down to Earth Artist: Ozzy Osbourne Label: Sony Release Date: 10/16/01 |
There are currently 3 Reader Reviews of this album.
Average Rating: 3.33 Go to Judgment Committee Reviews of this Album |
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Submitted by Red Man (5/17/02):
The first time I gave this album a spin, I wasn't too sure about it. I knew and loved the single "Gets Me Through", but none of the other songs really stood out (except "Dreamer" for obvious reasons). "That I Never Had" even started sounding a bit "Miracle Man" off No Rest for the Wicked. Not a good start for any album, needless to say.That was a few months ago. I've had Down to Earth awhile now and it's getting better time after time. The influences of the Madman's Ozzfest peers and other modern rock are most certainly present in this album; they're all over the place. But, at its heart, DTE remains an Ozzy album. At times the sound is even slightly reminiscent of classic '80s Ozzy. Or, to sum up what I just said in simpler terms: Down to Earth is the album that should have been released after No More Tears.
Zakk Wylde wields the axe once again on this disc, and it shows. The tracks are even heavier than past Ozzy tunes, as one might expect after hearing Wylde's recent Black Label Society offerings. And of course, the solos absolutely rip (although they seem more refined, shorter, and maybe even a bit less interesting than what Wylde has done in the past, especially with BLS).
Not everyone's going to like this album. Partially because of the ugly shadow of mainstream rock looming over the songs on here, and partially just because some people can't come to grips with the fact that a 50-year-old man is still rocking harder than lots of other metal bands out there, Down to Earth is sure to be rejected by some. That's a mistake. This isn't the most played album in my collection, the most interesting, or the most consistent, but if you're looking just to rock hard, then this record is perfect.
Submitted by L.S. BHAN (12/26/01):
Ozzy Osbourne has had one of the longest and greatest careers in metal. From frontman of the legendary Black Sabbath for a decade to his incredible journey into solo territory, the Madman is undeniably one of the biggest faces in hard music today. This fact alone won't give any of his albums a perfect score, of course. And the longer that he remains in business, perhaps nothing will.Most people view Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman-- Ozz's only albums with Randy Rhoads-- to be the best he's had to offer since going solo. I, for one, consider No Rest for the Wicked to be his freshest and best album-- coincidentally his first with Zakk Wylde wielding the axe. But regardless of what your vision of Ozzy's perfect album is, the truth remains that he has come a long way from the great classics of the '80s. No More Tears is a great album, but lacks the magic touch that earlier works had to make them doubly special. I haven't heard Ozzmosis, but from what I gather the story is the same with it.
This brings us to 2001 and Down to Earth. After a few years of bungling the Ozzfest tour by introducing shitty crackpot nobodies to the metal scene, the Madman is apparently being influenced by the trash he brings light to. Whereas earlier albums were almost flat-out '80s metal, this one especially sounds more like modern rock than anything else-- albeit, modern rock with Ozz at hand, not to mention one of the best guitarists out there.
Some are likely to immediately throw away this disc simply because of the modern rock tag that is so easily and readily given. Such should not be the case. DTE has a lot of influences from this realm, but a touch of older Ozz albums is still there (very faintly, though), and the extra heaviness added in by the presence of Zakk Wylde makes this album salvageable.
Lots of great rockers are on this disc, including the lead single "Gets Me Through", "Facing Hell", "Black Illusion" and "Can You Hear Them?" to name a few. If it weren't for Ozzy's experience with metal albums along with Wylde's playing, perhaps this album would be nothing but that-- a rocker. In the end, it's possible that the very presence of Ozz and Wylde, together, makes this album what it is.
Ozzy Osbourne has had an incredible career. However, maybe it's time that he truly considers retirement. Another album a few years from now might end up doing nothing but destroying his reputation as one of metal's best.
Submitted by Eric (11/14/01):
This album is so horrendous it is sickening. It is boring and commerical crap. I am so sick of everyone saying, "Oh yes, it's Ozzy, we have to give it a favorable review." Face it, Ozzy is no God. He can't write good music, he just was lucky to hook up with some good musicians over the years. Ozzy is an old washed-up puppet whom people will merely buy the records of, just because 'it's Ozzy.' Pathetic.
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