Tracks
Disk #1
Also by Ozzy Osbourne
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Despite the lousy critical reception it got, this album is at least half-good in my opinion. Counting the bonus tracks on the "Tour Edition," I like eight out of sixteen of these songs. If you don't count live tracks (which I never do,) that would be more than half the album.
Here's a bit about my favorites...
"I Don't Wanna Stop" - At first I was a little bit inclined to roll my eyes at this song for the "too many religions, but only one god. I don't need another savior" line, but that was before I really knew about Ozzy's stance on religion, and the fact that in the music video, he points to himself when he sings "... but only one god." He's making the statement that each of us is divine, and that makes us each the god/dess of our own lives. Therefore, why should we need an *external* savior when, should we need saving (which cannot be presupposed,) we could just do it ourselves? It's a song about independence of thought and decision, and choosing a sovreign life full of energy and vigor and celebration. And while he compares himself to "a junkie without an addiction," I don't think he's talking about drugs. I think he's saying he's enjoying a "high" (as in high-frequency) life of joy and bliss without the use of things that enslave with dependency.
"Here for You" - One for DX SHAROoOoOoOoON!! (sorry, had to be done. =P) It's a nice track. Not very heavy, but it's a ballad, so it doesn't need to be. That being said, the guitars are really raw, visceral and crunchy, which in a song like this shows a side of the electric guitar most people probably don't expect from heavy metal. There's a nice solo in there, and the fact that he doeesn't personalize it by naming names makes it accessible to everyone.
"Countdown's Begun" - I like the statement here, "The doomsday clock was built by mankind." All these self-made prophets (also referenced in the lyrics) are saying the end times are near, and Ozzy's like "... Wait, says who? You? How should *you* know? o.O" More generally, the message here is that we're the inventors of our own doom, and we can choose to turn it around anytime if we'd just stop pretending that it's somehow sacred and inevitable. This song also has a great solo-section. I say "section" because it's more than just the soloing guitar that was well-done here. The way the music behind it flows makes it come alive even more. Ozzy's outfit doesn't always pay that much attention to detail, but I'm glad they did here.
"Trap Door" - This is a nice knock-around, active, fist-pumpy kind of song. There are also some synth sounds in this track, and the bass is very full, both of which keep things interesting and set this song apart from the others. I like the line "Can't sleep 'cause you've made your own bed - the sentence of the helpless." I think it refers to the choice people make to hold beliefs that infantilize them. For instance, the belief in "original sin," that we're all innately bad or tainted inside. The idea is, if that's true, it's only because we make it true by adding the power of our belief to the dysfunctional pattern.
"I Can't Save You" - For me, this is probably the most interesting song to listen to on the album from a musical standpoint. It's at least in competition for the title with "I Don't Wanna Stop." I also admire the lyrics. It's refreshing to see someone making the point that it's only us who can fix what we've broken, and waiting for someone else to come along and do it (as if it were their job) is irresponsible.
I would also recommend the song "Love to Hate" from this album, and I give the whole thing three stars. I disagree with the critics' assessment that this album is "highly skippable." Although it's not Ozzy's most creative work, it's fun listening, and certainly more intelligent than most popular music.
Here's a bit about my favorites...
"I Don't Wanna Stop" - At first I was a little bit inclined to roll my eyes at this song for the "too many religions, but only one god. I don't need another savior" line, but that was before I really knew about Ozzy's stance on religion, and the fact that in the music video, he points to himself when he sings "... but only one god." He's making the statement that each of us is divine, and that makes us each the god/dess of our own lives. Therefore, why should we need an *external* savior when, should we need saving (which cannot be presupposed,) we could just do it ourselves? It's a song about independence of thought and decision, and choosing a sovreign life full of energy and vigor and celebration. And while he compares himself to "a junkie without an addiction," I don't think he's talking about drugs. I think he's saying he's enjoying a "high" (as in high-frequency) life of joy and bliss without the use of things that enslave with dependency.
"Here for You" - One for DX SHAROoOoOoOoON!! (sorry, had to be done. =P) It's a nice track. Not very heavy, but it's a ballad, so it doesn't need to be. That being said, the guitars are really raw, visceral and crunchy, which in a song like this shows a side of the electric guitar most people probably don't expect from heavy metal. There's a nice solo in there, and the fact that he doeesn't personalize it by naming names makes it accessible to everyone.
"Countdown's Begun" - I like the statement here, "The doomsday clock was built by mankind." All these self-made prophets (also referenced in the lyrics) are saying the end times are near, and Ozzy's like "... Wait, says who? You? How should *you* know? o.O" More generally, the message here is that we're the inventors of our own doom, and we can choose to turn it around anytime if we'd just stop pretending that it's somehow sacred and inevitable. This song also has a great solo-section. I say "section" because it's more than just the soloing guitar that was well-done here. The way the music behind it flows makes it come alive even more. Ozzy's outfit doesn't always pay that much attention to detail, but I'm glad they did here.
"Trap Door" - This is a nice knock-around, active, fist-pumpy kind of song. There are also some synth sounds in this track, and the bass is very full, both of which keep things interesting and set this song apart from the others. I like the line "Can't sleep 'cause you've made your own bed - the sentence of the helpless." I think it refers to the choice people make to hold beliefs that infantilize them. For instance, the belief in "original sin," that we're all innately bad or tainted inside. The idea is, if that's true, it's only because we make it true by adding the power of our belief to the dysfunctional pattern.
"I Can't Save You" - For me, this is probably the most interesting song to listen to on the album from a musical standpoint. It's at least in competition for the title with "I Don't Wanna Stop." I also admire the lyrics. It's refreshing to see someone making the point that it's only us who can fix what we've broken, and waiting for someone else to come along and do it (as if it were their job) is irresponsible.
I would also recommend the song "Love to Hate" from this album, and I give the whole thing three stars. I disagree with the critics' assessment that this album is "highly skippable." Although it's not Ozzy's most creative work, it's fun listening, and certainly more intelligent than most popular music.