Credo sia arrivato il momento di prendere in considerazione Ozzy Osbourne in quanto musicista e non come buffone mangia-pipistrelli.
Con il precedente No more tears e con questo riuscitissimo Ozzmosis Ozzy ci tiene a far passare il messaggio: smettetela di parlare solo di quante droghe mi faccio e di quanto alcol riesco a bere, sono un uomo come tutti (You're no different to me cantava nella seconda track di Bark at the moon) ma soprattutto sono un musicista, un cantante.
E che cantante! Forse, nel variegato panorama dei cantanti che hanno sfilato dietro il microfono dei Black Sabbath, si può dire che Ozzy sia stato quello tecnicamente meno preparato. Ma d'altronde come si fa a reggere il confronto con mostri sacri come Ian Gillan, Ronnie James Dio, Glenn Hughes, il bravissimo quanto sottovalutato Tony Martin?
Ciò non toglie che il colore della voce di Ozzy, la sua potenza, la passione, l'emozione nella sua voce ha segnato la storia dell'hard rock e dell'heavy metal.
E si deve sicuramente dare merito a quest'uomo per essersi accompagnato con (e quindi averci fatto conoscere) musicisti fra i più grandi di sempre degli ultimi 40 anni: da Randy Rhoads a Jack Lee, da Bob Daisley a Zakk Wilde, da Robert Truillo a Lee Kerslake.
Ma basta con la storia della musica passata e passiamo a quest'album nello specifico.
Secondo me Ozzmosis rappresenta un passo avanti rispetto al sopravvalutato No more tears che a sua volta era stato un passo indietro rispetto allo spericolato e sfavillante tour-de-force chitarristico che era stato No rest for the wicked.
Di sicuro più moderno nei suoni e nella produzione, un altro merito di Ozzy è stato quello di aver saputo sempre ammodernare il suo sound e prendere il meglio dalla musica che gli suonava attorno, qui mostra le influenze del miglior grunge (Alice in Chains, Soundgarden) ma resta sempre Ozzy, sfuggendo molto più spesso del solito al cliché della canzone dal ritornello orecchiabile ma scontato e dai riff e assoli già sentiti mille volte, come in No more tears gli era riuscito solo poche volte.
Perry Mason è una canzone da annali, un pezzo che apre l'album in maniera fantastica, come meglio non si poteva, come del resto Ozzy ci ha abituato in quasi tutti i suoi album con opener come I don't know, Over the Mountain, Bark at the moon, Miracle man.
Dopo un'intro inquietante quanto ipnotica forse il miglior riff che Zakk Wylde abbia sfornato nella sua lunga carriera ci si attacca addosso e non lascia più andare; versi spettacolari, la voce di Ozzy è in piena forma, ritornello stellare. Dei fills di batteria da pelle d'oca. Una delle migliori canzoni di sempre di Ozzy.
La successiva I just want you è buona ma un po' ripetitiva a mio parere, un'idea grandiosa che però rimane una e Ozzy e compagni riescono a farci un hit di cinque minuti. Si nota che al basso c'è una leggenda che risponde al nome di Geezer Butler.
Ghost behind my eyes è il pezzone che non ti aspetti. Una lullaby dove Ozzy riesce ad armonizzare fantasticamente e di cui i Fab4 sarebbero stati orgogliosi.
Il disco continua bene con Thunder Underground, pezzo pesante e non immediato come i precedenti per poi calare un po' dopo l'orecchiabile See you on the other side.
Tomorrow e Denial sono pezzi con qualche buon passaggio ma un pò fuori fuoco; migliore il primo, un po' più contorto il secondo, ma con un Ozzy che qui mostra che è riuscito in qualche modo a metabolizzare e fare sue le influenze di cui parlavamo sopra.
My little man è l'ennesima buona ballata in cui Ozzy mostra il suo orecchio per la melodia e i ritornelli cantabili. Con buona pace di tutti i metallari irriducibili che inorridiscono al solo suono di un pianoforte Osbourne riesce tanto bene nei pezzi tirati quanto nelle power-ballad, anzi a dirla tutta è un maestro del genere. Chiudono una serie di pezzi non fortissimi ma che riescono comunque a raggiungere la sufficienza.
In sostanza e riassumendo Ozzmosis mi è piaciuto proprio tanto e lo ritengo un disco dignitosissimo e all'altezza della sua buonissima discografia.
Certo, la prima parte è nettamente superiore alla seconda. E' in un ipotetico (ed ennesimo, mi sa che ce ne sono almeno 2 ufficiali) best non potrebbero mancare Perry Mason, I just want you ma soprattutto Ghost behind my eyes (per cui ho un debole assoluto).
Sarà un tristissimo giorno quando non ci sarai più ma grazie sempre Ozzy per tutte le emozioni che ci hai dato!
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Perry Mason (05:54)
On his way to dinner when it took him by surprise
And with one pull of the trigger he would vanish overnight
Dancing by the roadside, holding on for dear life
Then a gun from out of nowhere made a widow of his wife
I don't mind
Single file down the runway
Feelin' fine
And I'll see you my friend
Over and over again
Who can we get on the case?
We need Perry Mason
Someone to put you in place
Calling Perry Mason again
Riding painted horses, oh, the kids, they love it so
You can see it on their faces, how they love the wind to blow
Minding my own business, like my mamma always said
But if I don't try to help 'em, they could wind up on the front page
I don't mind
Draw the line, then draw me an arrow
Feelin' fine
Then I'll see you my friend
Over and over again
Who can we get on the case?
We need Perry Mason
someone to put you in place
Calling Perry Mason again, again
Wake me when it's over
Tell me it's all right
Just keep on talking baby
I've been doing this all night
How much did you give me?
Tell me it'll be all right
Then I'll see you my friend
Over and over again
Who can we get on the case?
We need Perry Mason
someone to put you in place
Calling Perry Mason again, again, again, again
04 Thunder Underground (06:30)
Your thoughts are compromising
Self-centered, patronizing
Your image supersedes your soul
You find me mystifying
So human, so annoying
You can't have me under control
You think you'll live forever
You don't find that profound
You won't think you're so clever
When you hear thunder underground
All right now
Your morbid fear of losing
Destroys the lives you're using
You only have one point of view
The stigma of delusion
Confirms your self illusion
And after all this could be you
You think you'll live forever
You don't find that profound
You won't think you're so clever
When you hear thunder underground
Here we go now
Could it be that I have found my mind, or have I gone insane?
Roller coaster of the madness and there's only me to blame
The ever faithful hand of doom will take the pain away
I'll never know the answer to it all 'til my dying day
Your bullshit culture licking
Can't stop the deathwatch ticking
You're only mortal after all
Your appetite for power
Subverts your every hour
But every time the mighty fall
You think you'll live forever
You don't find that profound
You won't think you're so clever
When you hear thunder underground
Here we go now
05 See You on the Other Side (06:10)
Voices, A thousand, thousand voices.
Whispering, The time has passed for choices.
Golden days are passing over, yea.
I can't seem to see you baby,
Although my eyes are open wide
But I know I'll see you once more
When I see you, I'll see you on the other side
Yes I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side
Leaving, I hate to see you cry.
Grieving, I hate to say good-bye
Dust and ash forever, yeah
Though I know we must be parted
As sure as stars are in the sky.
I'm gonna see when it comes to glory.
And I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side.
Yes I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side
Never thought I'd feel like this,
Strange to be alone, yeah
But we'll be together,
Carved in stone, Carved in stone, Carved in stone.
Hold me, Hold me tight I'm falling.
Far away, Distant voices calling
I'm so cold, I need you darling, yeah
I was down, but now I'm flying.
Straight across the great divide.
I know you're crying, but I'll stop you crying.
When I see you, I see you on the other side.
Yes, I'll see you, see you on the other side.
I'm gonna see you, see you on the other side
God knows I'll see you, see you on the other side, yeah
I'll see you, see you on the other side
I'm gonna see you, see you on the other side.
God knows I'll see you, see you on the other side
I wanna see you, yeah yeah yeah, see you on the other side
God knows I'll see you, see you on the other side
I'm gonna see you, see you on the other side
06 Tomorrow (06:36)
Have you read the message,
The writing on the wall
Could it be the answer,
The answer to it all
What's going down in Heaven,
I'm playing with your head
Don't believe it when they tell you,
You'd be better off dead
Living in a thunder
Driving me insane
Can I get a witness
To take away the pain?
Walking on the water
Going nowhere fast
Feeling like I'm walking with no shoes on broken glass.
You don't have to leave the lights on
I'm so used to being blind,
No more good-byes or yesterdays
So it's, I'll see you
Tomorrow
I'll see you
Tomorrow.
Welcome to the sideshow,
I'll cut it to the chase
Yeah I can hear you thinking
It's going all to waste
I don't mean to offend you
When I look you in the eyes
What's all this commotion?
It leaves me mystified
Chasing all the rainbows
Falling from the sky
I know your intentions
Are all a bunch of lies
I'm running out of patience,
Falling off track
You better start to worry,
'Cause I may not make it back
All right now
You don't have to leave the lights on
I'm so used to being blind,
One good reason to blow me away
So it's,
I'll see you tomorrow,
I'll see you tomorrow
[Can't wait till tomorrow...
Tomorrow comes...
I never killed anybody...
It was a Gun! Hahahahaha!] (background)
Living in the big house,
Dying by the rail
If I wanted your opinion
I'd call you up in hell
Could that be the mailman
Knockin' at the door
Or just another lightweight
Finally evening the score
You know it
You don't have to leave the lights on
I'm so used to being blind,
No more good-byes or yesterdays
So it's,
I'll see you tomorrow
No more reasons to blow you away
So it's,
I'll see you tomorrow
07 Denial (05:12)
You are my only daughter,
I guess I made you twice
You look inside my other,
He'll give you bad advice
I will tell you I'm OK,
But deep inside I'm afraid
I don't drink holy water,
I'm not the son of Christ
I ain't no black messiah,
And I don't load my dice
You can tell me you're all right,
But why are you so afraid?
You're in denial,
You never will believe it's you
Denial,
You always hide behind the truth
You'll never believe it,
You'll never believe it's you
I don't think I'm amazing,
In fact I'm quite insane
To live inside my bucket,
With all my plastic chains
People tell me every time,
I look at the wrong all right
You're in denial,
You never will believe it's you
Denial,
You always hide behind the truth
You'll never believe it,
You'll never believe it's you
You'll never believe it,
You never believe it
Secrets told you,
Dreamland holds you,
Secrets told you
You wouldn't believe it,
You couldn't conceive it
Secrets told you . . . . . . . . . . . .
You wanna receive it,
You gotta believe it's you
You're on a trip already,
I'm tripping out all right
I'll get there slow and steady,
Just sit and hold on tight
You're in denial,
You never will believe it's you
Denial,
You always hide behind the truth, yeah, yeah
Behind the truth
It's true, yeah, yeah
Behind the truth, yeah, yeah
It's you, yeah, yeah
Behind the truth, yeah, yeah
It's gonna be all right,
Just hold on tight
It's gonna be all right,
Just hold on tight
09 My Jekyll Doesn't Hide (06:34)
Condemned to violence
Arrested by pain
Inside the soul lies a man insane
Conceived in anger
Addict to hate
The mutant child of a twisted state
Beware the contradiction
Beneath the crimson void
'Cos in the would of fiction
My Jekyll doesn't hide
A killer's smile with
A psycho star dream
Behind the mask
Things aren't what they seem
Unholy soldier
Disciple of sin
What kind of mind are you living in
You're preaching revolution
Don't you mean genocide?
Behind this resolution
My Jekyll doesn't hide
Waiting to die for the very first time
All right, that's right
Waiting to die for the very first time
I don't give a damn,
'Cos I think it's my time, my time
The symbiosis
Of murder and lies
What do I see looking through your disguise?
Fourth Reich dementia
Subversion ideals
God only knows what your secret conceals
Who'll be the first offender?
Who will be victimized?
In your perverse agenda
My Jekyll doesn't hide
12 Walk on Water (04:20)
I met a magic man,
who had a daughter
She learned her lessons well,
but still i taught her
She followed willingly,
as lambs to slaughter
We shared forbiden fruits,
and things i brought her
You may say i'm a miracle mannequin,
Here i come with my mystical plan again,
Although you think i can, i'm just a man
And I don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
I followed willingly,
a sweet temptation
She had me hypnotized,
and still i'm waiting
My dromedary dreams
as wet as oceans
With sand dunes bearing seeds
she set in motion
You may say i'm a cynical charlatan
There i go with my whimsical ways again
Although you think i can, i'm just a man
And i don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
Kaliedoscopial eyes
as you look in the mirror
And the long is getting
shorter as the far is now nearer
Are you just a mirror
standing in front of me?
Am i blind,
can my eyes really see?
You may say i'm a miracle mannequin,
Here i come with my mystical plan again,
Although you think i can, i'm just a man
And i don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
My dromedary dreams
as wet as oceans
With sand dunes bearing seeds
she set in motion
My dromedary dreams
My dromedary dreams
My dromedary dreams
14 No More Tears (05:54)
The light in the window is a crack in the sky
A stairway to darkness in the blink of an eye
A levee of tears to learn she'll never be coming back
The man in the dark will bring another attack
Your momma told you that you're not supposed to talk to strangers
Look in the mirror and tell me do you think your life's in danger yeah
CHORUS
No more tears (echo) (x4)
Another day passes as the night closes in
The red light goes on to say it's time to begin
I see the man around the corner waiting, can he see me?
I close my eyes and wait to hear the sound of someone screaming here
CHORUS
It's just a sign of the times
Going forward in reverse
Still
He who laughs last
Is just a hand in the bush
So now that it's over can we just say goodbye?
(I'd like)
(I'd like)
I'd like to move on and make the most of the night
Maybe a kiss before I leave you this way
Your lips are so cold I don't know what else to say
I never wanted it to end this way my love my darling
Believe me when I say to you in love I think I'm falling here
CHORUS
Is just a hand in the bush (echo w/ fadeout)
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di aniel
È stato il primo disco metal che abbia mai ascoltato.
Grandi riffs heavy e armonici artificiali, come pochi sanno fare, tipo sgommata... grande!
Di CRAZY TRAIN
Ozzy è un uomo più riflessivo e meno impulsivo, sempre attento alla precisione stilistica.
Questo album è sottovalutato, ma rappresenta un lavoro più sofisticato e sperimentale rispetto ai suoi classici.
Di Sotanaht
"Ozzmosis è la piena rivelazione del sé, l'intimissima nudità dell'anima fragile e caduca."
"Un linguaggio Hard Rock sporco e cupo che specchia un uomo non più mito che scrive pagine toccanti della propria vita."
