Down to Earth

Initial pressings of DOWN TO EARTH will include regular audio tracks as well as multimedia computer files. The Enhanced portion includes live perfomance footage of Ozzy Osbourne performing with Randy Rhodes.
Personnel: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals); Tim Palmer (acoustic & electric guitars, keyboards, drums, background vocals); Zakk Wylde, Danny Saber (guitar); Michael Railo (keyboards, background vocals); Robert Trujillo (bass); Mike Bordin (drums).
Recorded at Jim Henson Studios, Hollywood, California.
Six years of waiting for a new album had impatient Ozzy fans biting the heads off of live animals, but DOWN TO EARTH finally arrived. Whereas OZZMOSIS may have harkened back to Ozzy's early days of Black Sabbath, EARTH is unmistakably solo Ozzy. First single "Gets Me Through" is a radio-friendly thank you to his fans in which he exclaims "I'm not the anti-Christ or the iron man." The piano intro is reminiscent of "No More Tears." Piano is also featured in "Dreamer" and "Running Out Of Time," two of The Ozzman's most well crafted ballads. Ozzy maturing? Yes, but in a GOOD way.
Things get heavier on "No Easy Way Out," featuring the driven guitar wizardry of longtime collaborator Zakk Wylde. Joe Holmes, Ozzy's road guitarist of recent years lends his writing talents to "That I Never Had" and "Junkie" (a midtempo rocker telling the tale of a desperate addict). "You Know (Part 1)" is a wonderful acoustic cut about Ozzy's fatherhood role. Anchored by the fantastic rhythm section of Robert Trujillo and Mike Bordin, the playing on EARTH is exceptionally tight. Tim Palmer's production steers Osbourne in a melodic direction, as the album's use of strings, synth, and background vocals complements some of Ozzy's best vocal performances in years.