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Cover: 9
Reality Shows out of 10
It looks like the opening screen of 'The Osbournes' reality show on
MTV. If you haven't seen it yet, you are an unfortunate sod and should
go get a satellite dish right now and catch up with the rest of the
modern world. For this kind of CD, the cover is somewhat expected, but
on its own, it's kind of hip. It has a late 50's/early 60's sitcom style
design in the vein of Ozzie and Harriet. Plus a parental advisory label!
The perfect ruse for
America's latest dysfunctional family darlings.
Booklet: 8
Dog Therapists out of 10
Again, for what it is, it's practically perfect. Colorful, in sync with
the front cover design, and complimentary to the theme of the TV show.
It lists credits for each song on the CD, with a short comment from
various members of the Osbournes clan. Several posed full-color photos
of Sharon, Jack, Kelly and Ozzy littered with art deco designs. The
only thing missing is a George Nelson clock, but you can't have it all.
Part of the booklet tears off to become an Osbournes Family greeting
card, inscribed with the message "I love you more than life itself...
but you're f*@%ing mad..."
Songs: 7
Burning Logs Hurled Over Fences out of 10
It's a varied and eclectic mix of songs that have appeared in, or somehow
relate to, the Osbourne's reality series. There's the opening track,
the show's theme which is Pat Boone's version of "Crazy Train."
There are several Ozzy tunes, i.e. "Dreamer," "Mama I'm
Coming Home," and the re-recorded Tommy Aldridge/Bob Daisley-less
version of "Crazy Train." Naturally, Kelly's cover of "Papa
Don't Preach" is prominently featured. You've got songs by The
Cars ("Drive"), Eric Clapton ("Wonderful Tonight"),
The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" (Ozzy says it was the song
that inspired him to rock and roll), and John Lennon's "Imagine."
Also included is System Of A Down's cover of Sabbath's "Snowblind."
Lastly, there's a song by some band called Starsailor (Kelly picked
it for inclusion) and another by Disillusion, a band that Jack has been
developing at Epic. Good exposure for these otherwise unknown bands,
but their songs are really quite boring. They could have made a bigger
impact on the unsuspecting public if the songs were a little more uptempo.
There is a bonus track by the band Chevelle, which sounds a lot like
Tool, and their song called "Family System." No other information
listed other than it's a bonus track. How can this be a bonus track
if it's only issued on CD? Do they even make LPs or cassettes anymore?
In between each track, there are short quips of unedited dialogue from
the show, including that of Ozzy musing about what a good neighbor Pat
Boone was, Ozzy threatening to throw the dog in the pool, and Sharon
warning Ozzy not to hurl that burning log over the fence.
Comments: It's a little bit
of a novelty product from Epic, but a decent effort which makes it more
than an attempt to cash in on the Osbournes craze. All of these songs
are available elsewhere, but to the casual fan who's discovering these
songs for the first time via the show, it's a nice collection, and the
R-rated sound bytes are quite entertaining to listen to.
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