Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

You'd have to go back to 1980 ( Blizzard of Ozz ) to find an Ozzy studio solo album that had more than 3 songs on it that you just played over and over again. Of course, my statement is all a matter of opinion, but I'm willing to bet that only devout Ozzy fans would disagree. Unfortunately, Black Rain and Ozzy's 2001 ( Down to Earth ) release are similar in that they have less than 3 compelling tracks each. Only Black Rain's first two tracks "Not Going Away" & "I Don't Wanna Stop" are classic Ozzy rockers; the other 8 tracks on Black Rain are typical Ozzy fillers. Zakk Wylde's final comment in an interview that he and Ozzy gave in the July issue of Revolver Revolver [1-year] sums it all up perfectly: Zakk was asked how Black Rain sounds, and he said, "It sounds like a ******* Ozzy record, brother!" (The article is quite short and funny if you've got two minutes to spend with it at your local bookseller.) And Zakk's statement couldn't be more true. There are no surprises. Black Rain sounds just like you think it will too. On Black Rain the awesome Robert Trujillo is out on bass and Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (of Rob Zombie fame) is in. The rest of the line up is Metal's best guitarist on the circuit, Zakk Wylde, and on drums with his second go-around is Mike Bordin. Look, this review in no way reflects my total respect for Ozzy coming out at 60 years old to give us some more music, nor does it acknowledge the history that the man has given to Metal. And I apologize for that. (See my 5/8/2007 review of Ozzy's 2002 DVD Live at Budokan Ozzy Osbourne - Live at Budokan for a better perspective of the kind of Ozzy fan that I am.) But Black Rain just doesn't do it for me. Sorry, fans. You may now proceed to hit the NO vote.