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Band Name: Ozzy Osbourne
Album Name: Under Cover
Rating: 3.5 / 5 User Rating: 4 / 5
Label: Sony Records
Buy Album: Amazon.com
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Tracklist
1. Rocky Mountain Way
2. In My Life
3. Mississippi Queen
4. Go Now
5. Woman
6. 21st Century Schizoid Man
7. All The Young Dudes
8. For What It's Worth
9. Good Times
10. Sunshine Of Your Love
11. Fire
12. Working Class Hero
13. Sympathy For The Devil
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It's almost funny to see a cover album from an artist so legendary that they get covered constantly by other artists. Just out of curiosity I searched Amazon.com for Ozzy and Black Sabbath tribute albums and over 10 different ones popped up on my list and those were just the most popular selections. Yet on 'Undercover' the legend Ozzy pays tribute to the people who influenced him such as John Lennon, Cream, Buffalo Springfield, and the Rolling Stones.
Judging from the Internet response I've seen, a lot of Ozzy fans were wondering the same thing I was when they first heard 'Undercover': "Where's the Ozzy on this album?" Like many others, when I first saw the list of songs I assumed that they would be "Ozzyfied", and played faster and heavier since most of the songs chosen were by less "metal" artists than Ozzy. However what I found was that many of the songs stayed true to the original, like John Lennon's introspective folk tune 'Working Class Hero' for example. I took this as a sign that Ozzy was more paying tribute to his influences on 'Undercover' than really doing a cover album. The heavy, fast "Ozzyfied" sound that many fans are probably looking for when purchasing this album is just not there.
What is there however, is a really good blues album. Jerry Cantrell's guitar work is a groovy switch from the excellent metal shred of Zakk Wylde. Tracks like the opener, Joe Walsh's 'Rocky Mountain Way', reek of the bluesy influence of Cream and Led Zeppelin, a switch from Ozzy's usual metal flavor that is executed perfectly. The only disappointment on this album is the cover of the Rolling Stones 'Sympathy for the Devil'. It is done in a modernized, sort of Korn style that does not mesh well with the rest of the album nor does it do justice to the original. The Guns N' Roses version from the 'Interview with the Vampire' soundtrack far surpasses this one.
Over all, if you think of 'Undercover' as a soft of tribute album more than a cover album I think you'll like it a lot better. It has an introspective, almost (dare I say it) spiritual nature that is very poignant and timely considering that Ozzy nearly died in that AV accident a few years back. Although 'Undercover' does come off as just a tidbit to satisfy fans and make a quick buck, (especially since many of its selections were available on Ozzy's recent box set) it does also show Ozzy's humbleness. By not completely "Ozzyfying" these cover songs and sticking to a more blues based sound Ozzy pays homage to those who influenced him. Also, those of us who can't afford a whole box set and probably don't need to because we own most of Ozzy's albums already, have the opportunity to hear these classic covers for a more affordable price.
Review by: Colette Claire
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