Ozzy Osbourne

No More Tears

Yuppie head-bangers of the world unite!

Review Score:

(8/10)

I am definitely not your stereotypical Ozzy fan. As a child in the 80s, I was brought up to believe Ozzy was satanic. I'd never heard his music, and adults were telling me to never listen to it, so I didn't. But I grew up and matured, and during college I developed new tastes in music. When Ozzy released No More Tears back in 1991, I was exposed not to a satanic Ozzy, but a musical genius with depth of power and emotion. No More Tears is an incredible release, not only for when you just wanna let off steam and head bang, but also for when you wanna just kick back and take in life.

"Mr. Tinkertrain" starts out with a surreal, mellow, child-like soundscape, but it soon turns into a head bangin' ride. Fun and driving full force ahead, "I Don't Want to Change the World" rocks and makes a great point ("...I don't want the world to change me"). "Momma I'm Coming Home" (released as a single) is beautiful and is one Ozzy's power ballads for the album. Revving up the guitars once again, "Desire" has a great attitude and takes aim at his skeptics and detractors ("And I can't stop `cause it drives them crazy"). Another successful single at the time, the title track "No More Tears" is an amazing composition of guitars, deep synths, and strings that is driving and subtle, beautiful and hauntingly eerie (thanks to Ozzy's lyrics and vocals) all at the same time. Tormented by inner as well as outer demons, "S.I.N." is Ozzy's cry for help (done in classic manic Ozzy style). "Hellraiser" - now there's a definition of Ozzy if there ever was one. Again self-reflective, this is a slower but driving guitar and drum classic with great harmonies. "Time After Time" is the other touching and beautiful power ballad on the release. Seeming to talk about his issues with drugs and alcohol, "Zombie Stomp" (like the name suggests) is a real stomper (once it gets going) that uses some interesting sampling in the long building intro. I'm not sure what the title "A.V.H." refers to, but the song is manic and a head on rock collision ("I'm riding on a train I can't control"). Wrapping up the release, "Road to Nowhere" is a solid rock anthem takes a look back on Ozzy's life with no regrets; even though "The wreckage of my past keeps haunting me," he points out that "The Road to Nowhere leads to me."

The whole release really is a fun thrashin' head trip that makes you think and reflect at times. A solid 4 star release, No More Tears is sometimes just what I need to vent or get the adrenaline pumping. My only negative regarding Ozzy's music is his references to drug use. While they aren't too frequent, and I know that's just part of being Ozzy, they still do bug me given my anti-drug stance (not preaching, just a fact). However, it's only music, and music doesn't make you do things, you do; I have the maturity and stability of mind to get past it.

My dilemma is how to recommend the album. I'm not an Ozzy "fan" per se - I'm a yuppie for pete's sake; what self-respecting Ozzy fan will take me seriously? I don't own any of his other albums or any of his work with Black Sabbath, so I'm not sure how this release compares to any of his others. But if you're anything like me, some uptight suit and tie corporate slave who needs to occasionally unwind, Ozzy's No More Tears might just be the little pill you need to take to be able to get up and face another day.

Looking through the other reviews, it appears that the timing was perfect for me. I was in a mode to accept new and different music, and Ozzy was at a time when his musical and lyrical expertise were peaking. If you're not the typical Ozzy fan but have been always curious, give No More Tears a listen and decide for yourself - satanic, or bad-a** rocker genius? I think you'll surprisingly find the latter.

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