Hallowe’en late pass?

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[4.83]

Jackie Powell: Ozzy Osbourne’s hook on Post Malone’s “Take What You Want” is one of the highlights of Hollywood’s Bleeding, but in the context of Osbourne’s first solo single in eight years, the Malone collaboration functions as a double-edged sword. An introduction to Mark Ronson-adjacent musician and producer Andrew Watt “pulled” strength and an artistic desire out of the 70-year-old at a time when age feels psychosomatic for Osbourne. But, the haunting acoustic intro on “Under the Graveyard” — which Watt also produced and plays on — is almost identical to the opening of “Take What You Want.” Chad Smith’s drumming and Duff McKagan’s bass deserve credit for differentiating the two tracks. I really hate to say it, but the Malone track is the better song. There’s more at stake in the way Osbourne sang about betrayal rather than his own mortality. His vocals have an urgency and the production moves, but on his solo track, the under five-minute cut drags. And that would be all right and understandable amid the subject matter, but an Ozzy Osbourne single shouldn’t sound like a Post Malone demo. But, there was one spot where the track really felt in its skin and that was at the 3:30 mark. Watt can shred. His guitar solo was pretty epic and it should have happened earlier. Also, there’s been a lot of talk of graveyards. I’m imagining an incredibly bizarre mashup including Osbourne and Halsey. I believe it, so I’m hoping that I’ll see it, and better yet, hear it.
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Tobi Tella: I was discouraged when the song started and the production sounded like it could be for a Shawn Mendes song, but it picked up nicely. The lyrics are uncomfortable and gritty, the vocal is clear and haunting, and the guitars are muted but powerful when they get their chance to shine. Surprisingly competent at this stage in his career.
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Thomas Inskeep: Starts slow, but once it gets going (at its first chorus), Ozzy sounds strong. But then it goes back to acoustic on the next verse: why? Ozzy needs to rock! This “Graveyard” needs to rock a bit more, too.
[5]

Kylo Nocom: I swear the first two notes or so of the chorus tease a horrifying “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing”-adjacent anthem, but then Ozzy cuts the crap and gets to the fun stuff. And trust me, it gets fun.
[7]

Alfred Soto: It has a tune, and Ozzy brings his modulated whine to the basic power chord changes even when his producer gives the vocal and guitars the EDM treatment. That would’ve been something: disco metal in 2019.
[4]

Isabel Cole: So I was considering writing “lmao go to therapy” and leaving it there, but then — and I kind of regret this — I did some googling and did you know Ozzy Osbourne has had like a really tough year? Illness and injury are hard to deal with even when you are rich! Maybe he should, and I say this from a place of concern and compassion, use some of his many reality show dollars to, um, go to therapy? ?
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