BLACK SABBATH - PARANOID

****

1970

Yep, you know it, you love it, its the first album you probably bought by them in 7th grade cause it seemed to have every song you dug on it! Well, as popular as this album is, I assure you, it's still really good despite the overplay of certain songs on here.

Silly cover, but hey, thats the record companys problem. You know how these things work, you watched Spinal Tap. Well, it was Sabbaths Smell The Glove but a LOT more serious than a rubber glove. Well you know, the Vienam war, you got the guy on the cover ready for war and we got a song on here called War Pigs and no, its not the most delightful song about war, but we were gonna see if we could use that song for the LP title. Oh, no? Yep, Warner Brothers just didn't feel quite comfortable discussing the Vietnam War right then. Great, guess its gonna have to be something else now. So, the name of the lp is Paranoid.

Whatever, this is all bullshit. Lets talk about the music here. War Pigs, is THE song on this album. Wanna argue? Fuck you. War Pigs is still played by both Ozzy and the Tony Iommi Fiasco til this day. Well this album was recorded a little less hastilly than the first one. So, we have 8 tracks now and we are ready to rock. So......hashish?.... Check. Acid?....Check. Alcohol?... Check. So now we can get in the studio. And once the were in, they singlehandadly made the first heavy metal album fit for mass consumtion. Easy simple beats that as usual took the listener on a swirl. This album was recored a less rapidly than its predecesor. Even with nonstop touring and GREAT drugs, these boys sure put out a great fucking album. Sure fuckin did. So. What DO I FEEL ABOUT THE ALBUM!??!

War Pigs Live 1970-Paris-video

This song will set you straight jack, you can feel all the raw fucking power of their stacks, just rocking on primative made equipment. Walls of amps for bass and guitar. Ozzy with no showman clothes, just being him. Bill Wards drumming is much better in this live video than on record. Sometimes drugs let you think you can play better than you usually do, and thank goodness it was true for this show. Anyway, I find this verison of War Pigs the best ever. I plan on buying this whole concert on video and/or audio very soon. They really do make Led Zeppelin look like fairy boys.

the rest of the album

This album has the silly little Paranoid song on it and it also has Iron man. I know, i got it. Look, this album is tight! If Iron Man and Paranoid never made such an impact on AOR radio, this album would probably have a lot more merit with me, but I can't blame Sabbath for writing a few catchy songs. Shit. But like I said, there are only like 2 songs that you've heard too many times on here. The rest are jems. Electric Funeral is a rad song with a wah-style guitar never used again on a Sabbath lp. Heavy. Hand Of Doom, another great one. Rat Salad, essentially Sabbath's answer to Moby Dick of Led Zeppelin. Useless track. It really doesnt show how rad Bill Ward is, as opposed to War Pigs live. Fairies Wear Boots is probably the other favorite track of mine on here. I really can't say that much more about it. Everything works as usual. Bass, drums, guitar, vocals, its all in tip top shape.

The Drums are a little to flat for me, they dont seem to have the space and depth that they did on the first one. Now they just sound like typical 70s drums now. But, hey, what can I do?

Tonys Guitar is quite acceptable. He seems to have cooled it with the reverb. Bass duites continue and are well noticed too. This album seems a bit more compressed. Like a vacum. Its like these songs that could be done so much more with, but there just wasnt the time I guess. Drugs are good too I think. By the way, theyre in an 8 track studio at this point. But imagine how cool War Pigs would have sounded if it had been recorded on their first LP. Seee whuddamean? Its a good fun time to think about dumb shit like that.

Production makes all the difference, always.

ANYWAY! THE TRACKS!

War Pigs-best song on the lp, nonstop heavy heavy heavy. Great lyrics, depending on whos verison you get! Just watch that Paris video. Im tired of typing. They can say the rest on that track just by playing.

Paranoid-quick little rock ditty. I dont know what the big fuss is all about. It shouldt be their signature song. Theres way too many other good songs, but fans are dumb people.

Planet Caravan-I dig this song very much. Again, straight from the opium den. Their hands were probably melting in front of their eyes while they recorded this one. Sabbath lets you know that its okay to do drugs. Thats what this music is made for.

IronMan-yeah, yr Iron man alright. 7th graders everywhere thank god for this song to teach them the power chord. I could care less about it.

Electric Funeral-awesome! back to the 1st album style. Decending guitar lines, creepy vocal shit, good track. Wah wah pedal work....nice.

Hand Of Doom-neat little number well written for this album. slow start slow start kind of thing. its worth a listen but just dont get all hyped about hearing it when you WANNA ROCK. ha ha ha.

Rat Salad-drum solo with catchy guitar lick. See Moby Dick.

Fairies Wear Boots-okay, so after War Pigs, theres Fairies Wear Boots, the second most brutal sonic attack on the LP. Perfect into perfect vocal lines (and subject matter!) and a rocking closer.

Classified as: First purchace to 7th grader regarding education of 1970s heavy metal. Hey, maybe your hip frat brother may have a copy. Cause he aint gonna have anything else. Regardless, you have to have a copy of this.

SONGS

1.War Pigs/Lukes Wall

2. Paranoid

3. Planet Caravan

4. Iron Man

5. Electric Funeral

6. Hand Of Doom

7. Rat Salade

8. Fairies Wear Boots