THE ALBUM OF THE DAY IS…
BLACK SABBATH, TECHNICAL ECSTASY
This is a no-brainer. The penultimate release by the original Sabs is also one of their most overlooked, but the whole album, from the slammin’ (to use a favorite phrase of Zakk Wylde) “Back Street Kids” all the way to the conclusion, “Dirty Women” (still a staple of the band’s reunion sets today, and one of my favorite Tony Iommi performances), is pretty kick-ass. The album also saw the band stretching out to taste new flavors: “It’s Alright,” the quiet, piano-driven ballad with vocals by drummer Bill Ward might the most surprising song in their entire ouevre– and one of the best. The Dio years were just around the corner, but in ’76, Ozzy and the pack still showed no signs of slowing down.
-AR
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