Black Sabbath ~ 13

By Jason Savio

“Is this the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end?” Ozzy Osbourne asks at the start of “End of the Beginning,” the opening track on 13, the first Ozzy-fronted Black Sabbath album in 35 years.

And it’s a valid question. Given the miles the members of Sabbath have between them, one gets the impression that they’re now old men playing a young man’s game. But Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler defy expectations and deliver an album worthy to stand alongside its predecessors. Super sourpuss and original drummer, Bill Ward, stayed at home, leaving the throne to the capable Brad Wilk, of Rage Against The Machine.

With the help of the bearded magician himself, producer Rick Rubin, Sabbath rekindles the dark magic of its heyday. Five of the eight songs are more than seven minutes long, with swinging tempo and riff changes in each, from heavy and brooding Godzilla-like stomps to spastic punk angst. Osbourne sounds revived and inspired while Iommi and Butler bristle on the ominous waltz of “God Is Dead?” and the singeing “Loner.”

There is indeed a sense of urgency throughout, as if Osbourne & Co. are trying to make up for lost time before the record is through. When Osbourne sings, “No escape from here/Facing death but is your conscience clear?” on “Live Forever,” it sounds like an honest reflection to heal old wounds before it’s too late. They may be old, but they’re not senile. If 13 is Sabbath’s swan song, consider the band redeemed.

For tour dates and more, visit blacksabbath.com.

Girls’ Generation ~ Girl’s Generation

By Katey Khaos

If you’re anything like me, you were excited when Psy’s “Gangnam Style” made its premiere … and pretty annoyed when it was being played everywhere you went for the next three months. I love when other countries’ music infiltrates the airwaves ~ it’s a nice culture shock for most people, including myself. That’s why I was glad to see some more K-pop finding its way through by way of Girls’ Generation.

The band’s self-titled album has everything the average pop album would have ~ fast songs, a few slower songs mixed in and, of course, the catchy hits. In this case, the biggest hit off this album (at least in America) is “Run Devil Run.” The ladies mix it up a little, adding a tad of English in, “You better run, run, run, run, run.” I will warn you, this track is insanely addictive, and you’ll find yourself singing the only line you can understand ~ unless, of course, you speak Korean or learn the lyrics!

Normally, I’m not a fan of slower K-pop songs because of the unneeded Auto-Tune that finds its way into almost all of them. However, with “Let It Rain,” I was pleasantly surprised to find that the song was almost completely Auto-Tune free.

Girls’ Generation is a great change of pace in music, especially if you’re looking for something a little outside your comfort zone. The band is quirky, bubbly and offers up a different style of music that many of us aren’t used to hearing!

For more information, visit girlsgenerationusa.com.

The Welch Boys ~ Bring Back the Fight

By Jennifer Russo

Whether you are from Boston or Worcester, Irish punk likely has a special place in your heart. Lord knows, the Dropkick Murphys have graced our eardrums and raised our adrenaline levels enough to bring out the shamrock in all of us, making us crave a Guinness or two (OK … five).

Now, imagine that brand of music on a truckload of highly concentrated energy drinks, the kind of songs that just need to be played as sports anthems to get us pumped up and ready for the big game, and there you have it …The Welch Boys in a nutshell.

The band’s third and latest CD offering, Bring Back the Fight, completely and utterly brings it. What is the “It,” you ask? East Coast hardcore at its finest, with catchy sing-along (or yell-along, as it may more accurately be described) choruses and backed by great melodic instrumentals. It brings that devil-may-care attitude, an angry “I can’t believe the Bruins f’d up so badly” howl of rage and a contagious sound that scratches that itch we can’t always reach.

Bring Back the Fight, which boasts a 16-track spread that includes both an intro and an outro, is perfect for a night out, party or car serenade ~ but what I found myself wishing was that I had it while studying for finals at 3 a.m. Its hard-hitting, keep-you-awake punkaliciousness is just what I could have used to get me through.

Check out The Welch Boys’ official website at thewelchboys.net, like them on Facebook atfacebook.com/thewelchboys and get their entire album on iTunes for only $9.99. (Please, spend your extra penny with care.)