BLACK SABBATH (part 2 of 2)

BLACK SABBATH – 2 live sets

This is going to be an extremely unpopular opinion, clinic but after having once more listened to all of the Black Sabbath discog with the original lineup, I have to say that, overall, I like the second half better than the first. Of course, I like most all of it, but the first four records, up to “Vol. 4″, suffer from the worst production I think I’ve ever heard coming from a major label act.

Yes, of course, the first four albums have large quantities of sparkling genius (like “Sweet Leaf”, “Snowblind”, “War Pigs”, “Iron Man”, “Black Sabbath”, “N.I.B.”, “Supernaut”, and “Paranoid”, just to name a few off the top of my head), but they all sound like they were recorded in a wind tunnel. The bass tone on the “Paranoid” LP alone is justification for producer Rodger Bain to be taken out and shot; Geezer Butler plays fast and furious, but it comes out sounding overly dry and planky, like a rat scurrying across the deck of a schooner.

Yes, of course, the second four albums (“Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, “Sabotage”, “Technical Ecstasy” and “Never Say Die”) are sometimes not up to snuff in the songwriting department — “Rock And Roll Doctor” being the nadir of Ozzy’s lyric-writing abilities — but somehow they end up being much more listenable experiences for me, with “Never Say Die” holding many great surprises. Maybe it’s because I don’t smoke pot.

No — the exact reason would be that it’s because I don’t smoke pot.

Anyways, give “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” another chance, if you haven’t heard it recently, and also take a gander at the two live sets below –

Black Sabbath – California Jam ’74 (ZIP file)
Black Sabbath – Come To The Sabbath – Paris, France, 12.20.70 (ZIP file)

BLACK SABBATH – 2 more live sets

Has anybody ever tasted one of these? Or maybe this?

doctor
04.26.70 (ZIP file)
Black Sabbath – Live 1975 (ZIP file)