I am of an age that any new album of original material by David Bowie is a seismic event. Perhaps the greatest icon of my generation musically and a lot else, his recent productivity with two albums in three years is very welcome.
Bowie on record is back to his best on 'The Next Day' and 'Blackstar', surrounding himself with first class musicians his creative mind musically is totally on song.
'Blackstar' the nine minute plus opening and title song is well known to us all now yet, it still remains just as epic on listening to the album today as it did two months ago when part of the song was used on the exceptional Sky Atlantic drama, The Last Panthers.
'Blackstar' the album it is said came about after Bowie become influenced by some Jazz musicians he was listening to and the idea was born to place them in a rock environment. What Blackstar has is, a depth and variety of sound & movement. Almost very play you can hear something new. This is no Jazz/Rock record. The voice? Well the voice that we have heard so often in our lives is as magnificent as ever on this record.
'Tis a pity She Was A Whore' brings the Jazz element to the fore merged with Bowie's voice, it's a myriad of sounds. 'Lazarus' returns to the brooding theme, "I' am so high, it makes my brain whirl" A magnificent song which concludes an epic side one of the vinyl LP.
Side two and the pace picks up 'Sue (or In a Season of Crime)' has a percussion driven, room filling sound. The pace of this album is key, every song is different, 'Girl Love Me' has a 80's slight, Let't Dance vibe jazzed up and slowed down.
'Dollar Days' has a dreamy feel "If I Never See The English Evergreens I'm Running To" and a gorgeous sax acompliment. The song slips seamlessly into the final track on the album 'I Can't Give Everything Away' and I start to run out of superlatives.
A truly great record released on David Bowie's 69th birthday, perhaps there is hope for all of us after all!
Pete
11/11
Monday 11th January, 2016; David Bowie - 8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016
