Rating: 8.2
As comebacks go, this is about as brilliant and joyous as they get. It's not U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind, but it's not too far off. At this point, over 40 years since Bowie hit the big time with "Space Oddity", all of his contemporaries have essentially become tribute bands to themselves. Yet here we have the Thin White Duke, at the age of 66, making music that is strikingly modern. Sure, it doesn't push any boundaries, but it slots comfortably alongside TV on the Radio and St. Vincent's recent releases. The sound is classic New York: elegant, cerebral, nervy, and reserved.
It's well played and well recorded from beginning to end. The recording of the drums is nothing short of phenomenal. The quality definitely drops off about halfway through, but, by then, there's already enough top notch material to make this the best Bowie album of all time. (I know, I know, that's sort of blasphemous, with Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Low, and "Heroes" and all, but I feel like those albums were boundary pushing recordings of mediocre songs. Pushing musical boundaries is undeniably important, but quality songwriting is what lasts. It's the reason why the Beatles are still beloved the world over and Kraftwerk is more or less forgotten.)
Key Tracks: Where Are We Now, Dirty Boys
Track-by-Track Rating:
As comebacks go, this is about as brilliant and joyous as they get. It's not U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind, but it's not too far off. At this point, over 40 years since Bowie hit the big time with "Space Oddity", all of his contemporaries have essentially become tribute bands to themselves. Yet here we have the Thin White Duke, at the age of 66, making music that is strikingly modern. Sure, it doesn't push any boundaries, but it slots comfortably alongside TV on the Radio and St. Vincent's recent releases. The sound is classic New York: elegant, cerebral, nervy, and reserved.
It's well played and well recorded from beginning to end. The recording of the drums is nothing short of phenomenal. The quality definitely drops off about halfway through, but, by then, there's already enough top notch material to make this the best Bowie album of all time. (I know, I know, that's sort of blasphemous, with Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Low, and "Heroes" and all, but I feel like those albums were boundary pushing recordings of mediocre songs. Pushing musical boundaries is undeniably important, but quality songwriting is what lasts. It's the reason why the Beatles are still beloved the world over and Kraftwerk is more or less forgotten.)
Key Tracks: Where Are We Now, Dirty Boys
Track-by-Track Rating:
- The Next Day - 7.0
- Dirty Boys - 9.0
- The Stars (Are Out Tonight) - 6.5
- Love Is Lost - 8.5
- Where Are We Now? - 9.0
- Valentine's Day - 8.0
- If You Can See Me - 8.0
- I'd Rather Be High - 7.5
- Boss of Me - 8.0
- Dancing Out in Space - 6.5
- How Does the Grass Grow? - 7.0
- (You Will) Set the World on Fire - 7.0
- You Feel So Lonely You Could Die - 6.5
- Heat - 6.5
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