Music review: David Bowie – 鈥楤lackstar鈥�
Only a day after finishing my review of David Bowie鈥檚 latest effort, I was stunned to learn of his sad passing.
A musical visionary, rock star and cultural icon, Bowie bids a final and glorious farewell with a new album that follows an avant-garde path of surreal nuances and kaleidoscopic tones that masterfully exemplify his genre-breaking career. With the release of 鈥淏lackstar鈥� on his 69th birthday, Bowie and longtime collaborator Tony Visconti introduce seven engaging tracks with an experimental edginess that possess flavorings of jazz, electronic, industrial rock, pop and hip-hop.
The progressive vision of Bowie鈥檚 25th album is showcased on the title track. The 10-minute opener is the musical equivalent of watching an episode of 鈥淭he Twilight Zone鈥� as the Thin White Duke takes listeners on a phantasmagorical escapade full of cryptic lyrics and hypnotic beats that slowly transform into lush balladry with Bowie declaring, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e a flash in the pan/I鈥檓 the great I am.鈥� Even by Bowie鈥檚 standards, it鈥檚 all a little bizarre and overwhelming.
鈥淪ue (Or in a Season of Crime),鈥� previously featured on 2014鈥檚 鈥淣othing Has Changed,鈥� is re-recorded displaying a guitar-driven pulse with Rush-like overtones, ominous sense of urgency and frantic despair.
The album鈥檚 high point comes with 鈥淟azarus鈥� gracefully flowing under the effortless weight of Bowie鈥檚 haunting vocals and Donny McCaslin鈥檚 hypnotic sax playing. 鈥淟ook up here, I鈥檓 in heaven/I鈥檝e got scars that can鈥檛 be seen,鈥� sings Bowie on the track taken from his stage adaptation of 鈥淭he Man Who Fell to Earth.鈥�
The album closes with Bowie surrendering to more of a pop style found on 1976鈥檚 鈥淪tation to Station,鈥� which happens to be my first Bowie album and still one of my favorites. 鈥淚 Can鈥檛 Give Everything Away鈥� melodically balances Bowie鈥檚 lyrics of uncertainty and disheartenment as Bowie sings in a melancholy manner, 鈥淪eeing more and feeling less/Saying no but meaning yes/This is all I ever meant/That鈥檚 the message that I sent.鈥�
As with most of Bowie鈥檚 music, the listener needs to patiently peel back the multitude of layers encompassing his intended messages to allow each ingredient to be completely absorbed and fully appreciated.
While 鈥淏lackstar鈥� serves as a closing act, Bowie proves that neither age or deteriorating health could restrain his passion to continue to seek out unconventional styles to deliver his innovative musings.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard .com.