And every time you think it’s over with David Bowie’s aspirations he returns with an album you can’t deny. The man’s musical highlights were in the (very) late sixties (’69) and all of the seventies. The eighties brought commercial success, but less musical tension. During the nineties Bowie tried to recover lost ground, but it has been a bumpy ride so far. Really bad records followed good ones. Observe the difference between the first and the second record of Tin Machine. The last few years the spirit was going up with “1. Outside” and “Earthling” (and a US tour with Nine Inch Nails), but this image was brutally disrupted with “Hours”. The musical chameleon of the last 30 years however decided to work together again with Tony Visconte. A man he had worked with some twenty years ago on albums like “Young Americans”, “Low”, “Heroes” and “Scary Monsters And Super Creeps”. It proved – once again – a master move. The result is an album with melancholic, dream away, rock/pop songs you could have expected from the man during the seventies.

The production however is up to date, just like some of the guitar and drum loops. Strongest point of this record is that Bowie himself got the time of his life. He’s singing like we haven’t heard him do for a long time. The pleasure is absolutely present and you can hear it in his voice. The songs are brilliantly written and beautifully performed. The use of different instruments like sax, keyboards, violin and cello keep the spirit going. The guitar contribution of Peter Townshend during the new single ‘Slow Burn’ says it all. This album is just like some friends making music, but a group of friends who are great musicians. It’s clear that DAVID BOWIE had a relaxed state of mind during this record (that in contrary with his seventies period) and just that calm and relaxed feeling makes this album the diamond that it is. For Dutch fans: check www.soynmusic.nl/davidbowie for the latest news.