I will preface this review by stating that I tried very hard
to like the album. Why? Because this is Bowie man! David Bowie has written some of the
catchiest, most iconic, and idiosyncratic pop songs out there. From “Space Oddity” to “Ziggy Stardust,” to
“Changes” to “Oh You Pretty Things” (the list goes on for a while), the man has
permanently changed the course of rock music.
He has also made quite the impact on image and androgyny. Clearly, his new record deserves a fare shot
at making its way into my memory bank.
So I gave it a shot... and then another... and another... and I have
come to a conclusion. The Next Day is
not a great album. It is not even a
contender for a “good” David Bowie album.
I cannot ride the wave of positive reviews. The recent heart attack survivor may be
sixty-six, but he will get no slack from me.
My main
problem with The Next Day is that it is devoid of memorable and unique pop
hooks, something that was once a staple of Bowie's songwriting. Let's start with the title track and album
opener. The song sounds
like it could have been written as a B-side for the Labyrinth soundtrack. Bowie barks lyrics about a man being
tortured, possibly during Medieval Times.
It could also be a metaphor for Bowie as some sort of martyr. Who knows?
The song is interesting. David
Bowie's deep vocal delivery during the choruses is exciting and really
weird! Unfortunately, it is still a bland
song by Bowie standards.
“Dirty
Boys” is a very lethargic piece... and one that I will skip over in this review
(I also skip over it when listening to the album). “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” is the second
best song on the album. Jagged guitars
surround Bowie as he sings about some twisted vision of stardom. The music video is very strong and worth
checking out. Note: it has a
wonderful chicken carving scene with Tilda Swinton.
The album's
finest moment comes in “Where Are We Now.”
While still an underwhelming song for Bowie, it is the most honest track
on “The Next Day.” Bowie acts his age,
recalling time in Berlin, and that he is “walking the dead.” I liked this song after the first listen, but
it gets absurdly better when paired with the music video. I believe this is one of the best visual
interpretations of a song in years. It
is sad, eery, and wonderful.
Other album
highlights include the unique guitar riff/drum combo in “I'd Rather Be High,”
the low key, yet very pleasant “So She,” and the solid rocker “I'll Take You
There.” Nothing on the album is bad per
se, unless you compare it to great David Bowie tracks... then this stuff is
awful!
Has Bowie
lost his touch? In my opinion, yes. Lyrically this could be Bowie's most
inspired, maybe even profound material.
However, if I want to listen to profound lyrics without pop melodies
I'll choose Bob Dylan. Bowie was best at
lodging powerful, resonating hooks into listeners heads and hearts. There are few traces of that magic here. Listen to The Next Day to get your new Bowie
fix, watch the music video to “Where Are We Now” to be visually stimulated, and
then spend the rest of your time with yesterday's Bowie. Those overplayed songs are still infinitely
more enjoyable than anything found on this album.
Grade: C+
~Dave Muntner
I (respectfully) disagree with this assessment. Part of Bowie's appeal, especially with his later albums, is that they take awhile to sink in. Once they've got you their cemented in your consciousness. I wasn't too keen on the album first few listens, I'll be honest. But after a few more I really started to dig it. Taste is subjective so I don't even know why I'm arguing this point. I guess just to say, I think it's pretty awesome.
I have to agree with this review. When Where are we now? appeared I was thrilled that Bowie was back and delighted with what I heard. The sound of the song coupled with its lyrical content made me think we might be seeing a return to the form of Bowie's Berlin period (some of my personal favourites are from this era). Alas the album for me could be a direct sequel to Reality and despite giving it time to open up I just can't agree with the hype and rave reviews. What I think is missing here is any real dynamics in the vocal delivery. You would expect Bowie's voice to change with age but he seems to have settled on a delivery style which lacks most of the features evident in his classic works. Listen to 'Sound and Vision' and any track from this release back to back and hear the difference. For me it doesn't matter how well crafted the music or lyrics are if the vocal delivery is lacking, and based on his previous form Bowie has lost the magic.