We have seen and heard David Bowie the artist, the musical genius and musical chameleon, change with the times, like a man who went through, metaphorically space wormholes to go in one way and come out as a different person with different styles of music.
May it be the Major Tom era, Ziggy Stardust era, the Aladdin Sane era, Halloween Jack, the Thin White Duke era and the Blind Prophet.
For the most part, those who enjoyed David Bowie’s popular music can easily purchase his last greatest hits album “Legacy” and be content, but for those who truly want to experience his music will need to start from the beginning and work yourself to the end of his long oeuvre.
But just once you think you are done, there is always newly found unreleased music which Bowie had created during sometime in his life and his estate has no doubt a lot of music that will keep Bowie fans entertained for many years to come.
Before David Bowie died of liver cancer back in January 10, 2016, he worked on his 26th album, his final studio album titled “Blackstar” to be released on his 69th birthday on January 8th. Released two days before his death.
His long-time co-producer who he and those close to his circle knew that he was suffering of liver cancer (even the backing band making this album along with Bowie, had no idea), called this final album Bowie’s swan song and a parting gift to his fans before his death.
Needless to say, his final work would become his only album to top the Billboard 2000 and also remained number one on the UK album charts for three weeks and would go on to win numerous awards and also becoming the “British Album of the Year” at the 2017 Brit Awards.
For this final album, David Bowie took on the character of the Blind Prophet as show in his music videos. But it’s a song that strays away from pop and is more of musical adventure of creativity and unique concepts and lyrics that David Bowie is well-known for doing.
This is an artist that no one will peg down with banal musical style, and it works to the detriment for those who prefer Bowie to be consistent.
But isn’t that what makes David Bowie so unique? From the glam rock sound from the early ’70s, to soul R&B of 1975 and then to the Iggy Pop collaboration of “The Berlin Trilogy” of the mid-70s, a new wave style of the ’80s, to contemporary dance pop of the ’80s and an everchanging style with Bowie collaborating with numerous producers and musicians.
With “Blackstar”, Bowie reunited with people he had worked with closely in his career, Tony Visconti and Brian Eno. In making this album, Bowie wanted to avoid rock n’ roll and was inspired by Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album “To Pimp a Butterfly” which Bowie found creative and Lamar being open-minded by not making a straight-up hip hop record. Also, influced by Boards of Canada, experimental hip hop trio Death Grips and D’Angelo’s “Black Messiah” and wanted to take this album to an experimental route. So, you get a little u jazz, drum and bass-style to
Now, for anyone listening to this music, separate yourself from any past listening of a David Bowie album and enjoy this album as it is, because each track is very interesting.
For one, the lyrics are a bit dark, as it featured Bowie grappling with his own mortality due to the liver cancer which are evident in songs such as “Blackstar” and “Lazarus”. Bowie knew his time was running out and wanted to give the world something different and showing that at the age of 69, he could still make music that many can enjoy, appreciate and look at it as artistic and creative. An artist who never compromised and did what he wanted to do right to the very end.
And while “Blackstar” and the song form his Off-Broadway musical “Lazarus” are the songs which many may be familiar with on “Blackstar” (which happens to be the two longest tracks), my favorite songs on the album are “Girl Loves Me”, “Sue”, “‘Tis a Pity She Was a Whore” and “I Can’t Give Everything Away”.
And while you get seven solid tracks, there are three more songs which I wished were included with Blackstar” and that would be from include din Bowie’s “No Plan – EP” (which was released a year after “Blackstar” and also released posthumously on Bowie’s 70th birthday) which featured “Lazarus” but also three songs that were made during the time he was working on “Lazarus” but weren’t included in the album, “No Plan”, “Killing a Little Time” and “When I Met You” which are also awesome tracks.
But when it comes down to it, David Bowie’s music is rather interesting. People can listen to all his music from the ’60s to 2010’s and one wouldn’t believe it’s the same person.
And it’s what makes David Bowie one of the legends of music because of his unique nature of not being comfortable staying in one genre and wanting to do something different but yet standing out. He’s done it throughout his musical career.
“Blackstar” will be remembered as David Bowie’s final studio album but also an album that took a creative genius to work on something so special and yet different from other works in his many decade musical oeuvre but yet knowing and confiding to very few that he didn’t have much time left on this planet. This is David Bowie’s final musical gift that we can forever cherish.
