The release of “The Next Day” was like the musical shot heard round the Bowie world. Yes! A New Album! Finally! But as usual, when an album gets too much hype too fast, I put off actually checking “The Next Day” out until well, quite a few days later.
In Bowie’s signature cinematic manner, a high tempo tune that bears the same name as the album is the opener. “The Next Day” is a little too bouncy for my tastes but I’ve a feeling Talking Heads fans would dig. I must admit, the line “they can’t get enough of that doomsday song”rubbed me rather well. Mr Bowie takes a step back to a broodiness reminiscent of the Low era on “Dirty Boys”, a dark sounding melody with hints of bayou jazz laced in the tune and beat. It isn’t a surprise that “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” is already the album’s most popular song on Spotify. Not that it’s particularly the best song on the album, but it is catchy, dreamy and with that timeless yet somehow wistful mood about it that’s kept all us Bowie fans hooked for years.
While some tracks (“Love Is Lost”, “Where Are We Now”) fail to suck me in, there aren’t any songs that I felt failed to deliver. Some songs, I felt tried a bit hard, but I liked what they were trying to say (I’m lookin’ at you, “If You Can See Me”), so it was easy to forgive. Despite these things though, the tracks that really pulled me in were hypnotic and fresh (“Valentine’s Day”, “I’d Rather Be High”). The king of evolution is evolving once again and “The Next Day” seems like Bowie’s cocoon – not necessarily a definitive marker of where he is as an artist, but more of a reflection of where he’s been and where he’s going.
Well played, Mr Bowie.
Favorite Track: “Dirty Boys”, “I’ll Take You There”
Least Favorite Track: “(You Will) Set The World On Fire”
Rating: 9/10
Mme. Mila V. 