After many years of silence, and rumors about living legend David Bowie's presumed retirement from music, the rock icon has returned to the music scene with the beautiful single 'Where Are We Now?' from the coming album 'The Next Day.'
It was on Vimeo, that I first heard the single. Albeit, 'Where Are We Now?' is a low key song it sounded stunning, and I immediately wanted to hear the rest of the album, wondering how good it is going to be. In this article, I will do a preview of Bowie's new album and analyze the single. I will clear out some of the rumors surrounding 'The Next Day,' and present the latest facts and news about the album.
Rumor has it, that the rest of 'The Next Day' album, while being contemplative like the single, contains more up tempo rock songs. Tony Visconti, who has produced the album and worked with Bowie on 12 of his previous recordings, confirms this in a interview in the Guardian. Arguing that the new album has 5 blistering rock songs, while the rest is mysterious and evocative mid-tempo tracks.
When you listen to Bowie's new single, it would be easy to think that the singer has gone mellow, and, maybe even, if he will sound old on the coming album. But, that is not going to be happen, says Tony. With the low key 'Where Are We Now?,' the musician's aim merely was to show a more vulnerable side. On the album, Bowie will sing as loud as he did on 'Heroes.' Sometimes, the producer even had to step back in the studio, so loud was Bowie singing.
According to Tony Visconti, the album was produced over two years in NYC's Magic Shop Studios. The record was made by some of Bowie's old friends. People he had worked with before in studios and on previous tours. This made it possible to keep the recordings secret, something that isn't easy in a society, where almost every one carries a smartphone.
While, Bowie previous had told Tony that he didn't want to sing anymore, Tony wasn't surprised when Bowie called and said that he wanted to record a new album. Tony thinks, that Bowie's creative mind made it necessary to express himself again as a musician - after 10 years of silence. 29 stunning songs were recorded in the studio, but not all of them fitted the album, which ended up having 14 track, with 17 on the deluxe edition. This means, that Bowie most likely will record a second album later this year. However, the producer doesn't know exactly when. Considering the great reviews 'Where Are We Now?' already has received, this looks good.
Neil McCormick, music critic at The Telegraph, thinks that 'Where Are We Now?' with its beautiful strange, perfectly orchestrated, sound might be one of the most surprising and perfect comebacks in rock history. Following McCormick, the poetic song has a mysterious sound to it, and it makes you want to hear more from the upcoming album.
At NME Track Reviews, they call Bowie's song perfect orchestrated and an addictive ear worm, worthy of being on future Bowie greatest hits albums. It is the kind of song that you hear repeatedly.
Ultimate Classic Rock, describes Bowie's voice on the new single as heartening, and, in line with NME's review, an ear worm.
I tend to agree, after I have heard the song numerous time. The most surprising thing, is how the song grows on you and becomes very addictive.
'Where Are We Now's?' opens with the verse: "Had to get the train, From Potsdamer Platz." Bowie lived in Berlin between 1976-1979, a period where he recorded the 'Berlin Trilogy:' 'Low'(1977), 'Heroes' (1977) and 'Lodger' (1979). However, the new song focuses on Berlin as it was during the fall of The Berlin Wall and Berlin today. Thus, a verse goes like: "Twenty thousand people, Cross Bosebrucke, Fingers are crossed, Just in case, Walking the dead."
As one of Berlin's seven border crossings during the Cold War, Bosebrucke was used when citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany crossed into East Berlin. The day that the Berlin Wall fell, officially, the 9th. November 1989, the Government of East Germany had given their citizens permission to travel to West Germany. That day East Berliners' gathered in a large crowd, and began crossing Bosebrucke: "Fingers are crossed, Just in case, Walking the dead."
That being said, the song is probably also about Bowie's more personal experiences with Berlin. The music video to 'Where Are We Now?,' therefore, shows the auto repair shop below the apartment, where Bowie lived in the 1970's.
Hardcore Bowie fans would know that the new single's cover is from 'Heroes.' Front cover designer Jonathan Barnbrook, in a recent interview on the website Ultimate Classic Rock, tells that the new cover is about the album title 'The Next Day.' Recycling old material and using it in new material is often done on greatest of records. However, with the cover Bowie wanted to illustrate the spirit of great rock as ceasing the moment and forgetting the past. According to Barnbrook, we never quite manage to escape the past, especially not artists like David Bowie, who are always judged by their past in some strange way. At the same time, human conditions forces us to move forward as human beings and to leave our past. By using the old 'Heroes' cover and by overwriting the original text, Bowie wanted to express that feeling.
The album is expected to be released March the 8th 2013 in Australia, the 11th in the rest of the world, except USA, where 'The Next Day' is released the 12th.
It was on Vimeo, that I first heard the single. Albeit, 'Where Are We Now?' is a low key song it sounded stunning, and I immediately wanted to hear the rest of the album, wondering how good it is going to be. In this article, I will do a preview of Bowie's new album and analyze the single. I will clear out some of the rumors surrounding 'The Next Day,' and present the latest facts and news about the album.
Rumor has it, that the rest of 'The Next Day' album, while being contemplative like the single, contains more up tempo rock songs. Tony Visconti, who has produced the album and worked with Bowie on 12 of his previous recordings, confirms this in a interview in the Guardian. Arguing that the new album has 5 blistering rock songs, while the rest is mysterious and evocative mid-tempo tracks.
When you listen to Bowie's new single, it would be easy to think that the singer has gone mellow, and, maybe even, if he will sound old on the coming album. But, that is not going to be happen, says Tony. With the low key 'Where Are We Now?,' the musician's aim merely was to show a more vulnerable side. On the album, Bowie will sing as loud as he did on 'Heroes.' Sometimes, the producer even had to step back in the studio, so loud was Bowie singing.
According to Tony Visconti, the album was produced over two years in NYC's Magic Shop Studios. The record was made by some of Bowie's old friends. People he had worked with before in studios and on previous tours. This made it possible to keep the recordings secret, something that isn't easy in a society, where almost every one carries a smartphone.
While, Bowie previous had told Tony that he didn't want to sing anymore, Tony wasn't surprised when Bowie called and said that he wanted to record a new album. Tony thinks, that Bowie's creative mind made it necessary to express himself again as a musician - after 10 years of silence. 29 stunning songs were recorded in the studio, but not all of them fitted the album, which ended up having 14 track, with 17 on the deluxe edition. This means, that Bowie most likely will record a second album later this year. However, the producer doesn't know exactly when. Considering the great reviews 'Where Are We Now?' already has received, this looks good.
Neil McCormick, music critic at The Telegraph, thinks that 'Where Are We Now?' with its beautiful strange, perfectly orchestrated, sound might be one of the most surprising and perfect comebacks in rock history. Following McCormick, the poetic song has a mysterious sound to it, and it makes you want to hear more from the upcoming album.
At NME Track Reviews, they call Bowie's song perfect orchestrated and an addictive ear worm, worthy of being on future Bowie greatest hits albums. It is the kind of song that you hear repeatedly.
Ultimate Classic Rock, describes Bowie's voice on the new single as heartening, and, in line with NME's review, an ear worm.
I tend to agree, after I have heard the song numerous time. The most surprising thing, is how the song grows on you and becomes very addictive.
'Where Are We Now's?' opens with the verse: "Had to get the train, From Potsdamer Platz." Bowie lived in Berlin between 1976-1979, a period where he recorded the 'Berlin Trilogy:' 'Low'(1977), 'Heroes' (1977) and 'Lodger' (1979). However, the new song focuses on Berlin as it was during the fall of The Berlin Wall and Berlin today. Thus, a verse goes like: "Twenty thousand people, Cross Bosebrucke, Fingers are crossed, Just in case, Walking the dead."
As one of Berlin's seven border crossings during the Cold War, Bosebrucke was used when citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany crossed into East Berlin. The day that the Berlin Wall fell, officially, the 9th. November 1989, the Government of East Germany had given their citizens permission to travel to West Germany. That day East Berliners' gathered in a large crowd, and began crossing Bosebrucke: "Fingers are crossed, Just in case, Walking the dead."
That being said, the song is probably also about Bowie's more personal experiences with Berlin. The music video to 'Where Are We Now?,' therefore, shows the auto repair shop below the apartment, where Bowie lived in the 1970's.
Hardcore Bowie fans would know that the new single's cover is from 'Heroes.' Front cover designer Jonathan Barnbrook, in a recent interview on the website Ultimate Classic Rock, tells that the new cover is about the album title 'The Next Day.' Recycling old material and using it in new material is often done on greatest of records. However, with the cover Bowie wanted to illustrate the spirit of great rock as ceasing the moment and forgetting the past. According to Barnbrook, we never quite manage to escape the past, especially not artists like David Bowie, who are always judged by their past in some strange way. At the same time, human conditions forces us to move forward as human beings and to leave our past. By using the old 'Heroes' cover and by overwriting the original text, Bowie wanted to express that feeling.
The album is expected to be released March the 8th 2013 in Australia, the 11th in the rest of the world, except USA, where 'The Next Day' is released the 12th.
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For more bonus info on Bowie's new album and a review of the album when it is released visit The Next Day Preview.
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