An excerpt from a new song…..
http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/hear-an-excerpt-from-david-bowies-new-song-blackstar-71106
Bowie – Blackstar
by 39 Comments
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Beat me – I was just about to do same. Think it sounds OK – well as much as you can tell in a minute.
From what I have heard, I have to say that I like it. Cant wait to hear it in full.
A longer excerpt would have been good, but it is quite reminiscent of the Low era.
Thought that too – I realise most here won’t agree but i didn’t care for the rock elements of The Next Day
From that little clip it has definite shades of 1. Outside, which ain’t no bad thing. Already better than Sue…
Update
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34866235
*drools*
Weird how the sax player in that pic looks exactly like a young Bowie
I understand that the video for the single will be played before tonight’s episode of The Last Panthers (for which part of it is used as the theme) for those with access to Sky Atlantic.
@tiggerlion et al…
…bloody hell, that was good! Challenging/pretentious/confusing/intriguing/with a tune and quite memorable to boot.
Hints of recent Scott Walker in the vocals and music.
(just watching again) Would love to know the significance – if any – of the inflammable/Massive Attack Blue Lines logo/tattoo(?) and the aciiid/smiley face patch at the start too.
He really hasn’t lost it, has he (statement, not question).
Marvellous. We are so lucky to have him around, still making music, still confounding expectations, still pushing envelopes.
It is very creepy. I enjoyed the rock in The Next Day but the Jazz elements here are superb, particularly the drums and sax. Sue sounded as though Bowie wrote some lyrics to a jazz freak out. This sounds as though the song came first and the playing of it came after.
Roll on January 8th!
★
(David Bowie)
IN THE VILLA OF ORMEN
IN THE VILLA OF ORMEN
STANDS A SOLITARY CANDLE
AH AH AH AH
IN THE CENTRE OF IT ALL
IN THE CENTRE OF IT ALL
YOUR EYES
ON THE DAY OF EXECUTION
ON THE DAY OF EXECUTION
ONLY WOMEN KNEEL AND SMILE
AH AH AH AH
AT THE CENTRE OF IT ALL
AT THE CENTRE OF IT ALL
YOUR EYES
YOUR EYES
AH AH AH
AH AH AH
IN THE VILLA OF ORMEN
IN THE VILLA OF ORMEN
STANDS A SOLITARY CANDLE
AH AH AH AH
AT THE CENTRE OF IT ALL
AT THE CENTRE OF IT ALL
YOUR EYES
YOUR EYES
AH AH AH
OO OO OO OO
OOO
OO OO OO OO
OOO
OO OO OO OO
SOMETHING HAPPENED ON THE DAY HE DIED
SPIRIT ROSE A METRE THEN STEPPED ASIDE
SOMEBODY ELSE TOOK HIS PLACE AND BRAVELY CRIED:
I’M A BLACKSTAR
I’M A BLACKSTAR
HOW MANY TIMES DOES AN ANGEL FALL?
HOW MANY PEOPLE LIE INSTEAD OF TALKING TALL?
HE TROD ON SACRED GROUND HE CRIED ALOUD INTO THE CROWD
I’M A BLACKSTAR
I’M A BLACKSTAR
I’M NOT A GANGSTAR
I CAN’T ANSWER WHY
I’M A BLACKSTAR
JUST GO WITH ME
I’M NOT A FILMSTAR
IMMA TAKE YOU HOME
I’M A BLACKSTAR
TAKE YOUR PASSPORT AND SHOES
I’M NOT A POPSTAR
AND YOUR SEDATIVES BOO
I’M A BLACKSTAR
YOU’RE THE FLASH IN THE PAN
I’M NOT A MARVELSTAR
I’M THE GREAT I AM
I’M A BLACKSTAR
I’M A BLACKSTAR I’M WAY UP, ON MONEY, I’VE GOT GAME
I SEE RIGHT, SO WIDE, SO OPEN-HEARTED PAIN
I WANT EAGLES IN MY DAYDREAMS, DIAMONDS IN MY EYES
I’M A BLACKSTAR
I’M A BLACKSTAR
SOMETHING HAPPENED ON THE DAY HE DIED
SPIRIT ROSE A METRE THEN STEPPED ASIDE
SOMEBODY ELSE TOOK HIS PLACE AND BRAVELY CRIED:
I’M A BLACKSTAR
I’M A STARSTAR
I’M A BLACKSTAR
I CAN’T ANSWER WHY
I’M NOT A GANGSTAR
BUT I CAN TELL YOU HOW
I’M NOT A FLAMSTAR
WE WERE BORN UPSIDE DOWN
I’M A STARS STAR
BORN THE WRONG WAY ROUND
I’M NOT A WHITESTAR
I’M A BLACKSTAR
OO OO OO OO
I’M NOT A GANGSTAR
I’M A BLACKSTAR
I’M A BLACKSTAR
OO OO OO OO
I’M NOT A PORNSTAR
I’M NOT A WANDERING STAR
OO OO OO OO
I’M A BLACKSTAR
I’M A BLACKSTAR
IN THE VILLA OF ORMEN
STANDS A SOLITARY CANDLE
AH AH AH AH
AT THE CENTRE OF IT ALL
YOUR EYES
ON THE DAY OF EXECUTION
ONLY WOMEN KNEEL AND SMILE
AH AH AH AH
AT THE CENTRE OF IT ALL
YOUR EYES
YOUR EYES
AH AH AH
This is magnificent. A perfect balance of Bowie’s melodic gifts, his weird art obsessions, self-reference, and a mood he hasn’t hit for decades. This is everything Bowie can still deliver and no-one else can.
Spot on, Sir!
I said the same(ish) above, but not nearly so eloquently…
When was the last time I played a nine minute track through twice without breaking attention? Looking forward to hearing it again, too.
Ahem … 10 minutes
Wow. Seemed like nine!
I’ve played it three times now and I’ve liked it more each time. He’s still the boss.
Next single – Lazarus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSt9RDIIa0k
I was about to post this on Tracks of 2015 but you beat me to it.
I feel a swoon coming on. It could well be the finest band Bowie has put together. Their touch is unbelievable. He’s always liked a good bit of saxophone but this youngster, Donny McCaslin, is ethereal. His voice is just perfect for the song, defying his age. The tune itself is so well constructed, quietly building the drama and the intrigue to an almost unbearable tension, until a sax crescendo, then a neat guitar line to fade us gently back to rest.
We have now heard three of the seven Blackstar tracks, twenty of its forty-odd minutes. It is shaping up to be quite an album. So far, it appears comparable, if completely different, to his Seventies best.
Here’s Bowie’s demo for ‘Tis A Pity She Is A Whore if you haven’t heard it already.
@tiggerlion
Have we not now heard 4 – Blackstar and Lazarus in full, and “Whore” & “Sue” in demo/different forms?
I think 6/1/16 will ultimately prove to be more awesome than 2 years ago!
I didn’t realise Sue was on it, too. In that case, there are only three tracks we haven’t been exposed to.
Looks like it will be the edited Sue…
Just reviving this thread to remind people that Bowie’s birthday tomorrow (and the album is released).
Here’s the official video for Lazarus. He looks like a frail old man but with a twinkle in his eye. A lifetime of smoking and being underweight ages you quite quickly.
“Ages you quite quickly”? What? He’s 69!
At the end of this he goes back into the closet….. after all these years.
Am looking forward to this being the weirdest and most frightening number one album since the heyday of Brother Beyond.
That sounds like Slip Away sung over the coda from Ashes to Ashes. Not that that’s a bad thing.
I was talking about the New Year TOTP yesterday. They had a review of the year where their “what are the legends at?” section featured Sir Dave’s “Blackstar” video alongside Dylan’s album of Sinatra covers and Elvis’ symphonic repackaging. The juxtaposition really hammered home how remarkable it is having this old duffer still pushing forwards into the future.
(Btw – when was the last time Dylan was in front in the head-to-head? 1971?)
Is that the first time Bob Dylan’s ever been on ToTP?
I’ve not listened to any of the previewed tracks, I’m saving it all for tomorrow . That’s if my CD turns up – I haven’t yet had a dispatch email, which is a tad worrying.
They’re having a launch party at Hansa studios tomorrow night here in Berlin – any Afterworders going? Looks like it’s going to be a great night. Album playback in the Meistersaal (where ‘Heroes’ was recorded). Tickets EUR50 each but I thought, what the hell…
I’m looking forward to @tiggerlion ‘s breathless review almost as much as the album itself 🙂
And how many plays can he get through before the end of the year?
Oh god yes, he was on six listens a day for TND, as I recall.
I just remember him giving us some terrifying four-figure statistic that October or something. As I might have said at the time, it was like Shelley Duvall and “All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy” in The Shining. TND is a very fine record but the idea of listening to any one record thousands of times makes my head hurt.
Unless it’s the mighty Toreros, of course!
*parp*
Still digesting the leftovers, eh?
Yes. I listened to it loads. It is a great Rock record with lots of guitars and everything. He proved he could make a commercially successful rock record. Has anyone else done that in the 21st Century? Bowie hasn’t actually made many actual rock records. The others are The Man Who Sold The Sold, Aladdin Sane & Diamond Dogs. Does Tin Machine count?
I’ve cleared the decks so I can listen to nothing other than Blackstar for the rest of the year.
Podcast taping evening of 17th January discussing ‘Blackstar’ and @drj reort from Dublin’s Bowiefest.
Anyone can join in etc, usual address