at a glance...

Hometown: Brixton, England
First Recordings: 1966

Personnel:
David Bowie -vocals, saxophone, synthetic strings, cellos, harmonica, piano, guitar
Carlos Alomar -guitar
Dennis Davis -percussion
George Murray -bass
Roy Young -piano
Ricky Gardner -guitar
Brian Eno -synthesizers, piano, mini-moog, guest vocals
Mary Visconti -guest vocals
Iggy Pop -guest vocals

Related artists:
Tin Machine, Iggy Pop, Brian Eno, Mott the Hoople, Queen, Nine Inch Nails

Notes:
David Bowie began singing with rhythm and blues bands in the early- and mid-sixties but saw little success, so he began to experiment with a number of different musical styles. 1969's Man of Words/Man of Music (re-released as Space Oddity in 1972), The Man Who Sold the World (1971) and Hunky Dory (1971) gave him a name and set the stage for 1972's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which marked Bowie's ascendance as the leading glam rock performer. Three albums followed before 1975's Young Americans, which featured a collaboration with John Lennon, returned him to his r 'n' b roots. After his next album, Station to Station, stardom began to take its toll, and a drugged- and freaked-out Bowie retreated to Berlin in 1977 to record three albums with Brian Eno. Low, Heroes and Lodger explored the more experimental side of Bowie and, though spawning few hits, were critically acclaimed. Bowie returned to the mainstream in 1980 with Scary Monsters, and the '80s and early '90s saw the release of five more albums and the formation of his band Tin Machine. In 1995 he returned to experimental music with Outside, followed by 1997's Earthling, an album whose songs he debuted in large part at his 50th birthday concert in Madison Square Garden. His latest album, Hours, is due for release on October 5.

Links:
Our David Bowie Mothership
We Love David Bowie

Nebulocity: a growing number of features on mostly cool artists

There is no simple way to describe this confused, inconsistent album. It's better considered as two separate works; half the album would make an interesting little EP best enjoyed while intoxicated or distracted, while the other half offers an intense, soulful, introspective odyssey for the serious listener.

Half the songs, though lyrically rich, are difficult listening. The lyrics to "Joe the Lion" tell a fascinating tale of deflated dreams, but the music is so grating that the depth of the lyrics can't be fully appreciated. "Blackout" can't decide whether to be discordant or harmonious and it just leaves the listener feeling confused. "V-2 Schneider" is a pleasant instrumental with little substance, and the closer "The Secret Life of Arabia" is annoying, a mediocre follow-up to 14 minutes of brilliant instrumentals.

The remaining songs, however, are well worth listening to. Some of Bowie's finest music is here, the highlight being the title track. Forget the bad covers and the edits you'll find on the greatest hits albums; the original "Heroes" is where the passion is. Bowie's poignant narrative of lovers on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall is a much deeper -- and more depressing -- treatise on the futility of trying to be larger than one's surroundings. Those quotation marks in the title are no accident. Bowie spells out the irony in the title but unfortunately it's often ignored.

The 14 minutes of instrumentation provided by "Sense of Doubt," "Moss Garden" and "Neuköln" are subtle, simple, and deeply moving. The songs segue into each other seamlessly - without staring at the CD counter there's no indication that they're three distinct songs. They also offer rare demonstrations of Bowie's saxophone playing. The only notable bonus track on the Ryko rerelease is "Abdulmajid," which previews the techno-pop Bowie would explore in the '90s.

If the great songs were grouped together at the end of the album, "Heroes" would be much easier to listen to, but digging for the gold offers rich rewards.

If you like David Bowie, check out:
David Bowie Hunky Dory
David Bowie ...Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
David Bowie Low
Kraftwerk Autobahn
Brian Eno Before and After Science
Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here