BLACKSTAR

David Bowie

Prog Related

4.47 | 477 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

As most everybody knows David Bowie completed this album in the last year of his life. The album was assembled using a talented group of jazz musicians with Bowie's long time producer Tony Visconti to lay down the 7 tracks and 40 minutes of music. Bowie is not only a musician/ songwriter but also a performance artist who made a video timed to be released with the album which is as much part of the album as the album itself.

Bowie incorporates elements of his demise into the music and while designed to be dark and moody there are enough changes in pace to make it interesting while never venturing into the macabre. The opener Black Star sets the dark tone with lots of keys and synths and what appears a single kettle drum and background sax. The pace picks up with Tis A Pity She Was A Whore which I think is the best track. This time the sax leads with voice trailing off at the end. Lazarus is the second longest track with a slow moving riff which has Bowie looking down on the world and reflecting on his life. Drums and sax swap lead with electric guitar coming in at the end. Girl Loves is one more highlight with a slow repeating theme which suddenly picks up then dies away. Dollar Days features some more superb sax playing. I Can't Everything Give Everything Away leads to a bright finish and is David Bowie's last statement to the world.

There is not one note out of place in this, David Bowie's final album. The world has too few artists and we just have to lament his loss and treasure the music that he gave us. There may be better song writers/ musicians than David Bowie. There may be better performance artists than David Bowie. There may be better albums than Black Star. However there is only one David Bowie.

iluvmarillion | 5/5 | 2020-4-25

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