DAVID BOWIE – Blackstar

David Bowie – Blackstar (2016, ISO Records, RCA, Columbia)

Released on his 69th birthday and two days prior of his death, Blackstar is the twenty fifth studio album David Bowie (David Robert Jones) ever released.

Since I’ve been collecting records, the David Bowie vinyls have been some of my most cherished and spined pieces of my collection. Loving the classic albums is one thing but I have a soft spot for Young Americans and Let’s Dance. However, The Next Day, released in 2013 did not really convinced me from his comeback. I was happy to hear new songs from Bowie but they would not be that much a difference for me.

But once I got into Blackstar I knew rightaway that it was a far superior album and a great return. I did not knew it was gonna be his final album. Only Bowie and his close entourage knew and made sure he was leaving like the great artist he was. The song ‘’Dollar Days’’ with the line ‘I’m Dying Too, I’m Trying Too’ couldn’t be more accurate and revealing of his known near fatal future. Dying of an 18 month battle against cancer, the man formerly known as Ziggy, the Tin White Duke, and many other monikers, has left us with a monolithic body of work and a grandiose final offering.

The seven songs of Blackstar are tainted with elements of Jazz with presence of excellent saxophonist Donny McCaslin and elements of art rock. This is a nicely textured album that is well produced and that unveils with the many listens that I had to do to fully grasp the size and the scale of Blackstar.

8.9