I only have so many colors to put in one picture.
Tonight was David Bowie’s 66th birthday, so I ORIGINALLY PLANNED to simply pay tribute to the man’s career in this post as my first music related writing. HOWEVER, to my absolute delight, Mr. David Robert Jones has beat me to the punch by releasing the new single “Where Are We Now” for the instantly anticipated album “The Next Day” this March. Not only do we get a new song on the Duke’s birthday, but it was released with an excellent video.
A lot of people have already commented on the video and prospect of a new release with giddy excitement. Some have remarked that the new song reminds listeners of his Berlin Trilogy, which refers to the three albums Bowie recorded while living in Germany: Low (1977), Heroes (1977), and Lodger (1979). I will add that it also sounds like the reflective direction he began to take on Heathen (2002).
An interesting choice for a single, “Where Are We Now” is a slow ballad with reflective lyrics. The minimalistic video features a simple visual effect of Bowie and artist Jacqueline Humphries’s (wife of the video’s director, Tony Oursler), heads super imposed on little puppets in front of a screen projecting footage of the streets, often crosscutting to this footage during the video. The camera also pans around the interior of the apartment the puppets are in, apparently the one Bowie lived in when he recorded the Berlin Trilogy. The lyrics appear over the video as a strange, dreamy kinetic text in typography that would be at home on a Dave McKean Sandman cover. Bowie’s performance is particularly poignant when his puppet is in focus and he looks somberly into the camera during the chorus of the song.
Producer Tony Visconti remarked in an interview with The BBC earlier today that this particular song on the album was an unexpected choice.
“I think it’s a very reflective track for David. He certainly is looking back on his Berlin period and it evokes this feeling… it’s very melancholy, I think. It’s the only track on the album that goes this much inward for him.”
It will be interesting to see what the rest of the album will sound like, as Visconti explains it is much more of a rock and roll album than this track would suggest.
What is even more exciting to learn from Visconti is the fact that this album has been in production for about two years now. It’s anyone’s guess as to why Bowie spent so long on this album. One obvious speculation would be concern for his health, as Visconti references in this interview, but given that Bowie has performed a few times since then it does not seem to be the likely cause in my mind. Perhaps he chose to retire temporarily to focus on more acting roles. It’s no secret that he made an incredible Nikola Tesla in The Prestige (2006).
Whatever the reason, it is undeniable that the world is happy that Bowie has come back to the music world. I look forward to listening to the new album this March and hopefully witnessing the Man Who Fell To Earth live in concert for the first time. Happy birthday, Mr. Bowie.
