David Bowie Outside released

Outside David Bowie

Released: September 25, 1995 Peak: 21 US, 8 UK, -- CN, 55 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.2 UK, 1.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: glam rock/classic rock veteran

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Leon Takes Us Outside [1:25] Outside (Armstrong/Bowie) [4:04] The Heart’s Filthy Lesson [4:57] (9/16/95, 92 US, 20 MR, 35 UK) A Small Plot of Land [6:34] Segue – Baby Grace (A Horrid Cassette) [1:39] Hallo Spaceboy (Bowie/Eno) [5:14] (3/2/96, 12 UK, 36 AU) The Hotel (Bowie) [6:50] I Have Not Been to Oxford Town (Bowie/Eno) [3:49] No Control (Bowie/Eno) [4:33] Segue –Alberta Touchshriek [2:03] The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (As Beauty) (Bowie/Eno/Gabrels) [4:21] Segue – Ramona A. Stone/I Am with Name [4:01] Wishful Beginnings (Bowie/Eno) [5:08] We Prick You (Bowie/Eno) [4:35] Segue – Nathan Adler, Pt. 1 [1:00] I’m Deranged (Bowie/Eno) [4:31] Thru These Architects’ Eyes (Bowie/Gabrels) [4:22] Segue – Nathan Adler, Pt. 2 [0:28] Strangers When We Meet (Bowie) [5:07] (12/2/95, 39 UK) Songs written by Bowie/Campbell/Eno/Gabrels/Garson/Kizilcay unless indicated otherwise. Total Running Time: 74:36 The Players: David Bowie (vocals, saxophone, guitar, keyboards) Brian Eno (synthesizers) Reeves Gabrels (guitar) Carlos Alomar (rhythm guitar) Erdal Kızılçay (bass, keyboards) Mike Garson (grand piano) Sterling Campbell, Joey Baron (drums) Yossi Fine (bass)

Rating: 3.537 out of 5.00 (average of 22 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “David Bowie seemed like an artist without direction ever since the success of Let's Dance, switching styles and genres with a speed that made him appear nervous, not innovative. Recorded with his former collaborator Brian Eno, Outside was intended to return some luster to his rapidly tarnishing reputation. Instead of faux soul or mainstream pop — or even dissonant hard rock, for that matter — Bowie concentrates on the atmospheric, disturbing electronic soundscapes of his late-'70s ‘Berlin’ trilogy (Low, Heroes, and Lodger), adding slight, but detectable, elements of industrial, grunge, and ambient techno.” AMG “Bowie also raised the stakes by making Outside the first in a series of concept albums about mystery, murder, art, and cyberspace. Everything that would have made Outside a triumphant comeback seemed to be in place, but the album is severely flawed. Not only is the story poorly developed and confusing, but the album is simply too long. Throughout the record, good ideas bubble to the surface, yet are never fully explored, and the sheer bulk of the album means that the good songs — Hallo Spaceboy, Strangers When We Meet, The Hearts Filthy Lesson — are buried underneath the weight of the mediocre material.” AMG “Furthermore, nothing on the album is a departure from Bowie's late-‘70s records; when he does experiment with newer musical forms or write about futuristic technology, he seems unsure of himself. That said, Outside is Bowie's most satisfying and adventurous album since Let's Dance. It’s clear that he’s trying once again, and when he does hit his mark, he remains a brilliant artist.” AMG Notes: ”Strangers When We Meet” was originally on 1993’s The Buddha of Suburbia. Also, an Australian import release features another version of “Hallo Spaceboy.” In 2004, Columbia Records reissued the album with B-side “Get Real” tacked on to the original album.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for David Bowie AMG All Music Guide review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine WK Wikipedia Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 2/20/2008; last updated 8/3/2021.