David Bowie The Next Day released

The Next Day David Bowie

Released: March 8, 2013 Peak: 2 US, 11 UK, 2 CN, 2 AU Sales (in millions): 0.21 US, 0.16 UK, 1.2 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. The Next Day [3:27] (5/8/13, --) Dirty Boys [2:58] The Stars Are Out Tonight [3:56] (2/25/13, --) Love Is Lost [3:57] (10/28/13, --) Where Are We Now? [4:08] (1/8/13, 6 UK, 78 AU) Valentine’s Day [3:01] (8/19/13, --) If You Can See Me [3:15] I’d Rather Be High [3:53] Boss of Me (Bowie, Gerry Leonard) [4:09] Dancing Out in Space [3:24] How Does the Grass Grow? (Bowie, Jerry Lordan) [4:33] You Will Set the World on Fire [3:30] You Feel So Lonely You Could Die [4:37] Heat [4:25] All songs by David Bowie unless noted otherwise. Total Running Time: 53:17 The Players: David Bowie (vocals, production, guitar, string arrangement, keyboards, percussion) Tony Visconti (producer, string arrangement, guitar, recorder, strings, bass, etc.) Gerry Leonard (guitar, keyboards) Earl Slick, David Torn (guitar) Zachary Alford, Sterling Campbell (drums) Gail Ann Dorsey (bass, backing vocals) Steve Elson (baritone saxophone, clarinet) Henry Hey (piano) Tony Levin (bass) Maxim Moston, Antoine Silverman, Hiroko Taguchi (strings)

Rating: 3.731 out of 5.00 (average of 24 ratings)

About the Album: Bowie hadn’t released a solo album since 2003, leading many to believe that he had retired from music. However, on his 66th birthday on January 8, 2013, it was announced on his website that he was releasing The Next Day in March of that year. The announcement was accompanied by the release of the introspective single Where Are We Now? All Music Guide’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine said of the song and album: “Even when a melody sighs with an air of resigned melancholia, as it does on ‘Where Are They Now?, it never delves into sadness. It stays afloat in a warm, soothing bath.” AMG The album was recorded in secret in New York City between 2011 and 2013 with Tony Visconti, who had produced seven albums for Bowie, including 2002’s Heathen and 2003’s Reality. Most of the same team from the latter album returned for The Next Day. Those working on the record had to sign non-disclosure agreements. WK Even Columbia Records’ publicity firm in the UK knew nothing of the album until a few days before it was released. WK Visconti said that recording began with a one-week session with Sterling Campbell on drums and Gerry Leonard on guitar. Bowie played keyboards and Visconti played bass. After five days, they had demoed a dozen songs. Then Bowie went home and they heard nothing from him for four months. WK The Next Day “shares much of the same moody, meditative sound as its predecessor.” WK The songs were mostly observational, probing the mind-sets of different people. Valentine’s Day was about a high school schooter. I’d Rather Be High focused on a soldier from World War II. WK Heat is “a quiet, shimmering, hallucination-channeling late ‘80s Scott Walker.” AMG BBC Music’s Jude Clarke called it “a triumphant, almost defiant return. Innovative, dark, bold, and creative.” WK The New York Times referred to it as “Bowie’s twilight masterpiece.” WK All Music Guide’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine haied it as “a sweet coda to a towering career.” AMG CBS News called it his “strongest work to date.” WK The Independent’s Andy Gill proclaimed it “the greatest comeback album in rock ‘n’ roll history.” WK Notes: A deluxe edition added the songs “So She,” “Plan,” and “I’ll Take You There.” The Japanese deluxe edition also included “God Bless the Girl.” On November 4, 2013, The Next Day Extra was released. It included the original album, a second CD with the deluxe edition bonus tracks and other material, and a DVD of the four videos released in support of the album. There was also an EP called The Next Day Extra which included “Atomica,” “The Informer,” “Like a Rocket Man,” “Born in a UFO,” “God Bless the Girl,” and remixes of “Love Is Lost” and “I’d Rather Be High.”

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: Last updated 8/3/2021.