Today's Concert Review is of Adam Ant (and The Good, The Mad, and The Lovely Posse) when he played The Belmont here in Austin on 7/26/13.
Adam Ant. Image from Brooklyn Vegan
I've been an Adam Ant fan for a few years now and was fortunate enough to see him on tour the last time around (I forget when exactly, but sometime late 2012) when he played at Emo's East. I was really impressed by that show and loved how he played most of the hit songs everyone loves but also threw in some rarer goodies and some tracks from the new album. I was also impressed with his band and the fact he used TWO drum sets.
Upon arriving at The Belmont, I ran into a friend (who I met the last time I was at The Belmont in April seeing Peter Murphy for the fifth time). We got some decent spots towards the front, left side of the stage and chatted for a bit until the openers came on.
Prima Donna were the openers for the night. Prima Donna are a band out of Los Angeles that formed in 2003. Unlike traditional rock bands of today, the group prominently features keyboards and saxophone on most of their songs in addition to the more traditional guitars, bass guitars, and drums. The group clearly draws influence from the likes of David Bowie, Marc Bolan, and to a certain extent, even Mr. Adam Ant himself.
Prima Donna. Also featuring the amazing death hawk of a person in front of me. Picture taken by me
They played a modest set including a few songs off their 2012 album Bless This Mess (notably, "Sociopath" and a tribute to Adam Ant, "Maxine"). Throughout the set, the group maintained an incredibly high level of energy with singer Kevin Preston constantly darting from one side of the stage to the next, leaning over the crowd and getting in people's faces, and dropping to his knees only to fly back up. Overall, the group sounded great and did a nice job of getting us pumped up for Adam Ant.
Adam Ant began as the singer of post-punk act Adam and the Ants before going solo in 1982. Over the years, Adam Ant has spurned several hit singles from his albums (both as Adam and the Ants and solo), remaining a constant force to be reckoned with. While focusing on music from a young age, things haven't always been perfect for Adam Ant. At the age of 21, the singer was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has had many problems over the years handling the effects of medications used to treat the illness. While not perfect, he appears to have things under control nowadays and has always been courteous to his audience (in my experience).
A younger Adam Ant from the "Stand and Deliver" music video. Picture from jango.com
Once it was time for Adam Ant to perform, the lights completely cut out and a screen at the back of the stage was lit up with "Adam Ant and the Good, the Mad, and the Lovely Posse" and the new logo for the Blue Black Hussar himself. Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" blared over the speakers and we began to clap in rhythm to that music. The band members began to take to the stage to our loud cheers. Then we roared to life as Adam Ant took to the stage, wearing his traditional pirate-esque regalia and an attitude that said "It's time to go crazy." The group started into a song off the new album (2013's Adam Ant is the Blue Black Hussar Marrying the Gunner's Daughter), "Marrying the Gunner's Daughter."
As before, Adam Ant maintained an immense energy throughout the entire set (even in the Texas heat!). Taking pictures of him was difficult as he darted from one side of the stage to the next without ever seeming to pause. The band sounded marvelous just like the previous time I had seen them, matching energies with Adam Ant.
The band roared through many classic Ant favorites, including "Beat My Guest," "Goody Two Shoes," "Stand and Deliver," and my personal favorite (though I don't care for the live version as much because it desperately...haha, pun...needs that trumpet part) "Desperate But Not Serious." The group came back out for a three song encore amid our shouts for more Antmusic (which I've linked a video of below, from the first time I saw him here in Austin over at Emo's East).
Ultimately, this was another fine performance from the Blue Black Hussar. He continues to sound flawless after all the years and his stage energy is certainly a force to be reckoned with. While it would have been nice to get a handshake or two, he still talked to the audience every now and then and was kind enough to give a couple fans the bandanna he was wearing on his pants for a time and one of his pirate gloves, a nice gesture on his part that won't be quickly forgot. The set was a wonderful mix of classic Adam Ant songs with only a few off the newest album. Overall, the crowd was very into the show and singing along at the top of their lungs and screaming adoration for Adam Ant. He is most assuredly not a performer to be missed, so be sure to check him out when the tour comes near you!
Best shot I could get of the set list on stage. They didn't have many to hand out and stage crew were too busy to quickly hold down the corner for me to get a better picture.
After I believe three previous efforts to see these guys, I finally bring you a Concert Review for The Psychedelic Furs! The show took place 7/18/13 at Antone's here in Austin, Texas.
The Psychedelic Furs. Left to right: Mars Williams (clarinet and saxophone), Richard Butler (vocals), and Tim Butler (bass guitar). Photo taken by me.
I've tried for the last four years, I believe, to see the Psychedelic Furs. I've bought tickets about three or four times, but inevitably I'd end up having an exam get scheduled or a major presentation or project the day after the show, ultimately thwarting my chance to see these guys live. Last night, the stars finally seemed to align just right and I was able to go to the sold out show here in Austin!
This was my first time at Antone's, either the old venue which is now Infest or the new one. The venue was smaller than I expected (I figured Antone's would upgrade in size much like their neighbor, Emo's, did compared to their original downtown location), but I much prefer smaller intimate shows, so this wasn't a problem. I got to the venue a little before doors officially opened, but they were letting people in early, so I went in and managed to get near well to front and center.
The Technicolors were the sole openers for the night. I think I've heard of them before, but didn't know their music or much of anything about them. The Technicolors are a five piece indie rock group hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, that formed a few years ago. They are currently signed to Tallest Man Records and have released only one album so far entitled Listener.
The Technicolors. Photo taken by me.
Their set consisted of seven songs including a brilliant cover of a song I know I've heard before but don't know the name of and cannot find to save my life (I know, very descriptive, but it wasn't on their set list, so I have no idea what it is).
On the whole, The Technicolors played with great enthusiasm, energy, and smiles all around. The person on electric piano was head banging the entire time and possibly the most energetic of the group (which is saying a lot as everyone was killing it, to be honest). The sound seemed a bit off like certain parts weren't balanced right (I had a hard time hearing the guitar parts their singer would play). I'll be listening to these guys on Spotify as I think they're a band I could get into over time.
Setlist for The Technicolors
After The Technicolors finished, it was time for the Furs! The Psychedelic Furs were one of the many post-punk/New Wave bands to emerge from the shambles of the punk scene in 1977 in England. The group is led by brothers Richard Butler (vocals) and Tim Butler (bass guitar). The current line up also includes Paul Garisto (drums), Mars Williams (clarinet and saxophone), Rich Good (guitar), and Amanda Kramer (keyboards). The band has released seven albums, the last being in 1991 before going on hiatus for a few years. Currently, the Furs tour rather extensively, performing many of their famous hit songs and even some lesser known favorites.
As we waited with eager anticipation, the crowd started to get closer. A woman next to me asked if we could possibly make some room for her in the front. Apparently she is from New York but had been flying around the country following the Furs on this tour. That is what I call fan star level 500. Impressive!
The Psychedelic Furs took the stage to loud cries from the crowd and started into "Highwire Days." The band sounded great and once Richard Butler (singer) took to the stage with the rest of the band, the audience just went absolutely crazy. Everyone looked great and sounded amazing and this was just the opening.
Tim Butler. Photo taken by me.
The set continued on with many favorites including "Heartbeat," "Ghost in You," "Love My Way," "Mr. Jones," and "Heaven." Throughout the set, the band maintained incredible energy and immaculate sound. Richard's vocals were absolutely spot on. The group returned to the stage for an encore of "Pretty in Pink" and "Sleep Comes Down."
It's hard to pick my favorite aspect of the show. After all these years, Richard and Tim still have it. Richard often reminded me of a young guy fronting a band, not believing that there were people in the audience that loved his music and thought he was great. He always appeared so happy to be singing to us, jumping around constantly, smiling a big toothy grin from ear to ear, and thanking us after nearly every song. I just felt so happy to support that kind of attitude. Tim was great, wearing his typical "stunna" shades, as I like to call them. He also constantly got close to people in the crowd, staring us down in the eye and singing the lyrics to us (a combination of awesome, intimidating, and perhaps just a dash of creepy to boot...I uploaded the video I took of "Heaven" so you can see for yourselves just what I mean).
Mars Williams may have been the most impressive, to me. This guy sounded amazing and was running all over the stage, blasting away on clarinet and saxophone, at times playing both at the same time! If I could, I'd give him a hug and tell him how sensational he was. Paul and Amanda were also great, but obviously constrained to one place given the instruments they play, but no less important as the songs would not be the same without them. Rich did a fantastic job on guitar and I swear I've seen him before with another band, but I cannot place it. All around great performances from everyone!
This was certainly not a show to miss and I feel sorry for those who didn't get the chance to enjoy this sold out show. It was a long time waiting, but the wait was most certainly worth it. 36 years later and the Furs most definitely still have it. Do not pass up an opportunity to see these guys if you can!
I bought the last copy of Talk Talk Talk on LP and signed by the band. Also shown is my ticket stub and the set list Richard walked all over :-)
Ratings:
The Technicolors - 4.5 out of 5 (wish the sound issues were resolved)
Today's Concert Review is of California deathrock act Kommunity FK when they played Infest here in Austin on 7/21/13.
Patrik Mata (left) and Sherry Rubber (right) from Kommunity FK. Photo taken from the Kommunity FK website.
Kommunity FK are one of the founders of deathrock, beginning in 1978 at the start of the post-punk movement where music creativity was highly encouraged and allowed following the first fizzling out of the punk movement. Some fans of deathrock claim Kommunity FK didn't really emerge on the scene in Los Angeles until the early 80s, but most likely were developing their sound (and attempting to get gigs at venues, though without catch words like "deathrock" at the time, this was perhaps a bit of a challenge) before then. While it is probably true that the group enjoyed a large following in the southern California deathrock scene at the time, their reputation never really caught on as extensively outside of that, remaining overshadowed by other deathrock acts such as Christian Death, Shadow Project, Alien Sex Fiend, and so forth. Their main claim to larger fame came in the early 80s when their music video for "Something Inside Me Has Died" received some air play on MTV's 120 Minutes show (yes, for the young ones like me, there was a day when MTV actually played music videos! Imagine that! Video of the song is posted below). Kommunity FK has also reportedly toured along many key acts to the goth scene (a list can be found on their website, but no dates are given, so it's unclear when some of these performances may have occurred).
I first discovered Kommunity FK a few years ago while listening to the Last.fm radio (possibly listening to the deathrock tag station, but I don't recall for sure). Since switching over to Spotify (and now owning two Kommunity FK albums), I haven't really used the Last.fm radio, but at the time they only had the remastered version of "To Blame." (Hopefully more of their music has become available to the Last.fm community, but I am unsure) It was a nice song and got me interested in the group. This all came around the same their latest album, 2010's La Santisima Muerte, was about to be released, to which I promptly went to Waterloo Records (about the only store that claimed to have a copy...and actually did) and bought it. I then went driving around town blasting it from my car as it is one of those kinds of albums (and because I'm still apparently 16, but with a permanent driver's license and better taste in music than when I was actually 16).
Now, while I am a fan of Kommunity FK, they certainly are not my favorite band. I do enjoy deathrock on the whole, but I've always been more of a post-punk fan (or, as many prefer to borrow the media's usage of the term, the original "goth rock" acts). But, Kommunity FK rarely tours and if they do, it's rare for them to visit Texas. So, upon hearing they were coming to Texas as part of their 35 year anniversary tour, I was interested.
Leading up to the tour dates, there was a bit of personal drama that took place (I won't go into details as it was brief, silly, and not critical to this review). As a result, I was very much on the fence about whether I even wanted to go to the show. I literally decided very last minute and randomly at 8:30pm the night of the show to go (basically, I looked at the clock, and went "Oh hell, why not? It's only $8."). Of course, for a 30 minute drive to downtown, $7 for parking, and $8 for the show itself, Kommunity FK had to put on a decent show or I'd be pretty disappointed.
The show didn't actually begin until roughly 10:15pm (Infest claimed it would begin at 8pm). The group first went on stage as Texylvania, a side project band of sorts that is known for doing different covers of other bands in addition to some original material. I hadn't heard any of the Texylvania material before, but it was decent. The audience had grown to roughly twenty by this point, but few seemed interested in this part. I liked Sherry's style of play (she quickly impressed me with her abilities on guitar), but I didn't care as much for her vocals on this project when she took over on mic (I know there were some sound issues, so maybe that's part of it). Neat sound and a cool treat to technically see the members of Kommunity FK perform twice in one night, but there was something about it that I didn't quite prefer. (Below is a video someone took of them playing in the past)
Captive, a local Austin band, took the stage next and played a few sounds. Musically, I liked what they were doing. However, the vocals were not my thing at all. The singer reminded me of Robert Smith, but in a terrible way. Imagine Robert Smith not singing but just yelling lyrics into the mic. That was more or less what it was and didn't mesh very well to the music being played by the other members of the band. It was a good effort, but not really my thing. I also give them credit, though, as we weren't really their kind of audience and only a few people actually stood up to listen to them, so that's got to be pretty tough to play to.
Finally, at around midnight, the moment we had been waiting for (some with more excitement than others) - Kommunity FK! The group opened with the song that got me started with them, "To Blame." It sounded a little different from what I remember of the recording, but it was really solid. I don't recall the second song on the list, but the third was my favorite from their 2010 album, "We Belong Dead." I admittedly am not as familiar with their older material (while I now own a copy of 1983's The Vision and the Voice, this was a fairly new acquisition for me, so I haven't listened to it much, and Close One Sad Eye from 1985 is very hard to get a hold of and thus very pricey), so I didn't know many of the songs. The set also included from the 2010 album "Protektion," which was really nice, but felt a little different from the recording (maybe just a tiny bit slower?). Wrapping up the night, Kommunity FK played their biggest hit, "Something Inside Me Has Died" and played a request for "Fuck the Kommunity" during the encore which people had been yelling for all night.
The set was fairly short (then again, they don't have all that much material to pull from, in the grand scheme of things). Patrik Mata (vocals, occasional guitar, occasional keyboards) sounded wonderful, though seemed a bit stiff and stoic on stage (perhaps not happy with the small size of the crowd). Sherry Rubber (backing vocals, guitar, and occasional keyboards) also sounded great and plays a mean guitar. I didn't catch the name of the drummer or bass guitarist (Patrik did introduce them, but I don't recall them and their website is a bit dated), but both did a nice job on their respective parts. On the whole, I wasn't blown away by the show, but it was still pretty good in the end. A larger crowd would have been helpful in getting the overall energy going more, I think.
I'd say Kommunity FK are a band worth seeing at least once. They've still got a nice sound that retains a fair uniqueness to it (Patrik Mata started the band to just be creative and has done a good job sticking to that theme, which is very nice). Just don't expect large crowds outside of the LA deathrock scene (which may not be as alive and well these days, I don't know).
Ratings:
Texylvania - 3 out of 5 (something about it just wasn't my cup of tea)
Captive - 2 out of 5 (yelling Robert Smith vocals that got drowned out by the synth just didn't work for me)
Kommunity FK - 4 out of 5 (longer set would have been nicer and bigger audience would have helped get the band a bit more engaged in the show)
Today's Music Review is of the new AFI single, "I Hope You Suffer."
AFI back in 2009. Left to right: Jade Puget (guitar), Adam Carson (drums), Hunter Burgan (bass guitar), and Davey Havok (vocals)
AFI used to be my favorite band since about 2005 through maybe 2009 or 2010 (then Peter Murphy took over that spot and has currently remained the reigning champion...though I'm pretty certain Davey Havok would be okay with this). However, the band's last two releases, 2006's Decemberunderground and 2009's Crash Love, while commercial successes, felt too mainstream and impersonal to me. Both albums certainly got their fair share of plays in my car, on my iPod, and on my computer, but it felt like the AFI I had come to love was vanishing and simply becoming another mainstream band.
Since 2009 and the tour supporting Crash Love, things had been mostly quiet on the AFI front. Davey Havok (singer) and Jade Puget (guitar) went on the eventually record and release a second album on their electronic-based side project, Blaqk Audio. Hunter Burgan (bass) eventually started up a merchandise line that sold things from shirts to coffee mugs and other assorted items and recorded an album for a new project called Las Gatas Beach Club. Adam Carson (drums) did...well...whatever he does when everyone else does something else. I'm not sure if Adam did anything in the interim as he isn't part of any permanent side projects that I know of.
Then starting just a few months ago, AFI began releasing cryptic videos on their website (the first of which is posted below), hearkening back to the days of Sing the Sorrow (2003) and the entire Clandestine mystery series. (I wasn't a huge fan at the time, so I admittedly never really got into the whole "mystery" thing, but from what little I read of it, the fan base was rather rabid over the whole thing, driving all over the country looking for clues and other crazy stuff) What one of the videos also revealed was a date - September 2013. It seemed official - after almost four years since Crash Love, AFI were coming back with a new album.
Now, AFI has been known for a constantly evolving sound. Their first studio album, 1995's Answer That and Stay Fashionable, is actually a punk/hardcore album. Much of their early work was in that vein. It wasn't until 1999's Black Sails in the Sunset when AFI began to turn towards more brooding lyrics, slightly slower tempos, and a darker complexity. The group found commercial success with 2003's Sing the Sorrow (sometimes considered their best album) and have since evolved into a more mainstream rock sound with the last two albums mentioned above. Would this new album be in the same vein as Decemberunderground and Crash Love? Or would it be yet a further evolution of the group's sound?
"I Hope You Suffer" opens with backing music that reminds me more of Blaqk Audio than anything AFI ever used (some synthesizers and piano...I've put a Blaqk Audio song below for those not familiar to get a sense, somewhat, of what that project sounds like). After the little intro, the song kicks into more of a rock anthem, full of a raw energy and power that was seen more and more on their last couple of albums. In roughly the middle of the song, there is a light interlude filled with Davey Havok's singing and some background group ooh's and aah's before returning to the hard rock sound.
Lyrically, the song seems to be from the point of view of a person who was perhaps in a relationship with another person that ended poorly. The other person went on, maybe found a new romance and has forgotten the original person they were with ("Deny the last one who cares/Intoxicate with the new"). But now things aren't so sunny in this new romance and the original person, who gave them their heart and now suffers, hopes this person suffers like they have.
Clearly gone are the days of Davey Havok's once immensely cryptic and poetic lyrics. This one is far too obvious and almost begs the listener to wonder if this is Davey Havok speaking about something that happened in his life recently-ish (I have a pretty good guess as to an event that could be referenced here, but it is pure speculation, doesn't have very strong evidence in my mind, and is largely irrelevant anyways to this discussion). It's not to say the lyrics are terrible or anything, but I personally miss the days where the lyrics were a bit more cryptic. One reason Peter Murphy constantly draws me into his music is how he maintains a level of cryptic-ness in his songs, which allows me to seek personal ties to each song as I find my own meaning in them. Here, I haven't been through an ordeal like this, so it's not as easy for me to connect to the song on a deeper, personal level.
Musically, though, this song has several complex layers of texture. The beginning throws me off a bit as it's not what I'd expect of an AFI song, but the progression throughout the song makes sense and flows. Davey Havok's vocals provide an energy and emotion to this song that help tell the lyrics not just through sound but through feeling. Jade Puget's guitar work also fits in nicely, refusing to be tamed by mere chords. At times his touch adds a nice ethereal effect to the background. The piano bits (which are most likely either done by Jade Puget or Hunter Burgan) fit in nicely during the main verses of the song and add further complexity.
It has been four years and a lot can happen in that time, but, AFI are back and just as good as ever. September is coming and it'll be a matter of time until we learn just what the rest of the album will be like. A clip of another song from the album has been spotted and is said to be more pop in sound, so time will tell on what the new work will truly be like. It'll also be interesting to see what direction the music video for this new single takes once it is released possibly later this month.
Today's Music Review looks at the first album from David Bowie in ten years, The Next Day. Sorry there has been a delay in putting out album reviews. Life has taken some unprecedented turns and in the case of a new David Bowie album, one must sit and let every subtle nuance simmer just a bit before musing over the intricacies.
Album cover for David Bowie's twenty-fourth (yes, TWENTY-FOURTH!) studio album, The Next Day.
Every year for the last several years I have written a review of the year on December 31st, looking at the good and the bad of the year for me. I then listed famous celebrities that had died followed by a review of the year's resolutions and how I did. I'd then finish with new resolutions and hopes for the new year. For many of those years, I have hoped for a new album from David Bowie. But, the man has been incredibly quiet over the years, so such a thing was highly unlikely.
Then his 66th birthday came to be on January 8th. Out of absolutely nowhere, David Bowie gave us a new single and music video and an announcement that a new album was due in March. I, and probably the entire David Bowie fan community, went absolutely bat shit crazy. I recall sitting in my apartment at my computer desk, mouth hanging open, eyes wide, and listening to the new single at a loud volume. I could care less if my neighbors got pissed. This was David Bowie and he was BACK!
I'm sure there's a certain level of pessimism that accompanies the release of a new Bowie album, the first in ten years. Many felt that Bowie's experimentation with a more electronic sound throughout the 90s and 00s was a terrible idea and that he had more or less lost his touch and meaning. So, concern one is that maybe this album is a continuation of that tragic trend. Another concern that comes to mind is why wait so long to produce another album? Money troubles?
David Bowie. Image taken from The Guardian.
Admittedly, I personally haven't listened much to his newer albums. I tend to stick to the more classic stuff, though his catalog is so immense I feel I just need to spend a few years getting intimately acquainted with each album. So, I don't have much of an opinion on the newer albums. I do know Bowie has had various health issues, the more recent and severe of which was a blocked coronary artery in 2004 that led to the cancellation of several dates on his last tour supporting his own work. 2006 marked the last time he performed on a stage. But, if money were an issue, Bowie would most likely be touring to support this newest album. Thus far, no plans for a tour have been made and it's still very uncertain if Bowie will ever tour again. I, for one, hope he does as I'd love to see him live (and I've already put down in words that if he steps foot anywhere in Texas, I am there. I will drive or fly and pay whatever ticket price to be general admission).
Instead, as Tony Viscontti has said in press releases on Bowie's behalf, Bowie simply wants to focus on making music when he feels he has something to say, and after ten years, he felt he had something to say, culminating into The Next Day.
What I do know of Bowie's more recent albums was they took on a more electronic sound, at least in part (I did break down and purchase a couple of the newer albums, but have not yet gotten the chance to give them a good listen, so I don't know how overarching a statement that is). Surprisingly (or maybe not, given the ten year gap), The Next Day returns to a more classic Bowie sound, but with a modern flair. For those looking for the short and sweet version - the new album is sensational and if you have not listened to it yet, you are really missing out.
The album opens with the namesake track (and third single), "The Next Day." This may well be my favorite song off the album and serves as a great opener for the album. It's a bit of an upbeat modern rock song and instantly catchy. And for those wondering, David Bowie's voice is still lush and glorious as ever, a treat to the ears. I don't really know what the lyrics suggest in this song, though there are some religious undertones (so maybe a statement against religion? Don't quote me here, I don't know, however the music video does contain more religious content and was briefly banned on YouTube, so maybe?). Suffice to say, I love this one.
The next track is a sleazy sounding song titled "Dirty Boys" (the sleazy sound is very apt, me thinks). Again, I'm not really sure what David Bowie is getting at lyrically, but I like the overall sound this track conveys. Maybe it isn't supposed to sound sleazy, per se, but with the title, that's how I interpret it. Not necessarily the strongest track on the album, but certainly worth a listen.
The third track is the second single from the album, "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)." The way I interpret this song is actually a commentary about today's famous stars, people looking at the rest of us from behind their shades, who need us (to make them feel important and such), but are always jealous and while we don't always like them, we still for some reason hope they live forever. I find this to be another strong song on the album and another favorite of mine.
Skipping to the fifth track and first single from the album is "Where Are We Now?" Admittedly, this song had to grow on me first. It's a slower song, but still very beautiful. I don't know lyrically what David Bowie is trying to convey, but if the music video is any indication, it features Bowie and Jacqueline Humphries (wife of the director for the music video) in a Berlin apartment that is made to look much like the one Bowie lived in during the Berlin Triology of albums he released in the mid- to late-70's. The idea is perhaps that in his older age, Bowie is looking back on his career and reminiscing about where his career has taken him over the years, at times wanting to go back in time to those years, yet still wanting to move forward. All in all, a great track and so crafty to have it drop on his 66th birthday!
The sixth track is another favorite of mine entitled "Valentine's Day" (and is slated to be the fourth single). To me, this is about a person who is perhaps lonely and has a love interest that doesn't feel the same way back, but for this Valentine's Day, they're going to go for it and ask the other person. If that is the meaning, rather simplistic, but I just really enjoy the music and how Bowie meshes these lyrics to it. I'm interested to see what the music video will hold for this one.
I'll stop here. The rest of the album is pretty solid, so I recommend giving it a complete run through. Even the bonus songs in the deluxe version (which probably weren't considered "good enough" to make the main release) are really great. For being his first album in ten years, Bowie still has it - the sound, the voice, hell, even the look. Sure, this album is no Ziggy Stardust, but then again, is it even possible to match a genius like that? I'm doubtful. Regardless, The Next Day is an auditory treat you won't want to miss any longer. Welcome back, Mr. Bowie. We have greatly missed you.
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