A Rare Shot Of David Bowie Wandering Alone In New York
That clattering sound you thought you heard this week? Yeah, that was a thousand music journalists collectively dropping their pens when David Bowie suddenly released a new single - Where Are We Now? - on his 66th birthday. The British icon, now settled in Manhattan, also announced his first album in 10 years - The Next Day - set for release on March. Bowie, a forward thinking songwriter, addresses mortality and the past on his latest single, fuelling speculation as to whether the singer's latest record could well be his last.
There were murmuring of Bowie's return to the fray in 2012, though most expected him to appear at the London Olympics opening ceremony, sing Heroes and hop back on a plane to the East Coast of America. It never happened, and fans of the superstar were left sighing as Danny Boyle instead screened filmed footage of Bowie during his whistle-stop tour of Britain's pop history. Reviews of Where Are We Now? have been wholly positive, with our own Simon Jay Catling musing "this is a track that maintains the hallmarks of its creator's canon - lyrical signposts, themes that are never fully decoded, questions that open up more questions." Luke Turner of The Quietus said, "The song itself, well, it's proper Bowie, but with a really gorgeous swell, and at times heart-rending reflective tone to it. Brilliant stuff. My word." The Daily Telegraph - who also offered a positive review - quoted a spokesman as saying the track came "from out of nowhere," adding, "Throwing shadows and avoiding the industry treadmill is very David Bowie despite his extraordinary track record that includes album sales in excess of 130 million not to mention his massive contributions in the area of art, fashion, style, sexual exploration and social commentary."
Continue reading: David Bowie's Where Are We Now: Is The Old Master Bowing Out?