The Next Day
David Bowie
2013
Album Summary
The Next Day is the 25th studio album by English musician David Bowie, released over several dates in March 2013 through his ISO Records label, under exclusive license to Columbia Records. It marked Bowie's return to recording after retreating from the public due to a heart attack on the A Reality Tour in 2004. Co-produced by Bowie and longtime collaborator Tony Visconti, the album was recorded in New York City at the Magic Shop and Human Worldwide Studios between May 2011 and October 2012. It featured contributions from new musicians and returning contributors, including Gerry Leonard, Earl Slick, Gail Ann Dorsey, Steve Elson, Sterling Campbell and Zachary Alford. The sessions took place under complete secrecy, with all personnel involved signing non-disclosure agreements. Musically, The Next Day is primarily a rock album, featuring elements of art rock. Numerous commentators highlighted references to Bowie's prior works. The dark lyrics were partly inspired by the artist's readings of English and Russian history, and cover different types of conflict and topics such as tyranny and violence. Meanwhile, the characters vary from soldiers, assassins, school shooters and street gangs. The cover art was designed by Jonathan Barnbrook and is an adapted version of Bowie's 1977 album "Heroes", featuring a white square containing the album's title obscuring his face and the "Heroes" title crossed out. The debut single "Where Are We Now?" and news of the album were released online with no prior announcement on 8 January 2013, Bowie's 66th birthday. Within hours, he made headlines around the world, surprising fans and media who had assumed he retired from music. Preceded by a viral marketing campaign, The Next Day topped charts around the world and debuted at number one and two on the UK Albums Chart and US Billboard 200, respectively. It was his first UK number-one album since 1993 and his highest charting US album since 1976. Several singles with accompanying music videos were released throughout 2013. Outtakes and additional remixes appeared on The Next Day Extra in November. The Next Day was met with critical acclaim and was regarded as a return to form for the artist and his best work in decades. Many highlighted the performances of the band and Bowie himself and invited positive comparisons to prior works. However, some felt the music lacked innovation and found the album overlong, a sentiment echoed by Bowie's biographers. Among the first surprise albums of the 2010s, The Next Day was included in the 2014 revised edition of Robert Dimery's book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
WikipediaLikely no other artist will go out like Bowie did: surprise release two great albums relatively close together and then promptly die without any warning. A true king.
An exceptional return to form, reminds me of his early / mid 70s stuff. What a talent we lost.
Wasn't expecting contemporary Bowie to be this good, not sure why I'm surprised that it's on the verge of masterpiece territory
I found some songs fascinating, and was really into some of the slower beats. The yearning in his voice always compels me.
I like David Bowie, and he has a lot of classical in his musical history, but how is it possible to create a whole album that does not have fails? This is one of that rare cases where there is no single bad song in the entire album. This is impressive. Interesting to note some "new" things applied to some songs here for the first time that will follow his career until "Blackstar."
I only really got into Bowie just before Blackstar came out, so missed the hype around The Next Day when it was first released. I'd always dismissed it, thinking it probably only got the acclaim it did because it was such an unexpected return But nope, it's also pretty damn good
There’s some strong stuff on here, and it’s Bowie after all, but it sort of highlights my continuous gripes about this list giving some artists too many spots. If you’re boiling down Bowie to a “must hear before you die” list this obviously doesn’t make the cut in my book.
There is very little to say about this, which is disappointing for a David Bowie record. It's basically fine as a rock record, but it's not pushing any boundaries. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Where Are We Now? Date listened: 22/06/22
What’s not to love about this one. Sounds close to black star but given the times of their release not surprised. Great tunes all could have been on his final album. Where are we now is one of my all time favourite Bowie tunes. Just wish I had got to see him perform.
I really like this album. I seem to remember it didn't get the best reviews but maybe that's not true. It was a surprise release and just popped out one day. I really like the title track The Next Day, it's one of my fave Bowie tracks. I really like the darker nature of this album, bit scary in places, such as on Lost is Love
As magical as his first albums. It’s solid, each track fitting and perfectly performed
That was definitely a different experience than older records but, at the same time, felt comfortingly familiar. And yet, it's still pushing boundaries and challenging expectations for a new Bowie album. It's got a delightfully dark vibe like early, Berlin-era Bowie but it's so much more mature both in writing and performance. "The Next Day" feels like what it is: the return of a master to his chosen art form. It's Bowie coming out of retirement to show the young guns how it's done. I'm trying not to come off as a total Bowie fanboy because I'm not but I've got nothing bad to say about it at all. It's just really good.
23rd December 2022 Listened in the morning while heading to Cheltenham for last minute Christmas shopping. Chilled evening. The return of Zavid. Sounds like he never left.
Me gustó mucho, el contraste entre la voz y el instrumental, la variedad de sonidos, sonidos clásicos de el pero traídos de una nueva forma
This is some dark, dark stuff. The more time I spend with it, the more it feels like Bowie is just operating on a different plane than the rest of the world. Best track: Valentine's Day
I just recently set up a music studio, and when I got my PA all plugged in, this was the album I played (on CD) to test out the system. Big fan of the album, and now I got to hear it blasted through PA speakers and through my little earbuds all within the past 30 days or so. I really enjoyed this listen. Bowie may have lost a little of his range by the time this album came around, but he's in fantastic form. Great songwriting, love the lyrics throughout, nice mix of oddball compositions and arrangements and straightforward tracks. There's a sadness, sort of a somber, sometimes paranoid thin white duke vibe, yet, it sounds to me like Bowie and company were having fun recording it. Moments flash in many songs that speak to a playfulness and freedom going on in the studio. Among my favorite Bowie albums, maybe a little longer than necessary, but now that he's gone, I'm glad he didn't hold anything back.
Wow. Loved this. Bowie’s journey through the years with graceful elegant and passionate music.
Bowie is just surprisingly good. I was expecting an album of his from 2013 to sound like washed up old man shit, but this... this kinda rocks. It has a distinct sisters of mercy type thing going on vocally in a lot of places, which I'm sure is coincidence but still floats my boat. This would have been full marks if he'd trimmed it by 15min or so. 4/5.
Oh wow what a small indie artist- glad to be one of the first people to ever say that this David man may be good!
Not my favourite Bowie album by any stretch of the imagination, but let's face it. Even a bad Bowie album is a fantastic album. I think I found a few new favourites in this one as this album has none of my regular "go to" songs.
I really liked these songs. First full listen of a Bowie album. He will be missed
Favorite Songs : The Stars (Are Out Tonight), The Next Day, Love Is Lost, Where Are We Now?, Valentine's Day, You Feel So Lonely You Could Die, Heat Least Favorite Songs: Boss Of Me, How Does The Grass Grow?, (You Will) Set The World On Fire Not my favorite Bowie project, but a welcome return to what made him so impressive and interesting in the first place. It really is a modern take on something he may have produced in the early 80s, which only makes the reused iconic 'Heroes' cover photo all the more appropriate; a single of this "what's old is new again" ideology "The Next Day" wants to imply. There's a very unique tone and groove through the whole album even without a consistent narrative or theme. Many of the songs here are triumphant and booming, some are droning and dark, and some genuinely very introspective and deliberately written. I only wish a bit of the fat could be trimmed off here and there, because the highs are so high and the lows so boring.
I can specifically thank this website for getting me to listen and enjoy Bowie. I wasn't a fan until this website gave me the suggestions and I'm really digging his music. This isn't my favorite album. A bit low energy for me, but still great writing.
Is this a contender for best 25th album by an artist? One of rock’s greatest comebacks. Incredible to return to the stage and deliver this after 10 years of absence. Like so many of Bowie’s records this is best when he steps away from the conventional road and experiments. And while I still find the first album to be strong it’s the second half that really shines!
Definitely a highlight of the late stages of Bowie's career. Incredible that he could keep this level of innovation and songwriting quality throughout. Perhaps also one of the most accessible and thoroughly enjoyable Bowie albums out there - which is certainly not a bad thing. 'Where Are We Now' really is magnificent.
This album has no right to be as good as it is. It's a true return of form, sounding straight from the 70s, mostly glam rock but updated equipment. Super versatile, with sax solos, Eno-esque synths, and gospel back vocals. No half ass effort here. Banger after banger, catchy and energetic. Only complaint is a bit too long, but there's something to like about each of the tracks it feels werd to call any of them particularly weak. Favorites: Dirty Boys, The Stars, Love is Lost, Where Are We Now, Boss of Me, How Does the Grass Grow
Sober more mature Bowie still put out some great tunes. Gonna have to listen to this phase of his music more often. Love me some Bowie.
very cohesive, not my fav bowie record but it’s still bowie and very good
This album was a spectacular return to form for David Bowie, who released it in 2013 after a decade-long hiatus. I would not have imagined he had an album this good in him at that point in his career, but this album really delivers at every level. Musically, the songs are jagged, artful and frequently intense. Lots of little musical threads that point back to Bowie's past works, which makes this really exciting for a fan to hear. Bowie is in perfect voice and his band is on fire. Loved listening to this today. Fave Songs: The Stars (Are Out Tonight), Dirty Boys, The Next Day, Valentine's Day, Where Are We Now?, Heat, How Does the Grass Grow?
I enjoy a lot of Bowie songs from the 70s/80s but I've never delved into his contemporary stuff before. This is fantastic so far though!
Yeah it’s decent but it also takes the place of other more relevant post-2002 albums that didn’t get into the book because all the critics that contribute to the list are stuck in the 1970s. 7/10
8/10. Actually quite liked this, but it's still bullshit that there are multiple 2010's David Bowie albums on this list, because it is just not representative of the music of the 2010's.
I've never listened to a full Bowie album post-Let's Dance until his final album Blackstar. The occasional song I had heard was decent (i do love I'm Afraid of Americans, but let's not get too far off the subject at hand) but I had kinda just written him off. A once brilliant talent who just released stuff for only the most devoted fans to just "meh" at was the impression that I had. Well, I can't speak for any of those other albums I missed but I was quite wrong about this one. There's a lot of really great songs here performed as well as one would expect from a legend. It's not quite on par with his really classic material but maybe when I inevitably return to this I will have a change of heart. Until then I give this an enthusiastic 4 out of 5.
This had some good singles, but I always found later Bowie stuff was less interesting than the early Bowie music.
Bowie rewards those who lister to the end with songs such as You Will Set The World On fire
Would give it a 8/10,not a fan of Bowie but i loved the album nevertheless
It sounds like Bowie working out what he would later go on to expand and perfect on Blackstar. Not sure I would've included it on this list but enjoyable nonetheless.
A good album, certainly not his best, but enjoyable. Remarkable for being his first album in a decade.
Really good stuff. I remember when this came out and it was a complete surprise as he hadn’t hade an album for 10 years. Bangs out 2 albums with 0 warning they were coming, then exits this mortal coil. Legend.
Bowie only makes classics. Where are we know is one of my all time favorite Bowie songs. The dude just got better with age. I think I’ll go 4 just because I zone out at some times but give me dark star next because that a 5!
I did a deep dive into DB discography a while back and he's got a million albums and most are not that good. This one was solid but clearly not the best out there. Nice work though!
Highlights: Valentine's Day, How Does The Grass Grow?, (You Will) Set The World On Fire
The bittersweet stand-out 'Where Are We Now' and the bold album cover itself promote an imprecise nostalgia that's more slippery and certainly more thoughtful than most other sixty-six-year-old former-glory rockstars are capable of creating. Bowie moves on and I'm a big fan. Favorite songs: 'Love Is Lost', 'Where Are We Now?', 'Valentine's Day' (three great tracks back to back)
Wow what a beautiful album. I've never given this one as much attention but actually has my fave newer Bowie song "where are we now". As ever the classic Bowie chord delights, never predictable but always amazing
Some very solid Bowie. I don't think it has quite the extra special prowess of, say, Heroes or Ziggy, but it was still a very strong showing from him.
I never knew this album existed, so was surprised with how good it was. It’s probably since been overshadowed since black star was released. That and the use of the heroes album cover is probably why I have missed it in Bowie discovery. That was a mistake.
Sounds like Bowie in best way, I didn't enjoy it as much as classic Bowie, but still great
This is a dense, varied album that demands multiple listens to get the most from.
only knew one or two songs off of this album but David Bowie is already one of my favourites - maybe its the nostalgia of him but it just brings me back to being 10 years old. This album feels like Bowie's way of saying: "even though its 2013 and im "past my prime" I can still produce an album to blow you all out the water". Cant think of one song that felt out of place... my favourites were: 'you feel so lonely you could die', 'Valentines Day' and 'where are we now?'.
Liked it, as I imagine I would like a lot of Bowie albums. Good beats, interesting turns and his voice making it feel familiar and exciting. 6.5/10
I was surprised how much I liked this one, given how late into his career it was. The songs started to sound a little samey towards the end, but otherwise it was good.
Actually really liked the album Suprised he didn’t change too much even in 2013 Where are we now: 5 years X creep Valentine’s Day: crazy guitar solo loved it I’d rather be high: hilarious name plus nice drumming
Very pleasant surprised by this one. In fact, I’ll dare say I kind of loved it. There’s energy and interesting ideas from start to finish and things sound like songs to my ears instead of experiments. Also, it straight up sounds like a Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds record at times. “My father ran the prison. I can only love you by hating him more.” C’mon, that’s gotta be a Nick Cave lyric! Well, it’s Bowie’s here and it closes the album. Which is another thing I really appreciated; I think the back half is just as good as the front. “(You Will) Set the World on Fire” is a pretty great track for the 12th one on an album. Solid. Let’s roll.
bowie was one of the few to make consistently interesting rock music that pushed the edges musically and lyrically without being a massive bore
In the context of Bowie's career at this point, it's an incredible album. It was widely believed that he was more or less retired. His release of a full album of new material was considered a bit of a surprise. The fact that it's full of bangers was nothing short of a miracle. That being said, divorced of its context, I think this album is merely very, very good. It's not nearly as good as Black Star, nor is it anywhere as good as a lot of his earlier triumphs. But it's still a Bowie album that's not Don't Let Me Down.
Another artist where I'm more familiar with their singles than their albums. And other than listening to Blackstar once, I don't really have any experience with Bowie's more recent work. Really enjoyed this album, especially the beginning and ending tracks.
Really enjoyable all the way through, not a single song that I would consider to be a dud. I love the instrumentals and feel like there's a lot to appreciate in the lyrics, and that I'll just keep finding more to like the more that I listen. Will definitely add this to my library and try to revisit in the future. Might regret not giving this a 5, but given this is my first album of this challenge, as well as my first Bowie album ever, I know both probably have a lot of incredible music to offer and I don't want to jump the gun and hand out a perfect score too early!
Liked a lot. Maybe not quite as high of highs as Ziggy stardust but about the same enjoyment for me on average.
I made notes for this that didn't save, sad. Its like a 3.5. Gonna go 4.
Middling album perhaps more fondly remembered due to the proximity to Bowies passing. Some lovely Bowie style tracks though.
Dobar album cover, svaka čast. Nisam ga nikad slušao (album), općenito novije njegove albume, nisam previše ulazio u te sfere. No, zvuči dobro, nekako mi je čudno vidjeti njegov album koji je iz '13. Nije mi četvorka, 3.5/5 je, ali pošto vamo nema te glupe polovice, dajem ipak 4, to je ipak Bowie.
Solid, muscular rock from David Bowie near the end of his career. You can hear echoes of his past music but it doesn’t feel nostalgic. Overall a strong batch of songs. The inclusion of horns on a lot of these tracks is awesome. “If You Can See Me” is a really good one. That menacing bass (or is it a synth?) is fantastic.
Reminiscent of early Bowie: layered, experimental and with unforgettable hooks. His age and experience still shines through.
Bowie-kimara jatkuu. En ollut tästä levystä erityisen innoissani (siis Bowie-levynä) mutta kyllä se 4 varmaan pitää silti antaa. Kertonee jotain artistin keskimääräisestä tasosta.