(12-track album/ 2002)
'A Better Future.' I've just been signing Anti-War petitions and this sweet song sums up exactly what this world needs, Bowie sounding totally humbled.
As far as I'm concerned David Bowie has never been off-form, yet lucky for him his cynics reckon he's finally returned to form with this album of mellow beauties that range from the grandiose-yet-subtle eccentricities of opening track 'Sunday' and the much bleaker genius of 'The Angels Have Gone' (that Bowie himself declares as his favourite song on this record), to classic Bowie ballads in the form of the lush, searing 'Slip Away' (my personal favourite on this LP) and singles 'Slow Burn' and 'Everyone Says Hi.'
Still punishing his vocal chords for fun, some of the farthest-reaching notes sound stunning, but there are moments when I wondered if he's out of tune, but no - he can't be� yeah, I'm hearing things - it's alright!
The mid-album triple-header is a perfect example of the variety of the songs he perpetually writes, as the paranoid rock guitar chug of 'Afraid' sets up the delicious, dark beat of the pretty grungy 'I've Been Waiting For You,' before the violin-swept 'I Would Be Your Slave' introspectively brings us back out into the light. And straight onto 'A Gemini Spaceship' that really belongs on his 'Earthling' album, resplendent with its strong dance beat, yet a dull lyric.
On the upside, overall this is another astonishing collection of Alt-pop songs from the most important - and seemingly the nicest - guy ever to grace the music world.
I adore 'Heathen.' And I am obsessed with the man who fell to earth and wrote it. Live long and savour. (STEVE RUDD)