New Bowie album "influenced by Boards of Canada"

[Jonse]

Great to hear Bowie finally return to doing what made him so grand in the first place after his last LP and long hiatus that preceded it. I wasn't sure if he was back to give his swan song or back to work with The Next Day. At current no. of plays being about ten times further away from conventional than TND by Bowie standards, this seems to confirm the latter...as well as that photo of him.

[Mikey]

After listening to Bowie's new album I can only assume that "Somewhere" might have been the working title for the track "Blackstar" and the influence is in reference to the sax part and possibly the rhythm at at around 3:30. It's not as if he would obviously copy the sound of the track. It's a strange direction for Bowie. Not really my cup of tea.

Hi from a long time lurker by the way.

[warphead]

I thought Bowie always took strange directions

[helicon]

I'm not much of a Bowie fan, but had a quick listen today via Tidal. Some of the tracks just don't seem to suit him, particularly the opening track, which a work colleague commented was very Radiohead, as were one or two other tracks. Some of the slower, more conventional tracks suited him far better. Unfortunately, Somewhere isn't available to stream on Tidal, so I couldn't hear it.

[747Music]

damn it, what happened to the song "Somewhere"??? It's not on the album

I wanna hear Bowie's song inspired by our favorite Scottish duo!

I posted on some Bowie forums hoping to get an answer. I'll report back here with any findings.

Ditto. I am itching to hear it. Let us know if you have any luck on the other forums.

So it looks like what may be our only hope is when the Deluxe Edition of Blackstar which won't be out for a while. Here is the only answer I got on those forums so far from a guy named "Vinnie":

Wait until the Christmas 2016 / early 2017 Deluxe Edition. Remastered with bonus tracks. The latest producers providing a remix. Maybe a b-side or 4. A video in Quicktime format with special play instructions for Windows 95 / Mac OS 9.

We'll just have to wait and see.

[Negamuse]

Twitter seems to be saying David Bowie died last night...

[thinkdontpray]

unreal. I was planning on finally getting around to see him when he came back around to Toronto.

2016 fucking sucks

[Jonse]

Seems we all spoke too soon.

[mechanismj]

Prophetic.

The man was a genius.

[tchewnz]

R.I.P. David Bowie

[StarblazerUK]

Absolutely gutted >.<

[northernlite]

So sad, I grew up with his music and movies being a huge part of my childhood.

Totally watching Labyrinth ASAP.

RIP you legend.

[Valotonin]

Prophetic.

The man was a genius.

In retrospect it does seem prophetic. I will admit to admitting to not liking the new album very much a few days ago. Lyrically and poetically there are some gems there, though. Few probably would have imagined him referencing his own demise.

[Jonse]

Not tremendously prophetic when you've been told you have x amount of months to live (in this case it was moderately aggressive, "18 months" they say) and you start working on material to depict yourself figuratively rising again in song after your own actual death (apparently this was all planned out, the timing of the release and all). It's clever and all, if not a bit cheesy, but that's one of the things I loved about Bowie. Never meant to be taken too seriously.

I quite enjoy the new album.

[arvy]

So is possible boc influence, is rhetoric track named 'Somewhere? BOC music usually so abstract, that you can take influence from anywhere and put it anywhere, as this Bowie album. Which besides obvious Blackstar occult reference sound very moody and experimental. Overall I enjoyed it, I think this is a very good album with a lot depth, which not only Bowie fans can enjoy. Also if he was writing this album during his last days, it sound surprisingly fresh and has a lot of energy. RIP Bowie

[StarblazerUK]

It's not on the Album, it will likely come out in the Deluxe version later in the year.
Quite apt really as Bowie is now "Somewhere"....also given that it's influenced by "Alpha and Omega" which biblically speaking (and knowing Bowies love for hidden meanings) could be interpreted as referencing Revelations 22:13 "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.…"
Basically a planned posthumus release....again, wouldn't be surprising for Bowie.
Performance artist in life and in death.

[Lazerize]

Tis a Pity is the song that was inspired in Alpha and Omega. The band Bowie used had covered it, and he wanted the solo section of the song to sound like it. That bit of info is in the current issue of Mojo.

[StarblazerUK]

This is Donny McCaslin' version of Alpha and Omega that is referenced above, which most have likely heard.