By David Pearcy // Staff Writer
David Bowie’s second American tour starts today and will reach Nashville Friday night. To fully appreciate what he will be doing now it helps to know something of his past accomplishments.
This album, The Man Who Sold The World, was originally released on Mercury Records in 1969. At the time of its release, as with all of his earlier albums, his music was far too advanced and generally went unnoticed.
Because of Bowie’s sudden rise to fame, Bowie fans are now grabbing the re-issued LPs and are finding that it fits in with today’s more sophisticated rock, even though chronologically it is Bowie’s second album.
The most outstanding cut is an extended piece entitled “Width of a Circle.” This is a good example of typical Bowie. Most Bowie compositions have a message and this one is no different (figure it out.). “All the Madmen” is about Bowie’s brother in a mental institution,but if you can’t get into digging out hidden meaning, there is some straight ahead rock and roll here, and make no mistake about it, the man can sing.
One of Bowie’s greatest assets is a very competent three-piece band. Although all the cuts are not masterpieces,no matter how you take your music apart, you will probably find something about Bowie’s work which appeals to you. Be forewarned: Bowie’s is not typical rock and roll: it is not background music, it is to be listened to and absorbed.
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