Arguably, the greatest president in American history so far is Abraham Lincoln. A myth was placed within American mythology that Lincoln dreamed of his own death a couple days before his assassination. He died at the top of his popularity in the Union as the Civil War was coming to a close. Lincoln died with perfect timing to be solidified as one of the greatest characters in America’s story. Through the dream, Lincoln had a feeling that an attempt on his life was coming with the Confederacy’s hatred for his actions and motives as the president.
Two mythical men dying and leaving impressive imprints on the world. David Bowie knew he was bound to die with his diagnosis of cancer. Bowie died three days after the release of his newest album, Blackstar. With the anticipation of his own death, Bowie has left his last mark in music history with Blackstar. Blackstar is a unique opportunity for music lovers, not just Bowie fans. He may be dead, but the idiosyncratic alien man Bowie still lives within his music, with Blackstar as his swan song.
Blackstar exudes the tension of approaching death and attempts to accept its coming. The first track, “Blackstar,” starts as a ritualistic occult song covering the expanse and darkness of death, with the individual being represented by an individual candle light. The lethargic delivery and moans from Bowie emotes a slow despair as the drums beat in his pursuit. The verses are a harrowing experience, but they shift to an airy bridge as the drums are pushed back to make way for Bowie’s soothing vocals. This allows the listener to rest and contemplate with Bowie and his string synths, which calm the musical scene. The occult ritual sound creeps in once again with a surreptitious hand and slowly envelops the bridge to call back to the tension developed in the disquieting intro. Bowie knows how to open this album, because this song sets the main conflict of time, death, transcendence, and acceptance so well.
The tracks on Blackstar have groupings or companions. Songs like “ ‘Tis a Pity She’s a Whore,” “Sue (Or In a Season of Crime),” and “Girl Loves Me” work as companions because they contain these fast moving instrumentations that unnerve and attack the senses. This musical companionship throws the listener into high alert as if something is coming fast around the corner. These songs are reminiscent of the verses of the title track: ominous, foreboding, and predatory. Death and time are catching up to Bowie in these songs. The instrumentation of these tracks arrest you and strap you in a fast moving car that recklessly drives itself–you feel helpless. But tracks like“Lazarus” gives a break from the darkness of death and argue with the light of transcendence through death. The bass in “Lazarus” walks the listener along as Bowie describes the agony of his disease, yet he sees in the end that death will give him freedom from not just the disease, but allow Bowie to leave his body to be free like a bird. “Lazarus” and its companions (“Dollar Days”, “I Can’t Give Everything Away”) bring us closer to the somber nature of death.
Bowie gave us a spectacular goodbye. Blackstar is something every artist should strive to attempt to emulate when their time starts to run out. Bowie didn’t need to write this album to be remembered, because he was never forgotten by the music industry. He inspired so many with his previous work. His own character has spoken to many young musicians with the message of being themselves, no matter what stigma is placed upon you. He has been idolized for decades. He has been a new, unique, and experimental artist throughout his life. Blackstar makes sense. Bowie needed to follow his instinct to create art to the brink of death. Blackstar stands as a piece of visionary musical artistry. Like Lincoln, Bowie died with conviction in his heart and left with his best efforts.
Steven Coco