NICE AS F*CK! : The Albums, 2016.

20/david bowie/blackstar

At the center of Blackstar lies a solitary candle whose light has gone out. But on Friday, January 8th, 2016, the fire was still burning. The fire burned to illuminate the words and sounds of a final chapter that had been written and read in advance by no one but its author.

But on January 8th, 2016 we did not know this; would not have wanted to know this.

On January 8th, 2016, all that we knew for sure was that it was a Friday and David Bowie had blessed us with a new album, his 25th, on his 69th birthday. We did not read between any lines, take note of the calls already being placed from above, or the pleads that there was nothing left to give.

We did not know of the Kendrick Lamar influence, but would go on to hear it heavily in every spastic & prominent To Pimp a Butterfly like saxophone spaz, or throughout the composition of "Girl Loves Me".

On Friday, January 8th all we knew and all we had was this, David Bowie's now final, masterful opus. A new album from a fave that can stand next to the greats that are already perched on his catalog's mantle.

We had this, a brief, but by no means lean batch of songs featuring a full-throated and present David Bowie, still knowing and completely aware of what he wants to say and what he wants to present.

On Friday, January 8th, 2016 one of my all time faves released a new album three years after releasing a stellar collection of songs in the form of The Next Day LP and had me, had US convinced that he was not down for the count yet; still has it in him and will for some time, age notwithstanding.

Such is the power of David Bowie and this collection of contemplative masterstrokes. 

And such was the strength of his genius and tireless work ethic, still on full display here.

"I can't give everything away", he says before the lights fade to black, and this is fine, as he has given us more than enough of himself, and more than enough peerless entries into the modern & contemporary rock cannon, including here with his Blackstar. 
KEY TRACKS: Blackstar/Lazarus/Dollar Days

21/the julie ruin/hit reset

22/jessy lanza/oh no

23/junior boys/big black coat

24/majid jordan/majid jordan
 
25/badbadnotgood/iv