87,658 Hours later...

Turns out ten years ago this month, David Bowie released Hours... His 21st solo studio album, as well as his last album of the twentieth century. Promising a new more laid-back Bowie and slow acoustic 'pop songs', the press anticipated this album would be the new Hunky Dory.

As it turned out, Hours... was pretty unremarkable by Bowie's standards. Especially considering it was standing between the drum & bass beast that was 1997's Earthling and 2002's Heathen, an album which the press kept referring to as Bowie's "return to form" and the rather clichéd "best album since Scary Monsters".

It's pretty unfortunate that Hours... turned out the way it did. Much of the material was as good as anything else that he produced at the time. It was just these small elements which held it back. I think the biggest problem is the mix job by Mark Plati. It's just too clean! It works for some of the songs, such as the first track of the album, Thursday's Child. But it takes the kick away from songs such as the guitar-driven The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell. Had Bowie and Tony Visconti patched up their differences sooner, they'd probably have a great album on their hands.

Fortunately, a few of the songs from Hours... were greatly improved in a live environment. Mike Garson's tickling of the ivories complimented the music a lot (he was unfortunately wasn't available during the recording of the album, instead touring with Billy Corgan).

I find the songs Something in the Air and Seven most improved live. Both of which have fortunately seen official releases. In fact, the former was remixed to sound more like it's live counterpart for the film American Psycho. The latter, which sounded much too overproduced for an acoustic song benefited from a more emotional vocal performance on the bonus third disk

of 2000's Bowie At The Beeb.

The sixth track of the album was something interesting and new for the time. It came about as a lyric writing contest on BowieNet. Contestants were to download an instrumental from the website and come up with some interesting lyrics for it. The winner would not only meet Bowie in the studio, but would also have their lyrics recorded by Bowie himself. The winner was one Alex Grant, the song was titled What's Really Happening? A guitar driven piece still possessed by the spirit of Earthling.

The following track, The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell wouldn't seem out of place on a Tin Machine album. As I said, it's a shame the mix was too polished for a song that should really sound much grittier. An alternative recording previously appeared on the Stigmata soundtrack.

The penultimate track was an instrumental called Brilliant Adventure. Bowie's first instrumental since 1993's Buddha of Suburbia. Nothing really to say about it other than it helps the end of the album flow. Not really a track you'd pull out of the album to listen to alone. Although it does have a very "Heroes" feel to it.

And the final song of the album, I must admit, successfully wraps up the album nicely. The Dreamers is something of a minor epic. Certainly one of my favourites from the album.

I think perhaps the reason much of this album is so weak may be due to lack of communication. Most importantly between Bowie and Reeves Gabrels, who wasn't really interested in this new direction Bowie had taken (he and Bowie parted ways very early on during the Hours... tour). He was apparently not happy with Bowie's interest in making a Ziggy musical. Also the rerecording of his 60s material for his next album. (Both were eventually cancelled anyway.) Besides that, many of the musicians for Hours... had never worked with Bowie before and never did again.

Other than the 2004 two disk reissue, that's it for the music. The two music videos released (Thursday's Child and Survive) were pretty dull in comparison to say, Little Wonder, Dead Man Walking and I'm Afraid of Americans. One was David singing at himself in the mirror, while the other was him floating around the kitchen.

One thing I absolutely love about the album though is the cover art. The front features a piece by photographer Tim Bret Day, featuring Bowie's previous Earthling persona, exhausted. Dying in the arms of his long haired successor. I liked this photo enough that I bought an hours promotional poster a couple of years back. It's not been on the wall since I moved unfortunately. My current bedroom is much too small for it.

So there we have it. I'm critically analysing a David Bowie album. I can do it! I'd rather talk about an album I'm indifferent about than one I love (Outside or Low). More to talk about, more conclusions to draw.