David Bowie - (1995) - I'm Deranged

Artist: David Bowie
Album: Outside
Release Date: 1995
Label: Virgin

Artist: David Bowie
Album: Outside
Release Date: 1995
Label: Virgin

David Bowie seemed like an artist without direction ever since the success of Let's Dance, switching styles and genres with a speed that made him appear nervous, not innovative. Recorded with his former collaborator Brian Eno, Outside was intended to return some luster to his rapidly tarnishing reputation. Instead of faux soul or mainstream pop -- or even dissonant hard rock, for that matter -- Bowie concentrates on the atmospheric, disturbing electronic soundscapes of his late-'70s "Berlin" trilogy (Low, Heroes, and Lodger), adding slight, but detectable, elements of industrial, grunge, and ambient techno. Bowie also raised the stakes by making Outside the first in a series of concept albums about mystery, murder, art, and cyberspace. Everything that would have made Outside a triumphant comeback seemed to be in place, but the album is severely flawed. Not only is the story poorly developed and confusing, but the album is simply too long. Throughout the record, good ideas bubble to the surface, yet are never fully explored, and the sheer bulk of the album means that the good songs -- "Hallo Spaceboy," "Strangers When We Meet," "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" -- are buried underneath the weight of the mediocre material. Furthermore, nothing on the album is a departure from Bowie's late-'70s records; when he does experiment with newer musical forms or write about futuristic technology, he seems unsure of himself. That said, Outside is Bowie's most satisfying and adventurous album since Let's Dance. It's clear that he's trying once again, and when he does hit his mark, he remains a brilliant artist.
David Bowie seemed like an artist without direction ever

since the success of Let's Dance, switching styles and

genres with a speed that made him appear nervous, not

innovative. Recorded with his former collaborator Brian Eno,

Outside was intended to return some luster to his rapidly

tarnishing reputation. Instead of faux soul or mainstream

pop -- or even dissonant hard rock, for that matter -- Bowie

concentrates on the atmospheric, disturbing electronic

soundscapes of his late-'70s "Berlin" trilogy (Low, Heroes,

and Lodger), adding slight, but detectable, elements of

industrial, grunge, and ambient techno. Bowie also raised

the stakes by making Outside the first in a series of

concept albums about mystery, murder, art, and cyberspace.

Everything that would have made Outside a triumphant

comeback seemed to be in place, but the album is severely

flawed. Not only is the story poorly developed and

confusing, but the album is simply too long. Throughout the

record, good ideas bubble to the surface, yet are never

fully explored, and the sheer bulk of the album means that

the good songs -- "Hallo Spaceboy," "Strangers When We

Meet," "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" -- are buried underneath

the weight of the mediocre material. Furthermore, nothing on

the album is a departure from Bowie's late-'70s records;

when he does experiment with newer musical forms or write

about futuristic technology, he seems unsure of himself.

That said, Outside is Bowie's most satisfying and

adventurous album since Let's Dance. It's clear that he's

trying once again, and when he does hit his mark, he remains

a brilliant artist.