The legendary pioneer of glam rock, more commonly identified as his alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, has returned, leaving the spiders from Mars behind. David Bowie, never ceasing to amaze his fans with eccentric, compelling rock songs, has released a digitally remastered and expanded three-CD edition of his vastly influential 1976 album, Station to Station, including the double CD Live at Nassau Coliseum ‘76 concert as an additional bonus.
Station to Station was the first album to take Bowie's familiar style of progressive ""concept albums"" during the Ziggy Stardust era, to a fresh, extraordinary new sound of Krautrock. His transition into the experimental music scene began while he was recording in Los Angeles during 1975 and '76. Inspired by his cocaine intake of excessive amounts, the Spaceman managed to create some of the most bizarre yet inimitably fascinating tracks in rock ‘n' roll history.
The album's first recorded track, ""Golden Years,"" by contrast still sounds remarkably timeless. It remains Station to Station's most obvious and irresistible hit, built on the funk and soul of Young Americans, with an edgier, riff-driven effect. ""Stay,"" the album's fifth featured track, also spirals with harsh, synthetic quirks, placing lyrical emphasis on the Duke's renowned element of sexual promiscuity. Lyrics such as, ""Cause you can never really tell when somebody wants something you want too,"" accentuates his devout passion for intimacy on his quest for an album defined by romanticism.
Station to Station's progression into an eclectic, psychedelically-influenced jam, can be easily identified in songs such as ""Word on a Wing"" and ""Wild is the Wind."" Both tracks introduce Bowie's movement towards a classical intonation, balancing his humorous extravagance with a gentle, heart wrenching croon. ""Word on a Wing"" offers a more contemporary ballad, while ""Wild is the Wind"" takes the sound of delicate, dignified beauty to an intricate level of erratic deviance, only of which Bowie could have pulled off.
The live tracks featured in the bonus album highlight the contrast between original portentous piano recordings to the sound of an up-tempo whirl of blues rock. His amplifying enchantment with Krautrock is especially recognizable in his live versions, due to the effect of thunderous percussion, the synthesizer's thrilling vibes, and the squealing echoes of his Epiphone SG G-400. The inclusion of his outrageous performance faux pas is enough to entertain even those who are not die-hard fans.
This remastered version of Station to Station is beyond compare and undeniably an essential purchase. It captures Bowie's original unconventional spirit, as well as his transitional, limitless nature of chaotic nonconformity. Its visceral edge offers a wild and amped up energy, produced into a crisp and extraordinarily clear sound. From old school ""Space Oddity"" fans to those newly introduced, Station to Station will undoubtedly mesmerize you into the masterpiece of Ziggy Stardust's deranged, incomparable, out of this world journey.
