Always one for looking for new ways to keep his music fresh, the teaming of the Thin White Duke and the Arcade Fire is not just a new outlet for David Bowie to push the envelope of his own music, it’s also a return to the past. This short three song EP, only available on iTunes with all proceeds going to victims of Hurricane Katrina, is comprised of “Wake Up” off of the Arcade Fire’s smash debut album Funeral and two Bowie (Ziggy Stardust era) classics, “Life on Mars?” and “Five Years” and brilliantly, they make beautiful music together.
These songs are from a live performance from Radio City Music Hall, during a taping for the Fashion Rocks TV Special back in September of this year. There is no electronic remixing, no mash-ups, and no updates to these two classics and one future classic. The songs are played as you know them. What’s just as impressive as this collaboration is the fact that this was Bowie’s first live performance since suffering a heart attack and his voice sounds great.
For fans of The Arcade Fire and David Bowie, it is a match made in heaven, as the songs really do justice to the original versions. What’s even nicer is that David Bowie is a huge fan of this band and would only play on the condition that it was with them for this event. Will these two make beautiful music together again? One can only hope, as they seem to bring out the best in each other. For all of the changes (no pun intended) that Bowie has gone through, it is his Ziggy Stardust period songs that have had so much soul and groove and longevity. It’s nice to see that there is a band that can help an older and wiser Ziggy Stardust himself do justice to these songs again while passing the torch. Though the EP is short it is sweet and proceeds go towards helping the victims in New Orleans. Now that rocks! |