David Bowie - 1. Outside/Earthling/ hours.../Heathen/Reality

5.15 the re-reissues have come

Lazy reissuing being what it is, the 2004 two-disc 1. Outside, Earthling and hours… return, with similarly expanded Heathen and Reality issues in a box. Reality’s original bonus disc is simply reproduced here alongside several remixes and B-sides; the others’ discs throw remixes at the wall to see what sticks, though Heathen’s benefits from a number of rarities and B-sides.

As far as Bowie’s late period is concerned, without the pressure of being new Bowie albums that must leapfrog prevailing trends, it’s a remarkable collection that works on its own terms. Flaws do abound: 1. Outside cracks under its weighty concept, mixing modern art with murder mystery in a non-linear multimedia narrative; Earthling’s wholesale leap into drum’n’bass isn’t as consistently fresh-sounding as it was in 1997; despite his mature self-reflection, some of hours… is simply dull, but they see Bowie discovering how to remain relevant as his middle years coincide with the mid-90s and beyond.

Deciding to reproduce the vinyl sleeves is problematic in some cases where the only available tracklisting appears on the disc that’s in your stereo, while the Excerpts From 1. Outside artwork is that of the shorter LP version of the album, despite the CD being the unedited full 74-minute 1. Outside.

SonyBMG | 88697169032 (10-CD)

Reviewed by Jason Draper
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