HEROES

Unlike its predecessor, "Heroes" actually features songs that I can relate to and the album opening number, Beauty And The Beast, perfectly sums up this fact! Together with Joe The Lion, it brings that good old sense of joy to music making that I've actually not heard on a Bowie record since the days of Ziggy Stardust! The album's title track is an undisputed masterpiece, carried perfectly by Robert Fripp's lead guitar. But it's actually Sons Of The Silent Age that really steals the show for me here. Just like Scream Like A Baby, from Scary Monsters, it's just one of those perfectly weirded out moments that really speak to me in every possible way and I just can't get enough of everything it has to offer. I'm talking about the completely out of place saxophone intro, the weird ambient backing arrangement that constantly tries to incorporate themes of moments from the past but even gives a gimps of the things to come. Finally, the chorus itself is just perfect!

Side two is once again an instrumental affair and this is where Eno and Bowie really outdo themselves. All of these compositions work much better than any of the similar tracks from Low and Sense Of Doubt even breaks through the general excellence of the pieces and becomes one of the album's true highlights. The Secret Life Of Arabia did surprise me quite a bit when I heard it for the first time, but I've come to appreciate this weird little track more and more with time. What really always bothered me about this tune is that its lyrical content has very little to do with its music, so I've come to see it more like a suitable joke track that literally breaks the ambiance!

It's clear to me that the collaboration with Brian Eno gave David Bowie a new creative boost that would continue to be apparent even on the future albums. "Heroes" was easily the peak of that collaboration and even though I can't recommend this release to everyone, it's a must have addition to every Art Rock music collection!

***** star songs: Beauty And The Beast (3:35) "Heroes" (6:08) Sons Of The Silent Age (3:17) Sense Of Doubt (3:58)

**** star songs: Joe The Lion (3:06) Blackout (3:48) V-2 Schneider (3:10) Moss Garden (5:05) Neukoln (4:32) The Secret Life Of Arabia (3:45)

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