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This week, the infamous Thin White Duke returns, re-releasing Station to Station, a pivotal album in the evolution of rock, as well as in David Bowie’s career. For most Bowie fans, this CD would have been enough. However, the three-disc set also includes two additional CDs, containing the previously unreleased recordings of Bowie’s 1976 live concert at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.
The 1976 Station to Station incorporates bits of European and electronic rock with the soul and funk of Bowie’s earlier “Young Americans” and “Fame” period. Though the songs in those days did well commercially, I felt that he’d become stagnant and lost the creative genius of Ziggy Stardust (his earlier alter-ego), which had exploded as the new genre of glam rock. The albums The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Aladdin Sane just blew me away. However, Station to Station proved that the “Fame” period simply served as an interim for more ground-breaking work. Ziggy may have left, but The Thin White Duke had arrived.
This first CD consists of six cuts encompassing such a wide range: from the title track, with its strong keyboards and tight guitar solos, to one of my favorite Bowie tunes, the Euro-doo-wop “Golden Years.” Bowie’s soulful vocals dominate “Word on a Wing” and “Wild is the Wind,” while “Stay” features a familiar ‘70s guitar riff and dance beat. Another favorite is the bizarre honky- tonk “TVC15.” Check out the lyrics.
However, the concert footage of the next two CDs was the biggest surprise. This CD version opens with “Station to Station,” which will grab you with its fiery guitar solos accompanied by signature Bowie riffs. This twelve-minute track is so good, you just won’t want it to end. It’s even better than the studio version.
The concert includes not only songs from the Station album but also those from the Ziggy Stardust period, like “Suffragette City,” “Panic in Detroit,” and “The Jean Genie.” Bowie plays a great version of his 1971 hit “Changes,” as well as popular tunes from later years, such as “Diamond Dogs,” “Rebel Rebel,” and “Fame.” The energy is ecstatic throughout with great vocals, guitar instrumentals, and keyboards. The concert incorporates Bowie’s musicality, creative range, and genius.
This collector’s item is a must for Bowie fans. The Station to Station three-CD Special Edition set demonstrates how David Bowie is one of the most innovative musicians of the rock era. If you’re looking for even more than this three-disc set, though, Station to Station is also being released in a five-CD, DVD, and vinyl Deluxe Edition.
