Hours

by David Bowie

Overview

Since David Bowie spent the '90s jumping from style to style, it comes as a shock that Hours, his final album of the decade, is a relatively straightforward affair. Not only that, but it feels unlike anything else in his catalog. Bowie's music has always been a product of artifice, intelligence, and synthesis. Hours is a relaxed, natural departure from this method. Arriving after two labored albums, the shift in tone is quite refreshing. "Thursday's Child," the album's engaging mid-tempo opener, is a good indication of what lays ahead. It feels like classic Bowie, yet recalls no specific era of his career. For the first time, Bowie has absorbed all the disparate strands of his music, from Hunky Dory through Earthling. That doesn't mean Hours is on par with his earlier masterworks; it never attempts to be that bold. What it does mean is that it's the first album where he has accepted his past and is willing to use it as a foundation for new music. That's the reason why Hours feels open, even organic -- he's no longer self-conscious, either about living up to his past or creating a new future. It's a welcome change, and it produces some fine music, particularly on the first half of the record, which is filled with such subdued, subtly winning songs as "Something in the Air," "Survive," and "Seven." Toward the end of the album, Bowie branches into harder material, which isn't quite as successful as the first half of the album, yet shares a similar sensibility. And that's what's appealing about Hours -- it may not be one of Bowie's classics, but it's the work of a masterful musician who has begun to enjoy his craft again and isn't afraid to let things develop naturally. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	08/05/2022
Label:	Parlophone / Rhino
UPC:	0190295253325

Album Credits

Performance Credits

David Bowie   Primary Artist,Vocals,Keyboards,Guitar (12 String)
Everett Bradley   Guest Artist,Percussion
Holly Palmer   Guest Artist,Vocals (Background)
Reeves Gabrels   Guest Artist,Guitar
Mike Garson   Piano
Emm Gryner   Vocals (Background)
Chris Haskett   Guitar (Rhythm)
Sterling Campbell   Drums
Holly Palmeer   Vocals (Background)
Mark Plati   Bass,Loops,Guitar,Strings,Keyboards,Mellotron,Synthesizer,Guitar (12 String Acoustic),Guitar (12 String Electric)
Emily Frankfurt   Vocals (Background)
Roger Manning   Piano
Mike Levesque   Drums
Steve Balbi   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Jeremy Allom   Mixing Engineer
David Bowie   Mixing,Composer,Producer,Drum Programming
Kevin Paul   Engineer
Andy Bradfield   Engineer
Jeremy Allon   Engineer
Marius de Vries   Mixing,Remixing,Production Remix,Additional Production
Mark Plati   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Remixing,Drum Programming,Additional Production
Alex Grant   Composer
Reeves Gabrels   Mixing,Composer,Producer,Drum Programming,Synthesizer Programming
Andy VanDette   Mastering
Ryoji Hata   Assistant Engineer
Jay Nicholas   Assistant Engineer
Beck Hansen   Remixing
Alexander Grant   Composer