David Bowie
A Reality Tour
ISO/Columbia/Legacy
By David Chiu
Though not every great David Bowie song is represented here (i.e. “Space Oddity,” “Modern Love,” “Let’s Dance,” “Golden Years,” etc.), the set from the singer’s 2003 Ireland shows is nevertheless a broad overview of the many eras in his eclectic music career. Not only does he cover the more familiar tunes (“Heroes,” “Ziggy Stardust,” “Rebel Rebel,” “Changes”) but also some back catalog stuff (“The Man Who Sold The World,” “Hang On To Yourself,” “Be My Wife”). There is an interesting reworking of “Loving the Alien” here, and even the more latter-day ‘90s and ‘00s fare like “Hallo Spaceboy” “Battle for Britain” and “Reality” make a strong case for a second listen. Bowie and band, especially guitarist Earl Slick and pianist Mike Garson, sounded really good here. This performance was previously released as a DVD; the audio includes five additional performances, among them are “China Girl” and “Breaking Glass.”
NewBeats 