DAVID BOWIE -- Outside (Virgin)

In 1992, David Bowie rekindled his working relationship with Brian Eno and began collaborating on his latest album, "Outside". It was clear from the start, the chemistry between the two had not diminished. Bowie explains, "When Brian and I first got together to work, neither of us had the foggiest idea of what we'd do. But we both instinctively knew what we wouldn't do". Herein lies the magic of the new CD.

"Outside" is the first in a series of albums planned to chronicle the fictitious diaries of detective Nathan Adler. When the time came to pick the musicians to play on the CD, Bowie recruited a few of the people he's worked with in the past. In addition to Eno on synthesizers and "various gizmos", "Outside" features Reeves Gabrels and Carlos Alomar on guitar, Erdal Kizilcay on bass, and Soul Asylum's Sterling Campbell on drums. Recording sessions began in March of 1994, with "Lodger" engineer David Richards.

The CD's first single, "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" and "Hallo Spaceboy" (with its Nine Inch Nails influence) are but two of the highlights on "Outside". Mike Garson (who played on Bowie's "Aladdin Sane" album) contributes some hypnotic grand piano to "The Motel". Other standout tracks include "I'm Deranged", "Thru' These Architects Eyes", and possibly the best song on the CD, "Strangers When We Meet".

"Outside" finds Bowie treading in some new musical territories, at times covering several musical styles within the same song. Each of the songs on the CD segue into each other with atmospheric narratives to create an eclectic, yet focused 75 minute performance.