New Killer Star

Reality, 2003

w ith an abstract lyric that’s haunted by 9/11, oblique religious/pop culture references (‘Like seeing Jesus on Dateline’ ) and a conciliatory central core (‘I’ll never said [sic] I’m better… than you’ ), New Killer (nuclear) Star benefits from the vintage sparkle of Tony Visconti’s hands on the desk. Just as you’re settled into the solid, dependable groove of what first appears to be a perfectly acceptable chorus, it suddenly reveals itself to be a diversion, a mere bridging section that soars into a chorus as magical as anything you’d expect from Bowie and Visconti in harness. Bowie was back! And then gone…