| Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
_Cover_Art.jpg) | ||||
| Box set by | ||||
| Released | 26 November 2021 (2021-11-26) | |||
| Recorded | April 1992 – November 2000 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Label | Parlophone | |||
| Producer | Various | |||
| David Bowie chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 81/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Mojo | [3] |
| Pitchfork | 7.6/10[4] |
| Record Collector | [5] |
| The Telegraph | [6] |
| Uncut | [7] |
| Variety | 92/100[8] |
Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001) is a box set by English singer-songwriterDavid Bowie, released on 26 November 2021.[9] A follow-up to the compilationsFive Years (1969–1973),Who Can I Be Now? (1974–1976),A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982) andLoving the Alien (1983–1988), the set covers the period of Bowie's career from 1992 to 2001, commonly regarded by analysts as an artistic renaissance following his commercially successful but critically maligned work in the 1980s. However, Bowie's 1988–1992 tenure with thehard rock groupTin Machine is excluded. The set comprises elevencompact discs or 18LPs.[10] It was followed byI Can't Give Everything Away (2002–2016) in 2025.
Exclusive to the set areBBC Radio Theatre, alive album showcasing Bowie's uncutBBC Radio Theatre live show in 2000 (previously documented in an edited form onBowie at the Beeb) andRe:Call 5, the fifth installment in the retrospective boxes' exclusive rarities compilations. The latter includes non-album and soundtrack singles, single edits, andB-sides.[10]
The set contains remastered versions of Bowie's studio albumsBlack Tie White Noise,The Buddha of Suburbia,Outside,Earthling, andHours (1993–1999).[11] The remastered albums were released individually in August 2022. Also featured is a finalized version ofToy, an album of re-recordings that was produced in late 2000 and set for release in 2001, only to be shelved due toVirgin Records viewing it as commercially unviable in the wake of a financial downturn for the company.[12] An alternate version ofToy, containing prototypes of theHeathen tracks "Slip Away" and "Afraid" but excluding "Can't Help Thinking About Me" and "Karma Man", had leaked in 2011.[13][14]Toy was released not only on the box set, but also as an expanded three-CD release on 7 January 2022, titledToy:Box, including alternate mixes and outtakes.[10][15] Both configurations include cover art originally proposed by Bowie for the planned 2001 release, depicting his adult face superimposed on one of his baby photos.[10]
Like previous box sets in the "era" series,Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001) includes a hardcover book, spanning 84 pages in the CD release and 128 in the vinyl release, containing rare and newly-published photos from the covered period by a variety of photographers. The book also contains memorabilia scans, writeups by collaboratorsBrian Eno,Nile Rodgers,Reeves Gabrels, andMark Plati, and a newly-conducted interview withErdal Kızılçay, who had collaborated with Bowie throughout the late '80s and on bothThe Buddha of Suburbia andOutside.[9][16]
All tracks are written byDavid Bowie, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Wedding" | instrumental | 5:04 | |
| 2. | "You've Been Around" | Bowie,Reeves Gabrels | 4:45 | |
| 3. | "I Feel Free" (featuringMick Ronson) | Pete Brown | Jack Bruce | 4:52 |
| 4. | "Black Tie White Noise" (featuringAl B. Sure!) | 4:52 | ||
| 5. | "Jump They Say" | 4:22 | ||
| 6. | "Nite Flights" | Noel Scott Engel | Engel | 4:30 |
| 7. | "Pallas Athena" | 4:40 | ||
| 8. | "Miracle Goodnight" | 4:14 | ||
| 9. | "Don't Let Me Down & Down" | Tahra Mint Hembara,trans. Martine Valmont | Hembara | 4:55 |
| 10. | "Looking for Lester" | instrumental | Bowie,Nile Rodgers | 5:36 |
| 11. | "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" | Morrissey | Mark E. Nevin | 4:14 |
| 12. | "The Wedding Song" | 4:29 | ||
| Total length: | 56:33 | |||
All tracks are written byDavid Bowie.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Buddha of Suburbia" | 4:28 |
| 2. | "Sex and the Church" | 6:25 |
| 3. | "South Horizon" | 5:26 |
| 4. | "The Mysteries" | 7:12 |
| 5. | "Bleed Like a Craze, Dad" | 5:22 |
| 6. | "Strangers When We Meet" | 4:58 |
| 7. | "Dead Against It" | 5:48 |
| 8. | "Untitled No. 1" | 5:01 |
| 9. | "Ian Fish, U.K. Heir" | 6:27 |
| 10. | "The Buddha of Suburbia (ft.Lenny Kravitz on Guitar)" | 4:19 |
| Total length: | 55:26 | |
All lyrics are written byDavid Bowie; all music is composed by David Bowie andBrian Eno, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Music | Sung from the perspective of | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Leon Takes Us Outside" | Bowie,Brian Eno,Reeves Gabrels,Mike Garson,Erdal Kızılçay,Sterling Campbell | Leon Blank | 1:25 |
| 2. | "Outside" | Bowie,Kevin Armstrong | prologue | 4:04 |
| 3. | "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" | Bowie, Eno, Gabrels, Garson, Kızılçay, Campbell | Detective Nathan Adler | 4:57 |
| 4. | "A Small Plot of Land" | Bowie, Eno, Gabrels, Garson, Kızılçay, Campbell | The residents of Oxford Town,New Jersey | 6:36 |
| 5. | "Segue – Baby Grace (A Horrid Cassette)" | Bowie, Eno, Gabrels, Garson, Kızılçay, Campbell | Baby Grace Blue | 1:39 |
| 6. | "Hallo Spaceboy" | Paddy | 5:14 | |
| 7. | "The Motel" | Bowie | Leon Blank | 6:49 |
| 8. | "I Have Not Been to Oxford Town" | Leon Blank | 3:47 | |
| 9. | "No Control" | Detective Nathan Adler | 4:33 | |
| 10. | "Segue – Algeria Touchshriek" | Bowie, Eno, Gabrels, Garson, Kızılçay, Campbell | Algeria Touchshriek | 2:03 |
| 11. | "The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (as Beauty)" | Bowie, Eno, Gabrels | The Artist/Minotaur | 4:21 |
| 12. | "Segue – Ramona A. Stone/I Am with Name" | Bowie, Eno, Gabrels, Garson, Kızılçay, Campbell | Ramona A. Stone and her acolytes | 4:01 |
| 13. | "Wishful Beginnings" | The Artist/Minotaur | 5:08 | |
| 14. | "We Prick You" | Members of the Court of Justice | 4:33 | |
| 15. | "Segue – Nathan Adler" | Bowie, Eno, Gabrels, Garson, Kızılçay, Campbell | Detective Nathan Adler | 1:00 |
| 16. | "I'm Deranged" | The Artist/Minotaur | 4:31 | |
| 17. | "Thru' These Architects Eyes" | Bowie, Gabrels | Leon Blank | 4:22 |
| 18. | "Segue – Nathan Adler" | Detective Nathan Adler | 0:28 | |
| 19. | "Strangers When We Meet" | Bowie | Leon Blank | 5:07 |
| Total length: | 74:36 | |||
All lyrics are written byDavid Bowie; all music is composed by Bowie,Reeves Gabrels andMark Plati, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Little Wonder" | 6:02 | |
| 2. | "Looking for Satellites" | 5:21 | |
| 3. | "Battle for Britain (The Letter)" | 4:48 | |
| 4. | "Seven Years in Tibet" | Bowie, Gabrels | 6:22 |
| 5. | "Dead Man Walking" | Bowie, Gabrels | 6:50 |
| 6. | "Telling Lies" | Bowie | 4:49 |
| 7. | "The Last Thing You Should Do" | 4:57 | |
| 8. | "I'm Afraid of Americans" | Bowie,Brian Eno | 5:00 |
| 9. | "Law (Earthlings on Fire)" | Bowie, Gabrels | 4:48 |
| Total length: | 48:57 | ||
All tracks are written byDavid Bowie andReeves Gabrels; except "What's Really Happening?", with lyrics by Alex Grant.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Thursday's Child" | 5:24 |
| 2. | "Something in the Air" | 5:46 |
| 3. | "Survive" | 4:11 |
| 4. | "If I'm Dreaming My Life" | 7:04 |
| 5. | "Seven" | 4:04 |
| 6. | "What's Really Happening?" | 4:10 |
| 7. | "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell" | 4:40 |
| 8. | "New Angels of Promise" | 4:35 |
| 9. | "Brilliant Adventure" | 1:54 |
| 10. | "The Dreamers" | 5:14 |
| Total length: | 47:06 | |
All tracks are written byDavid Bowie.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Wild Is The Wind" | 6:22 |
| 2. | "Ashes to Ashes" | 5:05 |
| 3. | "Seven" | 4:15 |
| 4. | "This Is Not America" | 3:47 |
| 5. | "Absolute Beginners" | 6:35 |
| 6. | "Always Crashing In The Same Car" | 4:10 |
| 7. | "Survive" | 4:58 |
| 8. | "The London Boys" | 3:57 |
| 9. | "I Dig Everything" | 4:58 |
| 10. | "Little Wonder" | 3:51 |
| Total length: | 43:00 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Man Who Sold The World" | 3:59 |
| 2. | "Fame" | 4:15 |
| 3. | "Stay" | 5:47 |
| 4. | "Hallo Spaceboy" | 5:22 |
| 5. | "Cracked Actor" | 4:12 |
| 6. | "I'm Afraid of Americans" | 5:33 |
| 7. | "All The Young Dudes" | 3:42 |
| 8. | "Starman" | 4:31 |
| 9. | ""Heroes"" | 5:43 |
| 10. | "Let's Dance" | 6:18 |
| Total length: | 49:22 | |
All tracks are written byDavid Bowie.
| No. | Title | Original version on | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Dig Everything" | Single from 1966,Early On (1964–1966) | 5:03 |
| 2. | "You've Got a Habit of Leaving" | Single from 1965,Early On (1964–1966) | 4:48 |
| 3. | "The London Boys" | B-side of 1966 single "Rubber Band",The World of David Bowie | 3:47 |
| 4. | "Karma Man" | The World of David Bowie | 3:46 |
| 5. | "Conversation Piece" | B-side of "The Prettiest Star",Five Years (1969–1973) | 3:53 |
| 6. | "Shadow Man" | Previously unreleased; originally recorded in 1971 during the sessions forZiggy Stardust | 4:40 |
| 7. | "Let Me Sleep Beside You" | The World of David Bowie | 3:14 |
| 8. | "Hole in the Ground" | Conversation Piece (Home demo) | 3:32 |
| 9. | "Baby Loves That Way" | B-side of "You've Got a Habit of Leaving",Early On (1964–1966) | 4:37 |
| 10. | "Can't Help Thinking About Me" | Single from 1966,Early On (1964–1966) | 3:25 |
| 11. | "Silly Boy Blue" | David Bowie (1967) | 5:35 |
| 12. | "Toy (Your Turn to Drive)" | New piece intended for Toy - released as a digital download in 2003 | 4:16 |
| Total length: | 50:36 | ||
Disc one:
Disc two:
Disc three:
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[17] | 35 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[18] | 33 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[19] | 28 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[20] | 58 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[21] | 23 |
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[22] | 87 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[23] | 18 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] | 40 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[25] | 24 |
