It’s been 10 years since David Bowie released an album and his traditional rock style is back and better than ever with his new album, The Next Day.

The title track is a power rock anthem that wakes up the lighter songs on the album. “Where Are We Now,” the first song of the album, is a light and lethargic track mixed alongside the heaviness of hard-pounding rock. It’s the type of song that could be used in meditation and has the sound of a hopeful, sweet ballad. “Love is Lost” begins with a steady methodic beat. The excellent use of organ gives the rock an electric sense that is both hypnotizing and liberating. “Valentine’s Day” is rather light lyrically but starts off with some rhythmic electric guitar and fades into a more acoustic sound. “If You Can See Me” is a more electric form of Bowie. His melodic style is completely thrown out the window with the skirting guitar and polyrhythmic beats. “I’d Rather Be High” is titled to a tee and the psychedelic style found in the Beatles’ later years makes the track trippy for sure, but the “oohs” and high notes make it enjoyable rather than headache-inducing.

“Boss of Me” is perhaps the only monotonous song on the album with repetitive lyrics and a pop-rock sound. However, Bowie makes up for it with the catchy and infectious 80s-esque beats and lyrically pleasing “Dancing Out in Space”.  “How Does the Grass Grow” is basically “Boys Keep Swinging” reworded and revitalized for the new generation but the sound is still as interesting as it always has been.

“(You Will) Set the World on Fire” is much like “Under Pressure” intertwined with “Rebel Rebel.” The high energy hard rock mixed with the entrancing vocals make the song a double win. Bowie cools it off with “You Feel So Lonely You could Die,” a soft rock ballad with “oohs” and an acoustic guitar helps tell the story of a manic extrovert and the sound produced out of the depth is enigmatic. You can really feel the pain in a beautiful, cathartic way.

One last ballad closes the album; “Heat” starts off with a white noise sound and the sad sounding Bowie capturing the sorrow sounds of something that would seem more at place in an avant-garde theater production. The song closes with the audience longing for more.

The album in a word is entrancing and well worth purchasing if you are a long time Bowie fan or are just looking for something that will be talked about for quite some time.

“The Next Day” is available for pre-order on ITunes and will be available March 12.