David Bowie single and album release.

On at least an annual basis the rumour will mill goes into over drive and stories will start trickling down that Dame David of Bowie has been seen in the studio and a release is imminent.

There's been ten years of that trusted old chestnut being rolled out with nary a crumb of factual evidence being there to support it.

So when the story barely resurfaced yet again a few weeks ago some would have been forgiven for thinking it was the same old song and dance.

I certainly did.

A word here and a word there, but that was it.

The whispers fell far short of being of the stage variety, and little credence was lent to them.

Along with the most hardcore fans my Bowie sense failed to tingle at all, and this morning it was as much as a surprise to me as anyone else that we not only have a story in the headlines of a forthcoming outing from the man who fell to earth, but an actual song that is available to download.

While governments all over the world are spectacularly failing to keep a secret it would seem that those in the Bowie camp voluntarily had their lips sown up to ensure that the news didn't leak prior to the single being made available to the public.

That it is now with us is akin to opening the door to find a favourite uncle has returned from a decade long journey.

He's maybe a bit dishevelled looking and we haven't had time to usher him in, find him a seat, or draw a complete story from him, but never the less we are glad to see him.

However we have managed to find out that not only is he back, but a return visit is on the cards to.

Or in plain English the single is with us today and an album is coming in March.

So what's the story with the Tony Visconti produced 'Where are we now'?

Well on first listen it comes across as one of the most literal songs that he has released in a very long time.

In what some may call a laconic delivery he reminisces about his time in Berlin and takes us on a guided tour of the city he knew, and as he isn't particularly known for looking back I found this to be a a strangely compelling angle.

That it is also pretty much a traditional arrangement of music, and bypasses his tendency of looking to be on the cutting edge, adds to the wrong footedness of his return, and with that what we get is yet again the unexpected.

While we could have speculated that his return would have been one that looked to land just slightly ahead of the curve he has once again managed to be veer away from the areas that some would have mapped out for him and reiterate that he is not a man who preconceived ideas sit comfortably with.

I guess that means that the unexpected is now the expected and he delivered on it again.

Even now some may be trying to speculate what the forthcoming album will sound like based on the single, but who really knows?

Only those who have been working with him on it I suppose, and as I said, it's possible their lips have been sewn shut.

So I guess it's now just a waiting game, and I'm happy to admit the anticipation is a rather delightful feeling.

Personally I'm very pleased that he is back.

The Next Day is released on March 8th in Australia, the 11th in the UK and the 12th in the USA.