''No Plan'' is an

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

, comprising songs written and recorded by English musician

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

, released posthumously on 8 January 2017. The release coincided with what would have been Bowie's 70th birthday, almost a year after his death. ''No Plan'' compiles the original songs written for Bowie's Off-Broadway musical, '' Lazarus'', including the titular " Lazarus", "No Plan", "Killing a Little Time", and "When I Met You". The songs were first recorded by the cast of the musical as part of its official soundtrack. The recordings featured on ''No Plan'' come from the sessions for Bowie's twenty-fifth and final studio album ''

Blackstar ''Blackstar'' is an American animated science fantasy television series, produced in 1981 by Lou Scheimer and Norm Prescott for Filmation. The series was Filmation's second fantasy epic, the first being '' The Freedom Force'', a segment of '' ...

'', with "Lazarus" appearing as the third track on the album. Upon release, ''No Plan'' debuted at #138 on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling more than 5,000 units in its first week there. The music video for the title track was also released in accompaniment with the EP. It was directed by

Tom Hingston Tom Hingston (born 1973) is a British graphic designer and creative director working in London. He is most well known for his collaborative design work with musicians, both as cover and promotional art as well as music videos. Early work Followin ...

Critical reception

The EP received positive reviews from music critics. '' Exclaim!'' critic Calum Slingerland wrote: "One would hope the plan for Bowie going forward would be for him to avoid falling into the category of "rock icon with innumerable posthumous releases," but thankfully for listeners, the music on ''No Plan'' holds up." ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

''s Andy Gill stated: "''Blackstar''’s moods and musical modes are continued through these tracks, in which Thomas Jerome Newton's decline eerily reflects Bowie's own."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

senior critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine thought that the tracks on the EP "provide a bittersweet coda to Bowie's 21st century comeback", even if "these songs don't feel like a surprise". Alfred Soto of '' Spin'' stated: "Presenting listeners with two discrete but related musical adventures like ''★'' and ''No Plan'', the survivors grasped that even the oblique tastes better with a dash of the obvious."

Track listing

Personnel

Personnel adapted from ''No Plan'' liner notes. Musicians *

– vocals, acoustic & Fender guitars *

Donny McCaslin Donald Paul McCaslin (born August 11, 1966) is an American jazz saxophonist. He has recorded over a dozen albums as a bandleader in addition to many sideman appearances, including on David Bowie's final studio album, '' Blackstar'' (2016). Early ...

– saxophone, flute & woodwinds *

Jason Lindner Jason Lindner (born February 1, 1973) is an American pianist, keyboardist, synthesist, sound designer, composer, arranger and producer. Life and career Lindner was brought up in Brooklyn, New York City.Matzner, Frank A. (August 18, 2014"Jason Li ...

– piano,

Wurlitzer The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...

organ & keyboards *

Tim Lefebvre Tim Lefebvre (born February 4, 1968) is an American bass guitarist. Both as a session musician and band member, he has worked with a wide range of musicians, including David Bowie, The Black Crowes, Elvis Costello, Sting, Empire of the Sun, The Sl ...

– bass * Mark Guiliana – drums & percussion * Ben Monder – guitar Production *David Bowie – production, mixing *

Tony Visconti Anthony Edward Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is an American record producer, musician and singer. Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers. His first hit single was T. Rex's " Ride a White Swan" in 1970, the first of man ...

– production, mixing, engineering *

Tom Elmhirst Tom Elmhirst (born 8 June 1971) is a British mix engineer. He has worked with artists including Adele, Beck, David Bowie, Cage the Elephant, Lady Gaga, Residente, and Amy Winehouse, among many others. Elmhirst has received numerous accolades ...

– final master mix *

Joe LaPorta Joseph J. LaPorta (born ) is an American mastering engineer at Sterling Sound in New Jersey.http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-laporta-mn000199340/credits/date-asc/ Career Born and raised in New York, LaPorta graduated from New York Unive ...

– mastering *

Kevin Killen Kevin Killen (born October 22, 1959) is a music producer, engineer, and mixer. His work has been recognized by multiple awards and nominations, and he has worked with a range of recording artists including Shakira, Peter Gabriel, U2, David Bowie, ...

– engineering *Kabir Hermon – engineering assistance *Erin Tonkon – engineering assistance *

Joe Visciano Joe Visciano is an American Grammy Award-winning, mixing engineer and audio engineer, based in Brooklyn, New York, United States. Recognition *2015 Grammy Winner Album of the Year, ''Morning Phase'', Beck *2015 Grammy Winner Best Engineered A ...

– assistant to Tom Elmhirst Design * Barnbrook – cover design *DSS – front cover star image *Jimmy King – Bowie image

Charts

References

External links

* {{Authority control 2017 EPs David Bowie EPs EPs published posthumously Columbia Records EPs Sony Records albums Albums produced by Tony Visconti Albums produced by David Bowie