12.23am
16 August 2012
There’s something very reassuring about a new David Bowie album.
In my formative years, I had a vintage copy of ‘Circus’ magazine which listed what they called the best hard rock albums of all time. Near the top was this album with this nutty ‘Ziggy Stardust’ name. So I bought an old vinyl copy at a used record store with my paper route money. And the rest is history…
E is for 'Ergent'.
2.49pm
8 November 2012
Just reading about this exhibit. Hope it comes to the US.
parlance
7.22pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Mmmm… new Bowie… I’m still trying to make up my mind on it…
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
7.40pm
8 January 2015
God that was a very nicely produced and performed mess. Is he still trying to make a followup to Outside?
I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe. This has been true for 2016 & 2017 but I may have to get more specific in the future.
9.07am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
On first hearing that song is dire. I’ll vote it a miss.
Going away from the exact topic I went thru a period of listening to Bowie a couple of years ago. I’ve never returned. Just doesnt appeal or hit any note.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
12.50pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
It’s certainly a damn weird choice as the first single from his upcoming album. If he thinks this is the single, I don’t have high hopes for what the rest of the album is going to be like.
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
2.34pm
8 January 2015
I do fear its going to be something Outside-y, the concept grabbed me for a moment but there was only a few good songs on it, and I can see why Eno might have blanched at another three album trilogy. But let’s be fair, it’s usually the record companies idea of a single which might mean far better songs than this one.
I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe. This has been true for 2016 & 2017 but I may have to get more specific in the future.
2.55pm
11 November 2010
3.00pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Not in the case of someone like Bowie, @ewe2. It’s only really in the pop field and early on in careers where the record companies call the shots. Someone like Bowie has complete artistic control over their work, and they decide what’s going to be a single. That this is the single is definitely his decision.
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
3.21pm
8 January 2015
Oh dear then. He didn’t always have that control, but he clearly doesn’t know what to do with it in this case. Oh, he’s releasing the album on his 69th birthday, that’s creative control right there 😀
I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe. This has been true for 2016 & 2017 but I may have to get more specific in the future.
4.52pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Its good and Bowie should be encouraged for not doing something regular. Too many artists sit in the same box with every release.
The following people thank meanmistermustard for this post:
Necko, Beatlebug"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
5.18pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
So you no longer think it’s dire and vote it a miss, @meanmistermustard? Myself, I definitely don’t think it works as a single (though it may within context of the album), and the video makes me uncomfortable. It’ll be interesting to see what @Joe and @Zig make of it.
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
5.59pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
I meant its good that Mr Bowie hasnt just recorded tracks that sound like what everyone would expect a Bowie track/album to sound like, instead he has went down a different path. For that he should be commended.
The song itself is not to my taste and I have zero desire to hear it ever again.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
6.17pm
8 January 2015
Not knocking his creative control either, but that song is still a mess. He usually has an interesting album track or two for me though. I thought this song was definitely worthy of a sequel:
I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe. This has been true for 2016 & 2017 but I may have to get more specific in the future.
10.25am
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Ron Nasty said
So you no longer think it’s dire and vote it a miss, @meanmistermustard? Myself, I definitely don’t think it works as a single (though it may within context of the album), and the video makes me uncomfortable. It’ll be interesting to see what @ joe and @ zig make of it.
I haven’t listened to it yet – will give it t listen soon. TBH, I haven’t been too impressed with David since the late 70’s. I don’t think I’ve liked a whole album from him since Heroes. In general, his work since then just isn’t to my liking.
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
I’ve only listened to it once, and thought it was excellent. I found The Next Day a bit stodgy – fairly unremarkable, unsurprising and straightforward. This is much more like the experimental Bowie of old. And the long length and multi-part format reminded me of Station To Station, which is never a bad thing.
I didn’t like the last single, Sue/Whore, all that much, and they’re on the album, so I have mixed feelings about Blackstar. But if the rest of it sounds more like the title track then I’ll be happy.
@Zig No love for Scary Monsters? Some of his later albums have been very good too – Heathen in particular. But he’ll probably never come close to his 1970s peak. How could he?
Personally I’d love to see James Murphy produce a Bowie album. LCD Soundsystem had enough Bowieish moments to show that it could work fantastically well, and they were both on Arcade Fire’s Reflektor.
Edit: I forgot that Murphy had also remixed Love Is Lost from The Next Day. They should definitely work more together.
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2.43pm
26 January 2017
Just read through this thread for the first time, and it’s interesting to see the somewhat negative reactions to the Blackstar single in retrospect. Do you guys still not like the song or has time and Bowie’s death changed your perception? I’m interested as some have claimed that it only got good reviews because he died, with I thoroughly disagree with. I think the whole album’s pretty good, but Blackstar and Lazarus are both astounding.
The following people thank QuarryMan for this post:
BeatlebugI've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
3.04pm
25 December 2017
QuarryMan said
Just read through this thread for the first time, and it’s interesting to see the somewhat negative reactions to the Blackstar single in retrospect. Do you guys still not like the song or has time and Bowie’s death changed your perception? I’m interested as some have claimed that it only got good reviews because he died, with I thoroughly disagree with. I think the whole album’s pretty good, but Blackstar and Lazarus are both astounding.
Blackstar (The Album and The Song) are great. But they aren’t Bowie material that i go back to often. It might be because of the closeness of the album and his death to me. Or the fact that the album is a sound i’m just not so used to. But i do like The Album
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Beatlebug"Dinner with Delores Must be some kind of sin
Like a Brontosaurus She was packin' it in" -Prince
4.48pm
26 January 2017
Ben Ramon said
Blimey, after years and years of inactivity and solace- I thought he might have been ill or something. Wasn’t his last release 2004?
A sadly ironic comment.
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TheWalrusWasBrian, Beatlebug, BeatleSnut, WeepingAtlasCedars"The pump don't work cause the vandals took the handles!"
-Bob Dylan, Subterranean Homesick Blues
"We could ride and surf together while our love would grow"
-Brian Wilson, Surfer Girl
3.13pm
26 January 2017
PurplishRain said
Blackstar (The Album and The Song) are great. But they aren’t Bowie material that i go back to often. It might be because of the closeness of the album and his death to me. Or the fact that the album is a sound i’m just not so used to. But i do like The Album
Definitely. It’s the sort of thing that the music critic in me loves but I will admit to not listening to it terribly often.
I've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
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