| |
Tuesday, April 30
David Bowie - The Next Day (2013)
So, since I was last doing the Album Project two of the artists have released new albums - Madness and David Bowie. I've listened to both a lot of times now, but this is what I think about the David Bowie album! 'The Next Day' (2013), a 24th album, released 10 years after his last. Recorded in secret, a big surprise to everyone, but is it actually good? Is everyone just so happy that a legend has produced something new that they're praising something that, well, isn't actually worth listening to? Well, no. This is definitely an album worth having. You can tell that David Bowie's getting on - he doesn't have the range he used to, his voice is a bit more vibrato, but it's still wonderful to listen to. Some of the tracks (like 'Dirty Boys') have some fine saxophone on them, too. I'm not sure what my favourite songs on here are, a few of them have ended up stuck in my head. Like '(You Will) Set The World On Fire'. I think the more I listen to this album the more I appreciate it. And worth getting the deluxe version with the three extra tracks. So, not his finest album, but still a worthy addition to his 24 albums! Labels: 2013, Album Project, David Bowie, The Next Day
Sunday, October 16
So that's it for the David Bowie section of the Album Project. 23 albums listened to. And which is my favourite? That's such a hard question. Possibly 'Young Americans'. That's the album I'd be most likely to stick on, I think. Though obviously there are loads of great ones. I'd never listened to 'Outside' before doing this and that's a really interesting album. And some albums are perhaps less immediately accessible but are works of art, like 'Hunky Dory'. My least favourite would be one of the 80s albums, 'Tonight' or 'Never Let Me Down'. It's amazing how different Bowie's albums are. Really interesting to listen to them all! Labels: Album Project, David Bowie
Album Project update! The last studio album, 'Reality' (2003). I can't believe that's nearly 10 years ago. 10 years with no new Bowie albums. Sad. I like this, hmm, but it's not my favourite. Not by a long chalk. It's hard to say what my favourite song on it is. Maybe 'Bring Me The Disco King'. I don't know really. It's a good album, though once again you're unlikely to have heard of any of the songs on it. So that's it for studio albums. 23 solo studio albums, all listened to... Labels: 2003, Album Project, David Bowie, Reality
Album project update! 'Heathen' (2002). I think this was the first Bowie album I bought on its release. Looking on Wikipedia, there are two facts about the album that I didn't know. First of all, it deals with his impressions of the September 11th terrorist attack. Secondly, it has three cover versions on it. I hadn't realised either of those things. I really like the album. I guess if I hadn't I probably wouldn't have ended up buying all of his back catalogue! It's unlikely that you would have heard of the songs unless you're a fan, I think, but that's a real shame. Labels: 2002, Album Project, David Bowie, Heathen
Thursday, September 29
Album Project Update! 'Hours' (1999). This is a lot less 'angry' than 'Earthling'. It has some good songs on it, but I don't like it as much as the previous couple of records. It really is quite mellow, especially songs like 'Seven'. It's entirely possible that you won't have ever heard of any of the songs on here, which probably says something. Still, it's a lot better than certain 80s albums! Labels: 1999, Album Project, David Bowie, Hours
Wednesday, September 21
Album Project Update! 'Earthling' (1997). Only three more albums after this one, then the David Bowie section of this project is complete! I love 'Little Wonder' and 'I'm Afraid of Americans'. This is a scary sounding album, slightly angry. I think that's why I like it! It's probably quite 90s in places but I don't think it's so bad (like the 80s albums) that it's horribly dated when you listen to it now. Labels: 1997, Album Project, David Bowie, Earthling
Thursday, September 1
Album Project Update! I have listened to this album quite a few times and would like to listen to it more, but I have to get to the end of the Bowie albums at some point, can't afford to get stuck. But I think I'm beginning to understand what's going on. I have no idea how you'd get it if you'd downloaded it and didn't even have the album sleeve. The album is 'Outside' (1995), subtitled 'The Ritual Art-Murder of Baby Grace Blue: A Non-Linear Gothic Drama Hyper-Cycle". It's a mad concept album! Brilliant! It's the story of Nathan Adler, who's investigating the murder of Baby Grace. If I had the time I would type out the liner notes, but that would take a while. Basically it's about murders committed as 'art'. It's really weird. And it has come great songs on it, like 'The Heart's Filthy Lesson' and 'Hallo Spaceboy'. It's all a bit Nine Inch Nails, which is interesting as according to Wikipedia Bowie had NIN as his tour partner for the 'Outside' tour. I guess NIN was influenced more by Bowie than I'd thought. Not that I've thought about it before. It probably explains why I like Bowie and NIN though..! Probably one of my favourite Bowie albums so far in the Project, if not my favourite. Labels: 1995, Album Project, David Bowie, Outside
Tuesday, August 16
Album Project Update! Ok, so in 1989 and 1991 Bowie released two 'Tin Machine' albums, but in 1993 he was back as a solo artist with 'Black Tie White Noise'. I can't say this is an amazing album. You probably won't have heard any of the songs on it before. But it's better than the previous two 80's albums! It just seems more like a David Bowie album, what with its instrumental opener 'The Wedding'. Hooray! Labels: 1993, Album Project, Black Tie White Noise, David Bowie
Tuesday, August 9
Album Project Update! 'Tonight' (1984) and 'Never Let Me Down' (1987). I am grouping these together because they're both scarily 80s. I'm not sure I like them a lot. It's quite heavily produced, synths, etc... just doesn't sound very real. 'Tonight' is memorable to me for 'God Only Knows', which you will probably recognise as a cover. The weird thing is, it sounds like someone doing a really mad David Bowie impression. It's almost laughable! Very odd. 'Never Let Me Down' seems somehow less daft, and has a bit of the old Bowie craziness in the form of 'Glass Spider'. I don't think you'd recognise any of the songs on these albums, though. Probably not a Bowie high point... Labels: 1984, 1987, Album Project, David Bowie, Never Let Me Down, Tonight
Monday, August 1
And another Album Project Update - 'Let's Dance' (1983). This is album 15 out of 25. Hmm. Hang on, I think I've been miscounting all this time, I think there are 23 studio albums (if we don't include Tin Machine). So, 8 to go! I really like this album. It doesn't have many tracks, when you look at it - only 8 - but 'Let's Dance' and 'China Girl' are both fanastic. 'China Girl' in particular is brilliantly constructed. It has so many layers, including a bass line that the song just wouldn't work without. And of course there's some excellent saxophone. ;) Great stuff. Labels: 1983, Album Project, David Bowie, Let's Dance
Tuesday, July 26
And another Album Project Update... 'Scary Monsters' (1980). This album's likely to have some songs you've heard on it, most notably 'Ashes to Ashes' and 'Fashion'. It definitely has a more commercial sound to it, appealing to a wider audience. It's still not my favourite though! 'Ashes to Ashes', of course, references Major Tom from 'Space Oddity' (1969). There are some bleak lyrics on this album. Probably sounds a lot more cheerful if you listen to it without thought rather than if you listen to it carefully... Labels: 1980, Album Project, David Bowie, Scary Monsters
Album Project Update! 'Lodger' (1979). No weird instrumentals on this but still not exactly a straightfoward album. My favourite track is 'Yassassin' (apparently Turkish for Long Live). I also found 'Boys Keep Swinging' interesting, due to its apparent similiarity to 'M.O.R' by Blur. I wonder if they copied it? Chords are very similar, some lyrical similarities... I thought it was interesting, anyway. [Just checked Wikipedia and this is what it says..."Blur's 1997 track "M.O.R." heavily borrowed the rhythm and harmonic structure of the song, and after legal intervention, was credited to "Blur/Bowie/Eno"." So there you go!] Labels: 1979, Album Project, David Bowie, Lodger
Monday, July 11
Ok, well, Album Project Update! 'Heroes' (1977). The beginning of the album has lots of songs with, well, words. But then it goes all experimental and instrumental again. (You can probably tell I'm less keen on the instrumental tracks!) They're very atmospheric and interesting, but I kind of like songs with lyrics. Like 'Heroes', the title track and probably the most well known song on the album. Labels: "Heroes", 1977, Album Project, David Bowie
Sunday, June 26
And another Album Project Update! 'Low' (1977). This is an experimental and largely instrumental album. It's a bit weird. Interesting, and at times beautiful and haunting, but I don't think I want instrumentals when I buy a David Bowie album. At least it has some eerie saxophone on it played by Bowie himself... Labels: 1977, Album Project, David Bowie, Low
Album Project Update! 'Station to Station' (1976). That's the 10th David Bowie album out of 25. This is a strange kind of album. It's often said to mark a change in Bowie's musical style. You may well have heard 'Golden Years', but this isn't an album of catchy singles. Indeed, it only has 6 tracks. I like it, but you can see things are heading in a strange direction... Labels: 1976, Album Project, David Bowie, Station to Station
Tuesday, June 14
And another Album Project Update! 'Young Americans' (1975). I have to say, the thing about this album that stands out for me is the excellent saxophone. I was interested to read that it was David Sanborn - we have one of his sax albums, 'Hearsay'. The sax on here is really outstanding, particularly interestingly on the track 'Fascination', where it's hard to tell whether it's guitar or sax. It seems silly to say that, but when you listen to it you'll see what I mean. Growly. :) I guess the most well known songs are 'Young Americans' and 'Fame'. This album is just so well executed. Labels: 1975, Album Project, David Bowie, Young Americans
Album Project Update! 'Diamond Dogs' (1974). This is a strange album. I'd really love to hear the backstory behind it all, but sadly I haven't found it anywhere on the internet. And it's not in the booklet with the album. It's basically some sort of dystopian future, bit Blade Runner, bit 1984, bit Brave New World... You get the idea. It has a definite air of menace when you listen to it. The most well known song on the album is 'Rebel Rebel', but somehow that seems quite out of place. I like the album because it's unsettling. I wonder if there was something particularly bleak about the mid 1970s? It was when The Kinks released 'Preservation', after all. Stranger and stranger... Labels: 1974, Album Project, David Bowie, Diamond Dogs
Monday, May 30
Holiday news soon (just back from a coach trip across Europe!) but first of all... Album Project News! 'Pin Ups' (1973), 7 of 25. This, interestingly, is an album of cover versions. I have to admit I hasn't heard many of them, though the last track is 'Where Have All The Good Times Gone' by Ray Davies! Hooray! Labels: 1973, Album Project, David Bowie, Pin Ups
Friday, May 13
Oops, was a bit behind with this... Album Project Update! 6 of 25. 'Aladdin Sane' (1973). I really like this album. Lots of saxophone on it. Some of which was played by David Bowie himself. I guess you might not have heard many of the songs on it, though you should know 'Panic in Detroit' and 'The Jean Genie'. Even though it's not packed with hits it's a very satisfying collection of songs. Labels: 1973, Aladdin Sane, Album Project, David Bowie
Album Project Update! 5 of 25, 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' (1972). This is a very strange album, very strange story behind it. Basically Earth has five years left, aliens come and inhabit Ziggy, he becomes a massive rock and roll star, at the end the aliens rip him apart on stage. I think that's about it. Very, very strange. A brilliant album though. Songs you'd know from here include 'Starman', 'Moonage Daydream', 'Suffragette City'... Great stuff. Surreal but brilliantly so! Labels: 1972, Album Project, David Bowie, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
|
|
