Low

Good

Pretty solid, great instrumental work and the last 4 songs I really enjoyed!

Gorgeous, varied, Bowie

Finally clicked

This album is interesting, not like the David Bowie material I know best (Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust). While I liked what I heard, I do feel that this album deserves several listens to properly digest. I'll give it a 4 for now because I liked it enough to hear again, but it is hard to know whether I'll still feel that way after more listens.

Überraschend modern für seine Zeit. Schön elektronisch.

A real works of dual personality, the songs (in my view the album's best tracks) and Brian Eno inspired instrumentals have little connection imo. Enjoyable though

No Aladin Sane, but damn fine.

Good album lol

4 out of 5. This album is easier for me to listen to than Heroes, especially in the second half where it feels more like a 70's or 80's fantasy movie.

In my Bowie top ten.

Deeply cool, somewhat unhinged mixture of electronic music and analogue rock. Actual catchy songs emerge fully formed amid sweeping, intriguing soundscapes. The album is great, experimental and addled.

Chilly and bracing.

Bastantes canciones instrumentales. Un 4.

The whole atmosphere created here is magic. One of many peak points for Mr. Jones.. (or “Low” in this case…)

It may just be me, but this feels like the perfect "deep cuts" album. It seems to have hallmarks of his glam rock styles/sensibilities and space age odyssey remnants but mixed with harder rock and weird ambient sounds. Makes sense since Brian Eno got involved as you can hear some Roxy Music influence on this one. This guy doesn't really put out bad music but this is a definite listen.

Everybody’s gotta love Bowie!

What in the World was this? The Sound and Vision of this was Breaking Glass in the Art Decade.

Not a fan. I Liked a few tracks but it was a tad boring overall. Just not for me

Very cool

This is a Bowie album I can get behind. I enjoyed the journey through the album and the exploration of other sounds likely due to the Eno collab. I thought the two worked well together and produced something new and interesting instead of recycling the same Bowie formula.

Yet another excellent album from Bowie…

not as prolific as I expected

This is pretty awesome, I almost gave it a 5 but it dragged at a few points later in the album. Sound and Vision was awesome, lots of cool sounds on here, so unique

enjoyable, lighthearted, "süffig"

Prefer funky Bowie but gotta respect the vision and impact here

I heard the singles but not the album. It was as all Bowie albums are amazing

Hard not to love everything Bowie did in the 70s. The critics may have been divided at the time, but this album really holds up. And the history of it is pretty fascinating too. High marks for difficulty. Sticks the landing.

The first half of this is stellar, the crunchy rock pop is great and balanced with melodic Sound and Vision. The second electronic side for me has always been a bore. I know it is supposed to be a huge achievement but it is not something I really have ever wanted to listen to more than once.

After two consecutive Brian Eno albums, I get...a David Bowie album produced by Brian Eno. And it's a good one. Can really hear Eno starting to develop that ethereal sound which became his trademark in the 90's. As for the album. It's Bowie and it's downbeat and it's great. Unexpected bangers: What in the World, Warszawa, Always Crashing in the Same Car.

I don't quite get it. The veneration for this, or the whole Berlin trilogy, for that matter. Maybe it's because I'm listening for the first time, now and today? It all seems so aimless and random: here are some art rock ideas and here comes Eno. That said, I had a decent enough time with this album and might have liked it better than Heroes (#196). /shrug

Náði þessari ekki fyrr en um tvítugt. Gott. Meira að segja "fillerarnir" hitta í mark hjá mér.

Sound and Vision

Probably my fave Bowie album, although you have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy the second half. First half is good enough to enjoy whatever your mood. I oscillate between 3 and 5 for this so I'll go down the middle.

While I am familiar with some of David Bowie’s work, I hadn’t listened to anything off of this album until now. Time to fix that. Despite how amazing Station to Station turned out, Bowie was still struggling from his cocaine addiction at the time and it took a toll on his mental health. As a result, he left Los Angeles to move back to Europe, and caught up with Brian Eno. Also tagging along on this journey was Iggy Pop, who was also looking to clean up from his drug addiction as well. Both him and Bowie ended up working together on the former’s album The Idiot, co-mixing with producer Tony Visconti over in West Berlin. Bowie was so infatuated with the area that him and Iggy decided to move there for a while to kick their drug habits, escape the spotlight and work on new material inspired by the German experimental music scene at the time. Thus, the so-called Berlin Trilogy began, with Low being the first of this string of albums. With all that background established, I can comfortably say I enjoyed this rather off-kilter record. Make no mistake in that this album is strange by Bowie’s standards up to this point. Most of Low works in how he allows the other instruments to shine. In fact, the second half is electronically-driven ambience, where Bowie lends his vocal cadence as another instrument to be painted into the scenery. Songs like “Warszawa” and “Weeping Wall” work wonders in this lane, compilmented by the synthesizer work done by Bowie and Brian Eno. There are still tracks where Bowie delivers lyrics, either contemplative about the addiction he battled on “Sound and Vision”, or as more free-form and fractured like on “What in the World” with Iggy on backing vocals. These words may not be the focus of the album, but are a welcoming touch nonetheless. The only problems here are with the first two tracks “Speed of Life” and “Breaking Glass”, which are more like fragments of songs that don’t get fully realized here. They’re not bad tracks, but they could have been fleshed out more. In fact, “Breaking Glass” would later get reworked on a subsequent tour. At the end of the day, Low is still an amazing album, and quite the pleasant surprise for me as a fan of Bowie’s other works. I can see why this album would later be considered influential to the post-rock genre, and it shows in spades. Give it a shot.

Sort of worldwide blade runner vibes, I love Bowie and this is no different.

I've listened to a couple Bowie albums, but he's mostly been one of my musical blind spots. I've really wanted to do a deep dive into his work, but it's always been a little intimidating, much as he fascinates me. I knew this project would help remedy the overwhelm. It's been interesting to contextualize Low by reading about how influential it's been on artists I know and love well, like Radiohead. Low certainly doesn't sound like anything else I've ever heard from that era. I understand that the way they processed the drums through a pitch shifting device (the Eventide H910 Harmonizer) is one of the most notable aspects of this album. I listened a second time with this in mind, because it's an effect I definitely take for granted in a lot of the music that followed. I really loved the instrumental back half the most, particularly Warszawa. Haunting stuff.

Beautiful instrumentation, composition, pacing unlike anything I’ve ever heard from Bowie

There's better Eno ambient out there and better Bowie art rock, but this and "Heroes" (which I think is also on the list) are exceptional blends of the two. This is slightly weaker than the album after it, but features anxious-sounding pop with a noisy edge to it, and Subterraneans is maybe my favourite ambient track in the Berlin trilogy. 8.5/10

Listening to this as a curious tourist. This is not somewhere I'd live, or even visit for long. A unique signpost in Bowie's chameleonic, protean carpet flow. The first few songs are a talking heads impersonation...Sound and Vision gives glimpses of a more layered Bowie, and "Always Crashing in the Same Car" would have been a great song to play on repeat while getting drunk after a breakup in undergrad. I like the schizophrenic variety here, and especially enjoyed the electronic/synthesizer sound experimentations....the instrumental tracks sound like he's trying to compose soundtracks---maybe evolving his concept album efforts beyond language/lyrics?

The first half finally clicked with me after years of trying of trying to get into this album and I listened to it 5 times through. The second half is interesting but can’t see myself revisiting too often.

The first 1/2 of this album was pretty OK for me but the 2nd half, around Warszawa and beyond is amazing but that's probably my love of 70's Brian Eno showing through.

Side A is really strong. Great songs, different styles, not surprising for Bowie but this was a departure from his previous work. Germany seems to have rubbed off on him. Side B is less engaging for me. Instrumentals that are often noisy, synth driven and not as melodic as the first side. Still some great moments but side B lost my attention.

Can tell he was on a come down

Bowie and Eno. The first of the Berlin albums. I didn’t care for this much when it came out. Pretty good in retrospect

like this. I thought it would be depressing but actually it had much more going on than expected.

Often excellent, but definitely not my favourite of his in terms of songwriting, but brilliant for textures and sounds. I loved the sounds and synths, but I enjoyed Heroes more.

Not all that popular, but I’ve always love sound and vision

Love it! 4 stars

When David Bowie enters a studio with Brian Eno, how can it go wrong? A fine cut of art rock/pop with an electro touch.

It had been a while since my last Bowie album here, nice to get one that I hadn't really heard of before. This album has quite a few more instrumentals than I'd expect and is pretty chill throughout. For a 77 album it feels much more modern, but that is a common theme with Bowie. Nice album to end the week with and just relax into the weekend. Favorite track "Sound and Vision" 4/5

Delightful. Wonderful vibes all around. This album is definitely my jam.

Jesus Christ, is Bowie’s entire discography on this list? We’re 250 in and this is, like, the 10th album of his to show up. I initially enjoyed it to the point that I started checking him out more independently. I don’t think he earned this type of representation over a lot of other musicians. Anyway….this is a 4.

Low is David Bowie's eleventh studio album, and it was part of his period of collaborating with Brian Eno. The album had a few successful singles, like "Sound and Vision," but the album met with limited commercial and critical success. Low has been reexamined over time, and has come to be regarded as one of Bowie's best albums - and perhaps his best. The album influenced post-punk and alt-pop, and created a pattern that many 80s and 90s bands explored.

Elsker Bowie! :) Low er ikke nødvendigvis mit yndlingsalbum, men jeg bliver altid i godt humør af at lytte til Bowie. Jeg nyder hvordan han leger med musikken, instrumenterne og variationerne i det. Jeg savner lidt mere vocal i albummet, til gengæld fortæller selve musikken også sine egne historier. Favoritterne er "Be My Wife", "Warszawa" & "Speed of life". Jeg ser frem til de resterende 8 Bowie album på listen.

Not bad, but too much Eno and not enough Bowie for me. If I wanted an ambient album (or at least Side B), I'd get an Eno album - where is Bowie's voice on Side B: nowhere.

I listened to this a few times and other than Sound and Vision (one of my favorite of his songs) it all sounded new and yet familiar. The second half requires being in the right frame of mind. But still interesting. I liked how the songs fade in and out. Surprisingly Speed of Life is one of my favorites now.

Very different sides. Listened to this a couple of times and it really grew on me. Amazing that this was his *eleventh* album, released in 1977 after his buddy Iggy Pop helped him sober up, and his first album was only 10 years before that. I'm realizing how little of his work I'm familiar with, even though I've heard a lot of Bowie. Probably be listening to a lot more in the future, even if he was keeping a Low Profile.

I’ve always wanted to listen to a David Bowie album but never had the chance to (I was lazy) but now that I have, I can say that I regret not doing so this is just one album that brought me into a futuristic world into a 80s 90s movie set into the future. I loved this album from start to finish. I am excited to listen to more of Bowie’s work in the future.

Loved it!

A breakthrough album for Bowie. Rarely strong melodically, He was always so willing to try new things not afraid to challenge his audience, such as Low. Stronger conceptually, visually than musically.

It was shaping to be my first 5 to a Bowie album, but the second half is too slow and disconnected so it ended up being a 4.

Excellent David Bowie

Super album!

Daora

This was a great experience to listen to, very interesting music being created.

Ambient, dark, haunting, influential, & a ballsy departure from his previous sound (so much so that the label, RCA, initially rejected it & then postponed its release). Maybe not what you think of when you think of David Bowie, but there's a reason he's got the most albums (9) on this list as a solo artist (the other 3 -- John Lennon, Paul McCartney, & Neil Young, are split between solo & band/group releases).

I think out of the Berlin trilogy, Heroes is best, but this is very good too. That echoey snare drum sound that runs throughout irritates me a bit for some reason. Ambient part does sound good through headphones whilst concentrating on something. 4.5/5

Are we sure he was clean when he wrote this?

The bass lines all over this album are fantastic. Classic Bowie quite a few instrumental tracks but overall solid. Stand out tracks: - Sound and vision - Be my wife

Classic Bowie. I’d recognize his quintessential sound anywhere. None of his classics, but still an enjoyable listen.

For me, Bowie’s like Prince, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell and Dylan: if you don’t click with one album it’s no biggie, just wait for the next because they all don’t tend to repeat themselves as artists. Love them for that; it’s amazing how rare that trait is amongst musicians who tend to find a musical lane and pretty much stay there album by album. I like Low, but Station to Station is probably my favorite of his Berlin Trilogy. I could see that changing though; this is the more challenging (rewarding?) listen between them. I definitely found more to focus on and enjoy with Low this time around, compared to my first listen a couple of months ago. Where Station to Station was more cohesive thematically and probably more commercially accessible because of that, Low was clearly Bowie stretching to go beyond where he was with his “Plastic Soul” persona on Young Americans. It’s an album that demands more of me, I can appreciate it for that and can see it growing on me with more listens. You can’t deny its influence on the Ambient and even Punk movements to come, with both its instrumentals and discordant synth chord progressions. Bowie superfans consider this a masterpiece and while I’m not there (at least yet), I can see why.

Great sound, not my favorite Bowie album

Obviously and important transitional Bowie album. Very well liked but not my favorite. I appreciate the instrumental tracks. Still more of a 4/5 for me.

It’s quite experimental and a lot of it is instrumental which is unusual for a Bowie album

The first of the Berlin trilogy and a worthy entry in Bowie's catalogue. I'm glad the generator gave me an Eno album a bit ago so I could hear his touches here. The instrumental second half is a welcome adventure. Not one of my favorite Bowie records, but a great listen and one I plan on revisiting. Highlights: Speed of Life, Breaking Glass, Sound and Vision, Always Crashing in the Same Car, Be My Wife, Warszawa

It was quite good. I wasn’t expecting any less though because it’s David Bowie.

Electronic and ambient-ish Bowie album. Definitely drifts away from his early work. I do enjoy it though, it brings a new angle to his music. Favourite songs include "Sound and Vision", "Always Crashing in the Same Car" and "Be My Wife" (truly catchy tunes — 'Please be mine, share my life. Stay with me, be my wife!')

Low? More like LUSH! This album is like diving smoothly into a lazy-river made of synths and floating around letting the current push you around. Eno's presence is huge in the creation of these layers of tone and texture and pulsating sound and slow swelling rhythm, with Bowie crooning louchely over the top, bringing a bit of edge and charisma to the chilled out mood. Sound and Vision is an all time great electropop song. The rest is a lot less individually memorable though. The first half distills emergent 70s synth pop to forge the foundation of the 80s new-wave sound (it's also a cool extension of the song-writing style and aesthetic on Iggy Pop's the Idiot). The second half is an excursion through krautrock ambience.

Few words, lots of melodic songs, that’s the Bowie I never heard before. A lot of country influences and probably something else that I didn’t even recognise hahahah

The first half of the album is good, but the second half is absolutely phenomenal and some of David Bowie’s best work.

Don't love some of the instrumental stuff, but overall very strong.

It’s Bowie but I’m not so keen on the instrumental stuf. And tbh I’m not in the mood to say anything more

Close to five on first lesson but not quite there warzsaw is a great song thuogh

Maybe I just don't get it, 'cause I love Bowie, but this just isn't it for me.

Certainly a unique soundscape to an album.

brian eno and bowie would be brilliant. really enjoyed a relisten, not bowies best but very high up there. love 'what in the world' more on this listen, and art decade. was subterraneans inspired by kerouac? 4.25

my favorite album of the Berlin trilogy, an extremely experimental album like usual with bowie. most of the album is ambient tracks, which i still enjoy but i wish bowie had a stronger presence on the album, every time he shows up he makes the track even better

On the first listen, I thought this album was O.K., but not my favorite Bowie. I listened to it a couple more times and started to love it. He really plays around with a lot of different styles and emotions. It starts with more commercial rock and pop influences, but then starts to evolve into something more experimental and introspective, closing with an almost trance- like meditation.

Great, really great Side one is brilliant and side two is beautiful. Second best bowie so far. Very very high 4 that will eventually be a 5

‘Our conceptual parameters are not that dissimilar. Brian would often set tasks which would define the movements of the day and then we would work according to that plan, which he would redefine in the studio... Brian’s thing is to break the structure from the beginning of the day and enter into a feeling of improvisation from new places.’ David Bowie in an interview with Paul Gormanis, 1995. Highlights: Speed of Life, Breaking Glass, Sound and Vision, Be My Wife, A New Career in an Old Town, Warszawa, Subterraneans. In a nutshell: the bleak, atmospheric first chapter of the Berlin Trilogy. The quote above is necessary context for creating the Berlin Trilogy (Low, “Heroes” and Lodger). David Bowie meeting Brian Eno and Tony Visconti was one of the best things that happened to Bowie’s career. You can hear some of the rock/funk elements that remain (Sound and Vision). I can feel the sense of displacement- émigré - off A New Career In A New Town, Warszawa and Subterraneans. Low is contemplative. It won’t be for everyone. Give it a chance because Bowie dared himself to try making different music. Overall: 8/10

Bowie’s got those apple bottom jeans and the boots with the fur.

This sounds like it’d be a side 2 of a double album for Labrynth . I have mad respect for Bowie and most of the time I put on one of his albums, I’m left saying to myself “what the fuck are we doing here”? As in I have no idea what direction this album is going and I have no idea how he released a song that sounds like utter trash to me. Not this album. I really enjoyed this one. Warzawa…..not good Choice cut: Sound and Vision

I really liked the first half of this. The second half is a little too Tangerine Dream for me. I read the summary on Apple Music so I understand what Bowie was doing. I just don’t really take to that type of music. Would have been 5 star for me if the second half followed the first.

Genious Artist, verry interesting.

Cool and ambient but not peak Bowie.

Nice ambient/electronica sound, Bowie never ceases to surprise, with each record different from the other, yet distinctly Bowie.

- The second half of this album, which contains the moody, almost entirely instrumental tracks, is divine. It starts strongly with "A New Career in a New Town" and ends strongly with "Subterraneans" and everything in-between is worth listening to. If the entire album sounded like this, then five stars. - The tracks on the first side are fine, even more than fine, and they have way more heart and charisma than the previous album (Station to Station). (This is particularly true of "Speed of Life.") But it just does not match up to or totally coherent with the second half.

A bit haunting but interesting

This is not a criticism, but when we wonder now how David Bowie could put out three albums in two years (the Berlin Trilogy) knowing this album contains 11 tracks and 6 of them are mostly instrumental can help to provide an answer of sorts. Also, drugs. The instrumentals are also not bad. "Speed of Life" is a jam even without words and the feel of the instrumentals does compliment the overall sound of the album. I really like the shorter track times (not just because they are short) as it seems to pack a lot of good music in a small run time. Bowie was incredibly talented at pivoting his sound. I get the feeling Bowie wanted to make music but he was having difficulty expressing himself lyrically. This is my 6th David Bowie album and I have found I enjoy his work much more than I thought I would.

Lots of instrumentals, quite ambient / ethereal.

Original - totalement inconnu (jamais entendu à la radio à l'époque). 4eme album généré pour moi, mais premier que j'aurais envie d'écouter de nouveau. J'aime bien les pistes instrumentales. 14/20

3.5

Had to skip Warszawa but other than that I enjoyed the journey.

Low was very good, though I think it kind of fell off a bit near the end, sadly.

Going into this album I didn't expect to like it terribly much. After all, there was a line on its Wikipedia page about how much it influenced post-punk bands. I haven't disliked every post-punk album I've heard, but I sure as well haven't had a clean track record with it either, so I didn't have exactly high hopes. But then at the beginning of side two, there was this moment where I had to just... Stop what I was doing. Stop, close my eyes, inhale deeply through my nostrils... I have to give all the credit in the world to Brian Eno and the influence he had. Even on an album this gloomy and dark, there are moments in the soundscape I found kind of beautiful, actually. Really, it's a similar reaction I had to the two Eno album my group's gotten before, and it proves I really shoulda paid more attention to the "electronica" genre credit on Wikipedia. HUNKY DORY, largely because I've spent so much time with it, is still my favorite Bowie album, so that's why I'm not giving this a five. However, just the fact alone that it made such a strong case for that spot is incredibly noteworthy.

Bowie is always a nice treat and this album doesn't disappoint. From the instrumental opener, even lacking words, you know this is a Bowie album. His style is very unique and timeless. Definitely an album you can listen to front to back without any regrets. Just great bangers. Standout Tracks: Speed of Life, Breaking Glass, Sound and Vision

Liked it much better than I thought I would

This is such a good listen, but not because it’s a Bowie record. It’s just a very atmospheric and ambient record, unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. I love Bowie, and I honestly knew none of these songs going into this listen. It’s concise, but all of the tracks bleed together and meld so pleasantly that I couldn’t often distinguish one track from the next. I think Bowie was just so in his flow when he was creating this album. It really shows what a unique artist he was, with such nuanced sensibilities. Not my favourite Bowie tracks, but the artistry is undeniable here.

os riffs de guita mt fodas

Interesting album that was very original at the time a highly influential to many genres to follow.

This shit is just so good

Especially those ambient tracks at the end

Another icon and another easy one. I was brought up on Bowie and whilst this doesn't get the full marks, it was a joyous listen.

GUY JUST DOESNT KNOW HOW TO MISS

I always forget just how good this is when considering Bowie’s discography - I guess because other than Sound and Vision it doesn’t feature the big singles that Ziggy and Hunky Dory have in spades. It’s a fantastic set of tracks though - some ambient and immersive; some fleeting - and despite a range of genres they all flow together like a strange opera. It tails off slightly towards the end for me, but is an otherwise fantastic entry to a ridiculously strong body of work

pretty good mostly instrumentals

Familiar with the name but not any of his tunes. I looked up his discography and I do know Fame.

Very mystical project. Half of it is basically all instrumental. Sounds like a movie soundtrack if they were trying to make electronic music sound orchestral. I liked it, and I feel like another listen would give me more appreciation for the album. I can’t say whether or not I wanted more of Bowie’s singing on it, as I feel the album succeeds at what it set out to do. Standouts: Sound and Vision, Always Crashing in the Same Car, A New Career in Town, and Subterraneans.

3.5/5 Best Track: Sound and Vision

This is the first Bowie album I've listened to in full. I'm surprised it's taken me so long to get to but I'm not disappointed. I'm not usually a fan of too many instrumental tracks but I did like these. Favourite track: Sound and Vision

The first Bowie I've actually liked!

This is not one album but two half-albums. The first is decently experimental, and its good even though not to my liking. But I can't even start to find words to describe the second part. Fantastic would be an understatement, mind-blowing, out of this world and yet so familliar. I think Bowie, Eno and others at that time invented the music of the future (which is part of the music of our days now), and allowed to take a small glimpse into it. I wish it was not so small, but that is the only negative thing I can say about the second part.

Oh, I'm so conflicted about this record. The first seven songs are fantastic, ambient art rock that's very danceable and Bowie-esque. It's crazy that this was influenced by Neu! and Kraftwerk, because those guys are pretty horrible but this album rocks. And then... I reach the 8th track, Warszawa. Ah.... this is where the influence is at its peak. What was initially a fun twist on avant garde music became a slew of boring and monotonous sounds. What a shame! Oh well. We'll always have Breaking Glass, Sound and Vision, Always Crashing in the Same Car, Be My Wife, and A New Career in a New Town.

Rating: 8.5/10 Great album overall. The instrumentation and production was amazing throughout, Bowie pushes boundaries yet again on this album to mostly great results. The first half is more classic Bowie, experimental but catchy instrumentation with great vocal melodies. The second is very ambient and interesting musically, a lot of different instruments are used to create a beautiful wall of ambient sound. The second half can be a bit meandering and maybe a bit too long compared to the first but overall this album is great. Favorite songs: Speed of Light, Breaking Glass, Sound and Vision, Always Crashing in the Same Car, Be My Wife, Warszawa, Weeping Wall, Subterraneans. Worst song: What in the World.

Enjoyed it more than I expected. Weird, but listenable. The vibe: "a bunch of friends got tipsy, broke into a recording studio, and made whatever the hell they wanted." Starts loud and bombastic, but slides into dreamscape when the buzz wears off.

The first half of the album was pretty good, but I really loved the second half with its weird atmospheric tracks. Warszawa gave me some serious Final Fantasy vibes. It almost feels like two different listening experiences. I am probably going to give it a 4, but the back half is a five in my heart.

видимо, Боуи настолько пиздат, что сделал кучу разных альбомов и хоть один любимчик найдется для каждого кажется, я впервые проникся его музыкой. ничего до этого меня так не цепляло. я сомневаюсь, что услышу у Боуи что-то лучше но, извините, на 5 все равно не тянет...

Низко. Краут-роково. Смешно.

Floaty tunes, otherworldly sounds.The instrumental tracks were super interesting, possibly my favorite part of the album. I don’t know much about Bowie, looking forward to exploring more.

First half had some solid rock songs. Second half sounded like Paul Atreides was about to start a holy war.

It's good, but the changes in style and tone make it somewhat difficult to enjoy.

Upon first listen, I liked the album overall, but had to listen again to get my final rating. I was going to land on a 3 but I think I'll bump it to 4. There is something about Bowie's experimental sounds that fit so well with his voice.

The first half of this album is very strong with hits like Sound and Vision. Unfortunately, the second half is not as strong.

The first of what I suspect will be many of David Bowie’s albums on this list. Went in with fairly high expectations given that everyone raves about Bowie. Took a few songs to warm up, then Sound and Vision felt like the turning point. Quite surprised by how much of it was instrumental, and really enjoyed subterraneans at the end.

This is the one Bowie album that didn't completely do it for me, which is only disappointing because at times it's pretty damn great. Maybe there's too much Brian Eno influence.

Lovely. I've never paid much attention to the Berlin trilogy before so this was an interesting exploration, which I enjoyed a lot. For now this is definitely my favorite out of those 3 albums. I love the instrumental tracks in the second half, Warszawa is particularly beautiful. According to Wikipedia, "side two was about his musical observations living in Berlin" which I can definitely imagine living in Berlin myself nowadays

Decent, like Bowie

The context of it being in a reformative period for Bowie, Eno is involved and its setting makes this inventive and influential. Ahead of its time somewhat for ‘77 but Zappa meets Bowie, hence Eno. Best experienced with deep surround or good headphones. The $ is in the production.

Love David Bowie, sad to see him go

It's cool. I probably won't remember it later.

Some weirdness, but that's bowie. Still bowie

Rating: 8/10. Great. Listeners of genre should hear this. Genre: Synth/Glam Rock. Psychedelic/Experimental? Notes: Groovy and funky music, fun lyrics. "Cool." Unique and interesting. Feels like a soundtrack, almost psychedelic but not quite. Takes me on a journey in my mind. Started out around 6/10 but went up to 8/10 by the end. My rating has potential to go higher the more I listen to it.

A mostly calm paced, relaxed album. I like the bass highlighting, the vocals are great, though the short length of the songs kind of threw me off at the start. Otherwise a great album, but sadly not something that I'd have in my playlist, personally.

The best album from Berlin trilogy, imo. So much impact on other famous musicians. My personal favorites are Breaking Glass, Sound and Vision, Warszawa

I loved the 70s

I like this, get good vibes from the lofi style electronic elements

Not really a casual/everyday listen. Wasn’t really in the mood for it today, however, it does have some very interesting sections.

Loved the two distinct sides.

Fun listen, Bowie at his best

Eeire and Moody, loves it

Magic. 4.375.

The first half is glittery cheesy synth pop that not quite up to the standard of Bowies 80s mega catchy grooves. The second half is ambient noise and melody in a glorious blend of vibe and feel.

Decent as an album, not likeky to listen to individual songs.

Unsure after a first listen but it's great once you understand

I have never heard this album or these songs before. I thought it was really good and quite different from a lot of his other stuff. I was a little less fond of the instrumentals as they went on a bit. Listens: 2 Fave Track: Sound and Vision Rating: 4

Me gustó bastante, sigue sin ser de mis favoritos pero la calidad del sonido y de la voz de bowie están muyy bien

A trip with a couple of highlights that are revisiting worthy

While a fan of Bowie, I've never given this album much attention. I like this era of Bowie - songs are characteristic of the ones you hear on the Bowie at the Beeb recordings. Seems like there are a few instrumentals on here or at least songs with very little singing, which I find rare with Bowie albums. Glad to have 'discovered' a Bowie album this late in the game.

Seeing another David Bowie record, I always assume I'll know at least a few songs. The only song I recognized on this one was Sound and Vision, which I gotta say isn't one of my favorites. While Side A was just fine, I really got into Side B with its moody atmosphere and limited vocals.

This may be my favorite David bowie album. Very space-y. Lots of instrumentals. Would love to listen to high.

Almost feels like I need to give this two different reviews. The A and B side are vastly different, with the A side typical Bowie rock and the B-side an avant garde mini-album. Very interesting as a whole.

Really interesting album. Liked the orchestrations, but only a few tracks grabbed me.

Funk meets post rock. Two very different sides of an album. But you can here it came straight from the head of Bowie.

A bit of a hidden gem, I had not heard any songs from it before. Was surprised by the number of instrumental tracks, but very cool as part of Bowie's progression

David Bowie is proving that I might not hate electric synthy rock like I thought I did. Low is so sparse. Side 1 is very German synth rock, abusive, industrial almost, clearly a big influence Trent Raznor. Side 2 is a dreamy soundscape, a soundtrack to a post apocalyptic movie. 8.7/10

Two David Bowie in a row lol. I knew nothing of this album before listening. It's by far the most interesting Bowie album I've heard yet. Very atmospheric, some great tracks. Is it Ziggy stardust? Probably not but I really enjoyed it

This was not what I expected but it was a good listen nonetheless! Heavily instrumental and experimental but super accessible. I was not blown away but it was fun.

Listening to this coincided on going to what I knew was a sure thing breakup. The sounds just hit perfectly for what I was feeling at the time. I can’t stress how much I love David Bowie.

Classic DB album fro the Berlin/Eno trilogy. It oozes class even though the record company initially hated it. A couple of the 2nd side mood pieces sag a bit. 4.2

During Summer of Bowie two years ago, I tried to listen to every album 2-3 times. This one was not my favorite. But today I liked it a little more. Perhaps with each revisit it will grow on me a little more. The second half doesn’t do it for me … yet.

The first side is brilliant, angular, funky and intelligent. Breaking Glass, Sound And Vision and Always Crashing are superb. The second side I appreciate more now that I’m older. I always found the Berlin stuff a bit too chilly and detached when I was younger, but this has grown on me over the years, now I think it’s a clever evocation of a strange time and place. It’s still not my favourite Bowie album, but it could be in a few years at this rate.

I've always been a Bowie fan, but I can't figure out why this album is on the list. It's good, and interesting. However, the songs don't catch me like some of the earlier (and even later) Bowie songs do. My best guess is that the experimental elements and bits seem elemental for future music? Anyway, its fine. I probably won't revisit.

This was fun

the instrumental tracks are awesome

Day19 - it’s a fine bowie album and if i keep listening im sure it will grown on me edit: it did

great, love the shift in the second half, Eno's additions are brilliant, my favourite Bowie album

Bastante chulo

cool sound, create, interesting, and calming I suppose... easy to put on in the background

Bought this album a long time ago, lured in by Breaking Glass then expanding into the rest of the playlist! And of course - Sound and Vision.

Surprised by this one. Other Bowie records I've tried have mostly felt like "the hits and a bunch of other shit". Reminded me of Teenager of the Year somehow. Similar synth sounds maybe.

I dont know if this scores as the best Bowie album, but its definitely up there. 4/5

😱😱😱

It was not my cup of tea in 1977…today I appreciate it as a step in the development of a unique artist who, like Ray Charles somewhat, was always reinventing his art, his style, himself

Song: Sound and Vision David Bowie never really misses—I don't usually seek out his music, but I'm never upset to hear it. This was a solid track with a good groove and a cool, funky instrumental. I like Bowie's low register a lot, too, it sounds great. All in all, this was a good song that I'd listen to again.

idk how to feel about it. Solid 3.5

smooth album with nice instrumentals and very different vibe

This album is very different from other David Bowie albums I've listened to. Seems to me like he did some experimenting in the recording of this album. I get a futuristic vibe. Overall, not a bad album.

Classic, iconic Bowie!

Feels like I'm in an superhero action movie, also great music to work to. Focus seemed to increase while listening.

I remember lying in the dark with my turntable and three foot speakers. This album was a beautiful journey every time.

Great!

Love David Bowie

Much more atmospheric than I was expecting. Enjoyed it! Good to hear saxophones, add to the chill feel.

difrent style of music that I’m not used to but might listen again :))

Possibly includes my favourite (or close to) Bowie song in Sound and Vision, one of the most excellent songs to strut to and a track that floats absently into my head during quiet, positive moments. The rest is all very well although descends into proggy cul-de-sacs for limited purpose in my view. Still, generally fine but not as groundbreaking as it clearly wants to be during those moments. Almost gets a five for Sound and Vision alone but I will restrain myself this once

Techno sad boy

Great Bowie album!

A bit dramatic, had to get into it but it is a beautiful album. 4/5

Nice, enjoyed this the last few tracks being a bit weird is much appreciated

:)

Classic album

Favorite Tracks: Sound and Vision Warszawa

Not a Bowie album I know well. I only know Sound and Vision coming into the listen. Standouts: Sound and Vision, Breaking Glass, 3.5

Het klinkt allemaal nogal spacy deze keer, vooral plaatkant B. Heeft David een keyboard gekocht en vervolgens een boel Vangelis geluisterd? O wacht, slaapliedjesgrossier Brian Eno heeft meegedaan, vandaar. Kant A heeft wat meer pit, en het geheel is allemaal best relaxt.

I really enjoyed the start of this, but by the end I was starting to get very bored. It was fantastic and a vibe all the way through, but only side one brought excitement. It’s not for me, but I still understand it’s a great project. 4/5

Not my favorite Bowie record, but still solid. Lots of atmospheric Eno rock. Good to space out to.

8/10 Highlights: Sound and Vision Speed of Life Always Crashing in the Same Car

4 - sound and vision is so good. I’m quite tired so haven’t got much coming to mind. Bowie good

Wow, this took a left turn I didn't expect. After the first few tracks I was already mentally assembling my comments about how Bowie is a great singles artist, but maybe his albums are overrated, but the second half of this album flipped that narrative completely for me. Some tracks like Warszawa and Art Decade I thought were really beautiful in a way I've not heard from this era of Bowie before. If you played me the intro to Weeping Wall by itself and asked me to guess the artist I'd never get to Bowie. Subterraneans sounds like a The Comet is Coming song, I'm just flabbergasted that this is a DB album. I love that there are fully instrumental tracks here, even though at times they feel like they could be enhanced even further with Bowie's voice on top. Still, I liked this a lot, particularly the second half. 4.3/5

I could take or leave the first half. Got interesting in the second half.

I mean it's David Bowie! It's not gonna be bad! That said I didn't like any particular songs on this so it's not a 5

Loved it. Instant classic. Perfect mix of quiet and non-invasive but also instantly gripping you want to keep listening.

Great electrosynthpop side one, a must hear. Side 2 is interesting and enjoyable but felt bland at times. Almost I all a great suprise.

Experimental Bowie i can fw it. Listening again today bc i feel like i tuned a lot of it out yesterday

Too much Brian Eno, not enough David Bowie.

I have this on vinyl so got to spin it instead of streaming. First half is great Bowie pop but the second half is what makes it unique. Some very long synth soundscapes with very minimal vocals. Not the most listened to Bowie in my collection...but I always forget how much I love to get lost in the sounds on this one

Were good late listening vibe

Pretty good for 1977 lol

Interesting album, especially the back half. No standout song but as a whole, very good

None of Bowie's super hits, but a very listenable, dark, groovy album

Never listened to this, and was surprised by it. Much more instrumental than I had thought. I liked it.

class

Not as much a fan of the uppy songs but man the songs that really feel Low are 😭🤌

This is like two different albums. I prefer the ambient second half. Subterraneans brings this from a 3 to a 4

-more instrumental/ambient than expected (not a bad thing) -the first few songs are somewhat experimental electronic -overall a good listen

The rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust vond ik een heel erg goed album, dus ben ook wel heel erg benieuwd naar dit album! Merk meteen dat dit album veel instrumentaler is dan dat andere. Zo is er bijvoorbeeld Waszawa, echt een prachtig nummer overigens, wat een 6 minuten lange instrumentale trip is. Echt heel vet! Totaal anders dan het vorige album maar daarom ook wel heel interessant! FAVO: Sound and Vision, Always crashing in the same car, Warszawa, Subterraneans

Really interesting album that I had never listed to before, although I was familiar with a couple of the songs (Sound and Vision, Be My Wife). Love the ambient vibe to the second half and the way he uses his voice as an instrument. Definitely an introspective Bowie album.

All time favorite

Some wild sounds in these tracks.

Pretty good. I’ll go to 4 stars given it’s importance

In general I haven't been too impressed with the David Bowie singles that I've heard and could never figure out what the big deal was, but this album was pretty good.

“Low” is on the more experimental end of Bowie’s music although there’s still a big emphasis on melody, especially on the first half which is made up of relatively straightforward rock songs. I really like the first half and the way the music works strange sounds and styles into the songs. I can’t get enough of “Breaking Glass.” “Sound and Vision” is the only song I was previously familiar with because it’s on the Greatest Hits and it’s definitely the closest to straight-up pop. Great funky sound. The second half is a little more hit or miss for me but it’s also the more challenging half. It leans toward ambient music and experimental rock. I’m not sure when I’ll ever really want to listen to a song like “Warszawa.” In addition to being a dramatic movie score-type track, it’s a little cheesy. “Art Decade” is beautiful though and “Weeping Wall” has a trancelike vibe. “Subterraneans” is excellent too. I like that Bowie uses his vocals on this one for a few minutes before he sings any words. Interesting album. I listened to it twice and it definitely got better the second time. I’ll let this one continue to sit with me.

Seems like Bowie was sad when he made this. My fav was sound and vision

Innovative and different, a great album

cool 70s songs, i think it’s interesting how there were a lot of instrumental songs toward the end of the album kinda a vibe

Pretty good, not a lot of singing

This album is the perfect encapsulation of who Bowie was. Someone capable of reinventing himself personally and professionally while simultaneously trailblazing a new path for popular music. It’s an album that requires a dedicated ear to uncover its true merit, but one that is so rewarding. It’s one of the purest examples of the value of experimentation and innovation. I’m not sure it’s my favorite Bowie album, but it’s definitely my most revered.

Warzawa, sound and vision, be my wife

Apparently David Bowie is better with less David Bowie.

Chill and weird

4/5

Enjoyed the groove of this album!

Fun album. Second half is a synthy sound track, instrumental

I need to spend more time with this album.. feels like it gets more rewarding with every listen.

Very interesting album, back half is very conceptual and hauntingly beautiful

Very nice overall, but did not like all of the songs

Instrumentals build an atmosphere and make whenever Bowie starts singing on the album feel like a moment.

Hate to say; I’ve become quite an Eno-head over the years. Very interesting record, the first half is that classic Bowie sound mixed with some more contemporary elements. The second half is real out there, ambient and experimental. I’m glad I had the weekend with this one because at first it didn’t really click but I got the picture after giving it another go. Certainly not my favorite Bowie record by any means but it is fascinating hearing him involved in such an experimental project and churning out a sound I would never have associated with him.

Love David Bowie, but not favorite Bowie Album

Hell yeah I fuckin love bowie

I like toevallig dit hele album nog nooit geluisterd dus leuke ervaring

Blind album, didn't even know it existed in his discography. Very funky right off the bat and different from what I hear when I think Bowie. Groovy, and funky, and I love it. The 2nd half of this album sounds like an entirely different album though...

Some albums are perfect examples of what they set out to do, and this album is a perfect example of an Album of Two Sides, because these two sides are two sides to the same story, A being the sounds of the surface, the story you tell everyone, the one exposed to those around you, and so the songs are more poppy yet retaining a visionary, experimental edge; then side B delves below the surface, into the realm of haunting synthesizers, darkly lit by the mood of Bowie's recovery from a crippling cocaine addiction.

Really enjoyable sound. Hard to believe it came out in 1977. Sounds ahead of its time.

Not my favorite David Bowie album but still Bowie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skfQZLlDJ1w

swell! Sound and vision hits hard!

Good stuff, hope to find a hidden gem i liked but no surprises sound and vision is the song here

Instrumental focus, making it good to work to. Really enjoyed.

With the number of Bowie albums served to me here getting close to 2 digits, one thing that's dead obvious is that there's too much Bowie here (regardless of how good Bowie was). As for this particular album: it's pretty good! Not as good as Bowie's best, but given the variety of styles here it can't be boring, either. Clearly ahead of its time.

I enjoyed the first half more than the second, but it was all very modern sounding. Not what I was expecting from 1977 Bowie.

Not too bad: This review may be a little controversal but honsestly I don't think this album is all that. This album is amazing don't get me wrong but it isn't a unanimous 5/5. There are some classics on this record which I loved but I felt the sheer amount of instrumental pieces took away from the lyrcal creativity of the sung songs. It's close to a five but not quite there.

4 for sound and vision

This is not the David Bowie I knew from pop rock songs about space but I still liked it a lot. He experiments with sound in a way I really didn’t expect from him and it all fits together nicely.

Ei kannata viettää liikaa aikaa henkilön kanssa.. rakastuminen.. unobjectivevism rising up.. push down.. alas bowneri... Nimittäin jo daavidin poppi osio herätti haluja... Kun päästiin side 2... Jo oli hard ass shit... hard as 5 grams fibre a day 200 grams of protein cutting and not hydrated.. Weeping wall biisissä tajusin.. kaveri esittää.. liattana paketin pystyyn hätähousussa aina turvaudutaan samoihin likkeihin.. bowien litkuttelut... Hyi...... ei käy... Ja kun ei pystytä lauttamaan likkejä.. kun ei osata tehdä musiikkia.. käy näin.. Kappaleessa tapahtuu hyvin vähän.. ja unohtuu albumin kauneus kokonaisuutena.. Vaikka biisi taisteli ja oli melkein ihan albumiin kuuluva.. ehkä jopa oli... .... ... .....Silti huomaa... .... ... Paskaahan tämä viakka parasta bowie sontaa mitä kuunneltana tähän asti..

Not one of his best, but still has some great tracks.

Really good,I enjoyed it a lot even though it was a bit odd at times.I think David Bowies voice really elevates it.The albums good but not perfect as a lot of it is kinda experimental instrumental and not very catchy.Sound and vision is still amazing tho.

Iconic and revered but quite a difficult listen. It’s Bowie so it is littered with genius but it’s also dark and moody.

I liked this, a lot actually, though perhaps it felt a little fragmentary and unfinished.

This is just a great "album" listen. The sum is definitely greater than its parts. I can see why it is so influential. 4/5

Side B heeft een aantal fantastische Eno tracks en een aantal mindere. Be My Wife is suf. De overgang tussen de regels "Blue blue electric blue" en dan "That's the color of my room" is erg jarring. Fantastische plaat, maar niet perfect.

Wow so Bowie CAN be good. The man sings a little less and creates an album like this damn. Loved it

Two mini-albums in one. You get to decide if you like Art Rock Bowie or Ambient Bowie-- personally, I prefer Ambient Bowie, but that's because I'm a devotee of one of the other big contributors to this album. Holy shit, does Brian Eno really flex his magic all over this thing. You can feel just his whole gradual transition from Warm Jets-style janky guitars and strange synths (Speed of Life, What in the World) to Another Green World and the Airports' lovingly textured ambience (Warszawa, Subterraneans) here. Those two should have collaborated a LOT more often, honestly. An electric blue 4/5.

Je connaissais rien mais j'ai beaucoup aimé

il me faudra relancer j'étais distraite mais j'ai des bons souvenirs

A quieter album from David Bowie, but still a great one. I liked more of the instrumental side of it.

Weird, but good weird, Bowie’s usual. Solid album, but not his best IMO.

yay dovid bowie

Good Berlin Bowie

Very layered, varied and interesting album.

Becoming convinced Bowie was a bit of a Da Vinci. Would have excelled in most any creative direction.

Great

27th June 2023 Listened during the day while working from home in the kitchen. Watched Glasto highlights and took the kitchen cupboards out. Bowie showing his duality side by side. Pop star and artist. 4.5 if I could.

Stellar

Proof that Bowie's earlier stuff is better than later. Enjoyed the listen on this

Taiteellisempaa Bowieta, ja berliinitrilogiasta itseasiassa itselle se vähiten kuunneltu. Kyllä tää on hienoo 4/5

Makeita ambient-juttuja tällä levyllä! Kyllä David on osannut pohjallakin tehdä mainoita musaa. 4/5

I didn't like either the Bowie or the Eno records I got before very much. But this one is alright. They obviously bring out the best in each other. The best thing is, Bowie doesn't sing much. Favorite song: a new career in a new town.

I'm not really a big fan of Bowie, but this turned out to be rather enjoyable. I think the main reason I liked this so much was because it was more like a Brian Eno album with Bowie singing on only a couple of tracks here and there. Overall it was very relaxing and nice to listen to in a laid back way.

I mean it’s Bowie. The king of ambiance. Pretty good.

Quite the experimental record. Electronic and avant-garde and the b side of course large ambient with help from Brian Eno. Favourites so far are Speed of Life, Sound and Vision, as well as Warszawa. Warrants multiple listens to fully comprehend and appreciate the compositions

Not his best, but definitely not his worst

Finally a Bowie album. And a damn good one. More avant-garde and experimental thanks to Brian Eno's influence and inspiration. Bowie is trying hard to get clean here and it shows in the more atmospheric, instrumental tracks that resemble Tangerine Dream. Not perfect but a great listen.

feels like... early Bowie? not terribly experimental?

This is musically a great album. I wish more of these songs hit the prime rotation. The second side is a little slower and moody but still some good stuff.

First side a 5, second side a 3. Averages out to a 4!

This is the kind of Bowie I don't hear much on the radio, maybe with the exception of Sound and Vision, which I've heard a couple of times. Got very atmospheric and kind of spooky into the second half. This was a very interesting and varied album, and while it's not my favourite thing Bowie made, I thought it was pretty good. Favourite: Subterraneans

I’m a big Bowie fan and also Krautrock bands like Tangerine Dream so it’s not surprising that I love his Berlin trilogy that was produced by Tony Visconti and features Brian Eno. Side 2 is a nice experimental diversion from the usual Bowie rock numbers

Nice background music, some slow soundscapes and more intstrumental than I thought