Low

Favorite Songs: N/A (they all blended together lol). This has been my favorite Bowie album so far (I’ve gotten three in the past week or so). Heavy Pink Floyd vibes, which I love. Also cool that he didn’t sing too much.

Berlin. 1976. Trying to kick a coke habit. Iggy Pop just released The Idiot and things are starting to fall into place. Brian Eno on production, a myriad of new influences, and David Bowie's legacy. This is the album of the 70's.

Oddly relaxing

Définitivement l'un des meilleurs albums de Bowie j'ai entendu à date. Dans les mêmes rangs que Heroes et Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. Un autre album qui se fait ressentir comme un oeuvre complète qui s'écoute du début à la fin comme une histoire. 9/10

Album uit Bowie's "Berlin Trilogy". Sterk beinvloedt door Berlijn en krautrock staat de tracklist vol met elektronische, veelal instrumentale nummers over enerzijds Bowie's terugblik op zijn verslavingsjaren in L.A. en anderzijds zijn ervaringen in Berlijn en Warschau. Tikkeltje desolaat, maar uniek en tijdloos album. leukste nummer: Sound and Vision Ondanks gemixte recensies bij uitkomst wordt "Low" nu als een van de beste albums van David Bowie gezien. Als mijlpaal in de post-puk scene wordt het album gezien als een invloed op Joy Division, Arcade Fire, OMD, Ultravox, en Radiohead tot Phil Collins en Duran Duran.

Sounded good. Need to listen more.

The Berlin session continues. I enjoyed the Iggy album a bit less than this one. The ambient tunes were a fresh change

Still gets better energy listen

Weird but good weird. Never paid Bowie too much attention before but I definitely need to listen to this one again.

A five star artist who made albums that usually had one or two unlistenable songs on each.

Wasn’t familiar with this album. It was different that expected with almost a ‘Pink Floyd’ vibe in places

3.5/5

Precies niet het beste dat ik van Bowie ken. Maar wel een mijlpaal in z'n muziek

David Bowie does so much crack cocaine that he accidentally ends up writing Final Fantasy dungeon music. That's truly what being German is all about.

Not as good as I expected, given the reputation this has. Still good, but not great.

albumissa kaksi osiota. ensimmäinen poppia.. sound and vision (mainstream hitti VITTU VITTU VITTU) biisistä tykkäsin selvästi enemmän.. muuten kolmosen ehkä kakkosen arvosta kamaa... toinen puolisko alkaa kunnianosoituksella puolaan.. hymni ambienttia huhhuh hullumpaa osiota.. warszawa

Ooooh one of the Berlin triptych, honestly Eno never really does it for me but this collab is a worthwhile listen. Bowie is one of the few artists I've gotten since joining so far whose entire discography I've listened to previously, so I feel a bit more confident evaluating it. Not my absolute favorite album of his but I CAN appreciate why its included in the list, and I appreciate that he knows not to make the songs overstay their welcome. Listening to these three records and Black Star as it came out while walking around Berlin in 2013 is a treasured memory for me. Low is def my fave of this era. Sound and Vision is obviously the stand out but Be My Wife is great and I find especially the second half of the record gets better the more exposure you have with it. 4

I liked this a lot more this time around than I did when I first heard it a while back. More of a vibe than an album, but in a good way. Refreshing. Sounds and Vision was great.

Another ambitious and interesting David Bowie album I’ve never heard before. Even if I wouldn’t listen to this again, I’m starting to understand why so many people lose their shit over this man and his music. It’s not like anything else I’ve ever heard.

I was unfamiliar with this album by David Bowie, as well as all of the songs on it. Turns out, I'm not really informed on the "Berlin era" of Bowie, so this album is the first I've heard from that era, both in and out of the scope of this project. I really enjoy artists who go through self-defined eras and phases and reinvent themselves musically, so I was eager to dive in here. You really can get a sense of the electronic inspiration that influenced this album. What normally feels glam and sparkly feels a bit more space age and moody here. Bowie is definitely one to take his inspiration and go further with it and make it his own, so what you end up with here is something that is ambient, electronic and a bit experimental, but still undeniably Bowie. Side B consists of instrumentals which I would say is where the album arguably shines the most. Removing the need for these songs to be lyrical allowed for some very creative results. The only "vocal" content found here are ambient voice sounds and the occasional incoherent word; Bowie's ethereal voice is perfect for that kind of use on these tracks. These tracks are ambient, dark, mysterious, and perfectly sci-fi in nature. Out of all of the Bowie I've heard on this project thus far, some of which I already knew, some of which I was less familiar with, this is probably leaning toward my favorite yet. Like "Hunky Dory", this is not quite a 4, but the experimentation heard here pushed it close enough for me.

Very interesting and different. I enjoyed the sounds on this a lot.

Mais uma vez confirmou que finalmente estou em condições de escutar de fato o Bowie. O lado B com as faixas de música ambiente é espetacular.

This album was recorded during a tumultuous period in Bowie's life when he was battling drug addiction and struggling with personal issues. The album is split into two distinct parts, with the first half featuring mostly instrumental tracks that are moody and atmospheric, while the second half features more conventional rock songs. One of the most striking aspects of "Low" is Bowie's use of electronic music, which was still a relatively new genre at the time. Bowie collaborated with producer Brian Eno, who had worked with him on previous albums, to create a sound that was ahead of its time. The album's use of synthesizers, drum machines, and other electronic instruments was groundbreaking and helped pave the way for the rise of electronic music in the years to come. It’s a fantastic album and quite different compared to Bowie’s more famous works. Definitely deserves a listen in case you haven’t heard it.

cool concept, might be a 5 if i listen more

Not at all what I expected, but it was still very good!

Needed more sax

It's Bowie. Sound and Vision easily the stand out track.

can hear the distinctive "bowie" sound in here, but with some really interesting ambient / electronic textures, and classical sounding progressions at times. Enjoyed this

I liked it! Not as much as you two Bowieners, but overall it was a good time with an album I had zero familiarity with going in. “Sound and Vision” was the clear winner in my book, but I appreciated the experimentation here throughout more than I have on some of the other Bowie records on this list. A song like “Subterranean” feels pretty wild for 1977 in some ways.

Никогда особо не любил музыку Боуи, но могу представить, какой бомбой был этот альбом в 77м году

Love Bowie though this isn’t my fave album.

Inte alls vad jag förväntade mig. Känns som plattan saknar hits men det är ändå ett väldigt bra album.

.much better than I thought

Sound akd vision!!

I like this. Maybe not the one filled with catchy pop hits but the sonic palette is insane.

good and weird, great soundcapes in the latter half, didn't vibe much with the lyrical songs, I'd have to read the words

I have a decent handful of friends who claim this as their favourite Bowie album. I've only listened to it a half dozen or so times and it has definitely not clicked into the favourite zone for me - which almost seems odd because it contains so many elements I love, but just doesn't come together to astound me. That's not to say I don't like the album, I definitely do like it, just not to the point of favourite territory. But my journey with Bowie has also been erratic, manic and very non-linear so I recognize there is a lot of context to the album that doesn't hit me the way it might ought to. I should definitely do a chronological pass-through of his catalogue at some point. "Speed Of Life" definitely grabs my attention to open the album, and "Sound and Vision" would be in my top 20 Bowie songs, were I ever to take on such an endeavour. But really it's the second side that shines for me - even more so on this listen than ever before. "Warszawa" reminds me a bit of some of my favourite Dead Can Dance, the cello in "Art Decade" is exquisite and I don't think I realized (or remembered) that the saxophone on this album was played by Bowie himself. The album is still not rocketing to my top spot in the Bowie catalogue, but I love that it seems to be unfolding a bit more and more for me each time I visit it, which I plan to continue doing. I don't know if it's a good one or not, as the quality of the series can be hit or miss, but I reckon I'll grab myself a copy of the 33 1/3 book for Low at some point as I continue to dig deeper.

p380. 1977. 4 stars. This is a strange one. First side is classic Bowie, great songs and delivery, with Tony Visconti on top form. The second side is a suite of electronic ambient tracks, this time with Brian Eno on top form. Not easily accessible but repays repeated listening.

Great to hear this album in full. Sound and Vision is one of my favourites (influenced by Luke there!) and is such a feel good fun song. The more ambient end could seem unexpected given some of the more jaunty tracks, but I think it works really well. Winds down the album and some of the instrumentals are so beautiful. Warszawa is brilliant.

I really enjoyed this, I liked the tranquil ending

Revolutionary in all the best ways.

An album that's a breath of fresh air. The sounds are strange and enigmatic in a way that makes this a great listen.

Another classic from David Bowie, this one preceding Heroes. So much experimentation here with the synths, percussion and overall ambience of the sound but he hit the mark in what he was trying to express. I couldn’t help but to immerse myself in the music.

Great album, absolutely adore instruments Bowie

Quirky and bold

Great album. Sound and vision is my fav track.

At the same time Bowie wrote and recorded Low, he starred in The Man Who Fell To Earth, and the two projects are unmistakably intertwined. I might be biased by a recent viewing of the film, but to me there is a strong recurring theme of loneliness and alienation in both projects. This is especially felt during the second, mostly instrumental, side of the album. Released in 1977, it's a rare album that still sounds impressively fresh to this day while showing full transparency in its inspiration from krautrock. It really doesn't sound dated in any way.

Side A

What the fuck? A David Bowie album I actually liked? Thanks to Brian Eno, no doubt. Having just suffered through Ziggy Stardust last week, I’m shocked I actually liked this. I did prefer the first seven songs much more, though. Everything after A New Career in Town was a bit too Bowie-esque for my likings, but wow. What an interesting start to my day. Huh, what do you know. Me, liking Bowie. A Christmas miracle?

Classic Bowie. Not an album I revisit often, but always nice when I do.

While I'm still waiting for some Ziggy Stardust Bowie to show up on the list, this might be my favorite of the Bowie we've gotten so far. Even the weird stuff in the second half worked for me. It's not an album I would put on often, but it's good.

Solid album start to finish.

Very moody and surprisingly heavy on the instrumentals. Less spacey and more grounded Bowie

Like a post-punk ambient record. Cinematic in a way - like the soundtrack to a Dario Argento softcore. Standouts on first listen are "Breaking Glass", "A New Career in a New Town," "Warszawa", and "Subterraneans".

Quirky and good. Not for everyone

Interesting combination of short song material with longer instrumental tracks.

Bowie + Eno = vanguardia absoluta. Pero también es cierto que el disco está dividido en dos partes muy distintas una de la otra. Obviamente voy a inclinar mi gusto por el lado A, el de las canciones por sobre el lado cósmico instrumental.

This album is very cool, especially when you realize it came out in 1977. Definitely on the cutting edge at that time. I love the exploration of electronic and ambient sounds. Overall the album is a bit downbeat and at times, sad, speaking to David Bowie's personal struggles. I find it slightly disjointed as an album, but that may have been intentional. A great album, albeit not one of my personal all time favorites.

I love the ambient work on here

David Bowie, a man ahead of his time

I love the ride this album takes me on. It's like we're gliding through space on a ship that is adding and shedding components all the time - a synth here, a vocal there. It's surprising and wonderful.

Funny enough one of the first Bowie albums I listened to in full a while ago. It definitely feels like a bit of an experimental album, possibly more than the other two entries of the "Berlin Trilogy". There isn't a single "anthem" song that sticks out, but it's all still interesting. Especially for the time it was released.

Was minding my business, listening through this, not getting much out of it, then suddenly caught myself....is this an instrumental album? I was on "Warszawa," which is the first track on the ambient half of the album. The first side breezed by me like a silent fart, and the back half put me in a chokehold. I loved and was gripped by the amazing instrumentals for the entirety of side B, but couldn't name one word sung on the front half to save my life, what does that say about me? Not sure. I'm really not a huge Bowie fan though, this album challenge is teaching me that. But this was a collab with Brian Eno, who I've learned through our journey that I really dig. Bowie must be HIGH thinking I'd rather listen to him than some ambient tracks. [Worth noting here that I listened to the front half again to see if I was tripping, and the only track I liked was Sound and Vision, which is also kind of just an instrumental.] I have to rate this highly for the strength of the back, but know that if he instead made this a 6-7 track ambient album it would easily be my favorite Bowie project so far (not a high bar tbh, it's probably there anyway) and quite possibly pushing a 5 star rating. Favorite tracks: Warszawa, Subterraneans, Art Decade, Weeping Wall. Album art: Definitely a cool one that I've seen around before. Colors are great, it's a simple side profile portrait shot but it works. Given how I feel about the album, I'd say revise the cover for an instrumental project by removing Bowie from the middle and keep everything else the same, just a wall of orange cloud. 4/5

Liked the songs with actual singing on them, disliked the ones that didn't have singing.

Aparte combinatie van popmuziek en vage muziek. Melodie'tjes zijn steengoed, uitvoering is goed, maar als geheel heb ik zo mijn twijfels.

very instrumental and not what i really expect from Bowie. fun. I think I enjoyed the first half of the album a lot more than the second

Easy listening

Knew Bowie had to be on this list... surprised they went for Low... but yup, still a fan.

Love Bowie but this isn't my favorite album. Very creative and experimental for the time, but it lacks the magic of Bowie's voice.

Needs a re listen

Stuart Maconie put it best when he said that even 45 years on, Low still sounds like music from the future. Tremendous. Even with the saxophone in Subterraneans. I always feel that Bowie's sax playing is the price we have to pay for the rest of his wonderful music. Favourite tracks: Speed of Life, Breaking Glass, Warsazwa and Art Decade Incidentally, as I always say with Bowie, let's not forget the crucial input of his collaborators, including Brian Eno, Tony Visconti, George Murray, Dennis Davis and Carlos Alomar.

Lots of interesting sounds here. Got more experimental and ambient as it went on. Really great; stuck between 4 and 5. Will return

Kind of feels like a soundtrack. Especially side 2 Art decade has some wild futuristic science-y sounds Gated snare on new career sounds crazy Haven’t read reviews yet but I bet this was negatively reviewed when it was released and positively reviewed in hindsight.

Apocalyptic sci-fi meets pop? Interesting.

Hiwa.

*NOT A FIRST LISTEN* Not my favourite Bowie, but still very good. One of Bowie's best album covers. Feels very different to every other album he's ever made. Perhaps it would be more accurate to describe this as a combined work of Eno and Bowie's? Alien sounding. Reminscient of early electronic music. Weeping Wall particularly captures that alienating, haunting, disturbing quality. Some songs are bathed in melancholy - be my wife,sound and vision, Always crashing in the same car Would probably sound ten times better on drugs. I first heard this album when I was about 17 so can't help being biased in my review. Nice to come back to the album again. The only song I really re-listen from the album these days is Speed of life.

He don't miss rlly

There is a ton of David Bowie's music with which I am entirely unfamiliar, and this album is in that category. Not really intentional; I've always liked Bowie but for some reason never collected any of his albums or sought him out. So, once again, this project helps to introduce me to so much new music (as in music that is new to me), including music by artists I know and like but haven't explored enough. I do know that Bowie is one of those artists who was always experimenting and evolving, and I hear that here. Some very interesting tracks with a lot of intriguing layers, textures, and contrasts. A few get a bit grating and harsh for my own personal tastes, but the level of musicianship remains excellent throughout. The instrumental tracks are at times exquisite.

I like it.

Interesting, short, will listen to more Bowie.

Fun hearing this stage of David’s evolving career.

4.75

Wow… banger

Great split release

Vackert!

Bowie Lowie, Eno ELow.

getting high to getting low

Heard before: yes First half of the album was awesome, second half was good. I don’t think I *love* Bowie when he’s being ‘experimental’ - I much prefer him when he’s being pop. Case in point, Suffragette City started playing just after the album finished, and I much preferred it to anything on here. Favourite songs: Breaking Glass, Sound and Vision Least favourite songs: Weeping Wall

Someone mentions avant guarde and I usually cringe because it has been done so badly. Bowie makes the unusual, alien, and sudden acccessible. Like he knows all those weird parts of each of us and can use that to interface with all the wider weird.

Not my favorite Bowie album. Not one of my 5 favorite Bowie albums. Side 1 is great, but Side 2 is overrated. Too much art, not enough Bowie. Still a very good album, just not that good.

Pretty damn good

Half experimental art rock album. Half dark Brian Eno-esque ambient album (which makes sense since Eno is a producer). Not sure if the two halves create a satisfying whole, but I can easily appreciate the beauty of each side on its own; the former a bit more so than the latter. Second Listen?: Definitely Favorite Tracks: Sound and Vision, Speed of Life, Breaking Glass, Always Crashing in the Same Car

Been a few years since I've heard it. Certainly belongs on the list.

70s Bowie with lots of interesting instrumentals.

Pretty interesting. I think I will like it more and more

Muy bueno

Vrainent un bon album avec beauxoup d'experimentatione t des sons de malaxes. J'adore 4.70

Dobar je

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKoY1fw7yCo sori idiot sam mozak mi je spržen od ispita.

Chill Bowie vibes. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Best track: Sound and Vision

This album isn't what I usually think of from Bowie. Almost all of these songs could easily have been in FFVIII

There's a frantic energy to this album. It's a little messier and unpolished than some Bowie albums are. That being said, it's undeniably catchy. The opening instrumental is surprisingly engaging. The album is also very bass-forward. Sound and Vision is the only song on here that I knew already, which is not really that indicative of the rest of the album. It continues Bowie's inter-galactic, alien, space kind of vibe, but it's hardly stale. Interesting listen.

Some good tracks in here. Best Bowie I've heard yet.

not my favorite Bowie it's solid as always.

Crazy how all of David Bowles album sound ahead of their time, futuristic, and emblematic of the time it was made all at once

Loved SOond and Vision

A great start.

People used to give David Bowie crap about being thin all the time, but he just broke through their false barriers. Then he was hounded by the 'false music paparazzi.' The media monkeys and the junky junkies all invited Bowie to play at the plastic pantomime. But, he just threw their invites away and reinvented himself. Two words: eye patch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc4efBM_9JM

More of a dramatic cinematic soundtrack than album but not in a bad way. Again not my favourite Bowie but still incredible enough to justify his placement on the wall with the other gods of good tunes

An interesting and experimental Bowie sound that stays pretty strong for the first 2/3rds. Around Warszawa we get a bit more atmospheric and electronic, but it becomes a bit less interesting and doesn't quite keep up the momentum of the earlier album. Still enjoyable.

4 bowie

Waswazta

Love it, its not what I listen to normally, but I will definetely get on vinyl when my record player arrives. Its an incredible album and I will definetly be listening to the whole thing again.

7/10 interesting album, the atmospheric instrumental parts were nice

7/10. Pleasant album, but a bit boring, at least for driving. So far, definitely a low for David Bowie albums on this list.

A strange spot in Bowie's discography. It's solid but not really special. 7/10

Synth driven instrumentals stand out. Grows on you.

I've always listened to Bowie's earlier eras of music - though, of course, I've heard this album or at least many of the songs on it. This is an interesting transition from the earlier, glam stuff. I love the moody, atmospheric stuff on here. Seems fitting for the soundtrack of Bladerunner. It's a great album that continues to show Bowie's musical depth

What a jam! Fairly straightforward rock on this album (with a couple strange signature Bowie tracks). Loved Breaking Glass! Not his best album ever, but I liked it.

This album (along with Heroes, Lodger, and Lou Reeds’ Berlin) was responsible for me hitchhiking across Europe to Berlin in the summer of 1984.

The third 1977 album I’ve been served this week! And turns out to have been a hell of a fitting followup to Kraftwerk, given some of the production history stuff, influences, etc. Bowie’s another of my major blind spots, and I suspect this might not have been the best jumping-in point if I’m going to be lazy and only learn about him at the pace of the 1001 albums generator. I'm sure I'll get another shot soon.

A lot of fun, I wonder if Trent reznor and Atticus Ross were Bowie fans.

Great mixed album from DB.

Not the most accessible album by Bowie but an interesting sonic exploration - this one needs more than a day to savour but clearly a lot of pedigree

Really enjoyed this. I like Bowie but I enjoyed the instrumentals and wouldn’t necessarily known it was him. Some were contemporary symphonies. 4*

I love this period of Bowie....the Berlin period. And Low is generally regarded as the masterpiece from the Berlin period. But I actually prefer both Station to Station and Heroes. I acknowledge that Low is the more unconventional and atmospheric of the three, but I find myself wondering what the point of songs like; Art Decade and Weeping Wall. Having said that Low is one of the greatest post-punk / New wave albums of all time. Considering that it was released in 1976 three years before post-punk was invented that's something. 4 5 🌟

My brain may be addled, because I find it impossible not to hear Dune in Warszawa and Blade Runner in Art Decade. And in that light, Low is a slightly disjoint effort by Bowie. The goofy hair weirdness is gone from this music, vocal shrieks replaced by guitars. It's a wonderful choice, as the abstraction and applied effects are only really effective on instruments. I am sure that there is a sample or quote of New Career on Blackstar. The weirdness here is more outsider, more Trout Mask Replica. I love it, and the instrumentals somewhat less. Low's a better album than many 4s on this list.

listened to again nice and chill, cool sonic exploration

mais ou menos, boazinha mas não é algo que eu vou pensar “nossa tava afim de ouvir um low by david bowie”

needs more listens, sound is stunning

Second track, I'm looking in the mirror lol Be my wife is sweet I like the synth, very alien along with the cover of the album. Evokes curiosity and exploration a lot of instrumentals which makes for ambient bowie noise Subterraneans interesting, kind of ominous and like a death march on Mars. would make a great soundtrack

Listened to this for the first time when I was 15, after Bowie had passed away. Most recent time was this past Saturday. The album dips a bit towards the end with all the instrumentals, but I've never been big on instrumental music anyway. It took a second listen to really appreciate and feel the emotion of all of them. Tracks like Be My Wife, Sound and Vision, Speed of Life and What in the World are brilliant, and for me it made sitting through Warszawa worth it. Bowie's Berlin period (and the album Station To Station, which preceeded it) was fantastic and it broke ground for the genres of post punk, new wave and 80s indie music. It also appeared to be necessary for Bowie's life in general as it was this period in his life that helped him overcome his crippling addiction to cocaine.

It wasn't the best David Bowie album but it was in fact a David Bowie album which means it was still pretty darn good. I did love the instrumental tracks.

The finest of Bowie’s Berlin trilogy

Could this be the Bowie album for listeners who are not Bowie fans? I've tried (admittedly not *that* hard) over the years to like Bowie, or even "get" him - but aside from a few cuts (mostly Ziggy Stardust) here and there I never enjoyed him and if I could pick only one reason it'd probably be his voice. No getting around his voice, really... unless... he recorded an album that sounded a lot like a focused Brian Eno record (hmm...) and he didn't sing a lot on it and when he did it was mixed down low with every other instrument.... Low! Eno worked on this record with him a lot which after listening to 3 early Eno records over the past few months it's not hard to pick out the similarities. But as referenced above, this is more focused (at least on the first half!). The first "half" (7 songs) are tight songs that are nonetheless not predictable; a lot of which has to do with lack of vocals or even just not having them come in when one might traditionally expect. That second half is weird and I love it - put on some headphones and turn out the lights and you can lose yourself in the sounds; I'd hesitate to call most of these "songs" but there is melody and depth to them. Shocking to me that this is the same guy that sang "Fame" or "Young Americans" - at any rate, the 2nd side is like a different album entirely, yet still fits under the same experimental melodic umbrella. A lot can be read about the production techniques on the album; especially the drum sounds on a few songs; they have a crunchy gated effect that suits the music really well. I enjoy the mix as well (again: headphones). This one surprised me - I saw David Bowie and thought "meh" but what a great surprise and a keeper. 8/10 4 stars.

David Bowie is a weird dude. But as I got into this album, I realized how hard I was vibing with it. Loved how instrumental it was, more listens on the way.

his music has always kinda either grabbed me or missed me entirely; no in-between. but even the stuff i don't care for is amazing, even if it's not to my taste. this album is great, though, from start to finish.

Cet album doit en grande partie sa réussite à l'absence de Bowie près du microphone.

-chill and funky but good to do homework to -not too many words which was unexpected -first time listening to David Bowie 6/10 -2 skips

David good

Here's a question - does the medium of how you listen to an album change your experience of it? ( and by extension, your level of enjoyment). I don't necessarily mean the sound quality of the medium : I just mean your experience in the sense of commitment. For example, when you play a record (or a CD for that matter), you are playing "my" copy, whereas streaming your playing "a" copy; sort of "borrowing it" - so there's perhaps less of an obligation to enjoy it (or even play it all the way through). Anyway that preamble has some context. I recently inherited a bunch of LPs from my late uncle, and Low was one of them. After I cleaned it up, I played it, loved the sound and the gothic texture of the synths and thought it was fabulous record. It transported.e somewhere else. A great experience was had listening on headphones and looking at the artwork. It felt personal. Fast forward a few months and I played the same album via streaming for this review and I didn't feel the same connection. Maybe there's something impersonal about streaming, playing a track that's had X million plays, which is very much a communal thing. Maybe I'm a hopeless romantic with..y love of vinyl. Anyway, it's certainly food for thought for those who care about such things.

More chill than I was expecting. I love the eccentricity.

Loved the first half of the album,not sure about the latter tho

Some classics on this album. The other tracks were pretty good too.

Good album, I only knew Sound and Vision (which I like). Warszawa has some serious Twin Peaks vibes. As many have said: not my favourite Bowie, but still enjoyable.

Haunting

hodne instrumentalek

Loved ambient section

Buenas melodías. Gran voz

a Bowie album that hits my spot a bit, but I can't help but think 5 Bowie albums in this list is a bit much... pick a lane!

Some classic tracks, but moody instrumental tracks interesting but not great

Really good album and the one before Heroes. So it's interesting to see how he developed a sounds on this album already.

8/10

Love Bowie, great songs, some not great

not bad for david bowie. 4/5

Nothing wrong with a bit of psychadelic bowie... at least he's not bad!

I did not know this album from him, but again, Bowie did not disappoint! I did not like the last song though...

Classic Bowie side one, experimental Bowie side two.

Currently at track 5 - very futuristic for the fact it was made in 1977. Bowie's vocals are good but wouldn't be a repeat listen for me as is. I read some things about this being the first of the Berlin Trilogy: I'm very excited to hear the other 2 albums because the ambiance of Subterraneans is fantastic. The general "soul" of the track, the feeling it carries with it is very good in execution. I'd rate this album a 7/10 on first listen, but I can imagine some of these tracks really growing on me soon. Looking forward to listening to the first 3 tracks of the album as I didn't like those at first.

-I like the melody rhythm in "Breaking Glass" -"A New Career in a New Town" and "Warszawa" have a pretty spooky ethereal vibe to them -Generally pretty good, just never god really epicly

Spacey and groovy A good place to start for lesser known Bowie stuff

Absolutely a classic album - who wouldn't want to listen to full Bowie album (answer - me - i'm not sure i've actually listened to anything that wasn't a greatest hits). Minimal 'hits' - i.e. Sound and Vision. It was challenging and fascinating. Look forward to the next Bowie album (must be a few more in the list!)

Top

Berlin-album, står skarpt, kan næsten ikke blive bedre

The start of this was a proper bop. Way more chill towards the end, but it still made good background music. I probably won't come back to the last few tracks though.

Enjoyed side 1; didn't enjoy the noodling on side 2.

Initially, I rolled my eyes at having to listen to a Bowie album, and one I'd never heard of at that. Surprisingly, I found myself quite enjoying it, thought it was a 3. Went back for another listen and I think it deserves more than that. Four stars - Bowie, but not as you know it, and all the better for it.

Когда не можешь сходить на Дюну - самое то

I like this album because it has some classic tunes, but mostly because it loses its shit from track 7 onwards, its as if Bowie finished the album and then left the tape recording and another band came in and recording 5 more tracks onto the end....madness

Hadn't realised the second half was all instrumental. I dig it. I think I'd enjoy whatever imaginary film it's a soundtrack to. Also, Sound and Vision is one of my favourites and worth big points on its own. FOUR STARS.

Bowie and Eno, why am I not surprised. Good album, has its legacy in ambience and electronic, but not as big an album as Station to Station.

not bowie’s best album but really strong and likeable

This is a record that I've heard many times. I think I might own it. But it's never top on the list of Bowie records that I reach for. The sounds are interesting, but in some ways they all feel like short ideas for things that could have become more fully-fledged songs. Because there isn't a lot of change happening in the songs, I'm thankful they are short. I prefer the record before this "Station to Station" and the record after "Heroes." Since this is the first of the Berlin trilogy, I think it gets lumped in with better records. But I guess in the context of the time its pretty remarkable. Highlights: The lead guitar and quirky synths in "Breaking Glass;" The lightheartedness of "Sound and Vision;" The obvious influence of the intro of "A New Career in a New Town" on Radiohead's Kid A (which has to be on this list somewhere, right?); I love how cinematic "Warszawa" is.

A great Bowie era

Decent enough. Quite moody for bowie

Slow jam Instrumental

There might be a reason this isn’t one of the Bowie “canon” albums, but I like it. It’s very different, with electronic instrumental tracks. I think listening to it offers a new perspective on Bowie and a different sort of experience. I approve. Favourite track: “Subterraneans”

Didn't specify 3.5s and 4.5s before now. Previous 3.5s - Sheer Heart Attack, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, The Cars, Dire Straits Previous 4.5s - Everybody Knows This is Nowhere

Good opening track. Wish that Sound and Visions didn't have that hissing noise. The later Eno experimental tracks are interesting, weird but drag on with repeat listens.

Not too catchy but really good as background music, more instrumental than other Bowie albums I've heard

🎸🎙🤵

Für David Bowie Verhältnisse kam mir das Album über weite Strecken regelrecht garagig und roh vor.

Wenn ich mir überlege, dass es seinerzeit etwas ganz Neues war, gefällt es mir sehr. Ich würde es gerne mit den Ohren der 70er hören und noch mehr die neuen Töne entdecken. Ich mag das dünstere und die Geräusche und das man irgendwie darin verschwinden kann.

well, there it is, the good bowie album. only ever listened to him as a greatest hits kind of artist. i bet germay was shit in the 80s and that is what this album nicely conveys.

Had only heard Sound and Vision before, which is a favorite. The whole album has a really nice range from the pop-flavored to the somewhat experimental, with a lot of influence from German synth bands of the 70s. A fun evening listen.

Always love Sound and Vision. The other songs on the album take a little more work to get into, but I do like it. Also it's like half-instrumental.

A triumph of sound and vision

Chyba sie zmowili, w poprzednim piku hejtuje pana brajana eno i od razu dostalem dokladke, tym razem z legendarnego lowa bowiego, ktory otwiera berlinska trylogie, ktora tak w ogole zostala nagrana w wiekszosci we francji, o tej plycie mozna smialo powiedziec, ze ma dwie strony, pierwsze 19 minut klasyczny rokowy bowie, mocno walacy po drumsach w tym wydaniu i z epickimi gitarkami, ktore o dziwo atakuja jedynie lewy kanal, jak na traku breaking glass gdzie slychac to najlepiej, bo takie solowki odjaniepwala pan carlos, ze glowa mala, jako ze eno sie czai w produkcji to synthy mocno weszly jak na what in the world, ale na szczescie wokale bowiego ratuja sytuacje i nie daja sie zawannowac, tak mniej wiecej gra pierwsze 19 minut, potem nastaje druga strona i warszawa, jak czlowiek slyszy cos takiego, to sie zastanawia co tam musial bowie zobaczyc w tych latach 70, ze takie post apo zrobil, najbardziej kojarzy mi sie to z bookiem peanatema, pewnie z powodu tych wokali ktore przypominaja zawodzenie mniszkowe, a matematykowe mnichy z tej ksiazki swietnie pasuja do konceptu, przekazywania info za pomoca notacji muzycznej, kolejne traki rowniez praktycznie w calosci instrumentale lecz juz nie o tak przerazliwym klimacie rowniez trzymaja poziom czegos niespotykanego w muzyce popowej, bo przeciez to jest jednak bowie, nie mam plejki na takie instrumentalne, wiec dam do jednego wora braking glass i warszawke, chociaz to jedna z tych plyt ktore warto przesluchac od openingu do endingu, bo traki maja swietne przejscia i stanowia plynna calosc tworzac unikatowy klimat, ktorego u bowiego nie mozna bylo wczesciej dostac na zadnym albumie

Minimal lyrics, bit Pink Floyd sounding. A new career in a new town added it my liked songs The harmonica part sounds like a tune from Black Star album

Haven't heard this Bowie before. Very different.

A very layered and diverse album with sounds that are very moving and instrumental

Bastantes canciones instrumentales.

Interesante. Mucho mejor de lo que esperaba

bueno

I've not listened to the Berlin trilogy before. I liked this record. Very Blade Runner-y.

Moet je drie keer luisteren

This is really interesting, especially side 2. Giving it 4 stars.

I hadn't heard this album before

No two songs sound alike. lots of variation throughout this album.

So surprisingly upbeat and felt like a complete album. Hardly a stinker on it. Groovin and then reflect on the groovin'. Don't think I had the patience for the end though.

Cool album. Very blade runner esque (pre BR) lot of ambient sounds. Mostly instrumental but I dug it.

Just as odd as you would expect a Bowie album to be. Very space/ambience feel. I like it, but would have to be in the mood for it going forward

Vibey, no words really so we just chillin. Good to listen to while emailing but also could see potential of laying on ur bed high/sober and just contemplating an shit

A couple cool songs. I get this might have been really influential at the time, but idk. Can’t see myself listening to it a ton over the next few years. Some of the ambient stuff is kinda cool, but not like a great tangerine dream album or anything like that.

Lovely, as always.

Enjoyed this a lot more than I remember.

Literally could be a 5 on another day and i'll probably regret giving this a 4, the transition between side a and b is a little jarring still but both are awesome.

My first full album by Bowie was not a disappointment. More artsy than expected. Pretty good.

Psycho

After 5 Bowie albums so far, this list has convinced me that Bowie is one of the most overrated artists. Besides his hits I really don't find a lot of his music that interesting. This album is ok, pretty average, although I did like the instrumentals.

Very different from expectation, so much instrumental that I tended to lose concentration. But not unpleasant.

"Sound and Vision" is so damn good and is a shining light in this album. It's beautiful, catchy, poppy, and highlights why Bowie is so synonymous with the "Art Pop" genre. The album as a whole is pretty unspectacular but does have moments of inspiration and wonderful creativity. Like a walk through the woods where suddenly a flowering bush or a colorful butterfly passes into your perception. Overall it's a 6/10, but when it's good it's GOOD.

This is a more low key and chilled kinda rock album. After reading about the dudes drug addiction I can see the vibe hes trying to create reflects the head space he was in at the time. It’s enjoyable to listen to but it’s nothing mind blowing. A very spacey vibe

Very chill album. Decent instrumental decent vibe, just decent overall I’d say. My favorite song was sound and vision though, as it was the most upbeat and enjoyable at any time.

Sida A. Ja, det är bra. Lite skissartade låtidéer, men det funkar och låter bra i en lätt överstyrd produktion. Trumslagen nästan distar. Bowies sång är som vanligt briljant och snygg. Bästa spåren är Sound and vision, Always crashing in the same car. I en lite annan produktion hade de kunnat platsa på Young Americans. En fyra. Sida B. Jag har aldrig förstått varför en artist vars främsta resurs sitter i sångrösten väljer att göra en hel sida med så gott som instrumental ambientmusik. Är det ens Bowie eller är det Enos solonummer vi hör? En tvåa.

This was not bad for a Bowie album - my 9th here and hopefully last. 🤞🏽 I actually like the more experimental stuff on side 2.

Better than the other one we listened to. Instrumental's were fun. I liked the experimentation a lot. Some of it was a little weird. Still not for me. David you got 7 more albums to impress me...

Got weird there for a bit, but I dug it.

Decent. No truly memorable songs like his others

Spricht mich jetzt nicht so an ...

"Speed of Life" is a fantastic ride to start off with. In contrast with "Heroes", I felt like the instrumental tracks here were really fantastic. The rest is uneven. "Sound and Vision" is a bop in the fun, dance-Bowie mode. I also very much dug "ALways Crashing in the Same Car." A lot of the rest was so-so. Good, not great.

Better than the last one

First half of the album seems like classic Bowie to me. Good driving passages. Nice vocals. The last half morphs into some sort of soundtrack. Completely different, but I thought it was super neat. 3.5/5.0

“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.” Mulan (1998)

Not my favourite Bowie album

The first half was excellent, I loved Sound and Vision but lost me at Warsawa through the end of the album.

I don't always read up on these albums before or during listening, but in this case, knowing the context helped me appreciate this one more. I was initially prepared to give this a miss: No clearly hook-y songs, and meandering instrumentals on the back half made me wonder why this made a limited list. But once I understood the context a bit better (Bowie moving abroad to get clean and reinvent himself), I gave it another listen. It's still not a pop-friendly album, but I can hear him working on ideas that would come to greater fruition in his later phases. In particular, the harmonica on "New Career in a New Town" made me flash forward to the closing instrumental of "I Can't Give Everything Away" on Blackstar--a full 39 years later! The instrumentals still feel like unfinished sketches to me, but I'm glad I took an extra minute to sit with them and hear what he was working through. I think this probably had some influence on later post-punk & indie rock albums, or at least brought some of these experimental sounds a bit more into the mainstream. This is unlikely to be an album I'll just put on for a fun listen, but it was worth spending a bit of extra time with this week.

Its OK, fairly ethereal. Not my favorite Bowie album, but Sound and Vision is a banger

Bang on

I'd forgotten 2 things about David Bowie: how prolific he was, and how many drugs he was taking in the 70s! I enjoyed the album, and discovered some deep cuts I'd not heard before, but I think there is a reason only 2 tracks (Breaking Glass and Sound and Vision) made it to the various Greatest Hits compilations over the decades. The album itself is a 3 star for me, but I'm glad it's made me listen to more David Bowie again.

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Sound and Vision This is David Bowie number 6 for me. It's mostly an instrumental album with a few songs here and there that have proper lyrics. It's number one of three in the "Berlin Trilogy". "Heroes" is also on the List, and is the second album. I gave that a 4; It resonated with me. This album is growing on me. I like the electronic and art rock elements he's fused together on these albums. On paper (according to my ratings) electronica is my second most disliked genre. This is weird, because I like a lot of modern electronica. The whole thing is sort of ironic - I don't much care for Kraftwerk (2 albums on the List; way to German) and Tangerine Dream's Phaedra was a bit too long and sound-scapy for my taste. I think the art rock elements help bridge the gap for me. Sort of tangentially related, I also really like Iggy Pop's The Idiot. Anyway, all of this is to say this album is okay in my book. Not as good as Ziggy Stardust, but not terrible either.

i appreciate it more than i like it?

Rock, 1977 -> 3

Not my fav of the Berlin Trilogy but still contains some bops.

A good album. Three stars...

This was just aight

Not sure if I'm a Bowie guy. Some interesting sounds at the end but I don't think I'll revisit this.

A pleasantly unspectacular listen. The album holds a fine atmosphere, but lacked any songs that overly made an impression on me.

Given enough time, Bowie starts to feel a bit cloying or something. I know this is one of the good ones. I liked it before and I still like it now. But I wasn’t disappointed when it was over, ya know?

I like Bowie and I really liked this album but holy shit is his entire discography on here?

I like the instrumental

Reminds me of Armed Forces a little but, in that Bowie is reaching for a new sound and coming up a little short. Some cool moments but overall incomplete ideas and a lot of window dressing. Sound and Vision and Low were highlights.

I think I need to listen to this many more times before I’ll get it

3.7/5.

I think there are better Bowie albums but the Brian eno stuff is cool

No encuentro qué le ven a Bowie

This a very interesting album. A lot of atmospheric tracks mixed in with some more traditional ones. I'm going to have to relisten to this one to form a better opinion, but it definitely stood out overall.

I might get in trouble for this - but I only really liked Subterraneans 😬 sorry Ian!

Сара - 3 Марко- 3.5

Vähän tasapaksua materiaalia, eikä hittejä. Hyvää soittoa ja Davidin ääni ja sen väri on upea.

Lots of instrumental songs... ❤️ "Warszawa", "Speed of Life", and "New Career in a New Town" are very nice❤️ "Art Decade" is my favorite ❤️ Among the songs with vocals, "What in The World" and "Be My Wife" are pretty good, but "Sound and Vision" is perhaps my favorite because it sounds like the David Bowie I know 😄 "Subterraneans" was also incredibly cool ❤️ Thank you 😄😄

...

I like Bowie but this has no sticking power for me

Sound and Vision really carries this album. Overal not a bad album, but compared to the other Bowie albums on this list it falls flat. The second ambient side feels like a different artist.

It was a David Bowie album. It was fine. You can hear some of the prog influence in the electronica, and that’s kind of neat, but as a whole it doesn’t do much to make me love Bowie.

Not what I expected at all. Really experimental and lots of instrumentals. It'll need a few listens to really digest.

Tämä bowtie levy vähän yllätti, koska olin asennoitunut edellisten levyjen tapaan vähän roskahtavaan. Mutta tämä ei ollut niin roskaa. Alkupuolisko oli okei ja loppupuoliskon ambientit maalaili ehkä jotain avaruustaulua, emmätiedä. Mutta kuitenkin, paras bowtie kuunnelluista

A bit too concept/experimental for me, but decent enough

Like all things Bowie… a bit weird. Always feels like music you are supposed to like, but are always trying to figure out. Some good songs , but a bit more techno than I like.

On its own, it’s just fine, but this would have made a killer film score. Also, we just happened to get Ziggy Stardust earlier this week, and it’s hard not to be disappointed in comparison.

One of the things I like about David Bowie generally is that his music is a little strange. This got a little too strange for me.

I’m hit and miss on Bowie. But this one is pretty average

Good concept Good for a more psychedelic vibe Bad for general listening

All of Bowie’s previous albums had one or two smash hits (and many unlistenable songs). The hits (and the androgynous Bowie himself) were so big that he was pretty much everywhere. And then Low happened. One minor hit with Sound and Vision. He kinda disappeared off the radar until Let’s Dance. I didn’t know this album or anyone that owned it, so I never heard it before this listen. My thoughts are that it’s better now than it was upon release, we’re a more forgiving public now, and he was in a low mood trying to beat addiction. B Side is very different than anything we heard from him previously. I enjoyed the first time listen (in 2026) realizing that this would not have gone over well with anyone fan of his that I knew in ‘77. (2.92*s) He was truly ahead of his time…

This album is frequently held up as one of Bowie's best, so I'll be seeing how it holds up to that reputation here. It's definitely one of the more experimental Bowie albums in this list, showcasing him experimenting with different song structures and electronic/kraut-style instrumentation. The first half of the album consists of short and fairly poppy songs, while the second half(beginning at "Warszawa") is more atmospheric in nature. Lyrics are mostly irrelevant to the album's sound, and vocals are mostly added as an extra layer of haunting sounds. This album is pretty good, but it's not really my favorite Bowie album(and a lot of his stuff is overrated in general). This album is ranked #9 of 27 albums for 1977. Other 1977 albums rated by me: Rumours(1/27)-5 Exodus(2/27)-4 The Stranger(3/27)-4 Out of the Blue(4/27)-3 "Heroes"(5/27)-3 Lust for Life(6/27)-4 Talking Heads '77(8/27)-4 Marquee Moon(11/27)-4 Aja(12/27)-3 Zombie(13/27)-4 Bat Out of Hell(15/27)-4 My Aim Is True(16/27)-2 The Idiot(18/27)-3

the contrast between a and b side is wild. when I learned Eno had a hand in this album, it all made sense. not my fav Bowie, but chapeau for experimenting

Fine. Went off on one towards the end, but Sound & Vision balanced it out.

spox, czillowy album do puszczenia w aucie. warszawa najfajniejsza. 3.5/5

The highlight of this is Sound and Vision and on first listen the rest of the album doesn’t really measure up. What the album does is give an insight to the musical exploration and creativity that would normally be behind closed doors. It feels like we’ve been let in to an early jam session. It doesn’t have nearly enough vocal but also shows some of the versatility of Bowie voice and mind that isn’t always obvious in some of the commercial hits. It takes a bit of patience but for an insight on the process behind Bowie characters and hits this is unique.

En tiiä olinko tätä ikinä aiemmin kuunnellu. Hyvää settiä ja vähän heikompia biisejä välissä

Ihan jänniä soundeja ja ratkasuja. Ei mikään biisi kuuhun mennyt, mutta tasasta tappavaa.

Kunnon game of two halves -liepu. Kokeilevan keittiön äärelle lähtenyt taavetti kun ei oo huvittanut perinteinen väykky. Mut ihan ok.

Because I appreciate Bowies work and I really, really wanted to give it the four stars I gave it a few tries. Side A has some nice tunes and catchy pieces. And "Sound And Vision" and "Be My Wife" are great. But there is too much instrumental stuff on side B that don't catches me at all. So this album lands a bit lower in my rating than expected. 3,5

I like David but this album wasn’t it. Couple bangers but nothing special

I thought there was no such thing as a bad David Bowie album, but this is at best mediocre. It starts well enough, but from Warsawa onwards it turns into an ambient record taking up three quarters of the album. Not even good ambient music. I can’t get myself to rate it below three stars, the album has Sound and Vision after all. But Bowie was pushing it here.

Sound and vision is great. Lots of electronica which I didn’t expect. That’s it was Gary Numan a couple of times! I want to give it more…but it would be just for S&V really…so

I'm glad he took a break from drugs. Didn't mean I loved all of this but I'm still glad.

Liked the first half. Second half bored me. Not bad but I wouldn’t go back to it.

soso

Definitely different, but trying to put it perspective of it's time However, it mostly instrumentals and "jam" sounding at that. This isn't selling me on Bowe. But there could be more there after repeat listens or other albums.

I love David Bowie. A different album than his others with some moodiness to it. Enjoyable as always.

Maybe my favorite David Bowie album probably because he's hardly on it. Sounds like a bunch of musicians playing chord progressions that occasionally resemble songs. Bowie "phones in" some vocals every now and then to remind us we should love this album. All joking aside, it did keep my attention for the entire album and I would listen again. A rare feat from the albums on this list.

I loved all of the instruments and it’s so easy to listen to!! My favorite song was speed of life! The only thing I didn’t like was the vocals

Återigen ett sånt album som uppenbarligen är ett mästerverk och jättestort men som inte riktigt lyckas beröra mig. Känns lite väl smart och genomtänkt för att faktiskt kännas intressant. Inga låtar som fastnar heller. 6/10.

Not Bowie's best, in my opinion, which I know is against the expert view. This album does contain a few good tracks, like Sound and Vision, but it also contains below par tracs.

Definitely an interesting album, more instrumental than lyrical, which I don't like in general, but that is Bowie - he can't be put within confines of a genre and/or of any other kind ⚡

Not his best work, but there's always something interesting to listen to with Bowie.

Middling - none of these songs I had heard before despite listening to quite a bit of bowie. Lacks the punch and catchiness of other albums. Ambient. Subterraneans sounds very EDM at the start - ahead of its time. Not my favourite Bowie album - not sure I'll revisit.

Bowie moves to Berlin and discovers Krautrock. Sound and Vision is good. Too much Eno.

worried this is a hot take...i love david bowie plus sound and vision is one of my favs on this album but besides that i feel like there's not much for me to come back to. i liked some of the instrumentals but again i just don't see myself turning to this bowie album compared to his other works. (i also listened to part of this while on a run so maybe i wasn't the most attentive).

First half definitely sounded Bowie, second half Eno. As a result, rounding down from 3.5*. Aside from, “Sound and Vision,” mostly a “meh” result.

This album started well but got lower in my estimation as it continued, with the majority of the songs having little form and no/limited vocals.

Album is all over the place, some songs don't have any words but still sounded good. Nothing memorable or catchy.

Bit strange, and basically all instrumental. Not unenjoyable per se, but probably not going to be my top choice to listen to

I actually semi liked this album. The instrumentals were actually really interesting and way better than chord chord chord. It had life that’s for sure. Where the album doesn’t stand out to me was Bowies actual singing….his lyrics weren’t the best and more than half the songs were plainly instrumental- which isn’t bad but like I think only 1-2 songs max should only be instrumental not half the album. I would definitely re-listen to the songs that Bowie actually sings in, they were decent

I definitely don't mind the more ambient vibes this album gives. For the most part, I actually preferred them to the first half of the album. This is my first experience with a Bowie album front to back, but I can't say I was really wowed, merely entertained for its duration. Scoring this middle of the road to give ample room in case I'm more impressed with other stuff.

Some interesting moments on this album that don't seem very "Bowie-esque". Specifically the songs Warszawa, Weeping Wall and Subterraneans. Can't say its on the level of Ziggy Stardust, but very few albums are.

Enjoy some songs but other are ambient nonsense which does nothing for me

I have to say I preferred other Bowie's albums. This one is nice to listen to, but nothing caught my attention particularly.

I liked it a lot. It just needed a soupçon of something to get to a 4. Maybe a few more listens.