Reviews (page 10 of 15)
Like this one more than 'Young Americans'. Fave Songs 'Changes' & 'The Bewlay Brothers' 4/5
I don't listen to Bowie much, but really should. Glad this forced me to listen to a full album. I love his descriptive writing style and enjoy the music.
This is a top ten Bowie album for me. I love everything on it except “Changes” which is one lf the only Bowie songs I actively dislike.
Das Album, das insgesamt solide ist aber mit fesselnden Elementen geizt. Ok sind der erste Track “Changes” und “Life on Mars?”, die auffallen und erahnen lassen, warum Bowie als einer der großen Künstler seiner Zeit gilt. “Changes” eröffnet das Album mit einer introspektiven und melodischen Note, die Bowies Fähigkeit zur musikalischen Innovation und tiefgründigen Lyrik unterstreicht. Der Song reflektiert über Veränderung und Selbstfindung. Die restlichen Tracks des Albums sind jedoch eher durchschnittlich und bieten wenig Spektakuläres. Sie sind hörbar, aber sie erreichen nicht die gleiche emotionale Tiefe oder musikalische Innovation wie die vorgenannten Stücke. David - das kannst Du besser.
Oh, mr Bowie…💦💦
Great album with a lot of fun tracks. one of the best for Bowie. 4.5 starz
Is there life on Mars…?
Some classics on here for sure. They say this is when he started getting good but I'm not a big enough fan to tell the difference between it and his other albums we have gotten. I did love that there is a song called Queen Bitch.
Really just don't get why almost every David Bowie album is on this list. I do think this is a good one, quite a few songs I enjoyed and "Changes" is a good hit, but how many have we had now? And do we have more? You could whittle his inclusions down to like 3-4 and that would probably be getting rid of HALF of these, that's so weird. This one would be near the chopping block for me, even though it is good. It's not as interesting or impressive as the highs we've had like (ironically) Low, Station to Station, or Heroes. Favorite tracks: Changes, Oh You Pretty Things, Andy Warhol, Queen Bitch, The Bewlay Brothers. Album art: Pretty weak as far as Bowie's goes, but it makes a lasting impression. Just a picture of Bowie looking androgynous as ever. 3.5/5
Okay, no real stand out songs.
Ja. Manches gefällt. Anderes ist eher so naja.
Bowie 😀
++: Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars?, Quicksand, Fill Your Heart, Song for Bob Dylan +: Changes, Eight Line Poem, Kooks, And Warhol, Queen Bitch, The Bewlay Brothers 8,5/10
This is my favourite all time Bowie album just sneaking ahead of a recent addition to the list Black Star. Saying favourite is perhaps wrong because due to my love hate of Bowie there are only a few albums of his which I personally like. He has a vast catalog and the majority are lauded by those in the know as classics and ground breaking. The reason I like Hunky Dory is perhaps why I don’t like a lot of what Bowie produced. That is it is a very easy album to get into whereas a lot of what he has recorded is a real challenge. There are some lovely memorable tunes and one or two of them are perhaps his most famous all time songs well known to those who only have a passing interest in music. Haven’t played this album in full for a while so a joy once again to do so. 5/5 5/8/24
Cool
First 5. So good. Life On Mars is a 10/5
Great music
Well what can you say about Mr Bowie that hasn't already been said a hundred time before? That he was a musical genius is not in doubt. As such he attracts top musicians. But for me he falls into the same bracket as Queen. It's high quality but it's just not something I want to own or spend money on. I have his best of album and that's more than enough for me. But it's worth a 3.
Possibly my favourite Bowie album
I quite liked this a lot. I'm not a Bowie expert, I knew the singles, which were very good. The rest was hit and miss, especially 'Andy Warhol' which was a bit of a mess. Worth a 3
I like Bowie, for the most part, but how many goddamned Bowie albums do we need? There are lots of really great bands that haven’t popped up yet, but this is my 4th or 5th Bowie. I’m adjusting my view of Bowie from “I like Bowie” to “Bowie has some good stuff” This album was fine. I’ve never heard the full Changes song, just the chorus in movie trailers and such. It’s not that great. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just a bit burned out on Bowie, but this does not feel like one of the greats.
I did not vibe with this album.
This is such a great album. Quirky and spontaneous while melodic and mellow! It’s interesting listening back to some of these older records because the audio mixing was just so different. Constantly had to adjust the dial to hear if a song was actually playing and then the volume would spike out of nowhere like BAM!
Not as good as “Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars,” but up there as one of the better David Bowie albums I’ve heard in this project (up to five or six now?) Although I always have somewhat mixed feelings about Bowie, he definitely has a unique and creative sound, which will almost always have me give it the benefit of the doubt. Favorite track: Life On Mars
Always felt this album was a little weird, in that it doesn’t have a particular style when compared to what came before (the man who sold the world - guitar heavy) and what followed (Ziggy stardust - glam rock perfection) so an album of transition for me. Bowie bypassed the guitar for the better stuff (writing life on Mars, changes snd oh, you pretty things on piano) and using guitar some of the stuff that I liked less (Andy Warhol, sing for Bob Dylan etc) but the songwriting genius is here. Take Changes. Moody sax riff leads to Rick Wakeman’s piano starting the verse in an almost vaudeville melody before the chorus brings in sleek saxophones and rocking guitars. Versev2 starts with this low piano rumbling that’s just exceptional and when Bowie comes in with that whispered ‘oooh yeah’ he becomes the coolest person since Elvis took the stage. Not in Bowie’s top 5 albums for me, but way ahead of what everyone else was up to 4.5/5
Great album, I like it better than Ziggy Stardust if only for the fact that it sounds more grounded and less Rock-opera like. If this was objective ratings it would be a 4.5 but I just don't really "get" Bowie unfortunately.
Hunky Dory Cool album. I prefer his albums from the late 70’s. Changes and Life on Mars are really great songs. Also like the song for Bob Dylan. The rest of the album is good.
Really Interesting and well made record but not something I’d listen to again probably
I liked this a lot. oh you pretty things was my fave
Easy 5 stars! I love everything that Bowie did in the 70s. Especially this one! I used to play Life On Mars on my earphones going to school years ago, definetely one of the songs of my life and idk, i spend years without listen this one and it seems a lot better than I used to remember. Actually the intire album is givin me this fellin now. I guess that musical maturity finally came to me hahahaha.
The more Bowie albums I listen to, the more I love David Bowie. I'm a little disappointed I didn't appreciate his work sooner, but he truly was a genius. When I was listening to this and saw it was earlier 70s, I had to see how close it fell to the Man Who Sold the World. Come to find out this album was next in line after that one. Totally different styles amongst albums has been one of the characteristics I like most about Bowie. Each album can be a reinvention of everything and still be excellent. There was a line I misheard about "Lemons on sale" and I kept thinking that I've never once considered a lemon purchase differently if it was on sale or not. Then I looked up the actual lyric and that made a lot more sense, particularly in the context of the time period. What is the point? I guess it is that even if there was a questionable, strange lyric in a song it still sounded good. This wasn't my favorite Bowie album. I'm most impressed at the stark contrast going from a heavy guitar sound to piano. Favorite track "Changes" 4.5/5
Not all of this works for me, but most does, and those songs are great. The closer, The Bewlay Brothers, has just hit me like some weird force.
This has never been my favorite of the "classic" Bowie albums, although listening again it seems I'm just being picky. What's a few lesser music-hall numbers when there's "Changes", "Oh! You Pretty Things", "Life On Mars?", and the goddam genius "Bewlay Brothers" ffs? Fun to trace the evolution of "White Light, White Heat" into "Queen Bitch" and then on to "Transformer" in hindsight. It's a 5*, glad to hear it again. Mark - if you like the more spooky/Nietzschean stuff (e.g. "Quicksand") but wished it rocked a bit harder, you'd probably like "The Man Who Sold The World", unlikely to be on here but (gun to the head) the better album
Love this Bowie era. The more I listen to this album, the more I like it.
David Bowie>>>
Absolutely legendary!!!
goat
Finally, 211 albums in and we get some Bowie going. Outside of the individual album ranking, David Bowie is one of a few true solo artists who should be given 5 stars for his career, not just any one album. While Hunky Dory is an artsy, boundry-pushing, expressive rock (kinda) album, he truly went crazy with it over the years. For example, in 1997 he did an electronic BREAKCORE ALBUM that honestly holds up pretty well for what it is. Anyways Fill Your Heart on Hunky Dory is my sleeper highlight here. STRONG 4 stars here. Truly an honor to have walked the earth at the same time as David Bowie
I'm not a David Bowie Guy. Thais álbum os good but has nothing Very good except for Andy Warhol.
01) Changes - 10,0 02) Oh! You Pretty Things - 8,0 03) Eight Line Poem - 7,5 04) Life On Mars? - 10,0 05) Kooks - 8,5 06) Quicksand - 7,5 07) Fill Your Heart - 8,0 08) Andy Warhol - 7,5 09) Song For Bob Dylan - 7,5 10) Queen Bitch - 8,0 11) The Bewlay Brothers - 8,0 TOTAL: 8,23 (82/100)
I liked it. It was a different experience. I get why everybody gets obsessed with david bowie but I need to be honest. It didn't sounf absurdly good to me. It wasn't love at first sight.
This is a beautiful Bowie effort. It has a few songs you already know as hits, and some lesser known songs that are masterpieces, "Life On Mars?" chief among them. Every last song is well-written, well-produced, interesting, and enjoyable.
Like it some.
Classic
neanche da commentare. capolavoro.
Oh, mr. Bowie…💦💦💦
Favourite songs: Changes, Queen Bitch, Andy Warhol, Song for Bob Dylan, Life on Mars? Least favourite songs: Eight Line Poem 4/5
Favorite Tracks: Changes Oh! You Pretty Things Life On Mars?
ITS FUCKING BOWIE. Unfuckwithable. This one is one of the weird middle ground records with some classics but also a lot of the tunes have a similar feel. Kinda folky, kinda quiet, but you can tell the Glam is coming. This is another one of those records that is essential, actually, in the Bowie canon. It’s just that good. I’ll skip the track by track because it’s tedious but seriously this one is a masterpiece.
Wasn't sure about this once I heard it was mainly written on and focused more on piano than guitar, but it's still Bowie doing his thing. It's lighter and poppier than the stuff he's done that I prefer, so not my favorite of his albums. That being said, there is a lot going on that that is so well done that I did find myself enjoying it more than expected.
since a semi-recent revisit of ziggy stardust i have been suspecting that as much as bowie is up my alley, its a tiny bit too late for me and him...as in, if i had put in the effort to get rly into his records beyond cursory listens when i was a teen, he could have ended up as a super mega important artist for me, and i have to wonder if the window for his music to be Revelatory has passed me by. i guess only time will tell if thats true (i hope it isnt, it seems like a cool discog and id love the motivation to rly sink into it), but as a concession i have found it far easier to enjoy his music Casually then when i was younger. this is no exception ofc, i suppose if anything sticks out its how much specificity it has for what could still be called a "transitional" album...and incredibly intimate too for all the theatrics, just about every song feels like bowie alone at the piano with all the other instruments as swirling figments of his imagination. lots of great Transitions Into Choruses. surprisingly rly nice compliment to the dingy cloudy morning (aka the ideal morning) outside my window rn
Did the killers take inspiration from Queen Bitch for Mr Brightside??! Was it a reference all this time?! I was glad to get this since I really don't know Bowie as well as I should. It's hard to describe the feeling of the album, especially mixed with the day walking around my hometown in the sun. At first it wasn't quite as bold as I expected, somehow, but I realised it was still totally unique. I can't imagine anyone else doing this.
A good album.
i refuse to listen to bowie
I've made some *changes* to my opinion about David Bowie after this album. As you can see, time may change me.
I like the dynamics of the piano in some of those songs.
Favorite Tracks: Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars?, Fill Your Heart
Oh you pretty thing is gud Changes is gud too
To much Bowie on this list.
I adore Bowie, but this album has never been one of my favourites. It has some absolute classics on it, but some songs, like "Kooks" for example, are total throwaways. 3.5
Previously rated: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (4/5) Aladdin Sane (3/5) The Next Day (3/5) Young Americans (3/5) Station to Station (3/5) ************************************************************************* Pretty good Bowie album. Lots of variety.
It's OK.
I've been putting this off the whole day long, because Bowie was a treasure who has my profound respect but I've always suspected this might not necessarily translate into me liking his music. I've only had his "Young Americans" very early into this project which was easy to dislike - Bowie himself wasn't a fan. This one? Yes. Falls rather gently but perfectly into my rating system: ★★★★★ for albums I thoroughly enjoyed discovering.
Solid album
I mean, awesome.
love hearing this one, also a common play on the tommie f zune. not quite as innovative as his later stuff but it reminds me a lot of the bend in that it’s an artist basically getting a perfect, more conventional album out before REALLY getting weird
timeless record. what made bowie great is that he made it cool to be weird. another thing i love about bowie is that during the early days of MTV he very publicly questioned why there were no black artists being played (even though michael jackson was literally the biggest act on the planet at the time). this album might be my favourite bowie album. so much quality from top to bottom. highlights: “life on mars?” “kooks” “queen bitch”…
Good job, David. 4.5
Boowwwiieeee
1st album I've listened to on this website. I didn't know too many David Bowie songs before this, just his biggest songs like "Starman" and "Under Pressure". I did recognize the first song "Changes" from Shrek 2 tho. I think my favorite song was "Queen Bitch", I thought it was really fun and unique.
historic album. little weird but in a good creative way
Wow. This is a great sounding album. Never listened to it before, but I really like some of the tracks I’ve never heard. (The only song I knew was Changes.)
Gefällt mir durchs Band *****
I liked some songs and others were boring to me.
Realmente extraordinario este album. No estaba al tanto de su existencia y tampoco estaba al tanto de los temazos que contiene. Sin duda es de los mas cercanos al 5 que escuche junto al de Nick Cave y algun otro. Gran experiencia caminando y transitando las calles de Buenos Aires.
Much better than I remember. Even weaker tracks are good, this, is a groundbreaking album and still sounds fresh now. Essential
Don't need to relisten, ceritifed hood classic. Every song after Life on Mars could be Bowie farting into a microphone and it's still a Top 50 all time record
Changes will always command my attention, and I was happy to find a couple more tracks I'd never heard before that caught me. I dont know what happens at the end with these weird loveletter songs, but you know what, Song for Bob Dylan wasnt bad, its just weird.
Lots of great Bowie songs on here! There’s a couple of cringy tracks sucking up to other artists near the end of the album that bump it down a star but overall it’s a great album
Damn near a masterpiece. The songs that I hadn’t heard were bangers and the songs I have heard are ultra bangers. “life on mars” is Bowie’s greatest creation. Insane to me that this album is from 71’ and his fourth album. Bowie is eternal. 10/10
Generally, a solid album. Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars, are songs I've loved for quite a long time, and Andy Warhol was a surprise new song that I really enjoyed. Other songs, particularly in the middle portion, were of more middling quality, and the album did feel a little bloated as a result. And god, The Bewlay Brothers is so underrated. It's a brilliant song to end out the album. Bibbity-bobbity hat. Musicality: 7/10 Musicality: Well-executed with noticeable skill and talent. Lyricism: 7/10 Good lyrics that add depth and interest to the songs. Production Quality: 6/10 Good; well-mixed and clear. Artistic Expression: 8/10 Highly innovative and groundbreaking, with a powerful artistic voice. Cohesiveness and Flow: 5/10 Fairly cohesive, but not particularly memorable. Replay Value: 7/10 High; many tracks are enjoyable to revisit. Overall: 6.7/10 If Kooks, Quicksand, Fill Your Heart were removed and Eight Line Poem was shifted or removed entirely, the rating might range as high as 7.8-8.2/10.
I liked the structure of songs and his voice is so interesting. I just didn’t find this album as enjoyable and engaging as ziggy stardust which was too bad
Pop, 1971 -> 3
This guy is good, I wonder if he put anything else out
Not my favorite ever but still a really solid Bowie album with some all timers on there. Previous criticisms of 70s electronica apply here, but to a lesser degree.
Great album but It didn't blow me up. 4/5
Based on the averages on this site, it seems like most people hear something in this album that I don't. While it has a few great songs, overall I feel like Bowie is still searching for a style and direction with this album, and it doesn't quite come together as a cohesive whole. A different calibre of album than the ones he would make after this.
Love the many versions of David Bowie
Bowie IS the greatest artist of all time. He's certainly my favorite. And this album in my opinion is the quintessential Bowie album. A lot of people will say that's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. And while I also love that album, I honestly believe this album fits the bill better. While The Ziggy album is quite firmly commented in his glam era, Hunky Dory captures more of his overall sounds. There's some stuff that sounds like his earlier folksy-er outings. There's his poppy stuff from the time, and there's hints towards his glam rock outings to come. There's even some really experimental sounds here as well that he would continue to do for the rest of his career. Love Bowie and I love this album.
Ok so last time I got a Bowie album on here (which was a long time ago now, album #37) I probably rated it one star too high based on Bowie's name being on it. I'm pretty confident I'm not doing that this time, this is really great. This is Bowie's fourth album and its a primarily piano-driven pop rock album. This followed The Man Who Sold The World, which I guess was more guitar-driven rock, so this was a bit of a departure. This seems to be a bit of a turning point for Bowie where he finds his distinct style. There's a whole lot of great songs on here, it's pretty consistent top to bottom. "Changes" is an awesome opener, "Life on Mars?" is iconic Bowie, and both "Oh! You Pretty Things" and "Kooks" were great on side A. On the back side, it starts a bit slower, but picks up with three songs based on Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, and Lou Reed in a row. "Queen Bitch" (the for the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed) is possibly my favorite song on the album (it's hard ,"Changes" is great too), it honestly sounds like it could be a VU song, he captured the sound well. This is just great energy and songwriting the whole way through. I'm not deep into the Bowie discography at all, but I get why this one is well-loved (though it did seem to be a bit overlooked until his next album really hit it big). Favorite song: Changes Other: Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars?, Kooks, Quicksand, Fill Your Heart, Andy Warhol, Songs For Bob Dylan, Queen Bitch, The Bewlay Brothers 7/8/24
Pretty groovy album by David here.
8/10 Excellent stuff. Bowie really being Bowie, a great balance of known bangers, more downtempo, and a tiny bit of experimentation This album is clearly still relevant and influencing artists today What a start, first few songs are hit after hit Backs off slightly in the middle, so not getting a perfect score Ends strongly Best: Life On Mars
I enjoyed this a LOT more than I enjoyed Aladdin Sane. "Changes", "Life on Mars" and "Queen Bitch" are all fan favorites for good reason but I ended up really enjoying "Oh! You Pretty Things" as well.
Lotta BANGERS here. I need to return to this album for sure.
I just watched an HBO documentary about the music of 1971. This album and David Bowie were highlighted. Heroes is a classic song. His last album before the introduction of Ziggy Stardust. Solid album with great melodies.
Slaps
"I think if David Bowie hadn't made music, I wouldn't be able to have my favorite color be pink."
This is my favorite David Bowie's album and the first full-length album I heard of him a decade ago. This holds a special place for me.
Good album, I liked most of the songs- the second to last two songs were iffy though
Not the best Bowie but Queen Bitch alone, hot dang.
Nice
Not my cup of tea at all, but not actively bad. I've never heard a Bowie song that made me feel much one way or the other. It's odd because the music is definitely unusual, but somehow still boring despite not sounding like anybody else I've heard
It was pretty nice, with some really good songs
One of my favorite Bowie records with a few of his best songs: “Changes,” “Life On Mars,” and “Queen Bitch” being those for me. While a lot more classic work by him still to come in the 70s, this one is really good on its own.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes! Fuck yes. This album will brighten any day, and if you don't appreciate Bowie I don't want to know you.
For a long time, this was my favorite Bowie album (and of course it's still up there in the Top 3). The first time I heard "Oh! You Pretty Things", I was floored. That beautiful, bopping, bare-bones piano and that anthemic chorus, a call to action and to awareness. Every moment of this album is perfect, even "Eight Line Poem", which is actually a kind of snapshot eight-line poem comparing the city to a wart. The piano just reigns on this album, from the opening right on through the incomparable "Life on Mars?", ending with full symphonic, orchestral strings just giving us our altitude. This album will break your heart one moment and make you dance the next. While you're sinking in the quicksand of your thoughts, remember in that moment of powerlessness that "knowledge comes with death's release."
Some really great songs on this album.
could i write poetry to this? y
Another example of "I like the 'idea' of David Bowie more than I actually enjoy listening to him." I do, however, love the song "Life on Mars?"...so there's that.
3.5. As with most Bowie albums, there are some bangers, some gems, and some misses. This album is no different
-Changes is Changes, also the only one I'd previously listened to all the way through, no notes -Oh! You Pretty Things - love the shift around 1:20 in, the lyrics seem a bit bizarre, enjoyed tremendously, probably will re-listen -Eight Line Poem - his voice is fantastic, I think I'm getting why people love this man; also love the bluesy/mournful strings -Life on Mars? - okay so I've heard this before as well, just didn't recognize the title; absolutely vibe with the instrumentation, gives me the same fuzzy internal feeling as Bohemian Rhapsody - something about the buildup just does it for me -Kooks - very stripped down compared to the previous, almost a palate cleanser, cute lyrics and general optimistic vibes with just a little contempt for the establishment, feels like a sitcom opening -Quicksand - was not expecting a hard veer into esotericism what the hell, wish I could go back and have a drink with him; definitely need to re-listen and read along with the lyrics proper, what a gutpunch -Fill Your Heart - and now we've wrapped around to what I sound like while I'm on mushrooms, positivity to an almost saccharine degree but sonically beautiful -Andy Warhol - the synth transition and dialogue between the previous and this track remind me of more modern concept albums; I can't tell if he loves or hates Andy and I don't think I want to know; dig the folksy vibes, not keen on the monotonic plucking toward the end -Song for Bob Dylan - the electric guitar is fun throughout, no idea who the lyrics are referring to, had to look that up; definitely sounded like an ode to Bob and that seems correct; good idle listen, didn't get into it as much as the other tracks -Queen Bitch - yeah alright this is a bop, sounds like something I'd bounce to at a show; aside from Changes this feels the most intentional "pop" song on the album, arrangement seems simpler than others and is a very accessible listen -The Bewlay Brothers - alright we're back to weirdness; at this point lyrics were up in another tab so the backstory was spoiled for me; sucker for storytelling in songs, this is definitely a bit spooky but also reminds me of John Darnielle's work a lot; that last minute and change takes a hard turn and explains why said backstory is widely accepted; "kings of oblivion" would be a dope band name Overall would give a 4.5 if I could, but since this is the first album I'm doing I feel generous, we'll round up to 5
A classic for good reason, a little overlooked sometimes for bigger hits. Let down a little by one or two duds, the bob Dylan song in particular 4*
With David Bowie you should buy a best of album and ignore the others. There is always a good song but that doesn't make up for the rest of the album.
¿Art rock o art pop? Una colección bien hecha de pop setentero, con algunas pistas experimentales como Andy Warhol; que en general todas las pistas tienen unos arreglos y detalles bien atinados y agradables; en lo personal amo como Bowie usa el piano en este álbum, como una percusión. Me encanta, quiero más.
3.27
David Bowie moaning and whining again. Oh joy.
The only Bowie album I own and have listened to before. Solid
Some classics and the rest didn't grate, so I'm on board with this one.
Beautiful
I liked Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things,ife on Mars? And The Bewlay Brothers. Can't go wrong with David Bowie.
One of my favorite early Bowie albums
I now believe that this is the last of the 9 Bowie albums. I can safely say I am completely eh on him. I enjoyed this quite a bit but I don't think he needed to be on here 9 times. Maybe 3 or 4 max. He's a perfectly fine artist but his music never really clicked with me. This album is one that did and maybe it's because it has that late 60s early 70s sound.
Very good
Not bad, seemed like a lot of variety, which surprised me.
MAKE WAY FOR THE HOMO SUPERIOR! -The Sovereign
Was not expecting to like it this much. Changes is a great, great song. The rest of the album is paced well and the piano is great. Sold 4+.
Nuce
Love the first few songs of this album
"Bowie starts to become Bowie" perfect description! This album never gets old. Ans an ideal entry for the younger folk to discover his songwriting. Definitely belongs in the 5 star club.
This one was already a favorite by Bowie, so I enjoyed my listen.
I listened to this a Dylan's Time out of Mind at the same time. The contrast was amazing. One huge talent that had become boring and irrelevant, contrasting with largely unknown beginning to show the genius that bloom into Ziggy and Aladdin. Life on Mars by far the best track. And Rik Wakeman's keyboards are out of this world. A few bummers to, but the boy was still learning.
arguably where Bowie reached his full potential. an eclectic mix that isn't incoherent, kind of like a Beatles album
I know that David Bowie is great but this whole album was a bit mid - nothing too exciting, there were some filler songs. As I am rating the whole album, I am giving it a pretty meh rating, as there were a couple of songs that were good but not that great.
4/5
I’ve tried Bowie in the past and always found him a bit too eccentric. This was definitely the right entry point for me. His unique style showed but in a way that felt approachable. Very glad I gave this a spin
it’s really good better than what i thought
Pretty sure that I have heard all the songs, but not in order that they were intended to be listened to on the album. Loved it
Okay, my last two Bowie albums had me worried that I didn't appreciate Bowie as I should. But this album reminded me of why he is brilliant. This album is pure creativity and fun. What a joy.
3+
Yeah flat out classic. Enjoyed it. Some of the piano chords were quite weird. Changes is such a powerful song to hear again and especially during pride month.
It's Bowie. Life on Mars is a mini-masterpiece that has been a part of my life for a long time. A few of my best friends growing up developed an obsession with this song, and we listened to it hundreds of time over the course of a summer we spent gazing at stars, being wildly irresponsible and overdramatic, taking late night walks, exploring psychedelics and pretending that adulthood would never come. That's Hunky Dory for me. To this day when we see each other, we kiss each other 12 times on the cheeks, just like we did then. Even if don't see each other for years, we remember that ritual, and even the memory makes me smile and slightly melancholic. These people taught me so much about friendship, love, being human, appreciating beauty.
Love me some David Bowie. This album was pretty good but not earth shattering. Some good diverse songs to keep the album from growing stale and a couple of great hits. 7/10 (3.5/5)
Great iconic album by David Bowie.
Bowie is one of the only artists with enough variety and quality between albums to justify multiple entries on this list. Hunky Dory seems more lighthearted but he really turns in really great vocals and performances (3.5/5)
Classic
Absolute classic - a beautiful example of art in musical form. Definitely setting the standard for other artists, as Bowie did throughout his lifetime. Amazing.
YES!
7/10
Lo tengo escuchado, me enxanta
Great album by a great man!
Classic. Bowie rules.
3.5
I’m starting to get more into Bowie from this list. Great album
Great
This album is what I think of when I think David Bowie. It just feels like there is hit after hit after hit with a slight sci-fi twinge. Hunky Dory starts off strong with an iconic song in "Changes" and a less known song, "Oh! You Pretty Things". Soon after, is the biggest hit on the album, "Life on Mars?". Unfortunately, the album starts a slow decline after. The rest of the songs don't have the same kick as the beginning of the album. Best Songs: Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars? Worst Songs: Fill Your Heart, Queen Bitch,
He's just a very good artist, isn't he? Not generally my style of music but I'll be revisiting this album.
This was a remarkable album put forth by Bowie, simultaneously being ahead of his time and exhibiting the quintessential sounds of the 70s and 80s. Notable Tracks: Changes Oh! You Pretty Things Life on Mars? Quicksand Fill Your Heart (incredible sax and piano runs on this track) Queen Bitch (catchy with elements of Queen and Bob Dylan) 8/10
Excellent album. Regrettably, I never gave this album (or Bowie in general) a focused, attentive listen. This is a really imaginative album that meanders across genres but asserts and maintains a uniqueness that has both emotional depth and pop accessibility. I'm excited to dive deep on more Bowie. *****
I guess things are Hunky Dory after all! Though not the biggest Bowie fan, a great listen and definitely an album one needs to have heard front to back in one's lifetime. Also, when will they answer the question if there's life on Mars??!??!!!!??
Full of bangers
Life on mars was like the first song i ever got into.
that was really fun
Incredible. Each song is written with so much charm and they’re all just delightful to listen to. Even ones I don’t remember liking as much like song for Bob Dylan and fill your heart I found myself enjoying. Life on mars? Is a classic and the way he hits the note at the end of the chorus is unbelievable and I love it every time. It also ends with a super underrated track the bewlay brothers which is really quite creepy with the voices at the end.
It’s a good pop album, but nothing that catches my interest and makes me to go back for another listen. Favorite track was Life On Mars?
Before he transformed himself into the alien rockstar Ziggy Stardust, and evolved into one of the most eclectic and creative minds working in the 20th century, David Bowie was just another glam rock artist. Probably not too far off from what you would hear in the early 70s from other artists. But I think most people would agree that after the release of Hunky Dory, it was already clear Bowie was above the caliber of those other artists. You can already feel the potential that wasn’t being fully tapped into on this album. Of course it thankfully wouldn’t take very long for him to realize that potential. Hunky Dory is still a really solid album. It sort of feels like the less conceptual baby brother to Ziggy Stardust. You can hear where he really started to experiment with more art rock based sounds, which would only devolve further and further into madness as he experimented even more. I think the lack of some type of narrative actually lends to certain parts of this being less interesting though. This album also immediately puts itself out there. Changes is such an amazing opening track, and it kind of makes the rest of the album seem a little plain in comparison. Of course, there are definitely other highlights. I always imagined that the previously mentioned song would be one of his more popular, but maybe I believed that because of its inclusion in Shrek 2. Although I do not remember the cover version in that movie sounding so bad. Life on Mars? is actually the most popular song on here, which I can understand. An interesting aspect of this album that I really enjoyed is how full the acoustic guitars sound. It really saves those acoustic parts, and makes them sound beautiful. Overall, Hunky Dory continues to deepen my respect for Bowie, and prove to me how far ahead of the curve this man always was. Rating: 7/10
"Changes" and "Life on Mars" are genuinely great songs. The other songs are good, but nothing particularly memorable. I like the playful nature of the piano and horns in some of the songs. Very jaunty.
Don’t love every track, but I definitely love some of them
Great
I like David Bowie for the most part and I know how lauded this album is, but honestly aside from the singles, nothing much stands out here.
Changes & Life on Mars are classics. Whole album has more piano than expected, but it works. Andy Warhol is a bit strange, but kind of funky. Is Life on Mars the conceptual beginning of Ziggy Stardust persona and whole space opera themes? Album as a whole is good. Maybe a 6.5/10, with the two singles being 8 or 9/10.
Second track was crazy, rest seemed pretty tame on first listen - but maybe that’s cuz traffic drowned out the sound on my shitty Apple earbuds.
A total classic piece of excellence from Bowie. Loved it when I first heard it many years ago, and appreciate it more and more as time goes on. Never mind 1001 albums to listen to, this would be in my top 10.
This is the best Bowie album by quite a bit. This is excellent.
Incredible stuff by David Bowie. He just knew how to push the envelope in so many different directions on the same album. Some real bangers.
I think I enjoy Bowie when he's a bit more grounded. I like Ziggy Stardust but this might be my favorite album of his. 4.5/5
Another easy 5 🌟
Eu juro que tentei. Ouvi umas vez, vi muitos elogios do álbuns, e decidi dar uma segunda chance. Ele foi mais interessante da segunda vez e achei algumas músicas genuinamente boas, mas ainda assim, não me pegou.
Hunky Dory, an album by David Bowie, is a piano-based masterpiece that showcases his more melodic side. The album's tracks are characterised by intricate piano arrangements and catchy melodies, demonstrating Bowie's diverse musical talents. His voice is clear and confident throughout, guiding listeners through a journey of introspection and self-discovery. The songs on Hunky Dory lay the groundwork for Bowie's future persona as Ziggy Stardust, with hints of the flamboyant style and theatricality that would define his later work. Tracks like Changes and Life on Mars? stand out as timeless classics, blending introspective lyrics with memorable hooks. Bowie's songwriting on this album is both poetic and introspective, exploring themes of identity, fame, and the human condition. The album's production is polished yet retains a sense of raw authenticity, capturing the essence of Bowie's artistic vision. Overall, Hunky Dory remains a pivotal album in Bowie's discography, showcasing his evolution as a musician and laying the foundation for the groundbreaking work to come. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 5 STAND OUT TRACK - Queen Bitch
Nú mun ég uppskera vandlætingarsvip frá einhverjum með því að viðurkenna að oft á tíðum finnst mér David Bowie frekar leiðinlegur tónlistarmaður nema einstaka lög sem mér hafa þótt skemmtileg. Þannig að ég hef ekki lagt það á mig að hlusta á hann en svo kemur þessi plata og hún er bara stórgóð. Ég hef örugglega misst af miklu með þessum fordómum mínum. Ég er greinilega þessi leiðinlegi.
I really don't like David Bowie's voice. But I really like the instrumentation on this album. Especially the piano in Song for Bob Dylan
- Was unsure how I felt after the first listen, so I gave it another spin and must now give this five stars. It is too unique to do otherwise. - Some classic Bowie tracks ("Changes", "Life on Mars?") punctuated by some very solid, lesser-known, often introspective songs ("Quicksand" is a great example). - There are no bad tracks here. There are some tracks that do not totally fit together, but every one is good, if not great, in its own right. I was a bit turned off by "Kooks" originally (never a fan of a song being shoehorned in, no matter the importance to the artist), but it is so heartwarmingly sweet, clever, and catchy that I just have to give it it's due.
I may be getting David Bowie fatigue at this point in the list but I can still appreciate this album at least. Not as crazy and innovative as others of his but still enjoyable with changes and life on mars as the standout.
Just not into David Bowie's music. I can accept his influence and legacy but do not enjoy listening. 2/5
Awesome and a bit goofy
great vocals, great lyrics and great sound, just classic bowie.
Pretty lukewarm album for me overall, one which lacks a lot of the refinement I'd come to love of Bowie's later work. Still, Life On Mars is a wonderful song!
Bowie is so solid. No album has been a 5, but they all have at least one banger. Changes rocks.
Probably my favorite Bowie album. So many classics on one album.
4.5
Trovata canzone che avevo bisogno di sentire e che alcune persone avrebbero bisogno di sentire ora non ho più voglia di morire yay
#1 album of all time, very possibly.
One of my favorite Bowie albums, although he can do no wrong in my book. His evolution from one album to the next is always amazing to me. This record in particular being between The Man Who Sold The World and Ziggy Stardust is completely different from either but still recognizable as something that only Bowie would do. I don't care how many of his albums are on this list, we always need more. This album would be a 5/5 for Changes and Life on Mars alone.
Thoughts before listening: Maybe my favorite Bowie album? If not it's definitely up there. I certainly heard this one and fell in love with it before I ever heard Ziggy Stardust. Review: This has "Life On Mars" on it which is an all-time great rock song, not to mention "Changes", "Oh You Pretty Things", "Song for Bob Dylan", and "Queen Bitch". This is possibly the best album by one of the most important rock artists of all time. What surprised me the first time I heard this was just how much it rocked, with some awesome 70s glam rock riffs on these songs. Hard to give this anything other than 5-stars.
Magnificent
Cool album.
3.5 stars rounded up. Singles are the standouts, but there is also plenty of chaff like the songs named after people, which are skippable.
I think I need to listen to it again because it was just ok. Maybe it'll improve on a second go round.
Yes
I was pleasantly surprised to be recommended a David Bowie album today. While most people divert their attention to "The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" or "Heroes," Bowie's early work is innovative and plentiful too. "Hunky Dory" is an all-in-one package. In addition to the famous "Life In Mars", it contains the classics "Changes" and "Oh You Pretty Things." I've got no complaint about the album in general. Great piece of work.
Changes // Oh! You Pretty Things // Life On Mars? // Kooks // Quicksand //
The album as whole is quite amazing. Wildest sounds I’ve heard in an awhile and while there are definite queer undertones for some of the songs. I feel this album being the first to really take off Bowie as a whole. I love to see the inspiration he takes from Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol and The Velvet Underground. You can really see his talent and energy start to take off. I do seem to really draw more towards the first half of the album with songs like Life on Mars or Oh! You Pretty Things. I still see how this album is one of the greats and really stands the test of time. It still having some of the more cheerful and also thought provoking songs making it this really great piece.
Superb! Bewlay brothers!
Great album. Standout songs: Oh you pretty things Andy Warhol The Bewlay Brothers
I enjoy some Bowie, but I find he’s never really on my “revisit” list. Except for The Labyrinth of course.
Solid album front to back from one of music’s greatest to do it.
Great opening song with "changes". Absolute classic. Pretty things is very beatle-esque to me. Good track. Heavily piano driven which i like with a catchy chorus. Life on mars? need i say. What a belter. Makes you want to get out of your chair and sing from the rooftops. Plus it always reminds me of the BBC TV show. Overall a solid album with a few 5/5 tracks. Rating 4/5.
It’s alright i suppose. Not blowing my socks off.
90% (5) ⭐
Pleasantly surprised from Dave on this one. For some reason his style really is one of kind and unique to where it holds my attention. Not too many people can have such a unique sound and make everything come together cohesively. Great work from Bowie here.
It’s tempting to give 5 stars for Life on Mars? and Changes (or even just LoM? on it’s own) but pound for pound this doesn’t quite hit the elite tier consistency of Bowie’s next album. Still an excellent, charming record with a good balance of melodic accessibility and compelling weirdness, though. 4.5
80/100 Best Songs: Life on Mars, Changes
Solid...hard to believe this came out in 1971.
Probably a 4.5 for me. I question if I will return to this album, so it get a 4.
I can't find it now, but I remember reading an interview with one of David Bowie's ex-girlfriends from when he was high school aged. She talked about how he was unlike anyone she ever met, because he was unbelievably self-possessed and dramatic--he acted like every moment of his life was like a scene in a movie that he was starring in that was broadcast around the world, so he would throw himself completely into the minutiae of every moment of every day. I would imagine it would be fairly annoying to be in a romantic relationship with someone like that, but you can't argue with the results.
Woah this is so good
Jam after jam after jam after jam. How good is your album when "Queen Bitch" is only like the 3rd best song on here?
Amazing
Ch-ch-ch-chip 'n Dale ♪ (Turn and face the strange) ♪ It's just so nice on the ears
some interesting parts but not enough
Hvis det ikke er mit yndlings-bowie, så er det tæt på. Kun gode numre
Gad satme godt have set en David Bowie Eras Tour! Vild med hans glam piano man æra, en af hans bedste
Jeg tror at det her er en af de første Bowie plader "jeg forstår".
A seminal album for me when I was a kid. I've listened to it so many times it's hard to objectively give it a second thought. Nonetheless, full marks for standing the test of time.
I have a bit of a Bowie bias, but hey it's my opinion. This is my second one after Ziggy Stardust, and while I think that album is slightly better, this one is just as charming and inspired. I can't give it lower than a 5.
1st time listening to this album. Side two is a different kind of Bowie for me but I really liked it.
I pogged so hard when oh! you pretty things went from rolling to rocking. Insane moment. Overall I love love love this album. Each song fits together very well while also being an unique experience in its own right. My favorites are definitely the first two tracks on this album and the only song I was iffy on was 8 line poem. This album is incredible man.
I somehow hadn't heard this album all the way through before, but I loved it so much. It is bursting at the seams with energy, experimentation and emotion at every moment of its runtime. Absolutely one that I will revisit a lot in the coming weeks. Thank you, my dear androgynous British freak.
A lot of nice songs
There are some damn good Bowie albums before Hunky Dory, but this is the first *great* one. Not my absolute favorite, but truly fantastic. 4.5/5
Rating: 6.5/10 Good album overall. Sounds like this is the time David Bowie is defining his sound. There are a lot of great melodies but the songwriting can be quite dull at times. Favorite songs: Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Kooks, Andy Warhol, Queen Bitch. Worst songs: Eight Line Poem, Fill Your Heart.
Perfect!
A couple great songs, a good album, but not my favorite by Bowie.
I was late at the Bowie party. Like really late. In 2004 David Bowie canceled a concert at Roskilde Festival. The festival administration had a hard time finding a replacement. But they found a band: Slipknot. Lol! I was excited, 'caus Slipknot was more down my alley. However, at the festival I had a conversation with a girl who was really into Bowie, and she opened up my views on him. In the following years i bought a couple of his albums, and now I really enjoy his musical universe. Honky Dory is one of my favourite albums. For me, the start of the album is the best. My top tracks are "Changes", "Oh, you Pretty Things" and "Life on Mars?".
I was pretty excited to see this one pop up for today. This one’s an easy 5 for me. I’d probably have 5 albums tied for my favorite Bowie album and this is one of those 5. Hunky Dory is the first installment of a four album run from the production team of Bowie and Ken Scott. I feel like Ken Scott took what he learned engineering Beatles albums and really pushed the bounds of what Bowie and camp could do sonically here on Hunky Dory. The production duo continued this trend over the next three Bowie albums. The phenomenal musicianship from the soon-to-be-named Spiders From Mars, as well as Rick Wakeman’s beautiful piano playing on this album are very impressive. Then there’s Bowie’s stellar vocals and lyrics. His versatility is on full display on this album. The quieter soulful moments force you to lean in until the powerful and emotional performances hit you over the head. The song arrangements and instrumentation lend themselves perfectly to these dynamics which shows how well the band connected to Bowie’s vision and how well he could pull the best out of musicians. To me the album is perfectly sequenced to highlight the ebb and flow of the material. Hunky Dory is cohesive and every idea feels fleshed out to the best possible outcome while still feeling fresh and not over produced. The 70’s might be my favorite decade of music and this album is a shining example of why.
This one is a classic. Bowie's catalog has something for everyone, and it's too hard to pick a favorite. Hunky Dory fits perfectly in the time in which it was released, 1971. Such a great year for music.
This is one of those albums that needs some time to really settle in; I have not heard it before, but it is evident there is an effort to make something special and push the boundaries of conventional pop songwriting. First exposure may appear to go off on tangents, but subsequent listens allows one to hear how each piece of the puzzle fits into the whole, and the original sprawling melodic lines and chord structures reveal more intention. Indeed, I had to re-write my review after the second listen. There are enough left turns in melody, chords, production, and instrumentation to keep the listener's interest, if you like less-conventional song writing as I do. Calling out his influences by name (e.g., John Lennon and Andy Warhol) helps to focus the listener on Bowie's particular grounding while immediately pushing those ambitions to the next level. Somehow he distills glam out from hard rock, theatrics out of theater, psychedelia out from spacey, heavily-delayed guitars, and is able to channel a unique glam pop psychedelia through piano-led orchestration without ever firmly stepping foot into one style too long. I always think of Bowie as an iconic artist--bigger than just a singer--but I never thought about him as a musician; I was moved to look up who played that great piano on this album and was happily surprised it was him. He is equally confident in his voice as his playing and songwriting, experimenting with variations of his abilities, echoing Lennon in "Changes," Dylan in "Song for Bob Dylan", and Lou Reed in "Queen Bitch." Always serving the song, he is both reverent and irreverent as needed.. It's evident that so many bands were influenced by Bowie; I hear everything from Elton John to MGMT and The Killers. I had previously picked up the wrong album by Bowie, liking only the single and not the rest, despite multiple listens. However, I can finally see what the fuss is about. One can dismiss this as self-indulgent and a whimsical flight of fancy but if you let it in, you'll be thankful that such an album exists to color the world and to normalize chasing one's own musings. Turn and face the strange.
I'm always going to be happy to see David Bowie on this list. This is early 1970's Bowie, and it feels like a Bowie not fully formed, still exploring and finding his way, with the best of his work ahead of him. I see shades of what's to come, with Bowie exploring themes found in his other work (youth and pop culture, art, politics, philosophy) with the sense of individuality and surrealism/absurdity that became his hallmarks. Many of the songs here feature piano, but a couple of the later tracks show glimpses of glam rock and punk. The songs vary a lot in subject matter and feel, so I don't find it to be a very cohesive album, and there are a few tracks that, while not horrible by any means, I would probably seldom reach for as a Bowie fan, just because there are so many others that I love more. Obviously “Changes” and “Life on Mars?” are classics. I'm glad for the opportunity to hear him in his earlier career even if I consider it before his peak. 3.5 Lyric of note, from “Quicksand”: "I'm not a prophet or a stone age man Just a mortal with potential of a superman, I'm living on I'm tethered to the logic of homo sapien Can't take my eyes from the great salvation of bullshit faith If I don't explain what you ought to know You can tell me all about it on the next bardo I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought I ain't got the power anymore Don't believe in yourself Don't deceive with believe Knowledge comes with death's release”
I like David Bowie. I can't really say I'm a super fan, but I can see why he is considered an innovator. Because I am not a super fan I feel like I can almost make notes on this album almost like a person that has not really listened to him. Its one of those artists that I know his magnitude but have never really listened to much other than the well known songs. The album is very 70s, the instruments and recordings have a very 70s sound to me, even when listening to the remastered version of this album. I can hear the influence of late Beatles with the horn sections and John Lennon's solo material which both come from that 70s era. David has a soulful and unique voice. I found parts of this album to be sort of cinematic, particularly in the versus of the songs. The standouts to me are Andy Warhol and Queen Bitch.
Very enjoyable even though I'm not a huge David Bowie fan.
I liked this much more than I thought I would. I think perhaps I've matured into the sound.
Easily one of the best albums ever.
What. An. Album. Crammed full of classics, weird and wonderful lyrics, a genre defining album.
This underscores to me that I prefer later Bowie to the earlier stuff. Changes is great, but the rest is nowhere near the highs of Station to Station or Low.
Great album all around by a legendary artist
My favorite Bowie album. Life on Mars and Kooks are for me the highlights on a great album.
had a little doubt but yeah its a five, great musician!
Started out hot, almost 5 stars from the first two songs and slowly devolved into unlistenable. Made me angry how bad it got
All y'all not giving this a 5 are the real kooks. This is some peak Bowie, elevated among an already great discography. Not a single weak point on here, and so many moments to savor individually. Album opens on an absolute classic, Changes. A catchy AF ode to the inescapable changes that time renders across us all. This bleeds over into the piano-led melody of Oh! You Pretty Things. Love the off-kilter sway of the chorus here. Built for shouting along to. Life on Mars? is up there with the best songs ever written IMO. And I love that Kooks is a song to his newly born son. Andy Warhol is a kooky one at the outset, but develops into a driven acoustic jam that, interestingly, Metallica interpolated a riff from into Master of Puppets. Queen Bitch is another energetic jam that taps a similar spirit to Suffragette City. I've listened to this album countless times and never tire of it.
This is an album. 4 stars
This is a fine enough album. I still don't think I understand why Bowie has such renown. I get his personality/ies, but after 5-6 albums on this list, it never feels incredible to me.
This was really cool to hear him do a piano based smoother album compared to the guitar driven pop type albums that were before this. I didn't enjoy this as much as other Bowie albums but it was still good to listen to.
Changes is such a jam of a song. Soooo easy to get into. Life on Mars? is also such a jam. I knew those songs pretty well going in but not a whole lot of others. Very different vibes overall from some of the other Bowie albums we've listened to which tracks (and I love). Andy Warhol's intro was a bit loopy I dig it. Also apparently there is a riff in Master of Puppets that paid homage to this song. Went back and listened and it's clear as day. Queen Bitch rules also I know that's a popular one. All in all an above average album with a few serious jams on it. Knocking a star because it doesn't live up to other Bowie I've heard which is probably unfair but it's my rating so suck it.
Oh you pretty thing!
arguably where Bowie reached his full potential. an eclectic mix that isn't incoherent, kind of like a Beatles album
Bowie names half his heroes and tries on glam like it’s a new jacket—some of it fits. “Life on Mars?” soars, but the rest is him still tuning the radio.
Excellent song writing. Bowie is incomparable.
As my Polish friend zbig, may say — This kicks many asses
Starman Jams
Hunky Dory For a long time this was possibly my favourite Bowie album, although it has been superseded by others, and as a result I haven’t listened to this for quite a while. Of course it still is truly excellent. Despite on the surface being one of his most ‘conventional’ albums it really is full of odd little corners and strange/absorbing/literary/facist*/cryptic lyrics, all the while being carried by a cinematic musical momentum, whether folk, orchestral, music hall or guitar led rock. There are some fantastic strings and horns and brilliant arrangements and instrumentation. Also I only just made the connection that the producer, Ken Scott, is the same Ken Scott who was engineer for quite a few Beatles sessions. *not really, he just mentions Himmler and homo superior a bit. I won’t necessarily go through song by song, as I genuinely like every one on here, but there are moments throughout that I love. The guitar in the intro of Eight Line Poem for example, or the Dr Who beeps on Andy Warhol and the acoustic guitar line intro. I like the music hall influences too, similar to Macca in that regard. And I’ve always loved the opening stanza of Oh! You Pretty Things. Also I took me a while to appreciate Quicksand, but it really is a superb song. I’ve also never noticed it before but the way he sings ‘still the days seem the same’ at 1.44 in Changes is very very Dylan. Life on Mars stood out today - not because I’m not aware of what an incredible song it is - but sometimes you hear something you’ve heard a thousand times in a slightly different way. Maybe it’s mood, what you are doing or how receptive your brain is but it just seems different and feels fresh. I suppose that’s the thing that separates the truly great artists (your Bowies, your Youngs, your Tamsin Archers, your Beatles, your Dylans) from the good, that the songs endure and evolve as time passes, you find moments or angles you never noticed before and it feels like a new song. It’s of course an easy 5. Not just a transformational album in his career but one of the greatest albums ever recorded. If he only ever released this album he would still be regarded as one of the greatest ever. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Changes Life on Mars
Honestly this one is just okay. I didn't feel any connection to his vocals or the songs unfortunately.
It’s amazing to think that David Bowie was still a relative outsider when this album came out and that it sold poorly on first release. There is a lot here that points the way to the directions that his music would take with complex cinematic arrangements on Life on Mars alongside pop classics and lyrics namechecking Warhol, Dylan and the Velvet Underground. My high point is Kooks, an utterly charming song dedicated to his new born son.
This album is a total no-brainer to rate. Every single bit of this is great, even the less-known songs are amazing.
Again, I am surprised how I could miss basically the complete work of David Bowie. It's a great album that had been unknown by me until today.
This album starts out strong with the absolute classic "Changes" and to my pleasant surprise, stays strong. Good variety and songwriting. Very happy to have been introduced to this entire album!
Genious musician
I keep thinkining I should give this a 4 but the great songs are spectacular and the sound of the whole album is so rich and beautiful, like he and everyone involved were working on a different world than the rest of music. I could toss the Song for Warhol and you would have a slightly better 5 star album
David Bowie is a cool guy who stands up against racism and has a black wife. I like him.
Generellt sett jävligt bra. Men vissa låtar bara suger.
3/5 strong first half weak second half, much more acoustic and piano driven that some of his other works Favs: changes, oh you pretty things, kooks, life on mars Least fav: Andy Warhol
First (first time listening to whole album). 2x (listened twice through). Changes is an all-time favorite single, but the rest of the album didn't appeal to me all that much.
Great feeling
Groovy.
Bowie at his best. Highlights are "Kooks" and "Oh! You Pretty Things"
4.0 + "Hunky Dory" has some of my most and least favorite Bowie songs on it. "Life on Mars?" with its operatic buildup and denouement over swelling and waning strings and timpani is a triumph. "Oh! You Pretty Things" is a beautifully philosophic head-bopper. "Queen Bitch" channels the grit and grime of Lou Reed's NYC, exploring the world of whores and shameful urges. But, there's a long, 3-song stretch in the middle that almost sullies this brilliance. "Kooks" and "Quicksand" are both interestingly arranged and multi-faceted, but Bowie gets a little too zany. I can't get over the way he sings them with a cutesy grin. "Fill Your Heart" is even worse. Most will agree that what makes a record great is the ability to listen to it all the way through without skipping songs. "Hunky Dory" just doesn't meet that bar for me. But I do return often for those 4 or 5 truly incredible tracks.
Second listen. It’s pretty unusual for me to give 2 4 stars in a row. It might be the first time? Anyways, I really like this album. Life on Mars is definitely the highlight for me while the other songs don’t really stick out as much.
Great album by a great artist
Some great songs but also some fillers.
Funky
Some great songs, but also some rather offbeat stuff as well. Certainly not my favorite David Bowie album.
I continue to find that I love David Bowie…the piano driven music is a change for him. The music has a different feel but is totally Bowie. I think I liked Alladin sane about the same but Loved the Ziggy Stardust album that followed this a whole lot more. Changes is an awesome way to start an album.
The more I listen to Bowie, the more I like him. Really enjoyed this album. It is fun and funky.
Peak Bowie for me
Classic Bowie!
Great tunes. Not heard some before
Brilliant album. Pure joy from start to finish.
Iconic Bowie record
Det er et ret fedt bowie album alligevel. Her nåede jeg ikke at kede mig. Klart et album som kan vokse på mig.
Jeg har aldrig fået hørt hele Bowie albums før Black Star. På Hunky Dory kender jeg nogle sange. Og hvilke sange. Life on Mars? ligger i skarp konkurrence med “Heroes” om at være min Bowie yndling. Changes og Andy Warhole er også blandt favoritterne. De restende sange svinger mellem at være sjove iørefaldende og kraftfulde perler. Det teatralske er normalt ikke min kop the, men i Bowies univers fungerer det helt fantastisk. Dagen tillod desværre ikke lige så mange gennemlytninger som jeg kunne have ønsket mig. Men jeg kommer til at genbesøge albummet igen. 4/5, men måske det kan komme op på en 5er ved nærmere bekendskab.
I never really gave David Bowie a chance. Outside of Labyrinth. lol Well so far, I've recognized, Changes, and Life and Mars? It was a pretty decent album. But only 3 stars from me.
Oavsett hur mycket jag gillar vissa av Bowies låtar så har jag aldrig lyckats fatta någon av hans skivor. Denna hade kanske 3-4 låtar jag tyckte var bra, men lika som med de andra av hans album så är det nog också mycket skit som är ganska svårsmält till en början. Jag får lyssna igen någon gång när tiden är rätt.
Bowie!
I’m a sucker for Bowie. This was the first big transition between Hippie and Ziggy. I was actually thinking about ‘Changes’ the other day and how applicable it feels right now. Thinking about my coworker prompting th changes, Queen Bitch also feels relevant. I ranted extensively about this album on Instagram so I will just say this: it’s still art; it’s still relevant; it’s still Bowie!
I'm really debating between 4 and 5 star on this one. There are some amazing tracks (Changes, Life on Mars, Queen Bitch, Pretty Things) but then there are some less desirable tracks (Kooks to point one out). I really like the Andy Warhol track. I heard this album didn't go platinum until the 80s. Bowie's genius was on display here but people didn't get it for a while. I can relate as it took me several years to "discover" Bowie. Somehow, I didn't know or I forgot that Bowie played the saxophone. He even plays the saxophone on Changes! Anyway, not quite there for a 5-star album. But some amazing highs!
Some good
great album
A solid Bowie album, though I think I might prefer others a little more? It’s been a while since I’ve dabbled in Bowie, so I have much to revisit and remember, but are least I’m hunky dory to listen to Hunky Dory.
primer album imprescindible de Bowie. Un 9
4.5 but rounded up. Nice variety and many classics... my favourite "Life on Mars?", thank you Bowie
I have to give this album 5 stars, even though it isn't even in my Top 5 Bowie albums. However, it has so many songs that are just timeless like "Changes," "Oh! You Pretty Things," "Andy Warhol," and some other really good songs. However, this album is not as good as The Man Who Sold the World or The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, to me.