Reviews (page 12 of 14)
The more Bowie I listen to on this project, the more I realize I mostly enjoy his radio hits. It's not a bad album, but nothing really grabbed me. 3.5*
Getting a little tired of Bowie on the list, but there are some good songs on here for sure.
самый нормисный Боуи их всех возможных
The most David Bowie I have ever listened to. I like Changes, the others were... strange.
Strong start, thought it could become my favorite bowie album. But the quality of songs slowly degrade throughout
Definitely solid first 5 or so songs, then it went downhill with some of the deep cuts. Overall, not bad. 3.5 for sure.
Liked this one. Maybe second fav Bowie record?
Some classics on here including my fave Life on Mars. The supporting tracks I was never too into though.
Habe mir irgendwie mehr erhofft, weil David Bowie ja sooooo bekannt ist. The Bewlay Brothers ist ganz nett und das ganze Album hat irgendwie eine entspannte Atmosphäre, man erkennt David Bowie direkt wieder. Aber bei jedem Lied hatte ich das Gefühl irgendetwas fehlt
It feels wrong to rate Bowie even this low, but while the album sounds like him and fits his style, most of the songs are forgettable or a little awkward. That said, both Changes and Life on Mars? are hits, and I liked The Bewley Brothers a lot too. It's cool to hear this album even if it's not his greatest hits though because it was the start of him finding his unique sound.
2.5
Nice
I like some songs on this album quite a bit, but there are some I’m really not into. I’m gonna go with a three on this one. 3/5
Good Bowie, with lite rock elements. Some classics Bowie hits appear, but they're probably my last favorite of his hits. (Possibly burnout for life on 'changes', and that's hard to overcome)
I like David Bowie. This album isn't a chart topper for me, but it's better than a lot of what I've heard from this list recently. 3/5
It’s fine. “Changes” is “Changes”. “Life on Mars” is a lovely shade of lost-electrons melancholy featuring some tight, bracing, elastic vocals. “Queen Bitch” starts off toe-tapping and ends up dancing on the tables. It’s better than fine, it’s objectively really good. And. Yet. I. Just. Can’t. Make. Myself. Connect. To. It. Fleur says that it’s how I don’t really like Star Wars; she’s totally right that I don’t always click with things that an otherwise overwhelming majority of people do – hot I can’t stress enough that it’s not on purpose*. I’m not trying to be “out there”. Fuck, I wish I got it. But honestly, I joked “Come on Dave, I could be listening to Chat Pile” as we listened to this. And I meant it. I could have been. Chat Pile rules. 2.5. We’ll try again with the next record, Dave love.
This is probably the best Bowie album I'm going to hear. This made me realize that I just don't emotionally connect with Bowie as an artist. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
Me ha sorprendido!!
Try as I might, I’ve never really been able to get into Bowie. I like a handful of his songs but most of it just doesn’t appeal to me. Not to say this album is bad, Changes is great (though I think the cover for Shrek 2 that he appears on is better). Solid album but not for me
No, there is no life on Mars
Friday albums always have a fleeting effect on me, and this one wasn’t mind blowing enough to properly remember but I know it was half decent for Bowie
you don't realize how many legendary songs there are on this album
Very well made. The people involved are very talented. David Bowie can SING! But ultimately, just not really my style, I wasn't really able to get into many of the songs. My favorite song was "Changes"
kinda mid tbh
Musically, I really don't like Bowie's voice, I think. Stylistically, his voice is really great, though. It's unique and stands out. But I don't think I would intentionally go out seeking David Bowie's music strictly because of his voice. So, I don't love it. But it definitely has its place in history (and on this list). I don't think that I have much else to say about it, though. It is what it is: a solid rock album with a front man that's larger than life but doesn't really have a ton of vocal talent. Favorite Song(s): Changes, Life on Mars?
Not my favorite Bowie album but not bad - not as esoteric as some, not as full of bops as others. Great lyrics, but sound-wise a little one dimensional.
3.41
I wish i was cool and liked art pop / art rock more. I enjoyed Quicksand and Fill Your Heart the most. 3.5/5
I am 300 albums into this list and this was my 7th David Bowie album. Maybe this is an unpopular opinion but I don't need to hear his entire discography before I die.
It's not a masterpiece, but it's alright; better than most of Bowie's earlier input. By masterpiece, I mean "DSotM" levels of greatness. "Hunky Dory" has "Life On Mars" and other classics on the A-side. The B-side is disappointing in comparison. By the way, I preferred "ZSatSFM". 3 stars for "Hunky Dory".
— Hunky Dory 1. Changes — classic 9.5/10 2. Oh! You Pretty Things — one of my bowie favorites since childhood! 10/10 3. Eight Line Poem — nothing special, slow for my preference 3/10 4. Life On Mars? — also another childhood memory. (never heard the talking at the very end, interesting to notice) 9/10 5. Kooks — alright, sounds kind of theatre-ish. would probably grow on me with more listens. nice melodies 6.5/10 6. Quicksand — guitar sounds really great at some moments, a little slow but enjoyable. felt like it went on a while. 6/10 7. Fill Your Heart — first time hearing, good! nice pickup after Quicksand. snappy and nice sax. (cool cool transition into next song) 8/10 8. Andy Warhol — talking at beginning good touch, got me nodding my head from the first notes. surprised I’ve never heard this one before, or maybe just don’t remember. really glad to find this one. (kinda hurts in earbuds with the volume high) 9/10 9. Song For Bob Dylan — nothing special, lyrics aren’t too interesting to me though it paints an effective picture. 4/10 10. Queen Bitch — catchy and nice guitars, just doesn’t totally catch my attention for some reason, prefer Lady Stardust for nostalgia, 7/10 11. The Bewlay Brothers — interesting for sure, especially lyrics, and good closing. liking the echo effects and choral ending, eerie and captures Bowie well 7/10 album cover thoughts — I feel like this cover has about 20 different variations depending on color shades and vibrancy levels. obviously iconic but it’s not my favorite Bowie cover to look at, compared to Ziggy Stardust or others. captures his spirit well, though. overall — has some amazing classics that will stick with me for my whole life, including some new discoveries! just not my favorite Bowie material though, especially with the slower ones scattered throughout. probably just needs a few more listen throughs to really get into some of the ones above 6/10 ratings. prefer Bowie concept albums rather than scattered culture references.
Listenable; a couple of particularly good tracks but nothing special as an album for me.
Very cool, super interesting chords and piano parts, unfortunately i just don’t like david bowie’s voice that much
Want my taste but still pleasant to listen too
I already knew the song Changes but not because it's by David Bowie, but because I heard it from the film Shrek. I'm embarassed to say this but as a late 90's kid and in my defense when i watched kids movies I wouldn't search the songs I enjoyed. However I enjoyed the whole album and I liked the different sounds.
not my favorite Bowie, I find it a little one note and I'm not that into Changes
This was an easy listen, but not my favorite Bowie
The first song sounds so different to the last song or maybe it's just me
Bowie
pretty good, I liked changes, kooks, and life on mars.
Eh, not really my style
Some tracks were catchy, but didn't have strong feelings about the album as a whole.
Side one carries a few big songs and then there's the rest. "Queen Bitch" is pretty cool with Mick's guitar riff. I don't really care for Bowie's delivery here. These are non-Taavicore melodies, not easy to follow and Bowie just goes here and there. Oh, there he is. Side two is only for the stronger fellas. Highlight: "Life on Mars?".
An eclectic mix of quirky songs. The album has a generally uplifting feel. I wasn’t bored or waiting for the album to finish. The album doesn’t immediately excite me but it does feel very original and fresh so I will probably listen to it again. I like the lyrics, so I might try to memorise them.
3.5
This isn't an album I've sat down and listened to from start to end before. I've definitely heard songs from it, but it was great to hear them all in context. Not my favourite Bowie album, for sure
Definitely not my favourite Bowie album, but it's cool reading from the Wikipedia article that this album is when "Bowie starts to become Bowie", so it's interesting to hear that transition album. There are definitely sections and songs on this album that are very good and it's good to hear that he was able to carry that forward to future albums. 3/5
I think this is the Bowie I think of when thoughts of Bowie are invoked. Which isn't often, but I *understand* this Bowie. Anything Bowie post 1979 just confuses me.
Some hits
It's David Bowie - you either like him or you don't. Some great hit songs, and some aren't.
Shrek! That is about all that excited me though. Not a fan of his style of music. But I have definitely heard a lot worse than this. 3/5
This was my favorite of the Bowie albums so far but that could be because I listened to Metallica before this.
It was fine, not one of my Bowie favorites.
David Bowie really isn’t as good as people make out he is. Changes is good, and Life On Mars is great, but Kooks and Andy Warhol are just a bit shit, and the rest is forgettable. It’s three stars not two, but it’s only just three.
I’ve learned I’m not a huge David Bowie fan but there are some classics on here. Can appreciate the artistry
The first half of the album, the annoying piano is so intense that nothing else can really breathe in the mix. Second half was brilliant. 3 seems fair.
Not too bad, gained some appreciation for Bowie with this one. But wasn't blown away.
Fave songs - Oh! You Pretty Things Life on Mars? The Bewlay Brothers
Pretty good album. Couldn't get Adam Sandler out of my head!
A few good songs, okay album. 3/5
Liked it. Favourite track is Life On Mars 3/5
Very good but not his best
Kinda like most Bowie albums. Some killer songs and a lot that’s forgettable.
Hunky Dory is the first glimpse at what was to come in the Ziggy Stardust era. Solid Bowie. Not quite a 4. 3.95
It was good
Uf so sache hani mich au gfreut, mal so zwunge werde chli was vom dave zlose hans den am sunntig abed ufem heiweg im zug gloset und mues leider sege dases mich nöd so us de socke ghaue hett hend ja au am samstig abed no chli drüber gredet gha was das album für eh narrative hett aber han halt widermal usegfunde dasi eifach bim musiglose nöd so uf de text lose defür hetts life on mars druffe gha, plus pünkt für de leider doch numes Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois vo mir scusa dave, maybe next time
Habe mir irgendwie mehr erhofft, weil David Bowie ja sooooo bekannt ist. The Bewlay Brothers ist ganz nett und das ganze Album hat irgendwie eine entspannte Atmosphäre, man erkennt David Bowie direkt wieder. Aber bei jedem Lied hatte ich das Gefühl irgendetwas fehlt
Didn’t like majority of album. Changes, Kooks and Bob Dylan only things I liked The rest were too abstract
Considered the best Bowie album, my personal favorites remain “Heroes” and “Ziggy Stardust”. A bit too McCartneyesque for me, the songs “Changes” and “Life on Mars” got the nod for my Bowie playlist.
Strummy and sexy
Hunky dory means something is fine or ok. It does not mean essential. It does not mean classic. Something that you must experience before you die would not be considered hunky dory. “Hunky Dory” is hunky dory. “Queen Bitch” is great, “Life on Mars” and “Bewlay Brothers” and others are hunky dory I suppose, and “Quicksand” is not fine at all. The 1001 should not be about things that are just hunky dory, and there is too much Bowie here.
This was a 3+ album. Better than OK but not great. The bigger takeaway for me is that I consider Bowie to be the Lady Gaga of his time. That might sound harsh, but I conclude that he’s more sizzle than steak. Blasphemy, I’m well aware. I’ve heard consistently that Bowie is a genious…blah, blah, blah. I don’t hear it. There is some pretty good songs, but a lot more mediocre stuff than peak listening pleasure. I feel similarly about Lady Gaga although Bowie is more consistent than her. Gaga’s hits are fantastic pop music, but the rest is filler. Very disappointing. Her voice is fantastic though. What Bowie and Gaga share is a flair for the dramatic whether it be a spaceman persona or a meat dress. This gets attention, but the hype is definitely >> the product.
-ok so i think i like this one more than Heroes but definitely less than Low. Wasn’t exactly sure what to expect after the other two but it seems to offer a slightly more traditionally ‘70s’ classic rock vibe. I liked some songs a bit more than others but overall enjoyed it. Queen Bitch is so good. 3.5 stars -Favorites are Changes, Life On Mars?, and Queen Bitch
Some classics here. Not a full album's worth.
Not my favorite Bowie album but interesting nonetheless
Ok
I can hear music in this - melody, texture, rhythm - but it doesn’t feel like music that lives in me. I’d be in the room for a few songs, recognize that it effects others and move on.
I dig it, good stuff.
I am a certified David Bowie hater. I was prepared and expecting to give this a low rating. But I have to admit that this album wasn't bad To start with, I didn't realise Changes was his song - and I really like that song! Most of the songs were alright, it's his voice that I can't stand. Never really been a fan of Life on Mars? but I did enjoy Queen Bitch I was glad about the lack of offensive spaceship noises in this one (apart from the start of Andy Warhol which was highly offensive to my ears) Slight offensive noises and bad screeching aside, I am going to say this album was alright on the whole. I probably would have rated higher with a different singer 3 ⭐️
Spirited, and very emotion expressive, has solid ideas and a good sound design background dating back to the rock of old, reminds me of the style of beetles or other bands in the classic rock genre. Though there was a fair amount more singing than I would expect which makes me think it was branching into pop. Old and classic, lots of people love David Bowie so, here is another yesteryear album.
Listened
Hit songs were good, but as an album it was a bit of a slog to get through.
7.2 leaves a lot to be desires on a musical level but some amazing tracks lay here
***An ok album
A couple of classics here. Also shades of good music to come.
Not my favorite Bowie era but still good
3eme album écouté après 'Low' et 'Aladdin Sane'. Celui-ci est donc plus ancien, et je le trouve un peu moins original qu'Aladdin Sane. Je connaissais : Life on Mars? (++) J'ai apprécié aussi : Andy Warhol (très original) Song for Bob Dylan (guitare +basse) Queen Bitch (plus punchy) Les autres morceaux sont un peu plus faibles. =>3/5
Not my #1 Bowie album - but still a great album.
Bowie's music for me is like a huge, placid lake of 'meh with a few brilliant peaks in it. None of them are on this album.
Man in wish I liked bowie more
Not my favorite Bowie album. Not that much of a fan of Bowie's piano ballads and a lot of the acoustic songs here. Changes and Life on Mars are also far from my favorite hit singles of his. The album does end pretty good with Andy Warhol, Queen Bitch and the Bewley Brothers though. Overall not too impressed. Ziggy is a better rocker and more commercially successful, The Man Who Sold the World was a stronger album as well, and anything he did after is way more impressive to me.
Must confess that this is the first David Bowie album I’ve listened to. Aside from the two really well known tracks there were a couple of mediocre fillers and a couple of really decent songs (Andy Warhole, Queen Bitch) which certainly sound like a blue print for the music that was to come in the 70s. Need to listen to more of his albums to understand where this sits in his catalog.
Never listened to this as a full album before. A handful of absolute classics, but drops off in the middle, not feeling Quicksand / Feel your heart
Enjoyed this one. Not totally my bag, as I've never been a huge fan of his vocal tone and melodies, but there are some great lyrics and solid songwriting. Enjoyed how this album is more pianocentric too.
Kooks, mars, changes. Rest is kinda blah. Listened 4 times
Det finns de som tycker Changes är världens bästa låt. Kanske, kanske inte. Jävligt bra är den iallafall. Tycker nog att Life On Mars? är strået vassare. Alla låtar var inte i samma klass men klart värt att lyssna på.
Hade velat gillar Bowie mer. Men inte tillräcklig många bra låtar för att bli knockad. Changes är ok. Life on mara mkt bra. Andy Warhol -låten var överraskande bra.
I liked this a a lot more than “Ziggy Stardust….” Just had a lot better songs. First 5 tracks alone is banger after banger. Right now it’s a light 3.5/5. Could move up more on multiple listens
Can see why it’s on this list, but not my taste, personally.
Enjoyable
I wouldn't say this album is hunky dory but it might just be dory.
Old, I guess.
Another Bowie album, starting to get a handful by now. Not too shabby, but definitely not his best either. 'Changes' and 'Life on Mars?' were a few levels above the rest for me. All in all decent, but as I'm not a major Bowie fan to begin with it didn't really lift any eyebrows. Strong 3.
Okayish.
Dit album heeft nog veel te veel jaren '60 klanken en spelerij. Tegelijk zijn sommige muzikale grapjes daadwerkelijk wel leuk en goed uitgevoerd. Ik ben geen fan van de artiesten die een knipoog van Bowie krijgen. Maar hij doet dat wel weer bijzonder goed. Het is niet een eigen klank, maar het zijn toont wel de veelzijdigheid van de man.
Bowie is zo'n artiest waarbij je het gehele oeuvre zou kunnen luisteren en de albums met elkaar zou kunnen vergelijken. Nu heb ik bij Taylor Swift al zo'n project gedaan, dat was ik niet van plan bij Bowie. Al heb ik bijna alle albums wel een keer geluisterd. Dit album zou ik nu niet 1-2-3 gekozen hebben als ik de beste albums van Bowie uit zou moeten kiezen, maar aan de andere kant heeft de beste man zoveel albums gemaakt, zoveel alter-ego's gehad en zoveel iconische nummers uitgebracht (verspreid over al die albums), dat het ook niet makkelijk maakt om een selectie door te voeren. Dit album markeert blijkbaar een overgang en dat maakt het op zichzelf wel interessant. Maar afgezien van een paar aardige nummers, mis ik toch een beetje de context van die zogenaamde overgang van rock-georienteerd naar Ziggy en Aladdin Sane. Misschien omdat het begint met vrij veel "Beatlesque" nummers naar wat meer verhalende en theatrale nummers. Ik vind het ook nog steeds wel heel duidelijk Bowie, maar dat komt misschien ook wel door zijn specifieke zang. Ipv overgang, zou je ook kunnen zeggen dat het overal een beetje tussen in valt als album. Ik vind het overigens wel weer grappig dat hij een Velvet Underground nummer heeft gemaakt, dat dan weer veel beter is dan wat Lou Reed en zijn drugsmaten zelf maakten. Maar dat maakt nog niet dat ik dit album een 4 zou geven, het blijft een redelijke 3. Bowie kan ik altijd wel goed aanhoren, dat scheelt.
Ja ja, m'n achtste Bowie en als ik het goed heb komt er hierna nog één (Low). Het album begint met een nummer dat ik ken en dat vind ik wel lekker. Dit album is sowieso best oké. Ik weet niet of het vloeken in de kerk is, maar ik vind het een beetje klinken als een Beatles album. Met vanzelfsprekend wel een stukje theater erbij (met Life on Mars? als hoogtepunt van de musical). Verder begrijp ik nog steeds de obsessie van de makers van deze lijst met Bowie niet. Maargoed. Een 3 levert dit wel op, ik kan het goed hebben. Misschien ben ik een veranderd mens inmiddels.
A few brilliant moments among mediocrity.
Inoffensive but not interesting
I'm too sick atm to give a good review so. It was a'ight. 3/5
more bangers on this than I expected
3.5
This was a good album... Just not the energy I had been expecting. I recognize that there are some hits on this album, but I was ready for Space Oddity levels of intensity and this is just a kinder, gentler Bowie. I can appreciate it, but I'm glad that so much more substance was coming down the pike for David.
Früher Bowie, rockig 3/5
Wow, I had no idea 'Changes' was Bowie. There are several good songs but there's not a ton that grips me. It certainly has a distinct Bowie sound, however.
Yet another fine album by David Bowie (but not entirely distinctive, to me). I feel like there's a few artists and bands--and David Bowie is one of them--that really strain the guidelines of this project, as it often feels like we get more albums by some artists than feels fair, largely because we won't ever get a greatest hits album even when it could open us up to more albums by other artists. Greatest hits, of course, aren't really in the spirit of this project, but I feel like we could have enjoyed "Changes", "Oh! You pretty things", "Life on Mars", and "Quicksand" from this album, and called it a day (OK, maybe "Andy Warhol" too). Nothing wrong with the rest of them, but this isn't really a concept album, and it feels like David Bowie's still settling into finding his (ever-adapting) voice on the rest of the songs. (And yes, I recognize that I'm likely way off with this impression, given how highly ranked the album is by so many people and publications.)
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
I'm not a David Bowie Guy. Thais álbum os good but has nothing Very good except for Andy Warhol.
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.
Like it some.
A good album.
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
It's OK.
Solid album
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.
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.)
I liked some songs and others were boring to me.
Pop, 1971 -> 3
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.
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.
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
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.
3.27
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.
3+
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)
7/10
3.5
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,
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?
"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.
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.
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.
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
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!
Cool album.
I think I need to listen to it again because it was just ok. Maybe it'll improve on a second go round.
I enjoy some Bowie, but I find he’s never really on my “revisit” list. Except for The Labyrinth of course.
Solid...hard to believe this came out in 1971.
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.
A couple great songs, a good album, but not my favorite by Bowie.
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.
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.
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.
Honestly this one is just okay. I didn't feel any connection to his vocals or the songs unfortunately.
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
Some great songs, but also some rather offbeat stuff as well. Certainly not my favorite David Bowie album.
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.
Heard of David Bowie before this and a lot of praise showered in him. Unfortunately even though I really liked the record, it just didn't click with me. I though his voice was really bland and mind you I'm not hating in any way. A few favorites include "Kooks" , "Fill your Heart" and the wonderful closer "The Bewlay Brothers" .
not the best bowie album but it’s up there
It sort of went downhill after the first song, Changes. This album was just sort of ho hum. The previous Bowie album was much better.
Eh. I'm still not a Bowie fan, this album hasn't changed that. I just don't really like his voice and his stuff is so pop it's just not really my style. His eyes look cool though.
As well written as the whole album is, I prefer Bowie when he gets a little weirder, like his Ziggy persona or the run of albums from 'Station to Station' onwards where he experiments more. The classics on here are classics, but the rest don't leave a huge impression on me.
That was one of the better David Bowie albums I've listened to. It also showed me that I never knew who actually sang the song "Changes" until I heard it on this album.
A fascinating lad
I enjoyed this but nothing really stood out to me, apart from Changes, so I really can't give this anything more than a 3.
This is a good album, but it's a bit one-sided, considering a bunch of the bigger Bowie songs are on Side 1.
The use of piano is nice and catchy. But that’s about it.
And it's still an overwhelming "OK I guess" for Bowie from me. I don't get it - why don't I get it?
A familiar album that didn't disappoint.
Best song: changes Vibes: positive, poppy, haunted, vaguely folk-y, rock Themes: growing/change/time
"Hunky Dory" by David Bowie: A three-star musical wardrobe change where Bowie can't decide if he's more Mod or Mozart. With hits like "Changes" hitting the mark, the album zigzags through genres like Bowie's shopping through personas. It’s as if he’s throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks—glam rock glitter or folky flannel? Sure, we get the genius of "Life on Mars?" but also a sense that Bowie's still rummaging in his artistic closet. A captivating preview of the chameleon to come, yet it leaves us wondering if the whole ensemble matches. Cheekily, "Hunky Dory" is the sound of Bowie checking out his reflection, pondering, "Is this my look?"
good
David Bowie has never really been my thing. I've always kind of considered him more style and flash over substance and this album didn't change that opinion. When trying to decide what to rate it I asked myself if I would have wanted to listen to this music if it weren't David Bowie and I was leaning toward a no. His reputation and cred in the music world pushed this one to three stars but just barely. It was interesting enough to listen to the whole thing without fast forwards but I don't think I would listen to this again.
Some good songs but didn't really connect
Some strangeness and complexity to this album, as Bowie was known for. Unfortunately not a whole lot I plan on coming back to.
Had it on as background music while shopping its fine.
This was a fun record! I would say maybe I still don't fully get David Bowie 100% but I think I enjoyed this more than I expected and more than the 'later' stuff from him.
So many classics on this album. I'm just not that into rock these days, even Bowie's far-out corner of it.
Sometimes sounds a bit like Elton John; weird lyrics
A weird vibe.
Bowie thing
7/10
Well, there is Life on Mars? and Changes, and then there is all the rest. The former two are excellent, the latter are just OK tracks. 3/5
Saw a few recognizable classics and cool vibe overall
I try and try but I just can't ever get myself to love Bowie. I like him, I respect the hell out of his talent, and admittedly he has put out some all time banger songs, but I just cannot love him as a whole. It just isn't my vibe. I want to love him, but watching Labyrinth too young probably is what soured me on him forever.
I think I’m just not a Bowie girlie because the album didn’t wow me. Some iconic singles but the rest of the album was just ok for me 3/5
Life on Mars is one of the greatest songs of all time, and Changes is pretty damn good too. But there was a lot of filler in here that I didn't love listening to. 6.5/10
Some good songs, some boring. In addition to the two popular songs I liked tracks 2, 5, and 6.
6/10 - I know David Bowie is supposed to be like fantastic and revolutionary but it was just kind of ok. Better than average but not like fantastic. Changes and Life on Mars? I had heard before and Kooks was pretty good.
The lead hit is all I really know. Never been a true fan. Mid rating.
It's good, very interesting in the manner that breaks any genre conformity. It's Bowie, so I WANT to rate it more, but realistically, I won't be coming back to this much as a full album listen.
3.5 i’ve never liked this one as much as other people seem to… but boy it’s got some classics!
Less filler than I was thinking there was going to be. Not amazing, but worthy of a strong 3.
not ass
Good Bowie, but not peak Bowie. Primarily piano or acoustic-guitar led arty pop rock (turning down from the harder rock of The Man Who Sold The World), with some solid and tasteful bass lines and perhaps the start of a distinctively Bowie sound. As always for Bowie, quality vocal melodies and performances. Has a couple of all time tracks (Changes, Life on Mars?, Oh! You Pretty Things) and a handful of fine/enjoyable songs, though somewhat unmemorable. Enjoyable listen all around, but not a high impact Bowie album. I don’t see myself contemplating this album in days to come or feeling that I need to revisit often. Some of these sounds and ideas are revisited and perfected in Bowie’s subsequent album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. I’ve never quite understood the critical beliefs that this is one of Bowie’s best.
I like this :-)
Never listened to Bowie on purpose, I thought it'd be more psychedelic... Not bad at all though.
Ch ch ch changes. Life on Mars - genius Queen bitch
Decent Bowie album if that’s your thing.
Not my cup of tea. Tho i liked some songs
But some of them are just weird.
Never listened to this album before. Not what I was expecting from David Bowie. Very different than his later albums and mainstream hits.
some classics but not my vibe
Not a fav Bowie, too folksie
I wasn’t sure if I would like this album, but I did! I liked the music and lyrics, and enjoyed listening to it.
Sparkle and very Bowie.
Track 1: I knew the song instantly by the chorus. Pretty good song. Track 2: I like the piano in the intro and how it sounds throughout the song. Track 3: I like the mellowness of this song but the country guitar sound is cool. Track 4: I liked the strings in this for a build up. I also like the tone of the song a lot it’s really cool for the build up to go into something crazy where the instruments have a bunch of runs. Track 5: decent song. Track 6: I like the strings and the piano in this. I also like the pocket feel in the middle of the song into a distorted sound. Track 7: I really like the sax and just the overall band feel. Track 8: I liked the guitar in this and the lyrics. Track 9: mellow guitar solo and he kinda has a bob Dylan esquié vocals. Track 10: it’s an okay song kinda seemed basic. Track 11: I like the guitar in this and the random noises in the back in the middle of the song. Overall: 7.0/10. I think this is a good album but there’s some things that I don’t like. However there are a few nice parts of the album too!
The album is a teatrical piece with many instruments assembled in a sutil style.
Favorites: Changes, Life on Mars, Queen Bitch, The Bewlay Brothers, Bombers. Very Creative and interesting album lyrics - wise. His brand and style are unique.
Reasonable bowie. Quicksand all time banger
I like some of Bowie’s music but mostly I like the idea and persona more than the music.
A lot of his classics, a lot of other songs too.
Classic David Bowie...what is not to like??
Decent
This is fun, Bowie is an icon. Not my usual style but I solid listen. I knew a few of the popular song.
This is good but it’s not my favourite David Bowie. The track Andy Warhol made me laugh. The themes of these songs are still relevant today for new generations. Listens: 2 Fave Track: Life On Mars Rating: 3 (almost 4 but a 1-5 rating system is a blunt instrument)
3/5 weak album that might have been interesting at some point but I am not going to add points for nostalgia. “Enlightened” drug addict music.
5/10. Life on Mars? and The Bewlay Brothers are the best on the album.
Still great, but nowhere close to Ziggy Stardust in my opinion.
ch ch ch ch chaaangesss
Ehkä Bowien salaisuus ei ole niinkään hänen musiikkinsa ylivertaisuudessa, vaan siinä, että hän vaikuttaa kykenevän muodostamaan kysymyksiä - ja, kuulija voi toivoa, joskus jopa vastauksia - sekä musiikillisia että temaattisia. Se, että hänen temaattiset kysymyksensä ja vastauksensa kiertävät akselilla: "erilaisuus on kivaa, maailmanloppu tulee", ei haittaa kuulijakuntaa, eikä sen välttämättä pidäkään. Musiikilliset kysymykset taas johtavat herkästi ärsyttävyyteen, jonka tässä ylittää täysin vain Changes, ja johon kaatuu Oh! You Pretty Things. Harvan levyn ärsyttävyydet ovat kuitenkaan niin hyviä kuin tällä LP:llä - tai toisin sanoen Bowie kirjoittaa koukkuja. B-puoli saisi silti olla selkeästi kiinnostavampi.
Some decent tunes but none sticking in my head or making me want to get them added to a playlist.
Bit boring
3.5
geht so aber nicht ganz meine musik
Changes Life on Mars
#77. I guess I only know the hits when it comes to David Bowie, and I've never listened to one of his album all the way through before, but I think I expected more. 3/5: it was alright.
There's a few good songs on here. Changes is the perfect soundtrack to sexy Shrek and Donkey, whilst Life on Mars? is decent. A few others I hadn't heard before were alright. But not really a fan overall, so I can't go above 3 stars for this.
I don't get emotional with Bowie and without emotions all that is left for me are a few good and well known songs in a mass of ok background music.
Changes och Life on Mars är ju vassa men i övrigt finns mer att önska.
Changes - Shrek 2!!! 5/5 Oh! Pretty Things - just a rock song (4/5 i enjoyed it) Eight Line Poem - eh it’s like a sample (2/5 not bad) Life on Mars? - American Horror Story!!! 5/5 Kooks - just me and the freaks (3/5 eh) Quicksand - very dream psychedelic and less psych rock (3/5 chill though) Fill Your Heart - very show tunes (2/5 not for me) Andy Warhol - interesting (4/5 did not start strong) Song for Bob Dylan - i mean he mimicked the sound on his own style pretty well. (3/5 talent but i don’t like this) Queen Bitch - i did not feel this (2/5) The Bewlay Brothers - he was so turned on (3/5) interesting album but most of the songs were not for me. not as trippy as i wanted. so i have to give a 3/5
classic
More Bowie? At least this one was decent
Oh! you pretty things
I don’t hate this but also I don’t want to listen to it..
It was scattered but I enjoyed it.
A very artsy record. May not be totally my time. Bowie's earthy voice has tremendous charisma and the drumbeats are fantastic. I did like a few songs like Changes.
For me, I think this record will require further listens; it's not all instantly catchy, which is likely a very good thing. Unquestionable genius of course though. Favourite tracks: Changes, Life on Mars?, Andy Warhol (FUN FACT: Metallica pay homage to the riff in Master of Puppets (at 6:19) - I thought it sounded familiar!), Queen Bitch.
Started off very strong but then fell off on the last half
This ain't hunky dory, this ain't funky fresh, this ain't the bee's knees, this ain't jim-dandy, this ain't the cat's meow, this ain't something else. It's just pretty good. Probably his most overrated record in my opinion. Used to be one of my favorites, but grew off quite a bit. None of the songs after "Life on Mars?" hit quite as hard as those first 4 songs.
I've never listened to David Bowie before. It's good but I don't really get the hype, sorry.
An ok album with a couple of objectively great pop songs. But it just doesn’t move me. I am not immune to Bowies charm but a lot of his music leaves me cold.
Changes is good the rest of it is just so so
perus bowie hönöttelyä. aina mukaavaa kuunneltavaa. ei voi kuitenkaan liikoja kehuskella. paskahan se on laulamaan, eikä edes hasssulka tavalla, hyvähyvä... song for bob dylani hehheh kooks
A hard one - the 'known'/popular tracks are great.... but the lesser known tracks are just weird.
I had never listened to a David Bowie album before now and I found this one pretty alright. I found Eight Line Poem in particular to be a standout and I had heard Changes and Life On Mars? before so it's nice to see the album that they sprang from. Overall I'd describe this album as "middle of the road", nothing spectacular but not bad at the same time.
My main knowledge of Bowie begins and ends with the movie Labyrinth. A year or two ago I had tried to listen to the Ziggy Stardust stuff, but couldn’t really get into it. This album has some catchy songs with some questionably odd lyrics (looking at you, Life on Mars?). To my modern preferences, this has a dated sound to it and I have a hard time making the connection between this and the pop-icon I’ve been told Bowie used to be. Best tracks on the album are the first three and the last three.
I liked this Bowie album better than the others.
I was honestly slightly disappointed in this album and I say that as a Bowie enjoyer. I think this is one of his weaker works (granted he pumped out a lot of albums), but it’s still enjoyable.
Decent Album, some classic tracks.
3/5. A very unique pop album from someone who is lauded as the best art rock/pop artist. It contains some of his most personal songs but also some fun ditties that have not aged well. Among the rest of the songs, the off ones are good but by themselves, are not great. I don't think this is a bad album but it's not amazing.
This was honestly not my jam. The music itself was a light piano based pop sound. Which I’m not opposed to but it didn’t really resonate with me. Also the lyrics were kinda all over the place. Sometimes I liked them, other times, didn’t care for them. I mean the cultural value is interesting, being described as the beginning of Bowie becoming Bowie but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Can’t believe the guy from the labyrinth had a musical career! Not my style of music but still enjoyed listening to this album, especially the later tracks.
Pretty good.
4 great classics on there but the rest is just twee grandma filler to listen and I whilst knitting
Great songs, especially the first half, but not his best
Честно казано е приятен, но не бих го слушала пак, освен Life on Mars, която е страхотна, другите ми се сливат.
3 First time listening to a Bowie Album. 'Life on Mars' an epic song. 'Eight Line Poem' a nice surprise as never heard it before. Some songs samey but life on Mars lifts it to a higher level
Not heard this whole album before, good sound, David Bowie is not a good vocalist.
I liked the songs that I recognised. Ya' know his hits an shits. But ultimately I wasn't drawn to much else. Bowie is good but was he great. TBC
Mir persönlich ein bisschen zu pompös an manchen Stellen. Ich höre manche Beatles Anleihen, die können jedoch auch nur eingebildet sein. Bowie hat auf jeden Fall eine interessante Stimme.
- Changes - A - Life On Mars - A+ - Everything up to Andy Warhol - great - Andy Warhol - a nightmare - Everything after that was okay, - Would have bought if not for Andy Warhol, and would absolutely listen to the first 7 songs again
I liked it, on average.
OK. I prefer higher-tempo Bowie.
A couple of classics on here and some riffs and lyrics that influenced some huge songs (Master of puppets, Mr. Brightside), but most of the album is not that appealing to me in any way.
High highs. A number of tracks don't seem to resonate.
Maybe there's something wrong with me but I find his music super goofy and I can't get into it at all.
not a huge bowie fan sadly. was ok to listen to
Bowie is definitely coming to form on this record. It wasn't a hit when it came out, but it really showcases Bowie beginning to find a signature sound. Because of this, though, it is a bit inconsistent as opposed to some of his later albums.
Enjoyable but didn't have any of the big hits. Bowie occupies the sound of the times well here for '71
First four songs are amazing. Quality really takes a dip after that.
Eh. Could take it or leave it
David Bowie’s formula. One big hit to start the album, a few mediocre songs to round out the first side, and some weird shit on side B. Don’t have it, but don’t love it
This was a little bit on the dull side, which was surprising to me given Bowie’s reputation, but the big hits are as awesome as expected.
3.5 Good but doesnt wow me
Listened Before? N Back-to-back Bowie! Kinda cool. This one was not as good as Ziggy. I think he was doing some solid work here but hadn't quite refined the sound yet. I really liked it, don't get me wrong but it just wasn't as polished as his later stuff. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Life on Mars?
There are some fantastic songs on this album, but it peters out a bit towards the end and suffers from a bit too much self-awareness and late '60s/early 70s experimentation (at the expense of actually good music). Think it's a three star album.
Classic rock, I guess? Some oddball elements, like radio voices
Couple decent songs but Bowie has never done it for me
Day 3: Some excellent tracks - really liked changes, life on mars, queen bitch, and bewlay brothers. Elements of others were also quite nice and musically impressive, but a lot of it was almost too dramatic/stylised to the point it ended up being quite annoying. It's unlikely I'd listen to it in its entirety again, but individual tracks worth a revisit
About half of this album was great. The other half felt like they were studio demos that really weren't fully realized.
This album is more consistent than Heroes. While it includes the classics ‘Changes’ and ‘Life on Mars’, they don’t overshadow the rest of the album. I enjoyed his song about Bob Dylan.
Not my favourite Bowie album by any means, but it does have some of his best songs in the singles. It does drag a bit in places, particularly towards the end. I was actually looking forward to the end, which leads me to think of this as a 3 star instead of a 4.
Desta vez não senti tanto constrangimento por não conhecer nenhuma música. Pareceu-me mais pop do que os outros que já apareceram na lista do livro, e menos interessante.
A decent album. I’ve come to the conclusion that I like but don’t love Bowie as an artist. I like some of his music on this album, such as Changes, Song for Bob Dylan, and Andy Warhol. Solid 3 for me.
This was fine. Starting to think Bowie's more hit and miss for me than outright iconic.
I was born missing the gene responsible for appreciating David Bowie. That said, this challenge has made me listen to four of his albums so far (only four more to go, sigh). I didn't mind this. I like a handful of his songs and one of them is on this album ("Queen Bitch"). I prefer him here with the acoustic sounds, although methinks I could hear The Beatles' influence in here, which is probably why I didn't mind this.
Started really well, first 2 songs are great, but after that it gets worse. I still don't really understand this insane Bowie hype after having listened to 2 of his albums
3.5
Really liked the instrumentation (piano, orchestra vibes) Very calm album Kind of a coming-of-age album Bowie's voice is irritating though, especially when he tries to do his sing-talk voice ew Might put this on in future but probably won't come back to it 3