Reviews (page 8 of 14)
Almost slipped to a 3 but enough hits to clear the bar
Used to listen to this a lot when I was younger so very nostalgic. Some absolute top tier songs on it (changes, oh you pretty things, life on mars) but lacks consistency sometimes, especially when compared to ziggy stardust.
Fantastic
It’s 3 ½ stars really. Bowie’s not a strong enough lyricist to pull off the strummy singer-songwriter tunes. They make for a pretty weak midsection and boring finale. But the opening salvo is three indelible eternal hits, and the biographical tunes in the last third are quite good too. Bowie has a lot better coming, this period in his career seems like a long slow gestation period, and this is near the end of it.
Nice album by Bowie
What a strange man! There are some absolute bangers in here, it's nearly criminal to start an album with a song as good as changes
couple bangers here
classic
Pretty good. 7/10
Would be higher without the Andy Worhol shit. Amazing, amazing music Best Song: Changes Rating: 8/10 (Excellent) Stars: 4/5
Bowie was a weird guy. Leaning into the strange and theatrical, like he's not part of this world, he's just trying his best to understand it. Life On Mars? is the standout track for me, unsurprisingly. Such a great song. Never gets old. Changes is maybe a tad overrated, also doesn't help that I've heard it a thousand times. Oh You Pretty Things & Queen Bitch are pretty great also. To me, this album marks the point where Bowie showed a clear path to stardom.
Great tunes
Excellent front half, more like "Very good" back half. Though all the experimental songs there do eventually get goin'. Can hear echoes of later Bowie in the catchiness of the musings.
Un gros classique qui me délivre de ma torpeur de l'avant veille, comme quoi les dieux du générateur peuvent faire preuve de clémence. - Clément, je te reçois 5/5. Il semblerait y avoir un délai de huit jours entre le Québec et l'Europe, curieux... T'es un prof, alors! Ça explique les dissertations académiques à chaque albums, disons. Je suis aller lire ta critique de Viagr Aboys sur Mowno, Pour ma part, je ne suis qu'un petit bambin de 24 ans habitant dans la grande région de Montréal, gagnant sa croûte comme designer graphique et jouant de la basse pour déranger mes voisins. Dis-moi, est-ce qu'il y a un code secret pour apprécier Radiohead? Le générateur m'a fait passer tout leurs gros albums, et à part The Bends et Ok Computer, je vois pas la hype. Aussi, j'ai un problème personnel avec les Sonic Youth, qui ont intimidés mon journaliste musical préféré en '91 (https://youtu.be/pkQi-Gpatac?si=r_BF8DIAL27NA73v&t=344). Par contre, Pixies et Black Emperor, 👌. Bref, je me demandais, combien de temps par critiques tu te réserves à chaques jours? Aussi, quel est ton processus d'écoute des albums? Ok, à la prochaine!
Liked it.
Early Bowie isn’t my favorite - more of a Ziggy Stardust fan. But on Hunk Dory you can see his brilliance as a lyricist and songwriter. Changes is an all time classic. Also, on a more piano-driven album you can’t do any better than Rick Wakeman. 4⭐️
Jag trodde jag skulle sätta en trea på denna som med Heroes men sen satte jag på albumet och sjöng med till alla låtarna och var distraherad så... Det betyder nog att alla David Bowie album jag gillar BÄTTRE än detta får en femma automatiskt.
The man was a genius. The first few songs on this one are 5 star quality but then it gets a bit less interesting. I’m no fan of Bob Dylan so the tune in his style is a bit off a bummer for me. Queen Bitch sounds exactly like “ Take a Walk on the Wild Side” by the Velvet Underground. Turns out Bowie was first. Overall it’s still miles ahead of most.
So many iconic tunes on this album! And they’re all so different. Even some of the songs I’m less familiar with are amazing, like “quicksand”. That said, there are a few misses for me (songs that don’t reach the 5 star mark), like “Andy Warhol” and “Song for Bob Dylan”. I also hear some British prog reach creeping in, which I’m growing fatigue for at this stage in the project. Also, not worth nothing, but I sometimes have no idea what Brits are singing about.
Legendary Bowie album, much better than the first one I listened to on this list. 7.6/10
Very good classic Bowie
some really nice piano
A classic obviously.
Highlights: Queen Bitch, Changes, Fill Your Heart, Kooks, Life On Mars? In a nutshell: the man who stunned the world. Overall: 8/10
Przyjemne, nostalgiczne, wprowadza w dobry nastrój
8/10. Very good album, probably wouldn't have given it quite so high if it wasn't for 'Life On Mars?' that is an absolute tune. Had a nice epic feel to it as a lot of the highly proclaimed artists of that time do and worthy of a solid score.
Han är duktig, ok album. Men han är i te alltid min kopp te.
Great album! Several of the songs I've never listened to before were jams.
I was introduced to this album when i was 20. Life changing. Listening to it now, nearly 15 years later… if you can overcome how overplayed so many of these songs are… wow what an album. So fun to sing along and dance to, and very dark! Favorite song.. maybe quicksand. Queen Bitch maybe inspiration for Mr. Bright side??? I feel silly giving it anything less than five stars but I can’t reward a known sex pest with 5 :(
7/10 its a David Bowie, but not one of my favorites, so it gets four stars. 4-18-2025
Niin hyvä levy että piti pohtia viittä tähteä.
Life on Mars is one of my favorite tracks of all time. Changes is great, Song for Bob Dylan is great. But, the rest of the album is too all over the place for me to really want to put this whole thing on.
4.5
One of my favorite Bowie albums, not flawless, but some great tracks. Especially the Ken Scott tracks
Fav song - Life on Mars? Vibes - energetic, makes you move but also contemplate I like it 7/10
I own a few Bowie albums but haven't listened to his entire discography. This was the first time I'd listened to Hunky Dory in full. On first listen I liked it. On second listen I thought it was better so I think it could be a grower. Andy Warhol and Oh! You Pretty Things stood out amongst a couple of others. 7.5/10
3 felt harsh and 4 felt generous but by virtue of having at least 3 songs I would happily listen to again, i went for 4.
Great album, some absolute belters.
I've only started getting into David Bowie from doing this project. This is my fourth album from him on this list so far, and I was afraid that I had gotten one before he really started to go off the deep end and stared to make really cool music - but you can actually pinpoint the exact moment, it's around halfway through track four on this album. Started off too poppy - awesome by the end.
4/1001 I consider myself a fan of Bowie, and have heard most of these songs but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to this album as a whole before. It has strong Dylan and Beatles influence with a young Bowie stop finding his uniqueness. As I listened the Dylan influenced seemed to get stronger with each passing song and then a song dedicated to Bob Dylan shows up. All-in-all, this album is a standout from a year (‘71) that may have been the best year in music history (in the western world).
The stop and talk isn't my vibe. The Bewlay Brothers is my favorite on it.
Okay so this one doesn't have a ton of songs that I remember when I'm not actively listening to it but I enjoy it a lot when it's playing, you know? So I'm giving it a 4 but it's really a 3.5 maybe? I'll round up for this one.
Great album. Life on Mars, Changes, and Oh You Pretty Things are superb 1001 album worthy: yes - 63/117
nomol en bowie sind alli vo ihm do druf hey? changes super schön mega crazy chords irgendwie. aber au catchy. oh you pretty things au seeehr cool. tönt huuere guet ufgnoh. sehr crisp. eight line poem meega schön giti meeega schön. life in mars au uuuuhuere schöne song. passt alles zeme. er git aaaalles id vocals ine. slapback ufd drums isch au hard haha. BEATLES SCHLUSS. und denn no also sprach zarathustra trommle reference. geil. de rick wakeman wo nocher zu yes isch hets au seeehr druff. gad uf fill your hears seeehr cool. andy warhol mega normale afang hää? er redt immer vo silver screen irgendwie. find de song etz biitz weniger geil s piano fehlt chli. song for bob dylan irgendwie cute.
soo es legendärs cover. in letschter ziit sind d covers hammer chamges kenni glaub sogar!! banger bi oh you pretty things ischmer immerno changes nahgloffe aber isch au cool gsi! eight line poem hat nicht gelogen life on mars? isch schön, wenn au ener seicht dito für kooks, eifach no chli seichter quicksand findi recht speziell, s het chli öppis trurig/dramatischs, obwohls immerno sochli "reduziert" isch warhol funny! ah warhol kenntmer ja mega fest! anschinend hets de andy nöd so gern gha im gegesatz zu mier! poah jz auno eis für de bob dylan!! hii und daa ischsmer chli zu seicht gsi, doch s album het megaa spass gmacht und es isch megaa bowie
Voice like sand lol
Life on Mars is like the best song ever but there's a couple tracks that drag it down a bit
Well, is there life on Mars? 4/5
probably 3rd best db album
This guy makes some pretty good music, why didn’t anyone tell me? Favorite Song: Life on Mars?
Bowie starts cooking Rating: 8.0 Favorite Song: Life on Mars
9/10 One of if not my favorite Bowie album. Him being weird and being good at it. I loved this listen through. Only thing keeping it from 10 is the lack of cohesion and the dip in the back 3rd. Still love this one though. Favorite Song: Changes
7/10
Only losing a star because this is not Bowie's best album but it's certainly up there
One time when my daughters were toddlers I made them some shirts featuring their favorite music. One of them was a "David Bowie, Oh you pretty things!" shirt in a cute rainbow font. My wife posted a pic on social media and some twat insinuated that I was a band shirt bootlegger. It was that day that I decided that facebook will be downfall of western civilization. Anyway, this album is great.
David Bowie is really cool. Listening to his full discography it's pretty incredible how about every two years he could have a totally different sound that was still extremely popular. This is what I consider his first real album and I was mostly indifferent on it for a long time but listening again, it's really good.
It was really good I fuck with the vibes
There's just something fascinating on Bowie's style and also this album proves it. Almost every song sound somehow familiar throughout I haven't listened this album before. Sign of repetition or good song? This doesn't reach Bowie's highest level but such a great album.
I like this one, would listen again.
Creative songwriting that is more piano-based than guitar-based. Several tribute songs, and not really any weak tracks throughout. Standouts include catchy earworm "Changes", more modern-sounding "Life on Mars?", and "Queen Bitch".
найс, есть парочка бэнгеров.
Life On Mars? is clearly the highlight here. A classic song with a handful of other decent tracks and some I don’t care for. Overall good album.
Bowie’s best era, in my opinion.
Bowie and Van Morrison are jazz musicians at heart; while Van is standards, Bowie is free form; and, while I didn’t know where Bowie was going with many of these songs, the album grew on me. A lot of tributes here, a lot of silliness and sarcasm (I think), and two great songs in “Changes” and “Life on Mars.”
Yeah this goes hard. Made my walk a lot more enjoyable for sure
cant go wrong w bowie fav is life on mars
Excellent album. So many hits.
tolles album - facettenreich, mitreissend, Bowie. ich mag es.
Andy warhole. Like holes. You said it wrong. What did i say earlier Literally top 5 songs if it didnt have this terrible intro
This is so clearly different from the earlier Bowie stuff, and much more the stuff I like. There's some hits on here, but especially the tracks about Warhol and Dylan I found to be less interesting. It's a very clear way to credit the inspirations, it just wasn't musically interesting to me. Standouts Changes Life On Mars? Quicksand 4/5
Well good morning, David Bowie! This will be my 8th David Bowie album to review, but my first album of his to review in almost a year. Before starting this project, I was mostly only familiar with Bowie's singles, and not any of his whole albums. I've had pretty mixed reactions to his work, but I'm excited to give this a listen! I wasn’t wowed by this album, but I thought it was really good. I thought the name Hunky Dory suited this album pretty well, because a lot of the piano arrangements gave this album a bit of ragtime/blues feel. “Changes” was a great leadoff track. The piano, guitar and saxophone playing were all fantastic, and I really love the lyrics and vocals too. “Oh! You Pretty Things” was great too. The piano playing was my favorite on the whole album, and I loved how the song built up in intensity about halfway through. The backing vocals were fantastic too, and this was a really fun song to groove to. My favorite song on the album was “Life on Mars?” The vocals were my favorite on the album, and the strings and piano playing are incredible as well. I love how the verse and chorus have differing intensities as well. For a song that’s not terribly long, “Life on Mars?” still manages to be sweeping and epic in its sound. “Fill Your Hear” was really good too. Like some of my other favorite songs on the album, it had some really jazzy piano playing and some nice, subtle strings as well. “Queen Bitch” was really great too, and I loved the guitar sound that was used. All the other songs on the album were fine, but they weren’t too remarkable to me. Overall, this was a solid album, but not my favorite Bowie offering that I’ve experienced so far.
Great album, a classic
Not my favorite Bowie, but Changes is a classic! This is a piano forward Bowie, less guitar - an amazing talent and creator.
Me gusta mucho bowie
Loved this album. I'd heard about half of it before but start to finish enjoyable.
Very good!
Very impressed by so many things on this recording, you can see why Bowie had such a successful long career. Ya I have heard Changes, Andy Worhal, oh you pretty thing, and Life on Mars many many times and always liked them. However there are so many other great guitar rifts (Eignt line Poem), and lyrics (Quicksand). Unfortunately a few duds held me back from a 5-star
Andy Warhol does sound like that can of Campbell soup. Was going to give a 3, but it picked up towards the end.
B+ Changes 5 Oh! You Pretty Things 5 Eight Line Poem 3 Life On Mars? 5 Kooks 4 Quicksand 4 Fill Your Heart 3 Andy Warhol 3 Song For Bob Dylan 3 Queen Bitch 4 The Bewlay Brothers 4 The first half of the album is some of Bowie's best, but the latter falls off a small bit, otherwise it'd be a 5.
Pleased to have a reason to listen to this. Third Bowie record to appear on this list for me and the best one I've had so far (the other two were his more recent ones). I definitely like Bowie selectively but this was overall solid
11/02/2025
I liked the acoustic tracks. Good variety of songs and it showcased Bowie’s voice well.
bavid dowie
Decent
算是 70s rock 的巡礼吧，有年代感 和 Beatles 区别在声乐。号称艺术摇滚？可能确实有点呢 哈哈哈
Best Bowie album I've had so far.
A classic, some phenomenal tunes. Mid 4s.
Peaceful and trippy
Yeah some good Bowie on this one, even got him writing a bit of Master of Puppets on this
Life on Mars!
I really liked this album.
Good album
I am not that kind of fan of David Bowie's like most that see him as the greatest thing. But I can see what an influence he was and through an album like Hunky Dory being such a monster where the opening side is a near-perfect album side. 4/5
pretty cool, listened to it smoothly
Greta albums with some of his best work. Listenable from start to finish.
this guy was really, truly from another planet
OVERALL: There were some pretty damn good songs here. Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life On Mars, Quicksand, and Queen Bitch are all extremely good songs, and have pretty much nothing wrong with them. They have very good instrumentation, vocals, and writing. Eight Line Poem, Kooks, Fill Your Heart, Song for Bob Dylan, and The Bewlay Brothers are fine songs, but they have something about them that I just don't like. The only "bad" song here is Andy Warhol, but it might just be not for me. It sounds too weird and experimental, and can be pretty annoying at times. SONG AVG: 7.77/10 PERSONAL RATING: 7.25/10 Changes: Very catchy, I like the piano and David Bowie's vocal performance. The instrumentation is good, but is a little bit basic. 9/10 Oh! You Pretty Things: The chorus hits harder than a 4 wheeler. Pretty good piano and message. 9.25/10 Eight Line Poem: Pretty good instrumentation, but it doesn't really stand out to me or have anything that interesting in it. I don't hate it, but it's a bit mid. 6/10 Life On Mars?: Fantastic. The piano, vocals, guitar, lyrics, everything is very well executed. 10/10 Kooks: Overall pretty solid. I guess it's pretty fun and a bit silly, but other than that it's fine. Also, fade out outro. 7/10 Quicksand: Pretty good piano and guitar, especially when the song picks up. It can get a little boring, but it doesn't stay that way for too long. Unfortunately, it has a fade out outro. 9.5/10 Fill Your Heart: Pretty fun and upbeat, the instruments are played very well, but David Bowie's singing can be annoying at times, why does that man sound like a fly. The piano is played extremely well, and the harmonica(?) transitions well into the next song. 7/10 Andy Warhol: Very experimental and weird, especially the intro. This song sounds like a dumpster fire accompanied by David Bowie's weird yodeling. Also, it ends with claps? I guess the guitar is nice and it's kinda catchy, but that's about it. 3.75/10 Song for Bob Dylan: I like the guitar and the melody is pretty nice, but it's just okay. 6.5/10 Queen Bitch: Really fun and the guitar is pretty good. Nice energy and the lyrics are pretty good. Nothing too bad about it, but the intro is kinda weird I guess. 9.75/10 The Bewlay Brothers: This can be so unbelievably boring, but the chorus is so very good. I don't understand what this song is about, or what the ending is supposed to be. Apparently it's about David Bowie's brother? Anyways, the song is carried by the chorus pretty heavily. 7.75/10
This was fun! I’ve been singing changes for like 24 hours now.
First half is definitely better than the second. But, maybe I'm just not weird enough to get it. 4
Great early Bowie! A little bit of everything he would dive into later to create his many personas. Rocker, out there artist, show tunes, space man, this one’s got it all. Including some of his best hits. Not quite a 5 because he’s got some clunkers (Andy Warhol???) but he seemed to break into a real interesting artistic place with writing on the piano for this album. Always a fun one to come back to. Saved Songs: Changes Oh! You Pretty Things Life on Mars? Queen Bitch
Lots a hidden gems, been wanting to explore Bowie more. Queen Bitch, Eight Line Poem, Kooks, and life on mars are favorites
4,3
Great album. David Bowie is that guy
One of the most interesting things for me in music is when an album that did ok when it came out suddenly rockets up the charts when the artist makes it big. This is one of those cases. Bowie had been made a star through Ziggy, but this album is better. And even if you don't think it's better, I think it's more representative of who David Bowie was. Honest (if more than slightly detached) and never staying in the same style or genre for very long. This was also sadly where he flirted with some weird and problematic ideas and imagery, which bit him in the arse when The Thin White Duke arrived (though I'm not sure Bowie actually believed in any of the stuff the Duke did). Tangent: The story about Bowie playing 'Andy Warhol' for Andy Warhol, them both sitting in awkward silence for a minute since it was clear that Andy didn't like it, and then Andy saying he liked Bowie's shoes to break the tension may be one of my favourite musical anecdotes ever. Favourite Song: Life on Mars Least Favourite: Quicksand (on a song level. It's interesting for lyrical analysis) Strong Bad Demerit Count: 1
jackanory
I'm not a particular fan of Bowie, but this album is great! It severely scratches 5 stars! 4,4 ;-)
Changes is a forever bop. New appreciation for Bowie’s lyricism, especially on Life on Mars? Start to see the evolution of Ziggy Stardust.
Un très bon album. Pas grand chose de plus à rajouter.
changes - I like the song, I found it fun and groovy Oh! you pretty things - At first I was not feeling it, then the chorus hit, I personally really like the chorus Eight line poem - Although I do like the instrumentals, didn't think it was anything special life on mars? - Felt like a punch to the face in a good way kooks - I liked the instruments, but didn't find the singing spectacular quicksand - Really like the guitar in this one, really well done fill your heart - I'm starting to get the "Bowie" sound with this one, I like the piano riffs and trumpets Andy Warhol - the guitar riff is cool, I really like the chromatism in the song; shootouts to Andy Warhol. Love Campbell soup. Song gets weird in the end Song for Bob Dylan - nothing too special imo Queen Bitch - yummy guitar; I love the tone of the guitar and playfulness of the song The Bewlay Brothers - A tad long, but still an enjoyable song Overall - literally have never listened to David Bowie, but I enjoyed it. I can totally see how this influenced a lot of other albums and artists. Would recommend
Love this album!! Heard many times
I like it
Not the biggest Bowie fan but had some decent tunes regardless.
Quite enjoyed this
yes good yes enjoy 4/5
I absolutely love Bowie, but this isn't my favorite Bowie album. This album isn't bad, it just doesn't stand out too much amongst his other works. But regardless, a Bowie album is always a pleasure to listen to
4.5
beautiful
7/10 love the textures in this and the whimsy. Some classics and glimpses of bowie's future as an artist.
2 classics and overall very good. Bowie has a deep catalog
Really good album from start to finish.
Some true classics and some I hadn't heard before. Great album.
4.5
9.5 ★★★★½
There's some great stuff here -- notably "Changes", "Life on Mars?", and "Queen Bitch" -- but I do think it sags in the middle a bit and isn't quite S-tier Bowie. 4.5 stars
A pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good David Bowie album. Perhaps his first pretty good one that kickstarts the prettiest of 70s hot streaks. Probably only Pink Floyd and Steely Dan compare. Life On Mars? is a soaring, sensational standout. Changes, Oh You Pretty Things and Queen Bitch also top tier Bowie. It is not all Hunky Dory though. Eight Line Poem is a bit Hunky Snory whilst the Andy Warhol song and Belway Bros are incredibly Clunky Dory. Other than that though it’s pretty glamtastic and good.
Во-первых, я просто хочу Дэвида Боуи в любимых артистах. Во-вторых, это веселый альбом, который можно врубить в любой момент времени без угрозы для жизни, своей и окружающих. Лучшая песня - Changes.
One of the better Bowie albums. This might be the last one of his on the list. I came to like him more than I thought I would after listening to the 9 albums on the list. This one is a perfect one to close it off.
There are some iconic songs on here with Changes, Life on Mars and Oh you Pretty Things. But I thought the rest were mostly good but not great.
Kind of like Bowie doing Harry Nilsson. Still feels uniquely him and some of his best singles/oddities on here but he definitely only gets greater post this record.
Fun early Bowie
3.86/5 Me gusto
it’s a classic there’s not much to say
its david bowie. first half legendary, second not as good
Typical expected quality stuff from David Bowie. It's an impressive sound that is built on foundations of good songs from a basic harmony+melody standpoint. Bowie isn't someone who I listened to enough of and this was a pleasure. There's a lot of dynamic tracks on this, and throughout I'm hearing cool bits that sound like other bands. Little bit of the Beatles, little bit of the Rolling Stones, even a little Van Morrison at times. I think that's always been a plus for him and his sound; that he can effortlessly explore and try new things and be confident that it will come out sounding good. "Changes" is one of the best songs of this era, and I love that oddly syncopated chorus line. It's so unconventionally catchy. Strong 4/5.
This is the record where Bowie really becomes Bowie. His sound and personality start to take full shape here, and it feels like the beginning of something huge. The album is special, playful, emotional, and full of ideas. The team around him is just as important. Rick Wakeman’s piano is beautiful and classy, and Mick Ronson’s guitar and arrangements give the songs power and color. Bowie moves through different subjects and moods with ease, but the record always feels fun and alive. And of course... “Life on Mars?” One of the greatest songs ever recorded. Easily top-tier Bowie, and honestly one of the most perfect songs in music history. The vocals, the build-up, the strings... everything hits. Bowie’s voice on this album feels warm and full of life. His writing is sharp, emotional, and sometimes strange in the best way. You can tell he cares deeply about every detail, from the lyrics to the production choices. A legendary album, the moment where the future Bowie starts to truly show himself.
his 4th Album and he has yet to disappoint! He was just so smooth and never felt forced doing something more experimental. Salute to Bowie (4.0/5.0) slowly consider myself a fan of him
David Bowie is obviously an all-star, and there's not a bad song on the album, but as a cap A Album it's just ok. Lots of different songs with different sounds stuck together. Luckily, it's got Changes and Life on Mars, so even if everything were dogshit it would still be good.
Better than Ziggy for me
'changes' - GREAT start to an album, holy shit. immediate funk blast to the face. love the bass in the back. usually i think piano is jarring but it works here. 8/10 'oh you pretty things' - speaking about jarring piano...bowie sounds great here, though. a mild banger. 6.5/10 'eight line poem' - man WHAT are you talking about. gentle tune though. like it. but nothing interesting. 5/10 'life on mars' - come on now. 9/10 'kooks' - very bouncy. dare i say very abbey road. the piano is actually whimsical and entertaining here. title matches the song LOL. 7.5/10 'quicksand' - this song makes me want to sit in an old black leather chair and smoke a cigarette. 7/10 'fill your heart' - i actually adore the piano in a song for once holy shit. MUST go back to this on a sunny day. maybe an april. 8/10 'andy warhol' - another 'what are you talking about' song. still okay. this album is clearly pretty good. 6/10 'song for bob dylan' - Yeah. much more going on in this song than the others. very elton john to me. 7.5/10 'queen bitch' - i didnt expect anything impressive in the last half so im thoroughly surprised. 8/10 'the belway brothers' - man. what a closer. nothing to say. great album 8.5/10
Would I listen again: no Best track: life on mars Worst track: Eight line Poem. Surprise awesome track: oh! You pretty things. Weirdest track: quicksand Lyrics: aces. Great amazing. No skips?: no Cover art cool?: yea it’s cool. Notes: Very excited for this. Love Bowie but never got into deep tracks with him. Musicianship on Bowie music and the sounds are so great. Uch changes such a beautiful song. Never realized how Dylan esque some of his vocal choices were. I love yhe chords and music in Oh. You pretty things. Love the phaser piano on eight line poem. Uch life on mars such a perfect song. The ending is pure Lennon McCartney. All songs on this album are good that’s the baseline some are unforgettable and craveable Nd others are just good. Happy to listen but if I never heard it again I’d be fine. The problem is the amazing songs are so amazing it makes other great songs only seem good in comparison.
This isn't my favorite Bowie, but it's close, and has a few of his best songs in "Changes," "Oh You Pretty Things," "Life on Mars?," and "Queen Bitch." For me the rest of the songs generally don't quite hold up, though it's a really strong well crafted album. On the right day, if I'm feeling those other songs, this could be a five star album for me.
If there is Life On Mars, it won't be the same without David Bowie. Favorite Song: "Life On Mars?"
Fan of some of the tracks but not all, bewlay brothers, life on mars, song for bob dylan and oh you pretty things are great :)
Really enjoyed this, Some tracks weren't doing it for me. But changes and Life on Mars were always getting at least 4 on this one
Almost a 5 star album, if not for a couple skips. Still a fantastic LP, containing perhaps the most quintessential Bowie track in Life on Mars.
Some fun songs.
<3 love David Bowie
Vakker musikk, med en klassisk bowie-sjarm. Snuser veldig på 5eren, men blir trekt ned av noen litt middels låter. Favoritt: life on mars
It’s about to be writ again - Bowie is awesome. Life on mars to me is such a beautiful song. Looking forward to listening to the lesser known tracks - hopefully not just filler. Great stuff. Queen Bitch is a great tune. Bowie is awesome. Easy 4 not sure about a 5. Nope this is a 4 - sorry David.
Good album! My favourite Bowie album so far
Amazing first half, gets dumb when he starts to name drop.
Good. Classic Bowie. Four stars, man.
A classic. Pretty good.
I liked this album way more than I thought I would! All together-
Oh yesss, uf de Dave hani mi scho vo Ahfang gfreud. Die tüüfi fründschaft vom Dave und mir bestaht erst sit Rotterdam 23. Aber so tüüf, dass er sich letzt Jahr grad ufs Podest als meistglosste Künstler katapultiert het. De Dave hani versuecht ufe und abe z lose und usezfinde welli vo sine unzählige lieder au wükli sehr geil sind, und trotzdem isch mer Hunky Dory nie wükli nöcher cho und han bis uf 2 lieder no keis kennt. Immerno grandiosi Musig, spassig, hüpfig, gueti luhne bringend, aber keis vo mine top 5 lieblings-Bowie-Albe. Aber wie immer bim Bowie isch jedes Album für sich spannend, dur welli Phasene er alles gange isch. Trotzdem isch das Album no unglaublich guet und git stolzi 4 Sternestaub
David bowie, kenn ich hauptsächlich vo es paar hits - wo mir au super gfalled -und finde ihn sehr sympa und ein stylisher typ. Ersti richtigi berührig zu ihm dur „Wir kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo“. Aso au ambivalent zwüsche musikalisch krass und drugs-addiction bezoge. anyway, ich erhoff mir eigentli insgeheim amigs, dass mir d lieder besser gfalled als sie dünd. Scho nice und ich gseh mich au i de 80er dur dunkli Strasse vonere grossstadt laufe. Eich e klassische fall vu 3.5 puntos.
supi gsi wär stylisch 5* gäh, aber weni ehrlich bin sinds eher 4* :)
There's a couple clunkers here - almost every Bowie album has one or two, to keep it interesting - but the highs are stratospheric. I'd give it 4.5, but I can't say it's near enough to perfect to give it 5 as an overcompensation.
really enjoyed it
I don't think I can say anything about David Bowie that hasn't been said before and probably a lot better then I can. I knew and like several of the songs on this album including one of my favorite Bowie songs (Life on Mars?). While not every song is equally good there is more than enough here to like.
A stone cold classics. Changes, Oh You Pretty Things are phenomenal. Would give it a full 5 but I know I have Ziggy and Low to come which I like a lot lot more. The end of the Bowie whimsy
Oh man look at those cavemen go
Great stuff! Bowie is a welcome joy and empathetic voice as ever. His songs never get old. Life on Mars is my favorite Bowie song and that really flavors my thoughts about this important album.
Favorite tracks: Changes, Quicksand. Versatile, great production. Bowie sounds great on this one.
Pretty much my only complaint about this album, and it’s something I’ve felt since my first listen of this years ago, is how very inconsistent it is. Not inconsistent in the sense that there are bad songs on here, rather, that the highs are unbelievably high, while the rest of the album is either good or just solid. A lot of this divide is within the two halves of the album. The first four songs (with the exception of the third) are genuinely perfect songs that are not only representative of Bowie as an artist, but of the direction rock went in in the ‘70s as a whole. After that, there are certainly great songs, most notably with the closer, but for the most part, I would consider the second half of “Hunky Dory” to be largely forgettable, at least in the grand scheme of Bowie’s work. Like I said before, the highs are as high as Bowie would ever get, but the consistency just isn’t there. Even though not every song on Ziggy Stardust blows you away, the baseline level of consistent quality is much higher than it is on here. Obviously that’s just an indication that Bowie was progressing as a songwriter, but as it stands, this album is still great because anything that has Life On Mars? on it is bound to be pretty special.
Rock. Pretty good, with some absolute classics, along with a few songs that didn’t quite hit. Very good though.
Go to the dance with Bowie after he passed. Was not a big fan of the stuff I grew up hearing on the radio…namely Dancing in the Streets turned me off. His early stuff is better and Queen Bitch is an ear worm.
While I'm a biiiiiiiit iffy on some of the more poppy and underdeveloped tunes here (but that might be a contrarian living in me), the epic scale and songwriting on the best moments here is nothing short of great. TVU influences, fantastic vocal performances, just loads of fun. Oh and obviously Life on Mars? is like one of the greatest pieces of music ever conceived or whatever but I sure hope I don't need to explain that one to anyone.
This project has been a Bowie education. Didn't know Changes was his. For 1971 this sounds very refreshing. 3-4* Highlights: changes, life on mars
Decent music, good separation, some songs I recognized. Prob not something I'd go out of my way to sit down and listen to
FIRE. I think a great introduction to Bowie. I just love how he can take like barely any instrumentation and turn it into a genuinely interesting sound. Found the middle a little dull but it picked back up and the beginning was peak as hell. Fav Songs: Life on Mars?, Changes, Andy Warhol, The Bewlay Brothers
Obra maestra entre uno de los maestros del Rock. Se ha escrito tanto de ella que es mejor escucharla y disfrutar de ella. Otros discos de 1971: Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV, Marvin Gaye - What's Going On?, The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers, The Who - Who's Next, Don Mclean- American Pie, John Lennon – Imagine, T. Rex - Electric Warrior, Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On, The Allman Brothers Band - At Fillmore East, Nick Drake - Bryter Layter, Can - Tago Mago, Black Sabbath - Master of Reality, Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells a Story, Carole King - Tapestry, Leonard Cohen - Songs of Love and Hate, Paul and Linda McCartney - Ram, Funkadelic - Maggot Brain Flamin' Groovies - Teenage Head, Faces - A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse, The Doors - L.A. Woman, The Beach Boys - Surf's Up RORY GALLAGHER - Deuce, NINA SIMONE - Here comes the sun, IKE & TINA TURNER - Workin' together, BADFINGER - Straight up ,Jethro Tull - Aqualung, Janis Joplin - Pearl, David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name, Pete Dello and Friends - Into your ears, Santana - Santana III Gene Clark - Gene Clark/White Light, Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey Joni Mitchell- Blue, Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson, Elton John - Madman Across the Water, Al Green-Al Green Gets Next to You, Kevin Ayers – Whatevershebringswesing, Sixto Rodriguez - Coming From Reality...
Pretty good album with lots of his best songs
David Bowie ist einer der von mir als Jugendlicher verschmähten Künstler. Ich habe Anfang der 70er Deep Purples In Rock gehört, da war Bowie mir zu leise. Was soll ich sagen, schön doof. Interessantes, abwechslungsreiches Album, dazu mit Life on Mars? einem von Bowies schönsten Titeln.
David Bowie. Got a lot of his greatest racks on it, Changes and Life on a Mars being the best. Really interesting overall, a couple of songs that don't quite land but it doesn't detract from the album. It is very one-note instrumentally, which changes on his future albums.
2632 - Well produced pop rock with wonderful arrangements. The vocals are obviously some of the best of this era and it has a few of the best songs of the 70s. A
"Life on Mars" is one of the greatest songs of all time.
It sounds like 2nd rate Beatles to me. 2nd rate Beatles is still pretty good. Favorite song: changes.
Fantastic album. I can’t give it a 5, but I give it a very high 4.
Full of good tracks
Never been a Bowie fan but this was actually surprisingly good LP.
Great album. Life on Mars is such an amazing song
He’s pretty creative, of course, but I don’t really enjoy sitting through the album.
3.5★. First half starts out strong with songs like Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars? and Quicksand, but the second doesn't maintain that level of, uh, fascination. But then the album closes with The Bewlay Brothers, a superstellar closer with a mysterious power that redeems the entire thing (WE WERE SO TURNED ON... by your lack of conclusions...!!!)
The first of many excellent Bowie albums
Arguably Bowie's best album. I prefer Black Star and I'll die on that hill, but this is still an incredible record
much better than blackstar, classic 60s-70s rock
Some great songs and a few oddballs. Love Bowie
Changes och Life on Mars? är enastående bra låtar, det visste jag sen tidigare. Inte lyssnat jättemycket på Bowie generellt och efter en första genomlyssning så tyckte jag nog att resterande var sådär. Gav mig dock fan på att verkligen ge den chansen och den växte helt klart efter totalt 5-6 lyssningar. I princip alla låtar är bra förutom Oh you pretty things, Kooks och Fill your heart som är svagare och/eller lite jobbiga.
Quite good, I liked the hits (life on mars, changes) overall not the best Bowie
8/10
This feels so Bowie and so good. It was cohesive made sense and was fun. Musically everything worked together and had such a unique beautiful quality. Love Changes, Pretty Things and Queen Bitch
I like about half the songs on this album. The other half are not bad. Favorites are Changes, Oh You Pretty Things, and Queen Bitch.
This is easily my favorite Bowie album so far in this project. Love the musical compositions and lyrics and emotions. I like that the piano is featured in a lot of it, and the layers it adds. Just a quality album overall, and feels very David Bowie!
# Playlist Track - Life On Mars? # Notes - Hard to pick a favourite for this! I already knew half the album, but "Kooks" was a pretty cool surprise! - Creative, interesting, fun throughout.
just great, a lot of iconic stuff on this album
mmm me likey the tunes
Very enjoyable album with a few great hits!
Clean, pleasant, it stands out reaching higher levels when compared to most of the other albums so far
Great listen. I was expecting more but I know that not every album is gonna be a masterpiece. This has some solid songs throughout to compensate. David Bowie's sound never deteriorates and it just keeps going forward. Best - Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars, Quicksand, and Song for Bob Dylan Worst - Eight Line Poem and Andy Warhol 3.50-3.75/5
Var en vibe, en del sanger jeg ikke hadde hørt fra bowie
Pretty good album. I already knew and liked a couple of the tracks: Changes and Life On Mars?. After another listen I got into some other tracks like "Oh! Your Pretty Things" and "Queen Bitch". Interesting that people regard this album as the one where "Bowie became Bowie" (where he settled into his sound). Also interesting that it didn't become popular until after the next album was released (Ziggy).
Three classic songs, plus a bunch of others that sound like they could be Ziggy outtakes or B-sides. Still, that isn't half bad, right?
While Kooks and Fill Your Heart have that jangly, late-60s Brit rock sound that is unmistakably dated and doesn't hold up all that well, the classic singles (Changes, Life on Mars, Queen Bitch) really elevate this, and some of the tracks I knew less well have that wonderfully alien, timeless Bowie feel (Andy Warhol, Oh! You Pretty Things). So...uneven--but still great.
really good bowie album, some of my favorites are on this project
Any David Bowie album is a safe bet for a good item. There were a few tracks here that were excellent, but I'd heard most of them many times before. The interleaving tracks were a little quiet and slow, or just not very noteworthy. Life On Mars is probably my all-time-favorite Bowie track. Four stars.
This is a great album.
I'm not sure how many Bowie albums we've had at this point, maybe 5? Anyway, this was definitely one of the better ones. You have the hits with "Changes" and "Life on Mars". "Life on Mars" is a really cool song, I remember listening to it when I saw the BBC tv series with the same name. Actually I found a lot of music from that show, wonder if it still is any good. Anyway the rest of the songs are ok but it's no Ziggy Stardust. Some are actually really good that I hadn't heard before like "Queen Bitch". Bang in the middle 4 for me.
Bowie delivers. That's it. Unique style. Definite breakthrough in 1971. 4.5/5.
I own the CD of this album, and I've listened to it before. Even before I got the CD. One thing I really like about this album is its ability to fuse the (at the time) new sound of glam rock with the well-established sixties sounds of baroque pop and more traditional pop rock, while also bringing some new (once again, at the time) sounds to the table. A majority of the album is piano driven, similar to what Elton John was doing at the time, and what Billy Joel would do soon after. The lyrics are especially good, with recurring philosophical aspects. They were relevant when the album was released, and much of them can still be applied to today's world.
Much preferred this over the newer material he's put out. 4/5
Formidable
3.5
Het album schiet krachtig uit de startblokken maar gaat halverwege wat sukkelen. Plaatkant 1: aha, eindelijk eens een onbetwist meesterwerk van David Bowie in de vorm van Life on Mars, en nog meer goed spul. Plaatkant 2: mwah, vulling en namedropping. Maar zeker niet slecht, al met al.
Sounds like being sad or introspective at an event where you're supposed to be having fun and then having complicated feelings about that. Life on Mars? Kind of carries. There's good songs other than LoM? But nothing comes close to how good that song is Legendary Song: Life on Mars? Great Songs: Changes, Kooks, Queen Bitch, The Bewlay Brothers, Oh! You Pretty Things, Andy Warhol Mid Songs: Quicksand, Fill Your Heart, Eight Line Poem, Song for Bob Dylan Low 8-high 7
The Breakfast Club is one of my favorite movies and I love the use of "Changes" thematically in the film. I don't listen to David Bowie but I respect his contributions to music and appreciate his sense of optimism.
It's like art.
Nice album with some solid tracks. Gets a Bowie bump I think but I like this one.
The inclusion of the keys and Bowie clearly finding his voice right before ziggy stardust makes this album so enjoyable. Changes and life on mars are the clear standouts but personally eight line poem was on repeat, what a beautifully produced song
Probably the least pretentious and folkiest Bowierecord. Contains two of the best songs ever written in Life on Mars? and Changes.
You can hear him becoming Ziggy Stardyst on this album. So many great songs.
Bowie’s best works were his earlier ones hands down
hes cool i like his music. i'll probably have most of his discography listened to before this website gives me another one his albums
This one took me a few listens to appreciate. At first I wasn’t sure about it, but it’s growing on me with each listen. On my first listen through I was a little confused at critics calling this the album where “Bowie begins to sound like Bowie,” because a lot of it sounded to me like retreads of The Beatles or Velvet Underground. But I suppose lyrically it does begin to introduce us to the weird themes Bowie would explore during the Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane periods. While Bowie was a master of stealing from his influences to create a pastiche, which is on display here explicitly as he name drops people like Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, and Lou Reed, what can’t be overstated is this album’s influence on future musicians. The high-pitched two note guitar part at the end of “Andy Warhol” clearly influenced The Cure’s “10:15 Saturday Night” — they idolized Bowie. And if you haven’t seen Robert Smith perform “Quicksand” with Bowie on his birthday special, go to YouTube immediately — this is also where Smith met Bowie’s guitarist, Reeves Gabrels, who now plays in the current iteration of The Cure. The one that blew my mind the most was “Queen Bitch.” Do these lyrics seem familiar? And I’m phoning a cab Cause my stomach feels small There’s a taste in my mouth And it’s no taste at all It could’ve been me Yeah it could’ve been me It’s impossible that this isn’t a direct influence for The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” which blew my mind the first time I heard this album and realized I’ve been listening to that song for 20 years without realizing it. And that’s what’s fun about this 1001 albums project — even if I don’t always love the albums on here, it’s really cool to see the direct lines through music history once you understand it. Also, “Oh! You Pretty Things” influenced the author who wrote The Tomorrow People, which was adapted into a kids’ show I watched growing up on Nickelodeon. I’m pretty sure it also influenced the song “All You Pretty Things” by one of my favorite artists, Darren Hayes. 4/5 — I’m not sure I love every single moment of this album, but there’s some really good stuff here. Aside from classics like “Changes” and “Life on Mars,” there’s a lot of experimentation and interesting lyrics, and it’s a fascinating stroll through music history.
Was so happy to see this album come up. One of my life goals is to listen to more Bowie. Changes is an all time fave! Discovered other songs I really like too. Andy Warhol Song for Bob Quicksand Such a great sound and beautifully engineered album. Would give it five stars but this was a first time listen.
Hunky Dory may be when Bowie gave the middle finger to anyone telling him how he should sound or what he should do. So many genres and influences are identifiable and he owns them all. My fave track is Song for Bob Dylan.
Brilliant
Classic
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.
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
Cool
Great music
Possibly my favourite Bowie album
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
Really Interesting and well made record but not something I’d listen to again probably
Love this Bowie era. The more I listen to this album, the more I like it.
David Bowie>>>
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
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)
neanche da commentare. capolavoro.
Favourite songs: Changes, Queen Bitch, Andy Warhol, Song for Bob Dylan, Life on Mars? Least favourite songs: Eight Line Poem 4/5
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.
I've made some *changes* to my opinion about David Bowie after this album. As you can see, time may change me.
Oh you pretty thing is gud Changes is gud too
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.
Good job, David. 4.5
Boowwwiieeee
Gefällt mir durchs Band *****
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.
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
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
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
Love the many versions of David Bowie
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.
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.
It was pretty nice, with some really good songs
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."
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*
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.
I liked Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things,ife on Mars? And The Bewlay Brothers. Can't go wrong with David Bowie.
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
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+.
Love the first few songs of this album
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.
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
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.
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.
Lo tengo escuchado, me enxanta
Great album by a great man!
Classic. Bowie rules.
I’m starting to get more into Bowie from this list. Great album
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
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??!??!!!!??
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
Don’t love every track, but I definitely love some of them
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.
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.