Blackstar

I’ve never been one to feel particularly attached to celebrity, but that day in 2016, waking to the news that David Bowie had died, I was deeply saddened. During my stop for coffee that morning, the look on my face must’ve said it all…the cashier handed me my coffee and said “Today’s kind of a bummer, isn’t it?” “Yeah…I loved Bowie. It sucks,” was about all I could muster and the clerk nodded in agreement. In retrospect, it was a nice moment: Being brought together with someone I only had a casual acquaintance with over David Bowie, even if only briefly, was a testament to Bowie’s unique greatness. I did all the things that day that you were supposed to do: I listened to Bowie on the way to and from work, talked with coworkers about our favorite songs, watched the videos of people gathering all over the world to celebrate his life and posted photos and video of my Bowie vinyl collection to instagram. The one thing I didn’t do, was listen to Blackstar. It had come out only a day or two earlier and was cast in an entirely new light after the news broke. I just couldn’t do it, I wasn’t ready. I needed to spend more time with my favorites before I could say goodbye. I must have listened to Station to Station, Low, Scary Monsters a dozen times each that week. Well, weeks turned to months, months to years and here I am, more than 6 years later…really, truly digesting Blackstar for the first time. That’s not to say I haven’t heard it before. I’ve listened a handful of times in the last few years, but it’s been difficult to want to come back to it, to confront it for what it is: David Bowie saying farewell. It’s a difficult record: musically, lyrically and, for me, emotionally. Blackstar is a record that you need to come to terms with. I’m not sure it’s a record I’ll revisit frequently, even after spending the day today replaying it. Ultimately, it is a rewarding listen, ranking among his best, and I suspect that as sad as I was to say goodbye, the same went for David Bowie.

Ah yes, the classic "artist has recently died so let's pretend that their weird-ass, self-indulgent final album is actually a genius masterpiece".

What is there to say about this project? It's one of the best swansongs in popular music, and is a personal favorite on top of being my de facto introduction to Bowie qua Bowie (the absolute introduction was the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack, but that was Ziggy). It's jazzy without being incomprehensible, but also avoids going pop: This thing is incredibly depressing. Repeated listens have only revealed more depth. As a musical idea, it's probably slightly less than perfect. I believe, though, that it's better as an album for it: It's only fitting that Bowie went out stretching a bit. And while we're talking about perfection, Lazarus is without question a perfect song.

Meh. If the man didn't die a couple days after the release, would it really be praised as much as it is? No disrespect to the Bowie. The response to this album is inflated. It's a mess IMO

What a legacy from a genius artist... the atmosphere of this album is haunting but beautiful!

Lots of artists talk about death. None have presented their journey, emotions, or physical experiences, as honestly and vividly as Bowie did while the horizon approached ever closer.

Less a swan song and more a swan opera. But it's not maudlin. It's reflective of a life being one of the defining voices in both the art and music of the 20th century. It's a man coming to terms with his legacy. A star slowly fading but still there in the sky, glimmering. You can't quite see it. But it's in heaven. It can be a hard listen, but an important one.

Zero bad tracks - Lazarus and I Can't Give Everything Away are tops

A haunting vision of mortality. This is one of those albums that gets better and better with repeated listens. Best track: I Can't Give Everything Away

Awesome album, and the context around is next level. Releasing a track called Lazarus with lyrics like "Look at me, I'm in heaven", on an album released 2 days before you die? Very meta.

Almost immediately - and I hate having a knee-jerk reaction - I come back to my usual Bowie thoughts: I really don't like him as a singer at all. It's not just his voice, it's the affectations and the style. Obviously a personal taste but it has always been nearly-impossible to get around. His album "Low" was a rare project where his voice didn't seem to be the main instrument and was more a part of the environment, which resulted in a different sort of album I enjoyed. This one had hype upon its release (because of Bowie's concurrent death) but I'd never listened before. And yeah - his vocals are often horrible. Apologies if you loved the dude. Music is wild but too often in a bad way. e.g. "Sue" is difficult to get through. Also stop already with the yodeling on "Girl Loves Me" Positive: I actually like "I Can't Give Everything Away" - would have loved more of this. I just have to settle on the fact that I don't really like Bowie's music overall and I look forward to the next 74 albums I'll have to listen to of his on this list... 4/10 2 stars.

Cancer, very sad.

I expect a lot from David Bowie. I know that this was his last album and he was dying while making this record, but I am just not a fan of this one. This doesnt even come close to Ziggy Stardust or some of his other albums. Girl loves me was a solid song. I liked the ending of the last track too. A lot of different noises and sounds on this record. He was a special artist. 3/10 he has much better albums.

It’s rare to find an artist that is consistently making incredible and forward thinking music this far in their career. With David Bowie’s last album, he once again reinvents himself and comes back with an album that is musically interesting and lyrically mysterious. His death in the wake of this album release may have given context to the lyrics, but this album stands on its own.

So bad, I never want to hear any of this crap again

Nope. I never got the whole Bowie thing. I find most of his stuff dreary and droning. I quite literally fell asleep trying to listen to this. There are some interesting song ideas here, I guess, but then Bowie drones all over them. I still don't get the Bowie thing.

I walked into this one blind with the preconceived notion that it's impossibly overrated due to the fact that Bowie shuffled off his mortal coil just days after it was released. Obviously Bowie knew he was dying as he was making this, and many made a big deal about the "Look up here, I'm in heaven" line that opens "Lazarus". And realizing that the opening title track was close to ten minutes long didn't help create any excitement for me as I dove in. I was elated to find out all of this album's praise is well-deserved, and I ended up listening to the entire album in its entirety multiple times. As far as Swan Songs go, it's not quite Abbey Road, but it's a perfect send off for Bowie and right up there with Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust as his best albums. It's a beautiful and haunting - and yet somewhat not depressing - final bow. I'm not crazy about the album cover. It would have been poetic to instead have that final photo ever taken of Bowie, the one his wife Iman took of him smiling and holding a cigarette.

Bowie's farewell album. I hope he's had a safe journey back to the far away galaxy he came from.

Qué brutalidad de disco. Qué brutalidad el momento en que se estrenó. Nunca he sido mucho de comprender las letras de las canciones y acá no va a ser la excepción pero qué brutalidad la de David Bowie. Hasta las palabras tienen melodía. Qué brutalidad los brasses y las percusiones. Los poquititos riffs bien selectos. Qué pinche discazo. Brutal.

Bowie has a perfect score with me so far with the albums that have appeared. His last album is as daring and creative as his many others, and it without a doubt cements him as the greatest solo musician in popular music of all time. Creative genius. It is tough to separate the spooky vibe of the album from his death shortly after its release. And because of that, we inherently must praise this album as it carries with it a tribute to all that made Bowie a legend.

This is one of the best albums I've ever heard. I'll never forget the first time I listened to it. A song or two were released prior to Bowie's death, but when the album came out, Bowie had just died or died within days of it. The album is as perfect a mix of who Bowie is than any record I've heard from him. Brilliant musical pieces with depth and lyrics that haunt me to this day. A beautiful, tragic, and complete album that delivers beyond the music and lyrics. I can't say enough about this album.

“And the clock walts so patiently on your song” Listening to him sing Lazarus is so sad. We love Bowie and he made this album for us on his deathbed. I've been trying to learn Bowie's "Soul Love" on guitar recently so I have been listening to it on Spotify. It has only half the number of plays that the song Deathstar does. If I could put my objective hat on, I would question if Bowie fans really don't like Soul Love as much. But I can't get my objective hat on today; it just doesn't fit. Rather than spending his last 6 months with his loved ones he spent the time making an album for us.

Where do I start with this wonderful parting gift Bowie left us with? What a wonderful fusion of modern electronic, rock, and jazz. How wonderful to hear wind instruments in contemporary pop. How great to listen to lyrics that aren’t afraid of non political correctness yet are also meaningful. Truly original and creative, and probably the best album of its decade. Blackstar the song is easily the best of its decade. Thank you, Bowie. I miss you

The word "genius" is thrown around too easily in music, but there's no other word to describe Bowie. This is dying as performance art. Should we have expected anything less from him? Not only that, but how many musicians are still transforming themselves on their 26th (!) album? Every track is brilliant and all the more deeper for the fact that he knew he was dying (although a few of them predate his cancer diagnosis). The song "Blackstar" is haunting - the 10 minute video is worth watching - disturbing and cool at the same time. "'Tis a Pity She was a Whore" - frenetic jazz over a driving bass line (that makes me think of "The Talking Drum" by King Crimson every time). "Lazarus" - this was the first one I heard off the album, seeing the video just after he died. Watching/listening to him sing "Look up here, I'm in heaven" was eerie (and still is). Again, death as performance art. "Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)" - the lyrics are a fun (?) descent into darkness. Almost like Poe - it also reminds me of some of the music on his album Outside (one of my favorites). "Girl Loves Me" - love the lyrics using words from A Clockwork Orange. Just another incredibly cool track (like all of them - let's also take a moment to acknowledge how awesome his band is on this album - also, how powerful is his singing on this album??). "Dollar Days" - this one is really tough to listen to, knowing that he was dying - the line "I'm dying to..." meant to be heard as "I'm dying, too." Is it a wail of despair or a cry of effort to make his last statement? Plus, that ending is so majestic with the combination of the sax solo, guitar line, and Bowie repeating "I'm trying to, I'm dying to." Man. Finally, "I Can't Give Everything Away" is just a beautiful ending to an amazing album and life. RIP genius and thanks for this beautiful, dark coda.

Pure unadulterated genius. Quietly and secretly taking the time to construct a final masterpiece before an unexpected and unannounced departure is something only Bowie could pull off. And it is a masterpiece, no doubt about that. What a badass baller move, man. Fucking Bowie. Even in death he's an innovator far ahead of our time, the likes of which we'll never see again. A rare, perfect gem, that blazes (that's right, BLAZES, not shines) brighter than any other. Thank you.

Black Star is the most perfect requiem ever written. David Bowie knew he was dying and injected that last months of soul searching and reflection into this album. It was heart wrenching to listen to its for the first time a feq days after he had passed away. I one way it felt ghoulish but for the most part it was a fitting tribute and parting gift from an artist that has meant so much to me.

Bowie's 26th and final studio album. There has been a lot written on the songs and their meaning pertaining to his impending death. It is pretty clear that a number of them are written addressing exactly that, especially given the timing of the album's release and his death two days later. This album was recorded in NYC with a jazz quartet. As opposed to telling a bunch of studio rock musicians to try and play jazz, this was the opposite, have a jazz quartet play like rock band. Well, I think this is sort of true; they still sound very much like jazz but is one the reasons it has a very unique and great sound. The more you listen to this album, the sadder it kind of becomes but the more you appeciate the orchestrated final act of Bowie. Every song kind of has a majestic feel to it; Bowie's voice with a complex and improvised jazz backing. "Blackstar" has a unique percussion, sounds more like an orchestra and makes allusions to his impending death. Similarly, the lyrics in "Lazarus" stress how one day soon he'll be free and in "Dollar Days" how he'll never get to see the English evergreens hell try to get to. Maybe, my favorite song for the music is "I Can't Give Everything Away" with its improvised jazz. There are so many great last albums for artists to say this is the best but it ranks up there and I don't know if there is one that so specifically conveys it is the swan song.

To the very end of his life (which came just two days after Blackstar’s release), David Bowie was unafraid to dip his toe into new musical waters; long past the point of having to prove anything to anyone, he still drew inspiration from hip hop and electronic music, art rock and jazz, blending it all into a dazzling, deeply emotional sonic symphony that stands with the very best of his work. A beautiful end to a singular life.

If I had known that I would die within a day, then this album definitely became the final sketch of my life path. Everything is perfect in it: from the musical part and vocals, to the images that Bowie builds for us. This is a requiem, an epitaph that Bowie left in this world and this is what deserves every minute spent listening to the album.

Haunting and awesome.

David Bowie delivers again, this was utterly haunting and danced around into at times what felt like 11 different genres. Just experiment after experiment, with every track bringing something unique and I really appreciated it all. RIP Bowie.

It’s weird that it’s been five years already. I’ve never really listened to this one, so far it’s melancholic but 100% Bowie. He knew he was close to the end.

Very cool very swag I like

The mythos of this album is something otherworldly; the music is, too, but like much that is alien, it’s at times challenging to fully comprehend.

I remember the double whammy of having this drop and then Bowie passing shortly after. With that retrospect, it’s clear this LP is both a reflection on and confrontation of mortality. Not all the new instrumental ideas work, but there is an overall feeling of completeness and tempered celebration that makes the album flow despite its rougher sections. Few of us will have the chance to eulogize our own death beforehand, but then again no one was quite like Bowie.

4 At the risk of coming off as melodramatic, I feel like I have to start this review off by saying David Bowie’s death is still the one that has upset me more than any other famous person to date. I can remember exactly when and where I was when I heard the news - on my way to my morning class at the Psychology building at Michigan State University… and I cried. I previously talked about what the man means to me in my Hunky Dory review, so I won’t get too into that here, but January 11, 2016 was a sad day in history for me (he passed the day before, but the news didn’t break until the next day… no pun intended) Anyway, sorry for the schmaltzy anecdote, but I do believe his terminal diagnosis and eventual death is important context for the listening of this album. These songs were knowingly his final creative offerings, his final testimony, and a final thank you to the world and those who loved him. Musically, it sounds unlike anything of his released prior - I think the closest comparison would be the soundscape of the Berlin Trilogy, but even then this feels distinct in that it relies more on a jazz backdrop than an electronic one. Supposedly Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly was a huge influence, which I’ve always found fascinating. I think it speaks a lot to Bowie’s musical passion that a modern icon of a completely different genre could influence and inspire him this late into his career (reminds me a bit of Johnny Cash and Hurt). Lyrically, the album is filled with introspection and reflection upon a career and life that was unapologetically brazen. However, it definitely adds a certain haunting element to the music - I mean, look at the first verse of Lazarus: “Look up here, I'm in heaven I've got scars that can't be seen I've got drama, can't be stolen Everybody knows me now” Chills. So, that all being said, this isn’t my favorite Bowie album, nor do I find myself picking out individual songs to listen to on it often. I would even say there are some minor misses for me here in ‘Tis a Pity She Was a Whore and Sue (Or in a Season of Crime), which I don’t feel like quite fit the rest of the album tonally. Yet, as a whole, the complete package is a unique piece of art that feels cathartic whenever I decide to listen, like another chance to say goodbye to an old friend. It may not be perfect, but it’s an excellent bookend to the career of an artist who only falls to this Earth once in a lifetime.

When I first heard the title track on the radio I was stunned - excited for a new Bowie album for the first time since Outside 20 years ago (then)! And so it is, with new ones always viewed as "his best since..", this one was easily the most *interesting* since Lodger. Its (almost immediate) poignancy adds to the mystery. What an unbelievable talent, what a legacy

Not sure if this is up with Bowie’s greats, but each of three playthroughs moved me, and I love the atmosphere of this record, circumstances of its making perhaps playing into that. The skittish drums, the sax-playing that calls back to when it was used as an instrument of manic intensity with the Stooges, and Bowie wringing his ghostliest dregs out of his voice are my first notes on what makes this special. I’m reminded of his Berlin records, as this is largely mood music with some exquisite song-songs in between. This was the record that made me realise - belatedly, of course - that his authenticity was in his theatricality, which he maintained to his death, and is still bold. I am excited to see what Simon thinks!

An exotic, beautiful and haunting trip through the mind of a musical genius coming to terms with his own death, ★ is an essential album to any Bowie fan. In face of extreme adversity, David Bowie managed to succeed in originality, sofistication and emotion in nearly every song. Truly a powerful statement to end a legendary career.

I can’t speak from experience, but I figure it must be very difficult to make a swansong album. On top of knowing your end is at hand (mentally and physically), but you must also leave your fans with something good to remember you by. I remember David Bowie’s passing somewhat well, but never heard that he released an album two days prior to his death. I’m regretfully not well-versed in Bowie’s discography to say whether or not it’s the perfect end for him, but as a stand-alone album, it is a great swan song. Lazarus in itself feels like a proper emotional goodbye to a legendary artist. Blackstar in its entirety presents classic Bowie with hints of art and experimental jazz. The result is an album that as haunting as it is reflective. I can’t say it was perfect, but for what it is, it works well. It’s a very fitting goodbye for someone such as David Bowie. Favorite track: Lazarus Other hits: I Can’t Give Everything Away, Dollar Days, Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime), Tis A Pity She Was A Whore

This man changed my life and sculpted so many of my musical tastes. This album is yet another serving of his endless creativity: unique, exciting, tragic. This heavy dish is not for easy listening.

Enjoyed Blackstar, Lazarus and Dollar Days. Found some of the other songs a little less enjoyable. It is Bowie so I came into the listen knowing that there were going to be some quirkiness. Probably should be on the list because of influence and last album.

This album immediately reminded me of another on this project: "You Want It Darker" by Leonard Cohen. Like Cohen, David Bowie seems to have a level of premonition about his own lingering death. The music, lyrics, and tone are all a bit eerie, even for Bowie, and possess a certain level of gloom throughout the album. Hearing a heavier than usual jazz flair from Bowie was also quite interesting. I tend to prefer Bowie more in the glam sphere, but the decision to go more jazzy was certainly intriguing, and what I believe to be an intentional decision to create some artistic contrast and dissonance. Bowie was no stranger to experimenting, and I feel like this album is no exception. This album defies falling into any one sound or genre. This album is also busy, and not necessarily in a bad way; there are many things going on in the tracks that paint a bizarrely beautiful picture. This is not my favorite iteration of Bowie, but it's certainly a captivating iteration nonetheless. Bowie went out on a high note with this album, reminding us why he was and continues to be a king of the weird.

Last album by the great. It’s really hard to judge considering how it was written. But it is also hard to listen to

bowie é bom, precisamos ouvir mais. always.

Not new to me. Posthumously released, super moody. Bowie’s voice is beautiful and haunting.

Amazing. It sounds so sad. I will listen to this one again.

Listened to this album a lot. Instant classic. "I was looking for your ass" 5 stars

Favorites: All David Bowie's last album before his death. He wanted to get as far away from rock and roll as he could, citing Kendrick Lamar's approach to the genre of hip hop on TPAB as inspiration. Features a mix of various styles of jazz, art rock, and experimental rock. Themes of a man wrestling with his mortality, as he made this album while in the final stages of his battle with liver cancer.

I find this to be an exceptionally bold and daring album for being so late in his career. Perhaps this was partially fueled by his awareness of his own mortality at that point. The album is of course irrevocably tied to his death and one cannot help but hear him grappling with his knowledge of this throughout. I remember when first listening to this album upon it's release, it was quite an emotional experience with that in mind. A rare album where an artist was able to lucidly capture this very real sense of mortality and make it sound somehow fresh and vital. Bowie made his life into art from beginning to end.

Production: 16/20 Songwriting: 18/20 Innovation: 19/20 Presence of pure bangers: 15/20 Emotional response: 17/20 =85 Anything between 80 and 100 is five stars.

Excellent even in his dying days.

I hadn't listened to this since it was released. Great to relisten. It's absolutely fantastic, otherworldly and strange - pure Bowie. And, with some distance from the context surrounding it, namely Bowie's death, one can better appreciate it as a fine album in it's own right, regardless of it being his swansong.

Such a cool album

Fantastic album. Bowie was experimenting and keeping his sound fresh and relevant to the very end.

4.5 | Bowie sacó alrededor de 25 discos... Creo que debo de haber escuchado al menos 15-18 de ellos. Si considerara Blackstar en un vacío comparado con el resto estaría quizá entre el 7-10, cuando lo tomo en cuenta como el último disco que hizo y todas lo que le rodeó en su creación lo considero en top 3. En conocimiento de básicamente una sentencia de muerte sacó un disco que en mi sentir nos trae de vuelta en circulo al inicio de su carrera y celebra en un último grito todo lo que lo hizo ser lo que fue. En una nube de jazz y sonidos electrónicos con guitarras meramente setenteras en su sonido hizo un disco que nos recuerda de fin su capacidad de hacer narrativas. En sus letras sin dar ni un centímetro a ceder es un confesionario sobre sus sentimientos de miedo, muerte, la naturaleza de la vida y tanto una celebración como resignación del vacío que tiene enfrente, es tanto una celebración de cumpleaños como un grito de no tener nada que perder. Todo esto en solo 40 minutos y 7 canciones, con una épica de 9 minutos dividida en dos secciones que de manera cruda cruda recuerda “Something happened on the day he died/ Spirit rose a metre and stepped aside/ Somebody else took his place and bravely cried/ I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar”; el tiempo y el resultado será inevitable pero el seguirá cambiando, es una nueva estrella. Me encanta como juega con su voz como si festejara lo más Bowie de lo Bowie y hasta se hiciera una sátira propia de las inflexiones que usó por años exagerando al decir "I´m a Blackstar" o "'Tis a pity she was a whore". A todo esto ¿por qué aunque lo marco así, no le pondría el 5? Porque siento que si alguien lo escucha en blanco y no conoce el contexto detrás se pierde mucho de lo que lo hace un disco magnífico y con un trasfondo cabrón, quedándose "solo" como un excelente disco de David Bowie.

A magnificent album, modern, forward-thinking, deep. Long live Bowie.

Love the first track

Pretty awesome album my attention was on most of the songs

Loved this! Bowie is the best.

Schon sher

Classic

Bowie's last is one of his best

Marvellous!!

fantastic album

Very intense but magnificent

Particularly haunting now, knowing he was creating This while dying.

Ottimo testamento.

Great album! It has kind of a synth noir vibe. Horns are layered with atmospheric strings along with spacey samples. There are the occasional heavy guitar riffs to remind us Bowie is rock royalty. And holy crap was that a trap beat on "Girl Loves Me?"

Really experimental, but really great. I loved this album, probably my favorite of Bowie’s that I’ve heard so far

Haunting.

Giuliana is crazy man

Bowie's final masterpiece.

fantastic

Bruh this a classic 10/10

Tremendo, todas son obras maestras menos una. 5 estrellas porque no hay 4.5

One he'll of a ride. Instrumentation is doing the heavy lifting here, so tight and and the perfect platform for Bowie to go off. Some album to bow out on

Love the music. Music composition rules were beautifully broken. David Bowie's voice irks me.

Love this album. Listened to quite a bit of Bowie recently and this absolutely lives up to his best. I love the variation from track to track. The album never fails to surprise and delight. Fav track is probably Girl Loves Me.

Very dark. Some outrageous drumming on this.

Brilliant album. An incredible end to an incredible career

Not always the easiest of listens, but fantastic all the same.

First full listen to a Bowie album and not disappointed, absolutely iconic

Never really listened to Bovie before, thought I didn't care for it

Woah. Harter Stoff, gerade für Freunde Polnischer Abgänge - wie mich - wenn jemand sehenden Auges sein eigenes Sterben vertont. Und dann natürlich alles andere als irgendjemand. So gleitet es dann direkt schon im ersten Song dahin, vom stotternd dissonant gequält kämpfenden ins paradiesisch jenseitige, wenn der Stern erloschen ist. Immer noch da natürlich, massiver denn je und mit mächtiger Gravitation - aber dunkel, unbelebt, nicht mehr leuchtend. Bis dahin aber gibt es noch jenseitiges abzuarbeiten, hektisch wie in „Sue“, aber auch alles zu geben - was schlicht - I can’t give everything away - nicht mehr geht und mich gerade derart melancholisch stimmt, meine Güte. Vorwärts immer, rückwärts nimmer. Dem Universum ist das alles egal. Vielen Dank, für alles.

Masterpiece it’s Bowie final album what else can I say

Hauntingly beautiful. My personal favorite Bowie album. R.I.P.

This makes me so sad

Controlled Chaos

Fucking masterful.

jazzy and eclectic. RIP

Brilliant! Sounds so experimental and calm like acceptance of inevitability.

I'm not sure if this is my favorite Bowie album. But it's up there, especially since he has one of the best discography's or any musician ever. This album fucks my week up, let alone my day. Bowie knew he was going, and I think he really put it into this one man.

Excelente

Insanely powerful and dense album. I get chills at the line in Girl Loves Me when he says "Where the fuck did Monday go?" I know he couldn't have known when he wrote that lyric but he died on a Sunday so he literally didn't experience that Monday.

I mean, 5 for sure. Really good album punctuated by the fact it was his last.

9/10. Quite good, but hard to justify putting another Bowie album on this list…

One of my favourite albums of all time. Exceptionally moving as he died upon its release and knew he was not long for this world upon its recording.

Great Album, Lazarus is the best song.

Just a legendary swan song from a true icon.