Reviews (page 14 of 15)
Not super into this album - Lazarus was good and Dollar Days intro was decent but the rest lost me.
2/5 best - lazarus worst - blackstar
It was weird at first but it definitely grew on me. A really good album!!
I can see why he didn't release when he was alive
I know Bowie is always kinda experimental, but I don’t think this is a good introduction to him. Maybe if I was a long time fan, I could enjoy it. But it’s just too dreary for me, and I don’t have an emotional connection with Bowie for the dreariness to work for me.
At first I wasn’t super pumped to listen to drum and bass made by a 69 year old with liver cancer, but this wasn’t half bad. Nice nadsat tune, I’ll try and listen to this album again.
Admittedly I am not a huge David Bowie fan, I do appreciate some his bigger hits. This is the second album of his that I have gotten. I liked the title track, it was eclectic and all over the place but a fun listen. Not a fan of the second song. Overall just not my favorite style of music, I can understand how others would enjoy it.
Es una genialidad de álbum. Todos los instrumentos y la voz en conjunto suenan delicioso.
Not for me. I do like some of his music but not this album.
As the album went on it got worse and worse for me. Way better albums for Bowie out there over this one
Bowie is cool. Probably too cool for me because I don't always get the hype - but this is a good album. He's unique. It's fun. I dig it.
3,5, some great stuff and some eh
Kinda surprised on this one. Was really into Bowie back catalog when this came out, never gave it a chance. Heard the first track at the time and said 'naw'. One this first full listen, it really is a coherent album. Don't know if I'd ever put it in rotation, though. Favorite song is Blackstar (big surprise) Would pay $8 used.
Challenging, sad, expansive. Lot of jazz, great drum tracks.
A solid bookend to an amazing career. One can hear the influences referenced in the summary and the darkness is more prominent now listening it to again several years after his passing. He never stopped experimenting or growing musically and is one of our true iconoclasts gone too soon.
I'm not sure I really got this. I've been told with context I would appreciate it more (the whole released just before his death) but without it, I got kinda bored
Hard to say what impact his death had on my perception of this album but this album hits hard.
RIP Bowie
Alright, wasn't always my thing, very experimental at points with a jazz layer near the centre of it all.
It's tough to listen to. Is there a payoff? Not that I can inform.
An interesting and challenging listen. I went through it at least 5 times, trying to see if it would take a hold for me, as i generally like Bowie and have seen so many folks raving over this album. Lazarus is really good and maybe Blackstar is unusual and good, but I didn't really find much else that makes we want to listen more. It's fine, but won't have me coming back.
Hate to say it but this was not good
eu gosto do bowie, eu so conheço a fase inicial dele, de 69-72, e é provavelmente um dos meus artistas favoritos desse ano de 2022. como 2016 é um ano com uma grande distancia do inicio dos anos 70, eu não espero muito desse album, provavelmente so pagam pau pra ele porque foi lançado dois dias antes dele morrer, vamo ve. talvez eu goste. é, exatamente o que eu esperava, lazarus é legal, eu acho, mas o resto é so um progressivo estranho por causa das baterias eletronicas e tudo mais. bem depressivo tambem, bom, eu acho que é isso que se espera de alguem a beira da morte
C'était pas mon préféré de lui so far mais je l'ai bien aimé pareil. À réessayer
I've always found Bowie a bit hit and miss, and I found this a bit patchy. Wouldn't turn it on, wouldn't turn it off.
Blackstar truly sounds like its both written and sung by someone who is knocking on deaths door. Unfortunately for wider humanity, this was indeed the case for Bowie. Blackstar has quite an experimental sound with a mish mash of genres entwined from jazz to art rock onto industrial rock, folk pop and hip hop. Although not Bowie's best work, it is indeed a fitting end to what was a groundbreaking and illustrious career of a legend of music. Best: Lazarus Worst: Dollar Days
L'última gran obra de Bowie. Un disc de post-maduresa on dóna la benvinguda a la mort mitjançant 7 temes complexos, difícils, de gran qualitat. Jazz, rock, experimentació, intel.ligència compositiva es donen la mà per dir-nos adéu d'una forma colpidora, de mestre
weird and experimental. kind of sad when you know the lore behind it. I feel like if I listened to it again it would get better. its interesting.
I so want to love Bowie - but it just doesn’t get under my skin. I think I need the right circumstances for this to have meaning for me. That doesn’t detract from his talent.
Seemed alright... Not really a Bowie fan tho.
I love this
10/10, I’m so glad David Bowie left on such a great album I mean it’s David Bowie, it can’t be that bad anyway but this album has such amazing songs I think it’s such a great album to leave the world with all the songs are amazing one way or another but I think my favorite is Girl Loves Me because of just how fucking weird it is The beat is great and those vocals are just beyond wild, it sounds so cool Bowie’s such a cool genius who left the world with some of the coolest music ever made
Yeah, this continues my view of not actively disliking David Bowie, but not liking him either. If this was anyone other than Bowie it wouldn't be in the list.
Sometimes challenging but always rewarding... extraordinary album.
Good album, def not his best
didn’t listen to the whole thing, kinda mid
Really, really tried to like this but I just can’t. Feel like Bowie remains one of those people who are universally regarded as amazing but just totally lost on me.
14th May 2022 Listened in the supermarket before a super chilled weekend on my own. Loved it. What an outstanding piece of art. To be so comfortable with your own mortality that you make and release this when you know you’re on the brink is remarkable. People will study it in years to come.
I love David Bowie. I loved listening to his last album. I certainly appreciated what he did with this one. I just can't say that I'd ever want to listen to this again outside of this project. So that makes for a challenging rating. Whatever I rate won't reflect all that I felt listening to it.
Other than those super hits of the 70-80s, I don’t think that I know much of David Bowie’s work. This album was quite intriguing…quite different than the Bowie rock with which I am familiar. The tone was kind of dark and peculiar to me, but it did draw me in for the full length.
Sophisticated and stunning. A remarkable swan song.
I knew and liked this album a lot already, but every time I listen I pick up more. There’s a lot of depth and much to explore on his album. It is extraordinary that one of the most unique and inventive works of a unique and inventive artist’s career was created during his 68th and last year on earth. Bowie left us with a self-created tribute to an incredible career that still feels like it has come from the future. It’s startling and wonderful!
Elegant and elegaic. A fitting swansong for a constantly evolving artist.
Overrated by virtue of Bowie's death. Liked Dollar Days.
Wow, what a way to say goodbye. Fave: Blackstar, Lazurus
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.
A parting gift.
Estilo de voz típico de Bowie. En algunas ocasiones un poco difícil de catalogar el disco. Pop un poco extravagante, se sale de lo común.
This is the kind of album that makes me wish you could revisit old albums on this thing? On my first listen, this album appeared to be a bit too much at times, a little too unfocused. And yet, Bowie’s haunting voice lingers, and I feel like one day I’ll really recognize this album as a masterpiece. 3.5 stars for now
It was okay, far prefer his 70s, 80s work.
What a swan song
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.
One thing I think is important to note here is that David Bowie didn't owe us this album. After all of the great music he gave us, all of the great experiences he created for us, he didn't owe us one more album before he died. The fact that, as he was dying of cancer, he made this stellar album shows how incredible he truly was. Visionary is the word I would use to describe Bowie's career, and it feels that way here too. He's a man looking out into the abyss of death and preparing himself to take the final step. This is not his best album, but it is a monumental achievement nonetheless. He didn't have to do it, but he did, and it's great 4/5
Un 4 porque es Bowie, pero me ha aburrido un poco.
Oooooh, su último disco.
Definitely not the best Bowie. I quite enjoyed listening to it though. Low 3*
Once again disappointed by Bowie. It may have grown on me with more listens
FIVE (black) STARS An all-time classic, given *who* it was from, *when* it was given to us, and *how* Bowie managed to here create a last album with very topical, "à propos" lines, incredibly dark and intricate jazzy or experimental arrangements serving a deeply mysterious yet also quite emotional songwriting overall. A treat from start to finish. As is usually the case with those five-stars albums, I won't write a full-blown review about this particular record, because others have already written wonderful stuff about it and there's not much I can add that I feel could be relevant and interesting. It's just a gem. Go and listen to it a.s.a.p. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: more than 900, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter
I would give David Bowie’s last album 5 stars if he had spent an hour playing the Benny Hill theme on a comb and TP kazoo. But in fact this is very good, though not easy. I think it stands on its own, aside from its context in Bowie’s life, in a rightful place alongside his best.
I almost had to shut this one off. It was really tough to get through. I just don't get the appeal of Bowie. Guess anything really is "art"
Some beautiful moments, but also a lot of atonal monotony. I really wanted to like the album but I just can't get into it.
OK, not the best Bowie
not a very good bowie lazarus is really cool though 2.5
The muse was strong with this one. A fine finale to the life of an artist and showman- what an exit, passing away just a few days after the album’s release, keeping his illness a secret. And no falling back on the obvious or retrodden - still pushing himself, still taking inspiration from others, making something ethereal, haunting, with inspiration from jazz, hip hop, electronica, cabaret yet none of these things either. A swan song, a statement, a Starman.
Can’t believe I waited for 6 years to listen to this… Sounds like Bowie has zero F’s left to give went out 100% on his own terms.
Sounds like Bowie-Patton-radiohead to me. Five stars.
Excellent album. Last album before he died.
Not sure about this - it really needs an attentive listen.
No es de lo mejor de Bowie. Obvio el prestigio del artista y que sea su último sirvió para que tenga tan buenas críticas.
Honte de ne jamais l'avoir écouté avant
★★★★
хз ну норм. че то рок такой в современном звучании с примесями электроники и крепким фирменным вокалом.
it's ok, pretty weird and depressing but in a variety of ways.
weird. 2 stars? at best.
8/10 Best song - Lazarus
listened to again a masterpiece from a legend. what a way to go out.
Way too weird for me, but I've never been a Bowie fan outside of a few of his hits.
What a beautiful, desolate album. That last song "I Can't Give Everything Away" just floors me every time I hear it. I don't know why Bowie's passing hit me so hard. Freddie Mercury's dying was more of a shock to me, but when Bowie died, it just... I went numb. And I cannot imagine recording this, while he could probably feel the life draining away. I will say there a few songs on here are a little iffy: Girl Loves Me and Dollar Days are a bit... hmmmm, but I do like the instrumentation of all the songs on this album, the sax coming back so much after so long. The harmonica on the last song, wow. I can only play this album every so often as it chokes me up a little. But it's hard to separate the album from the man and his death. As a piece of art, it has so many strong songs, but those few weak songs do kinda bring it down a little. Is it his best work? I would say no, but it's definitely in his top 5 easily.
A pretty solid album but I'm not going to completely gush over it. Nice gift for Bowie to leave the world but I've heard better albums. I found the drum track and electronica elements annoying at times - like the start of Blackstar (still a good song) and most of Sue. That being said, his lyrics are excellent and he has some real beautiful songs - Lazarus, Dollar Days particularly stand out. Girl Loves Me was my favorite track - funky and great tempo.
This album is still hard to listen too, even six years after Bowie's death. His death hit me hardest out of all of the musician's that we've lost these past few years. It's hard to fathom knowing that you're going to die soon and turning that death into a work of art. He did it brilliantly though. I don't know if I'd say it is his best album but it is way up there and one Blackstar is worth 5 stars here. Favorite tracks: All of them!
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.
A genre-bending swan song that is the perfect send-off to this man’s legacy.
Incredible experiment, David. Blackstar = TPAB (To Pimp A Bowie).
Even if only on an intellectual level, you have to admire the boldness of the album. Mixing modern hip-hop with art rock and experimental jazz is impressive for any artist, let alone one in their 60s. But the emotion carries it as well, with the final track in particular hitting home deeply.
This is special to me because of when and ho wit was released, two days before his death, like a gift for us all. Maybe not his most immediately memorable tunes, but the jazz guys playing rock, lush production and the lyrics imbued with depth and sense of mortality make this very special. A last loving note to us, his fans.
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.
Great album
I love this. Great album. Amazing until the end, just like Bowie
Vaguely jazzy. Some solid tracks. Can see revisiting it a ton but glad I listened.
Interesting music but I didn't really enjoy it.
This is a six star album
The experimentation on this album is awesome and I really admire Bowie's ability to constantly evolve throughout his career and continue to take risks. The allusions to his death on the album also make it a memorable listen.
Tout simplement magistral!! Un chef d'oeuvre! Le band est malade, les tounes sont épiques! Un peu mon introduction à Bowie, je connaissais bien sûr mais c'est le seul que j'ai en vinyle. C'est dark, c'est touchant. Avec son décès qui a coïncidé avec la sortie de l'album, c'était irréel. On aurait cru à une mise en scène. Un immense artiste, un immense album! Si on pouvait mettre plus d'étoiles que 5 je le ferais.
Cet album est merveilleux.
Ce n’est pas le plus accessible des albums de David Bowie, mais quand tu connais tout le contexte autour de cet album, ça en fait un excellent album. Après 25 album, David Bowie cherche encore à se réinventer et trouve l’influence dans des artistes contemporains comme Boards of Canada et Kendrick Lamar. C’est d’ailleurs l’album To Pimp a Butterfly qui l’amène à vouloir collaborer avec des artistes jazz. Après, quand l’album sort le jour de son 69e anniversaire et qu’on apprend le décès de Bowie deux jour plus tard d’une maladie qu’il avait caché, on réécoute l’album et les textes prennent toutes une signification. Toute la planification de cet album en fait selon moi le plus grand dernier album d’un artiste.
What a lovely surprise, I loooooove this album. Love the jazz elements. Bowie’s vocals are raw. The instruments are all perfect. The title track, Tis a Pitty, Lazarus, Sue, and Dollar Days are all highlights (so basically the whole album is a highlight lol), but my absolute favorite is the closing track I Can’t Give Everything Away.
Very interesting sound, confidently put together
I have to be honest, I love David Bowie, but this album is not it for me. I’ll give it three because of the legend of Bowie. RIP
Sorry Bowie. This one kind of sucked.
I can't fathom putting out something as powerful ,and beautiful before I died. Truly a testament to his mastery of song.
I remember when this came out, just before Bowie’s death. I kinda hear it at the time but didn’t pay much attention. I’m glad I have listened properly to it now. It probably holds an odd place in music history as he was clearly past his prime but still a great artist. I like it. But I’m a world of thousands of albums it’s hard to know where to put it. Also, I am only on day 3 of this project and have had 2 David Bowie albums!
I find this stunning though obviously its power was enhanced by the proximity of release to death of the artist. It's honest and uncontrived (which can't be said of all Bowie records) but also typically odd and off-kilter (as most Bowie records are). The pluses are the consistency of range and style and melancholia of both lyric and vocal. I expect this will be my favorite Bowie record.
David Bowie is a referent but perhaps for me not very important.
Lazarus was the best song on the album. Album reminds me of driving on a warm summer night with the radio low.
I like this. Not a classic but interesting and showed that Bowie still had something to say
An amazing final album from one of the greatest of our time.
Total masterpiece
Cheer up Bowie, it might never happen. The last 2 tracks are alright. The rest of the album is a discordant mess with old man Bowie droning on. Fuck jazz
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.
Not really sure what to say about this one
Manden er jo en legende og albummet skulle være være fantastisk. Synes dog ikke helt den rammer mig. Den er lidt for avant garde. Måske jeg lige skal prøve at få den ind under huden en gang
Voor mij veel te theatraal en zwaar.
Hoor wel hoe goed het is, maar heb vandaag moeite om dit op waarde te schatten. Later nog eens proberen.
Topzwaar, maar mooie zwanenzang van de meester
Ik ben geen enorm grote Bowie fan, maar dit album is werkelijk prachtig. Zal mede komen door de lading van zijn aanstaande dood, tijdens het maken van deze plaat. Muziekaal zit het ook fantastisch in elkaar.
Heerlijke zware kost.
I don't know much of Bowie beyond his many excellent singles, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this. It seems like a perfect final album, one man looking back at his life and thinking beyond.
The dense, smoky textures are wonderful, though the commitment to confounding expectations comes at a cost. That's not to say there aren't hooks, though. More than I'd remembered, actually.
Bowie's last album. Seven tracks, four of which I like. (Blackstar, Lazarus, Dollar Days, I Can't Give Everything Away). It was published shortly before Bowie's death, and is about that very subject matter. The music is a mixture of pop/rock and jazz, and is at times quite ominous sounding. The album is well worth a listen. 4/5
Solid album, can see myself checking this one out again. A lot more "modern" sounding than I expected.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I appreciate how important it is, but I didn't fall in love with it.
Loved classic Bowie but found his new stuff hard to get through. I'll give it another go – only because it's Bowie. Didn't really do it for me, didn't get past second track, it was very meandering and unengaging.
Released the weekend he died, as a swan song. Haunting title track.
Very nice and unique sound. Probably won't listen to it again, but I respect it
Not a bad album, but as far as David Bowie's best goes this is pretty just okay.
Never listened to this before. Really good. Feel I will be coming back to this one again quite regularly.
When you know you've gotta go, you gotta go. Quite the way to go.
"When a man sees his black star, he knows his time...has come."
Do not like
“Bowie will live on long after the man has died. For now, though, he's making the most of his latest reawakening, adding to the myth while the myth is his to hold.”
Muy buen álbum
Hin fullkomna sálumessa. Elska allt við þessa plötu.
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.
Awesome
Didnt engage me at all.
The only Bowie album I've ever enjoyed. Excellent stuff.
the greatest farewell album of all time
Great ambient music for a party
maybe just a bit jazzier than i would have liked and i did like a lot of the songs! just not enough to add them to any playlists
En ymmärrä. Blackstar ihan mielenkiintoinen, lopuista ei vaan saa mitään otetta.
This is incredible! How have I never listened to this before??
i was not completely wowed by this album. good but not my thing really... sorry mr bowie
didnt grip me right away the way older bowie albums did, but i suspect it would grow on me with time, which unfortunately i do not have right now
Maybe I just don’t get David Bowie.
One of my favorite albums before listening to it now. Stellar singing and use of the music. Could listen to it every day.
Hos best since the heydays
this sucked! 2/5
Even "goodbye, moonmen" is better...
good bowie, happy to hear newer stuff from him, he was still pretty relevant in 2016 which is crazy
Seemed a bit less "art pop" than his previous albums. I didn't mind.
2-3
Good album, early songs weren't incredible to me but last two are a great end to the album. 0 songs favorites.
Just a legendary swan song from a true icon.
better than i remembered in context. 3.5
A little uneven but very strong opening and closing. I really enjoy the Crowley/satanic panic vibes of the opening track. Knowing that this was kind of recorded as a farewell makes me like it more. Probably closer to a 3.5 but I'll give it a 4.
Agora tenho capacidade de ouvir e gostar.
It’s fine…
Ersten drei Songs nicht mein Geschmack.
Nice, there are still elements of his style.
Ya fue duro en su momento, porque salió a los dos días o poco más de fallecer Bowie, así que reescucharlo te pone los pelos de punta por crudo, por oscuro.
Bowie's 90's/00's albums are shite but this was a fine return to form and a near perfect send off
Great Album, Lazarus is the best song.
If this wasn't the 'death album' it likely wouldn't have received the reception it did and probably wouldn't have made this list. It's still a solid Bowie album.
Well, his last one, so cannot rate lower
Not a good album in my opinion, I believe personally that it was his attempt to be different and "alternative". I did not find any single song that was really grabbing my attention or I even liked one bit. For me it was a 1/10, just could not find anything to like.
that's bowie, so ok... but not my piece of cake
Mag es nicht
Cool album. Was familiar with it when it came out and Bowie died kinda shortly thereafter, so it got a popularity bump from that at the time. Definitely sounds like Bowie knew he was not going to be around for much longer as he was making this. His voice sounds like the voice of a movie/anime character that knows they are completing their last work(s) before they will expire. Lazarus is best song, but I really like the sax throughout the album.
Did not enjoy
Not vero good
Felt like a pretty thoughtful album.
Many of the songs seemed like incoherent ramblings, but I liked the sounds and tone overall.
Didn’t know what to expect. Quiet wistful lyrics with interesting instrumentals.
I will come back to this album one day. Blackstar is my favourite song in this album
maddeningly good swan song of an album
Too artistic? Not enjoyable.
I've heard a variety of tracks from David Bowie, and this is the third Bowie album that has been recommended to me by this list. Sometimes I don't know what to do with Bowie's music, even the songs I think I like. This album was even more of a puzzle. I kept asking myself, "Do I like this track?" and it was hard to come to an answer. It was an interesting listen, but nothing stuck with me, plus some tracks were hard to get through. 2 stars
When Bowie passed away on January 10 2016, he left behind a legacy: a discography of truly great albums, an impact on the music industry only few have claimed, and a pretty large quality gap in his career. Some would argue that he hadn't put out a good album since the 80's. Others would affirm that, it didn't matter what he point out at this point, because his name now speaks for itself. Regardless, David Bowie was not the musical workhorse that he was in the 70's, and most of the world had pretty well made it up it's mind about Bowie. Not much else to be said. Turns out, though, that he left behind one other thing. A mere two days before his death, Bowie released Blackstar, impactful in it's cover art alone. This album...is something else. It's almost prophetic, let he knew he was dying and had one last great album in him. He reached deep, and pulled out the most introspective and dark album he could ever pull out of his soul. It's deep as hell. It's a lot. Musically, he's going above and beyond with these compositions. Songs play naturally through the movements and sour when they need to, adding an extra gut punch of what this album is really about: death. Everyone here is on their A-game, working to elevate the songs and work towards a great crescendo on Bowie's last album. Wow. This is David Bowie's last album, huh? God, what a thing. I think, for Bowie's swan song, this is exactly what it needs to be. I don't absolutely love it, but I don't have to. It speaks for itself. ★
Not good. Dude is wack. Also, too many hits by this guy. I got distracted.
No sé si fue el mejor disco de Bowie para escuchar por primera vez.
Honestly, my first play-through of any David Bowie album. It was slow and dark. Not really my thing, but I can for sure see the appeal. Not trying to take anything away from Bowie, of course, the man was quite clearly a musical genius, I just don't know that I ever need to listen to this album, or really even Bowie, ever again.
Such an eccentric album, very much like prime Peter Gabriel but... Bowified. Deep and dark, pleading, beseeching, sorrowful and sad. An edge not alien to Bowie's style, but slightly rougher and less carefully selected, more from the gut. Fearful. Magnificent.
Feels like a spacy, wonky version of Arctic Monkeys / The Last Shadow Puppets. Lots of "freestyle jazzy" stuff. Not sure I love it. Having listened it through, I am kinda happy it's done.
Weird. Bowie's later stuff always has a strange, prog, forced feel.
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.
Blackstar's title track was the first thing I heard obviously when this album first came out. I watched the behind the scenes doc on an airplane to Croatia and that's where I found a need to visit this album. On revisiting to the opening title track with headphones it really hits me just how much I miss songs written without a basic pop song structure.
Rip Bowie. Nice album.
Doesn't stand out, jazzy, meh
Very haunting
8/10
Trippy! 8
9/10. Quite good, but hard to justify putting another Bowie album on this list…
A lot of the songs were interesting but the vocals bothered me and it wasn’t my vibe. Still a decent album. 7/10
Hmmm interesting but didn't really do anything for me. After I few albums I guess I just don't "get" Bowie. Sounds great though?
I mean, 5 for sure. Really good album punctuated by the fact it was his last.
Bowie's epitaph. He bowed out on a strong album. Death hangs over this album and it can be hard work. Best Tracks: 'Tis a Pity She's a Whore; Lazarus; Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)
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
October 28, 2021 A good listen and a tragic one.
I just can't get into Bowie. Nothing against him or his talent, but it's just not my style of music.
I don't know too much about Bowie besides his biggest hits. I thought this late in his career (semi-posthumous?) album was really interesting with some good tracks. I enjoyed the title track the most.
Solid but not spectacular. I feel like this album gets cred as a life-time achievement award. 2/5
an album people like because of the story, not because it's actually good
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.
Did not like at all; every song was a slog to get through
stars for effort
Excelente
Dwudziesty piaty studyjny album, ostatni z jakze bogatej dyskografii Bowiego, a przy tym szosty, a pewnie nie ostatni, na liscie pikowej, jak pisal jeden z wielkich wieszczy ulicy jakie zycie taki rap, to dobre okreslenie na ten album, dlatego ze ten ostatni numer Bowiego opowiada wlasnie o zyciu, a przede wszystkim o jego zakonczenu, bo to wlasnie przemijanie jest glownym motywem krazka, ktory jest swoistym pozegnaniem ze swiatem, bezposrednim bodzcem byla rakowa diagnoza, pan ktory od roku 2k03 wypuscil tylko jeden krazek dostaje info, ze umiera wiec naturalnym jest fakt, ze zrobi o tym plyte, ktora nadana jego personie jeszcze bardziej legendarna pozycje w dziejach muzyki, w 41 minutach i 7 kawalkach opowiada o lowach i hightach karierowych, gatunkowo ciezko okreslic ten album, bo jest to rock grany przez jazzmenow, dodatkowo wyczuwalne sa influencje muzyki elektronicznej, na plycie blackstarowej personie towarzyszy takze lider LCD Soundsystem James Murphy, a za produkcja stoi pan odpowiedzialny za polowe dyskografii Bowiego czyli Tony Visconti, chociaz prawie 70 letni pan Bowie praktycznie na lozu smierci, to nadal potrafi zaskoczyc wokalnie, chociaz najbardziej z plyty uderza autentycznosc, kawalki na pierwszy rzut oka wygladajace jak typowe popowe songi o dupie maryny potrafia przemycac watki autobigraficzne okraszone licznymi nawiazaniami zarowno do wczesniejszych projektow, elementow biblijnych, czy tez innych dziedzin sztuki, zwlaszcza traczek tis a pity that she was a whore nawiazujacy do sztuki o tej samej nazwie, sam projekt blackstarowy wydal rowniez sztuke zatytulowana Lazarus, nawiazujaca do filmu w ktorym mial okazje zagrac Bowie, a soundtrack z ktorego juz sie pojawil na tej liscie, wiec the man who fell to earth, do albumu zostaly wyprodukowane dwa teledyski pierwszy do traka tytulowego oraz do Lazarusa, ktory mozna nazwac punktem centralnym calej plyty, swego rodzaju labedzim songiem Bowiego, samo video pojawilo sie trzy dni przed jego smiercia, sama plyta dwa dni przed, chyba bardziej odpowiedniej daty wypuszczenia plyty nie mogl sobie wybrac, o ile rapowych przedsmiertnych albumow czy songow troche mozna naliczyc, to wydaje mi sie jednak, ze w muzyce popularnej takie albumy sa czyms o wiele rzadszym, bo nawet z wlasnej smierci zrobic dzielo sztuki tylko prawdziwy artysta moze sie popisac takim majstersztykiem tworczym, na plejce znajdzie sie miejsce na najdluzszy traczek plyty, tytulowego blackstara i moj ulubiony numer lazarusa z ostatnimi gitarkowymi akcentami spod reki Bowiego i wyjatkowym saksowym solo Donnego McCaslina, nie wiem ile z dwudziestu pieciu albumow sie pojawi na liscie, ale mam nadzieje, ze jeszcze bedzie mi dane sie dowiedziec
Sombre, sad, grief, truth.
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.
Een muzikaal testament met een heel sombere ondertoon. in contrast daarmee zijn de vele saxofoon-melodieën
-How many more Bowie albums are you gonna make me rate?!?!? -Not his best album -Very weird but I wouldn't expect any different -I liked when his songs are more dancey and rockish -Album art could be better, it's too plain. I like the idea of the different parts of the star but make it look cool -Didn't really like any songs
Some cool sounds not too shabby. 4/5
3.5 it’s good but not obsessed thanks david
Listened before. Again, not my preferred listening.
Wanted to like it more but it's a bit too indulgent and tuneless.
I like Bowie, but this is not anywhere close to his best work.
Challenging to listen to, the beats of the lyrics weren’t standard
Kudos to Bowie for never standing pat, and for going out, musically, on his own terms. But this whole thing was too "out there" for my tastes. This album sounded like it should have been the soundtrack for True Crime. (See Trance Figure by School of The Seven Bells).
Brilliant close out to this guys life. Died 2 days after the release.
Not particularly my style, but there's definitely some weird and haunting appeal in the dissonance and eccentricity of the melodies and rhythms.
Brilliant! Sounds so experimental and calm like acceptance of inevitability.
Je ne sais pas trop quoi en penser. Ce n’est pas ce a quoi je m’attendais et les chanson sont vraiment eclatees. 3.25
Unbeknownst to all but his inner circle, Bowie wrote and recorded Blackstar after receiving word that he had liver cancer. A close listen reveals how the album is littered with references to dying -- indeed, it concludes with a note of acceptance in "I Can't Give Everything Away" -- but Bowie's remarkable achievement with Blackstar is how it's an album about mortality that is utterly alive, even playful. Fittingly, the music itself is suspended in time, sometimes recalling the hard urban gloss of '70s Bowie, but also Roxy Music and sometimes evoking the drum'n'bass dabbling of the '90s incarnation of the Thin White Duke. Blackstar is not even close to being my favourite Bowie album, but it does close on a contemplative note, a sentiment that when combined with Bowie's passing lends the album a suggestion of finality that's peaceful, not haunting. Collapse ↑
“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.
I bought this on iTunes when it came out just after his death but didn't listen to it much, or as closely as I should have. On the plus side, his voice wasa bit fraile but still better than the vast majority of young singer songwriters out there, and in general the song-writing is good. The 10-minute epic title track is a throw-back to his mid-seventies peak, as is Lazarus. There's great saxophone playing throughout - he would have sounded great with the pianist from Aladdin Sane! And his fans (us) can spend years deciphering the lyrics. As pointed out by my co-judge, some of the arrangements seem out of synch with the vocals, like they were recorded in separate places and times. I'm not too fond of Bowie dropping F-bombs - that's a gimmick for less talented types. The album has a (not surprisingly) gloomy feel and the production seemed muddy listening on my home stereo (but crisper with headphones). The final 2 tracks seem the most together, in terms of the arrangements. I'm glad 1001 re-introduced me to this.
It’s incredible that Bowie released this Swan Song when he was 69 yrs old and only days before he died from cancer. What a prolific genius he was. Wiki mentions the jazz influence but I don’t hear any, but it’s definitely his darkest and most experimental album.
jazzy and eclectic. RIP
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.
4.4 + I was waiting to be seated at a noodle counter in the Lower East Side one mild January afternoon when the news came through of David Bowie's passing. I had just listened to this album, his last communication with planet Earth. It's hard to decouple that moment when I listen to this album today but to me I can hear a sparkling star summoning all his remaining creative energy to eek out one last beautiful record. Placed within the context of his death, he confronts the end standing on his two feet. There's not an ounce of defeat. This record ranks among his best. What a testament to a rock 'n' roll life fully realized. RIP.
Хороший, мне понравился, переслушал три раза. Круто играет Маккаслин на саксофоне. Я думал, что Боуи уже полумертвый на этом альбоме, но это все же еще один образ
Прощальный альбом Боуи.
Fucking masterful.
This is kind of a haunting record, especially knowing he passed away really close to when it was released.
Pretty decent, although possibly too experimental for me to listen to regularly.
Um álbum interessante, estava a espera de menos dele mas superou as minhas expectativas. É triste saber que o álbum foi escrito no leito de morte do artista, mas por outro lado da lhe mais profundidade. Nota: 5/10
Can do no wrong
Controlled Chaos
This makes me so sad
Not my David Bowie. Made it thru the album just out of respect.
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.
A lot of the tracks on here give me the same vibe of The Mars Volta. Frantic rock and jazz. The horn player especially reminds me of Isaiah Owens from TMV (RIP). A fitting swan song, I think. Favorite tracks: "Lazarus", "Sue (In a Season of Crime)"
First listen.
Hauntingly beautiful. My personal favorite Bowie album. R.I.P.
Masterpiece it’s Bowie final album what else can I say
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.
3.5
I certainly appreciate the creativity and experimentation on this album - Bowie remained a musical tour de force down to the very end. With that said, in terms of how much I enjoyed this album, that is nowhere near my fondness for some of his other works. This is worth listening to a few times, but I won't be returning to it anytime soon.
Im Angesicht des großen Gleichmachers flackert das Kerzenlicht, ficht einen verflucht aussichtslosen Kampf, widerstrebt seinem baldigen Erlöschen. Bowie weiß, er stirbt. Viel freier klang er in seiner Jugend auch nicht. Über die seit Jahrzehnten zelebrierten Experimentierfreude wirft er einen Umhang aus lichtundurchlässiger Mollton. Die Figuren darunter bleiben verhangen und klar erkennbar zugleich. Frechen Raben gleich schwirren Bläser umher, unaufhaltsam treibt der Bass über die alten Gleise, deren singende Dissonanz free-jazzig den monolithischen Schwermut einige kristalline Spitzen verpasst. Das muss alles noch raus, darf im Regal keinen Staub ansetzen, entschlossen und konsequent wird zusammengebaut, auf das kein Bogen, kein Block, kein Schräubchen übrig bleibt. Am Ende stehen dort seltsam schöne Skulpturen mit rauen Kanten und stoischer Unverrückbarkeit. Denkmäler, Grabsteine, Inschrift tragen sie alle, zeugen vom gelebten Leben, von Aus- und Erschöpfung 4.3
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.
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.
Great album showing the creativity and versatility of Bowie.
Blackstar is great, and Dollar Days is nice too! Rest of the album is just not my kind of music xP
Never really listened to Bovie before, thought I didn't care for it
Did not enjoy.
Meh.
Not quite the Bowie I’m used to. It’s more experimental than I expected. May need several listens
love the brass. last song is fantastic.
Haunting and mystical. The music video for Blackstar is also definitely worth checking out.
Very strange.
Kinda meh, liked the last two songs, the other songs didn't do much for me but weren't necessarily bad.
I mean, Bowie’s an icon, but I don’t really want to listen to experimental pop/rock just for the sake of it.
Bit all over the place for me. Some great backing in places.
First full listen to a Bowie album and not disappointed, absolutely iconic
Not always the easiest of listens, but fantastic all the same.
Brilliant album. An incredible end to an incredible career
Pretty consistent, good instrumentation and really well layered sounds. Watched the music videos to get an idea of what was going on - they're weird but enjoyable, which is how I'd describe the album.
The album is fine. I don't think I would listen to it again though.
Mostly meh
Very cool very swag I like
David Bowie! Maybe not exactly my jam, but good stuff.
Very dark. Some outrageous drumming on this.
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.
Really well polished album. The jazz bits blended nicely. Favorite album so far
Love the music. Music composition rules were beautifully broken. David Bowie's voice irks me.
Thought it was going to be a 3 turned out to be a 4. Solid. Fav was "Lazarus"
Iconic. Bowie is brilliant, that is all
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
So bad, I never want to hear any of this crap again
Amazing stuff, not sure why this one didn't click with me when it first came out but it's just ridiculously well made. The drumming stands out, and the boldness with which he moves from style to style. It's one of those albums where the context is key to enjoying it fully, as almost every song speaks directly to his impending death. Took away one star as I found some of the lyrics a bit too obscure to gleam any meaning, even with some additional research on my part. But then again maybe I'm just slow.
It was good.
-Solid album with some fun tracks -I liked "'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore," "Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)," "Girl Loves Me," and "I Can't Give Everything Away"
Tremendo, todas son obras maestras menos una. 5 estrellas porque no hay 4.5
Bruh this a classic 10/10
Pretty decent
fantastic
It was okay? Not too big of a David Bowie fan, but the 3rd track was nice. Jazzy influences
Bowie's final masterpiece.
Giuliana is crazy man
I mean I like Bowie, but this was too experimental for me to enjoy. It wasn’t bad, it was just a lot.
Eeeeeh.
Crisdusseld y était allé de son commentaire à la limite de l'androgynophobie.
https://lindalistens.wordpress.com/2021/04/15/blackstar-david-bowie/
Have heard before - quite interesting but a bit off putting
Haunting.
Really experimental, but really great. I loved this album, probably my favorite of Bowie’s that I’ve heard so far
groovy!! much better than the other one. dark and snazzy sax and stuff and some cool vocal delivery
Liked the Bowie sound but prefer the older material
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?"
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
Not his best.