Blackstar

Well…we were bound to get this one eventually…

I enjoyed the mysterious vibe a lot

I get david Bowie is a legend that does not mean all his albums are good or should be on this list

5 star also has a sentimental element.

I've previously listened to all of Bowie’s studio albums and will say it can be...inconsistent? Don't get me wrong I love a lot of it but not everything can be a hit, however it's always uniquely Bowie. The experimentation here is ever prominent, each track offering a listening experience that is truly unique and different from the last. Sue has a driving guitar riff and beat and the song appears to build into a heavier and heavier sound by the end, alluding to the apparent dark subject matter. The title track is such a well written, haunting song. It stands out to me as a real unique standout in Bowie's back catalogue. The instrumentation and production is phenomenal. I could go on and on about how well crafted this album is - with nothing short of peak musicianship. However I'll just say that I'm not sure there's a more poignant and fitting end to a career and life as this. For Bowie to pass on a mere 2 days after this released says that he was hanging on, he lingered long enough to present this to the world then went on his way.

Wasn't sure what I was getting from a 2016 Bowie album. I didn't really LOVE any tracks, but it was pretty edgy and bold. I'd rather than over some half-assed project.

>releases an album clearly about how he's going to die imminently >reviewers & social media spend release day dissecting the hidden messages of the album >dies thirty-six hours later Incredible. No one was doing it like Bowie. One of the most impressive adn revealing artistic accomplishments of the past fifty years & I'll be real, it'd still be that even if he had died 72 hours after the album released.

The much-hyped deathbed album. I’ve not heard it before. To give it credit, it does grow on you but on the strength of this, there must be at least another 10 Bowie albums to come, as it doesn’t get into his top 10 imho.

really wanted to enjoy this, didnt.

Im liking it!!! like 4/5 maybe

I've never heard an album by Bowie before this and I don't know if having his last be your first is an advantage or not. This feels like the culmination of a year-long career, a distilled and finalized version of what Bowie must've made before. For what I experienced from the album itself, it blew me away. Starting with a 9 minute long piece and not have it feel overly long or thoughtless was an early sign of Bowie's experienced sound. The album feels nostalgic and nihilistic and yet so full of energy. Bowie's only regret, it appears, is not being able to do what he does for longer. Now it is up to me to listen to what he has done. Best songs are 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore and Sue. 8/10, the shining star at the end of the road.

Bad Bowie!

Pas mon album pref de Bowie

Intéressant d’écouter un album récent de David Bowie mais pas de coup de cœur sur celui là

Je m'attendais à vachement mieux... J'ai trouvé la vibe de l'album bizarre

‘Tis a pity it was a bore. 1/5

The story behind the creation and release of this album are equal parts tragic and triumphant as are the reflections of a dying man at the end spread throughout the albums lyrics. That said, I think it is on this list because of that story more than the actual music. If you take away the the circumstances, it's a 7 song album with two songs being re-recordings and another being from a musical and really just doesn't do it for me.

overrated

Not bad, long songs.

judging purely on the music and not the events surrounding this album 3/5

So good experimental Blackstar is good all the way through

Gillar lugnare bowie

3.5/5

это точно лучше чем ok computer

I know people rate this but I don’t get it. It’s not terrible and Lazarus is the best track but the whole thing drags between too many and too few ideas simultaneously.

Blackstar was definitely an album i was teetering around between giving it a 4 or a 5 but with enough thought, i went with the latter. This was the final album released during David Bowie's lifetime and in many of these songs, it felt like Bowie knew it and thus, gave it his all. It took a while for the album to click but when it did, it really did. The instrumentals were all fantastic and David Bowie, while showing his age in that regard, killed it when it came to the vocals. The songs also had a sadder more melancholic vibe than Bowie's other works which absolutely made sense seeing as this was his swansong. All that is to say is that it is an excellent album and sendoff to a fantastic career. Best Song: Girl Loves Me Worst Song: Blackstar

Too sad for me

9.5 / 10

An insane perfect album, the context around it gives it stratospheric levels of emotion. 5/5 Best Song: Lazarus

Phenomenal, prophetic song writing. It could very well be his best album, I can't think of anything else that sounds like this

David Bowie indulging in his Bowie-ness. Almost unlistenable for me.

Альбом каждый раз цепляет.

Yes cynically speaking his death helped is legacy. But the album is really good nonetheless.

Well this was a wild ride. As it started, I thought "WTF is this!?" and as it went on each song was a bit of a surprise to see what was coming. The lyrics on 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore stopped me in my tracks. Occasional saxophone and the variety of instruments made for an interesting listen. Did I like it? Meh. Not particularly a fan of David Bowie and didn't exactly love the music, especially the last couple of tracks, but I give it credit for being different. (3)

Like a lot of Bowie - some good, some ok and some bollocks. Man was an icon and was trying things right up until his death so kudos but for me I’ll save 3 tracks to my Spotify and probably never listen to the rest again. 3.0

Enjoyable. Some incredible drumming on some tracks too.

not for me

I dont like it

doesnt appeal to me

Lowkey listened to this and dissociated. Did not actually listen

Cover was designed by Jonathan Barnbrook. Route One design, but at least the marketing department was ignored, and the name and title were not written in big letters across the top, too, so the sleeve has a good graphic quality. Supposedly, the bits at the bottom spell the name. Not my favourite Bowie album, but still head and shoulders above most of the other drivel that's on 1001.

My dad and I have always loved sharing music with each other. He played Lazarus for me on Christmas Eve of 2015, as we were getting ready to leave for a restaurant. The memory has stuck with me, because I didn’t know a huge amount of his music outside of the hits, and I found it hard to believe that an artist this late into their career was still making such experimental and meaningful music. I have since become a pretty big Bowie fan, and while this isn’t my favorite project by him, it still always reminds me of that one otherwise unmemorable Christmas Eve. And I do love it for that

David Bowie really feels intimate in this album, and, in some way, at the same time, also willing to explore new things, yet knowing it is going to be his last album. Blackstar feels more like a last conscious breath in which he tries to evoke life through death, with some obscure and melancholic atmospheres. Yet it feels fresh, or very personal, through the kind of jazzy rock he makes in this album. For some a work of art, this Blackstar surely is a pretentious album. For the good and the bad, but it really is a last statement, and one in which Bowie tries to reunite very different directions, or influences, from jazz to electronic music, a more atmospheric side and noisy productions as well. It feels very cohesive, but very chaotic too, in a good sense. It is an album in which he really feels involved, connected even more than artistically. And very art rock too, it has to be said. But it is more of a baroque decision to try to prove to be Bowie once again, or just because he really needs it to feel alive. It is chaotic, but also are all the emotions this album encapsulates. And, lastly, it is human. For the good and the bad. It is not Bowie at his best shape, nor his best curated selection of songs, some feel very lost in the soundscape they try to create. But in those things I find the greatness of this record. It is not perfect (not as many people claim it to be), and maybe Bowie has not been perfect at any moment, but it is real, it is tangible, it is human, and it feels very close to an end, it feels like the final chapter of a book. It concludes with a breath of life, with a melancholic feeling, with some great songs. And it is pretentious, as a quick ending before dying. But maybe this is what I would have expected from Bowie. And it is nice to have this vibrant final project, which really feels warm at also being cold. The final track may be the best part of it, and it really feels like an end, an end to an artist that has been brilliant and so unique. And he was David Bowie.

6/10… art rock / *2016

Bowie war mir irgendwie immer zu sperrig, um ihn herausragend zu finden.

Die Lore um dieses Album ist natürlich heftig, finde es aber auch fantastisch. Kurz vor 5 Sternen bei mir.

Rating: 4.9/5 Short Review: Dark, strange, unsettling and beautiful. Bowie sounds like he’s staring directly at mortality without turning the album into something sentimental. The jazz musicians make everything feel unstable and alive. This is not an easy listen, but fuck, it sticks with you. Favorite Track: Blackstar

If it wasn't for his tragic passing in short order after this albums release it would have been thought of as another Tin Machine

I’m loving the instrumentation that’s been used so far, it reminds me of sumeru desert a bit lol, specifically what he’s doing with the woodwinds I really enjoyed this!! I like the weirdness and space/alien vibes to some of the tracks. I especially liked the last track which I think brought in a few elements of the first track which was cool. I will definitely be listening again and I’m excited for the other David Bowie albums on this list. 4.44566/5

Obviously a tremendous personal artistic achievement. One of the great late-life albums. It's clearly in debt, though, to Scott Walker's later albums, yet I reach for those before Black Star every time.

This was a revelation today listening on a day trip to London (Inc a night drive home), I had respect for this album before but now it's hit home fully as a five. The band is brilliant and there isn't a bum note song lyric or vocal aberration. What a perfect end to a career.

Might be the second best "last ablum" I've ever heard after Leonard Cohen's.

Mejhhh

Quite unsettling in places. Really like the mix of jazz sounds and the darker atmosphere.

Goodbye Bowie

This is it. The last David Bowie album on my journey. It's only fitting that it's the final album released in his lifetime. After going through all his other albums included in the books, plus a few other albums and songs from his catalog along the way, I come here as a witness to his final offering to his fans to say... I don't consider Blackstar to be as good as The Next Day. It hurts me to say that; it truly does. I will dive into how much of an emotional whirlwind Blackstar was for me in a moment, but a few issues need to be addressed. First, I have to admit that Bowie's performance on here is uneven. Don't get me wrong; I know why that was the case, given his physical condition, and it does work at points in context with the lyrics and themes, which I will get to. But by the same token, he wrote the vocal lines for this record, and on cuts like the title track and "Girl Loves Me", there are cracks and breaks in his voice that are pretty noticeable. That's not to say those imperfections can't accentuate a certain world-weariness; I certainly gave Marianne Faithfull that lenience with Broken English. But on here, I can't help but feel distracted by them from an otherwise fragile yet impressive, soulful performance, especially with the final two tracks. The second issue I have with the album is with Tony Visconti's production here. Given how bleak the atmosphere is here - the ghostly backing vocals, sparse percussion, heavenly swells of strings, jittery flutes, liquid basswork, and the cushion of hazy synth and free-flowing saxophone that leaps across the mix with reckless abandon - I found myself wishing there was a bit more bite to this record, especially when those ragged guitar lines sneak in. Granted, it is damn impressive that Bowie could still compose music this simultaneously unsettling and approachable without relying on darker textures, but I can't help but wonder what might have been. Of course, that doesn't take anything away from the compositions themselves, filled with such beautiful subtleties that add a ton to the mix: the gleaming synth motif that accents "'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore", the thudding bass of "Lazarus" with its fuzzed-out riff that the horns then mirror, the industrial touches that intensify the feverish panic of "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)", the gorgeous backing piano and other such acoustic textures running through "Dollar Days", and that pillowy cloud of effervescent keys, brittle hi-hats, and eerie horns merging with the guitars on "I Can't Give Everything Away", complete with that wonderous harmonica fragmentation from Bowie himself. At this point, I am having a hard time keeping myself composed, cause now we do need to address the lyrics and themes. More specifically, how much weight and power does this album hold as Bowie's swansong? Every artist has considered what their swansong project would be at some point, though it's not often that you can see the end coming and plan it out as meticulously. After all, David Bowie was privately fighting cancer for a year and a half; he knew that it was coming. It's through that confrontation with death that his influences this time around snap into focus. Musically, this album does borrow from the worn-down electronic stylings of Boards of Canada, which is readily apparent. But from what I understand, Bowie also drew inspiration from two hip-hop acts. The first is Kendrick Lamar, which makes sense, given the parallels to To Pimp a Butterfly: internal struggles with fame, being held up as a savior while losing contact with the world beneath him. Hell, the very notion of Bowie calling himself a "blackstar" can be viewed as an antithesis to the modern disposable icon that isn't shy about piling on the Antichrist imagery around him. That's before we get to "Lazarus", where the distance from his audience is made all the more stark; this is not him caving into cancer, but rather relishing in the potential release of death, no longer the dead man walking. That nihilism also invites parallels to the other hip-hop act that influenced this album: Death Grips. At first glance, this seemed like a bizarre choice; I was never expecting Bowie's voice to match the howling viscerality of MC Ride. Yet there's a certain self-flagellating savagery on display here that wouldn't feel out of place on, say, the Jenny Death side of The Problems That B. Of course, given it's Bowie, his brand of savagery has a certain refined transgression to it. Probably the most notable case on here is with "Girl Loves Me", using the Nadsat and Polari languages, derived from A Clockwork Orange and 1970s gay clubs, respectively, to comment on a woman who might bring great pleasures but damnation along the way. This sentiment is echoed earlier in "'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore" and "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)", both repurposed from the compilation Nothing Has Changed. In the case of the former, inspired by the John Ford tragedy of the same name, the track is loaded with its own transgressions in sex, lies, betrayal, and murder. It certainly made for some graphic indulgence, though given Bowie's penchant for gender bending, perhaps he viewed himself as the whore in question to an audience that disregarded the deeper connection they secretly craved. It gets even more twisted with the near-direct retelling in "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)", as Bowie wrote from the perspective of two men wooing this girl, one being her brother and main lover who kills her in the end. I wouldn't say these moments demonize sex; hell, given "Dollar Days" speaks about sex as "survival", it seems that these fleshy pursuits are among the elements that kept him most alive, which is yet another Death Grips parallel. All the while, he continued spitting in the face of establishment and legacy, even as his life slipped away. It all leads to that final track, "I Can't Give Everything Away", where even on death's knell, Bowie tried to refine his words down to a single stanza: "Seeing more and feeling less/Saying no but meaning yes/This is all I ever meant/That's the message that I sent". Detaching to find that transcendence, yet never giving up the feelings that you dare not speak, as this album found its greatest humanity in putting forth the rawest of it all before the very end. It takes Bowie's hyper-awareness of his legacy and his audience to the nth degree for one last farewell. At this point, I come back to that question I posed earlier: how much weight and power does Blackstar hold as David Bowie's swansong? I can't deny that a lot of the emotional resonance listening to this album came from my familiarity with Bowie's work. That's not to invalidate everything said in this review - we're only human in experiencing art, and ignoring that human context devalues the raw humanity behind the most visceral moments of this album as a whole. But it does make me wonder for the individual who gets this album early on from this generator website, without that familiarity with David Bowie. Hell, I certainly felt that way with You Want It Darker after hearing only two Leonard Cohen albums beforehand. That's where I bring this back to you, dear reader; if you find yourself with this album and haven't heard much David Bowie before, I implore you to put this record aside and hit that "Did not listen" button. Give yourself that time to become familiar with the man, be it through the 70s records chosen for the books, greatest hits compilations, or even live performances wherever you can find them. Because no matter what, this is where his story ends. It certainly makes me wonder how our stories end, and what legacies we leave behind.

I liked it. I think the most important thing about *Blackstar* is that Bowie made it knowing he was dying. It feels like his final artistic statement.A work about confronting death, created by an artist who knew his own death was near.

9.5/10 Listened to a while back and wasn't a fan of it at first but its definitely grown on me.

Perfect Halloween vibes

It's fine. Can't say it would have gotten such attention were it not his swan song?

Eerder kregen we al de laatste plaat van Leonard Cohen voor onze kiezen, nu dus de zwanenzang van Bowie. Al met al een aardige staalkaart van 's mans kunnen en thematiek. Pop, elektronische invloeden, donkerte en licht, in een redelijk tijdloos geheel. De wereld zal hem missen.

Ik lees eerst maar eens terug wat ik eerder over Bowie heb geschreven. Ik ga er even goed voor zitten en trek een mooie fles open, want dat zijn al 8 eerdere albums. Ondanks dat Bowie veelzijdig is, zit er wel een lijn in die teksten. Ik kom maar moeilijk door de zang heen, maar moet telkens erkennen dat er vaak muzikaal iets interessants wordt geleverd. Bowie houdt de muzikale ontwikkelingen om zich heen goed in de gaten, maar kopieert ze niet. Hij gebruikt het op zijn eigen manier. Elk album ontving van mij dus ook een voldoende. Maar 9 albums in de 1001, daarvoor moet je naam wel in de sterren geschreven staan. Waarschijnlijk vandaar dat we zijn reeks mogen afsluiten met dit album. En ook dit album biedt weer een eigen geluid. De geschetste rode draad wordt ook door dit album heen geregen. Ik kan tegelijk genieten van de muzikale opzet en mij ergeren aan de zang. Sue is daarbij het voorbeeld. Het is een sfeerzettend geheel met een verbindende triphopbeat, een britpopachtige zang en iets later een krachtig rockende bas. Om te benadrukken dat hij geen oogkleppen op heeft gezet, voegt hij volgens wiki naar eigen zeggen 'EDM kind of stuff' toe. En om het geheel / de chaos compleet te maken springen er meer klassieke instrumenten vrolijk tussendoor. Afhankelijk van hoe je wilt of kunt luisteren valt het wel of niet samen. Het is zo eigen, dat wiki het ondanks al deze ingrediënten nadrukkelijk als experimentele jazz labelt. Als je al die complexiteit hoort, ben je natuurlijk wel een zure broeder als je je gaat zitten ergeren aan één element, de zang. Yep, that's me.

Negen keer Bowie. Nu kan ik redelijk goed naar Bowie luisteren, maar negen keer, dat is voor geen enkele artiest te verantwoorden. We hebben de andere 8 al gehad, dus dit finale bijna postume album komt dan als een mooie afsluiting van 's mans oeuvre. En zo moet je misschien alle albums van Bowie in deze snoblijst bekijken, de som der 9 albums, als een oeuvre. En dat oeuvre is rijk en behoorlijk afwisselend. De man was werkelijk van alle markten thuis. Op dit laatste album laat hij ook weer een hele andere kant zien. Ik kan het wel waarderen dat je na zo'n rijke carriere nog een album als dit durft te maken. Lazarus vind ik ook wel echt een goed nummer, en de track daarop mixt ook heel tof duistere rock met drum n bass-achtige ritmes. Ik kijk mijn reviews nog eens terug en zie dat ik toch voornamelijk 3 sterren heb gegeven en voor de albums die ik het beste vind tot tweemaal toe 4 sterren. Als je dan alle reviews middelt, kom je op een 3 uit, al zou ik het oeuvre van Bowie toch wel weer met 4+ sterren kunnen beoordelen. En dan is dit een bijzondere afsluiter, 4 sterren.

RIP

No sé, no sé. It was a nice ride, but would I ride it ever again?

David Bowies place in music history is more than secure. His influence is undeniable. Five stars

1. 4.5 2. 4 3. 5 4. 4.5 5. 5 6. 4.5 7. 5

OK

Mournful and frank, lovely but imo not as compelling in the back half

Loved it. Got me into Bowie back in 2016

I blame David Bowie's death on the black star. This is a high 4

6 star

This here is a near perfect album.

i love david bowie but what is this

It's such a shame this was Bowie's final album, because it's just not very good. I quite liked I Can't Give Everything Away, but other than that, meh.

Rip

No había sido capaz de escucharlo de nuevo desde la primera vez por lo mucho que marcó. Es el disco de despedida de alguien que ya estaba a otro nivel cuando se publicó, como si hubiese calculado perfectamente las fechas. Casualidad o cosa de la discográfica? Ni idea. En lo musical es un mézclum difícil de explicar, me dejo llevar por lo emocional más que por el sonido. Canciones favoritas: ★, Lazarus, Dollar Days

There’s a kind of strange beauty to be found in the fact that we are, no matter who or how you are, heading into the same destiny no matter what. I hope there’s at least some good music on the other side.

Highlights: Lazarus 2.8

Sounds like it belongs in Twin Peaks The Return. Very dark. Very moody. Very sad.

A complex and experimental album to serve as Bowie's epitaph. It's not easy listening by any means, but compelling, and Lazarus always makes me want to cry (in a good way).

If it wasn't Bowie and if it wasn't delivered right before his death, would anyone give a shit about this album? Maybe I'm not smart enough to actually hear the music. I don't know. Is this a self-indulgent album? That's a bit harsh, I'm not sure. It's not like he's hitting a John Lennon. It was a chore but I listened to the whole thing

Oh, what a tough listen on a Monday. Only David Bowie could turn his death into performance art. I don’t think I’ve heard this since it came out. It’s a masterpiece with this in context. It’s not a casual listen though, but a brilliant way to end his career.

It is David Bowie, but not the best DB.

Liked it a lot more once I researched the background and lyrics - I found the influence of Kendrick Lamar on this album especially interesting.

David Bowie's posthumous album. What an epic way to end a prolific career. Such a legacy. Bravo.

even without knowing he died after releasing this i still would have rated it highly. less indulgent than it was mystifying, honestly; feels like the best possible way he could have gone out

I really don't get all the David Bowie love out there. I've tried so hard to understand it and his music is just super weird. It's no wonder Nirvana's version of "Man Who Sold the World" is so much more popular.

Tracklist 1. ❤️☆ (Blackstar) 2. ❤️'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore 3. ❤️Lazarus 4. Sue (Or in a Season of Crime) 5. Girl Loves Me 6. Dollar Days 7. I Can't Give Everything Away Avis - Je vais prendre le temps du week-end, comme 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Dien'est pas actif les week-ends, ça me donne le temps de m'asseoir et de réécouter. - C'est très unique et le contexte dans lequel il a été écrit (cf. ★ (Blackstar)magnifie cette ambiance - Conclusion : je ne sais pas si j’aime ou j’aime pas. Il n’y a ps forcément de sens dans les paroles, c’est un tout avec le son. Difficile d’analyser et d’en tirer quelque chose. Je dirais que j’aime le fond de la proposition mais c’est quelque chose qui s’écoute pas au quotidien. Une œuvre lourde et puissante. Je vais mettre 5 parce que c’est mon avis mais je comprends que les gens trouvent que c’est vraiment incroyable de bout en bout. Il y’a des références à ces personnages, à sa carrière que je n’ai pas. Je n’ai pas suivi le phénomène Bowie toute sa carrière non plus.

an experience. i wouldn’t regularly listen to this but i feel like it’s a whole experience you go back to and listen in full

no mr bowie :(

falopa de la mala, una pena

This is my favorite album of all time.

I was excited to see another Bowie album since I'm getting close to finishing this project.

Favorites are Lazarus and I can’t give everything away

Increíble. Musicalmente tremendo, esos saxofones, bajos y baterías son lo máximo. Las letras tremendas, la impronta, la fatalidad posterior. La mejor manera de despedirse. Me gusta Bowie, normal, no soy fan. A partir de ahora sí.

not his best, but definitely not overrated. I love the electronic influences and versatility 9/10

Bowie is brilliant. ★★★★★

Back when this album came out and Bowie passed, it didn’t quite click with me (a then 24-year-old) and it still doesn’t QUITE get there for me apart from a few tracks. Title track goes crazy. Lazarus is absolutely powerful still. I Can’t Give Everything Away is an outstanding closer to this album and to his musical career. I’m sure given more time with it i’ll grow to love it more but i’m just not there yet!

bowie !

Interesting blend of art rock with avant-garde and Bowie's signature style. Didn't 100% connect with everything but I do appreciate Bowie's commitment to pushing musical boundaries and doing so in a very accessible way, even when this album decides to get weirder. Probably benefits from more listens/familiarity with the songs. Top tracks: Lazarus, Girl Loves Me, I Can't Give Everything Away

I can still remember this album coming out and the announcement of Bowie’s death days later. Still as haunting today as it was then

Sorry, but I think it’s very meh.

The first one...eh. Too repetitive 2nd one slightly better 3rd: okay 4th: I can't stand him 5th: no 6th & 7th (no pun intended): eh

Beautiful.

I like Bowie but I felt I was comparing this against his peak and I wasn't the biggest fan - I did like some of the tracks but It's something I wouldn't reach for a again. I think this is iconic as it's the last one before he passed.

Couple of good tracks and a lot of it sounds the same to me. That's from someone who likes the glam Bowie era. Not as good as I'd expected it to be. Still there is definitely a foreboding about it though.

아 데이비드 보위 내취향아니야..

oh dear the sad one definitely a heavy vibe it's a good album, but i don't think i'll come back to it much at all 💥lazarus

This is my favorite Bowie album so far. It felt dark and macabre, which doesn't usually go with jazz instruments. But I dig it.

I'm blown away by these instrumentals! The sound fluctuates between wildly different styles but the album somehow remains cohesive. At my favorite parts of the album, the somewhat high-pitched vocals were a perfect counterbalance to the low and moody tone of the tracks. Just SO good. And then he transitions into a lush and wistful track with the saxophone solo.... just incredible. I was feeling it for sure. That said, I really struggled to enjoy the vocals on the first three tracks. Bowie's singing was often grating to me, especially because I was enjoying the instrumentals so much. I also disliked the lyrics themselves which made the whole thing even worse. It started getting better around the fourth track, but having to wait 16 and a half minutes before I was fully able to enjoy it is... not great.

Pretty interesting album - not at the same level as something like Low, but there were moments that really grabbed me. The combination of genres and the band of jazz musicians made for an overall unique approach.

OK THIS ALBUM WAS SO GOOD, man , damnnnn the music was so good and man this is so fucking sad and meanwhile inspiring😭😭 damn wdym 3 days before his death, the writing is so emoional overall thjis was such a good fucking album man and so dark and heartbreaking oh my god bowie😭😭😭😭😭 AAAAAAAAAAAAA goated album, im glad i found it

Can't trust anyone who doesn't think this album is cool as fuck.

quickly becoming among my favorite Bowie albums. Hauntingly beautiful.

Did not like it. It was just weird

2nd half of the album really picks up.

Meh

As a really big fan of 'The Next Day' by Bowie, which I believe is an even better collection of songs to welcome his death, I have to admit that this is the more meaningful album. It presents David Bowie at his most vulnerable, narrating his tale of acceptance towards death, and coming to terms with his mortality. It is not his best album by any means, but it is a necessary listen. 8/10 [KEEP]

I was in a foul mood while listening to it this morning which I guess is heavily influencing my rating......I'll revisit this.

couldn’t do it not even a pity 2

Detta är inge vidare. Bowies äldre skivor är så mycket bättre. Om man ska lyssna på honom är det inte detta album du ska välja.

This is some good Bowie shizzle.

What an achievement as his last album. The title track and Lazarus are especially stunning.

low 4.0.

damn, 10 minute song to start. starting like a smile album or something. no clue where this is going to go, know nothing about this album tbh. I don't think im gonna love it, but could be swayed. so far its like a cool listening experience, like its wild and everywhere. but the relistenability is really low. thats not a bad thing, some albums are meant to experience than bump in your car ya know. lazarus is dope, best song so far. alright, its cool for what it is. props to bowie doing some wild shit til the end. feels like a bad radiohead album, but im rocking with it. probably wont come back to it anytime soon. but its cool.

- released on his 69th birthday and he died 2 days later cuz of cancer (an illness he had kept private) 1. sounds like a weird ritual, deeply unsettingly, trance-like around the middle it changes -- beautiful section maybe about the idea of death being transformation and not a definite ending 2. chaotic, messy, full of life, weird 3. lazarus - biblical guy that returned from death he stil didnt know cancer was terminal he is still performing, creating characters 4. like a noir story i dont feel safe listening idk 5. where has time gone? communication barrier almost 6. vulnerable, emotional, the vibe of the album changes longing for more time and chances to do things 7. acceptance? that he will never fully be able to explain himself and his work over the years when u want to disappear into something dark, mysterious, and otherworldly

I had not listened to this album before. I enjoyed it. I wonder how I would’ve liked it had Bowie just released it as a regular album as opposed to just before his death.

Wow this was incredible

(5.6)

Sterk sak! Noen ting trekker ned, som trommene på 'Tis a Pity..., men det er forsåvidt bagateller.

I was previously familiar with David Bowie but not this album. I still remember when it came out right around the time he died. It got rave reviews, but I never got around to listening to it. This is a delightfully weird album, but somehow it is a perfect last album for David Bowie. It has some modern elements but still has his trademark vocals. It has an overall dark sound; it really does sound like music of a dying man. I would listen to this again for sure.

- Damn...this dude just always had it. - A cool, interesting listen. Bowie is as mesmerizing as ever (and his older register hits), though some of these songs entrance me more than others. - "Lazarus" is quite good -- more stripped down and simple, but effective. I also start to tear up at "I Can't Give Everything Away"...not typical for me, but the harmonica hits hard and, knowing what was to come for Bowie, it is prescient.

I couldn't stop thinking about how this was his final album. The haunting "Lazarus" and "I Can't Give Everything Away" seem more poignant with that in mind. A beautiful, soulful piece of art.

It's ok to not like Bowie. It's fine to like Ziggy Stardust more than this slbum. It's acceptable to believe critics got it wrong. However, in the true spirit of being an album you should hear before you die, Blackstar deserves a seat at the table.

Bowie can be so hit or miss for me. I totally see the vision for this album: it's dark and moody and reflects the last few years of his life. There is a beautiful poetry to it. But it's just doesn't soar for me and I'm not sure I would need to revisit too much. But I really appreciate it for what it is and is a great late-stage record. Top Songs: Black Star, Lazarus, I Can't Give Everything Away

Sad to see him go. Heard he was a good dude. A better dude than this album.

Holy fuck, this is a disaster. I ask again, why was Bowie famous? His voice genuinely sucks and the songs are awful. WHAT is the appeal? And no i don’t care that he died after, it doesn’t make it good.

Enigmático, e ingenioso álbum que quedó como la última expresión artística creada por el mismísimo David Este álbum me hace sentir mucha madurez y claridad con la intención de divertirse de manera simultánea Blackstar y Lazarus se roban el show pero honestamente la ejecución de las canciones de por medio es un claro ejemplo de que son necesarias para que el álbum tenga la cohesión más genuina posible, con lo que se siente como ese David Este es un artista de todos los tiempos, y que este álbum represente su despedida, solo evidencia que su material estaba listo para inmortalizarlo y además de eso su capacidad de adaptación a cada una de las épocas una vez iniciada su carrera Todas las canciones fueron decentes Totalmente reescuchable y recomendable

Ma quanto gli piace il sax a Bowie?

bowie you've done it again (made an album where i don't care for some songs but really love others so i'm not sure how to feel about it overall). probably closer to a 3.5

This is not my favorite Bowie album, but I got to give credit to the dude that he continually reinvented himself making interesting music until the very end. While I can't quite see where the influence of bands like Boards Of Canada and Death Grips came into this album, it is an album that is intriguing and a little uncomfortable in places. I can't say I like it enough to want to own it, but I like it enough that when I'm listening, I'm engaged and enjoying it. 3.8/5.

Hot damn, what an amazing last album to make. Hauntingly beautiful, no notes.

#233 Heard Before? No. Notes: - THIS LIST NEEDS A TWO-ALBUMS-PER-ARTIST LIMIT. NOW. - so this is what all the hype was about back in 2016? we needed better things to talk about. - i know I'm alone in this, but i would like it better with more saxophone and less Bowie. - production is gorgeous, songs are middling, vocals are fine. Verdict: Fan service. Listen Again? Interesting to hear a couple of times today, but no need to bring it back.

Almost an experimental Bowie sounding album. Easy enough to listen through, nothing bold or noteworthy.

This is such a stark contrast to the other 21st century David Bowie album on this list. This is one of the most introspective and heartfelt Bowie album on this list so far and it just feels fucking poetic that he does just a few days after this comes out. One of the best musicians of our time and I’m glad he was able to put out the finale to his life and career.

Kind of slow for my bodly clock

Phew! 1001 has dished out some emotional heft in the last few days. Leonard Cohen, and now David Bowie - Mortality Albums To Release Before You Die. Blackstar isn't as obvious or bleak as Cohen's You Want It Darker. Sure, Lazarus, with it's opening line 'Look up here, I'm in heaven" has more than a nod towards Bowie's acceptance of his fate, but the gorgeous I Can't Give Everything Away is presented in an upbeat way. The opening title track has a Radiohead-esque unsettling beauty while 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore is a chaotic metaphor and Girl Loves Me is just bonkers! Bowie pushed the envelope right to the end. Lazarus is the standout track on an album that is always intriguing and can never just be background noise. So it's another 5 star album from David Bowie. We may miss him, but we can be continually grateful for his art.

Meh, sometimes it clicked, sometimes it didn't.

I also think this gets praised because it's Bowie's last, but it's not great. 2*

What an odd yet captivating way to start this record. The self-titled opener is so fucking weird with its constantly changing sound. The song never feels stale instrumentally or all over the place with its evolving sound, its a pretty striking balance. Not to mention the atmosphere Bowie sets vocally. Cold, introspective, and prophetic with his death. An incredible opener that really left me wondering where this record could go after. From there, the jazz influence really kicks in and it absolutely rips. Lazarus is an incredible track, the saxophone here was mind blowing with the amazing rock elements as well. Dollar Days too, the solo had me ascending and the very haunting 'I'm dying too" repeated throughout is harrowing to say the least. Even that transition from Dollar Days to I Can't Give Everything Away is just perfect. For never hearing this album before, this would place high up in my Bowie ranking easily. The fast paces of some of these tracks and the beautiful jazz and rock fusion just do something for me that I haven't heard from the Bowie albums I've listened to. A record that only someone of his talent could pull off and incredible way to end a legendary discography.

It was ok but nothing really special

What a way to go out

Ļoti bēdīgi protams, bet labs albūms

Big fan. First Bowie listen. Instrumentals and production made it great. Rating: 8.5 Faves: Blackstar, Lazarus, I Can't Give Everything Away

not bad and might be a grower

Conceito interessante, mas não é o meu estilo

2.14

Up it's own arse, if he hadn't died the day after this would have been written off. Not a worthy epitaph.

Bowie actually sold his soul for this one. That’s why he died. not the coke.

i get it now

Mid

I think it’s really cool one song was called « ★»

這是我第一次聆聽David Bowie的音樂，說實在我沒有很認真全神貫注在聆聽，不過第一首歌★時我有感受到我覺得我聽得懂，入耳，但沒有驚艷到我的感覺，後面的曲目也幾乎是如此，我可能被其他類型的音樂給驚艷到太多了，但也許我未來會重新試著去認真聆聽搖滾變色龍的過往發行的專輯呢，第一張就聆聽他的最後一張專輯我沒有那個情感在說實在我沒有辦法很聽懂呢。

Second Bowie in a row and it's this masterpiece. Blackstar is a jazz-fusion, experimental art-rock project that signed the end of an artist. A literal swansong, similar to Cohen's last project, in Blackstar Bowie sings of his own coming death with sincerity and stripping humility. I love it.

I will resist, but it’s likely getting a 5. Yeah. One of the things about this project, I have really come to appreciate the “feel” of an album more and more. And I would have considered myself old school in how much I went for albums before. But now? I really crave the experience of an ALBUM. And this one delivers. Bowie’s collaboration with tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin on this project feels so satisfying, like they’re dancing, a sonic give and take, one supporting so the other can soar, back and forth. It’s taken me multiple listens to fully recognize their partnership, AND to acknowledge how fully conceived the album really is. Bowie really was a genius. RIP 5 Boolean: TRUE

4.9/5

😭

Уф

I have listened to Black Star quite a few times in the years since David Bowie's passing, but I feel like listening to it today of all days puts this album in a much greater context as (at the time of hearing this album) it is the 10 year anniversary of David Bowie's death. The whole story of this album and how it was released just 2 days prior to his death and puts a quite beautiful end to one of the most iconic rockstars of all time is truly insane even to this very day. As mentioned previously I have heard this album quite a few times and I truly do not think I ever had a good understanding of it until this listen here today. The very experimental and artistic statements being said through the very bold Jazz-Rock is something that takes time to digest and when it works with your taste buds it really opens up a whole new world of love and praise you truly did not think was possible. This is truly the best way David could have gone out and shows he was able to really put something otherworldly together for a final curtain call and perform it in such a way that only he himself could pull it off this perfectly. As much as I feel it is right to call this album perfect, I personally can not give it that praise currently, but it is pretty damn close. Even with Bowie's obviously aged and frail voice on this album, he still is able to charm to endless degrees. Compared to how I used to view this album I have to say my eyes have really opened this time around, and it continues to age like fine wine thanks to some of the best performances of that decade all coming together to create something truly masterful. Nuff said.

Bowie is a very unique performer, i’ll give him that. He has songs everybody’s heard of, the praise is probably well deserved. Still can’t quite get used to his singing style tho. Looking forward to the other albums. Low 4, almost a 3

It's not a perfect album by any means but it was a hell of a way to go out. It's cool to see he took inspiration from To Pimp a Butterfly, which is still one of the most unique rap albums ever created. 4/5.

Album #241 David Bowie: Blackstar This is an album that is really hard for me to be objective about. David Bowie is, in my opinion, the greatest modern musician. Always on the cutting edge, always defining what is cool in both music and fashion, Bowie’s career spanned fifty years, and never once did he feel irrelevant (we don’t talk about the 80s). I love the guy so much that he could have released Pinups as his last album and I would have tried to justify giving it at least an 8. So an album in which Bowie, who knew about his upcoming demise, decides to go all out and release one of his most personal and ambitious works ever, I just don’t see how I was ever going to not love this. A career defined by constantly changing and experimenting, culminating in the most experimental, yet Bowie-esque fashion, is just poetic. There are times when listening to Blackstar where you will forget you are listening to a Bowie album, like on the title track when Bowie delivers his mantra in a distant and robotic voice, but then comes a verse where Bowie starts singing, and fifty years' worth of musical memories flood your brain. Bowie’s voice is one of the most comforting and nostalgic in all of music, so it hits even harder when paired with the subject matter. It’s easy to listen to the words of a dying man and dissociate their meaning; it’s easier for us to create a distance between our emotions and a heavy subject, but when those words are being delivered by a familiar voice, it speaks to our soul. It’s like if our childhood hero was directly telling us he was going to die, and he needed our help, yet there is nothing that we can do. Death is something that comes for us all, and Bowie’s fate was not unique to him, yet there is something absolutely fascinating about someone knowing exactly what’s going to happen to them, and facing it head-on. Would this album have been as impactful if Bowie hadn’t died mere days after its release? Probably not. But does that mean that its quality is being overrated by its circumstance? Absolutely not. Because art and circumstance, and aesthetic, and nostalgia, are all so intertwined that simply trying to remove one is futile. Bowie knew his time was coming, and instead of resting on his laurels, he used that to make something meaningful; that isn’t a knock on the album; that is a huge plus. For what it’s worth, I believe that the songs on Blackstar are actually just insanely good, and even if Bowie were alive today, it would be talked about as a classic, but the fact that he isn’t raises this thing from classic to borderline mythological. Blackstar is the modern-day Shakespearean epic; it is tragic, it is powerful, and it is timeless. Never will the circumstances of this album be recreated; it is absolute lightning in a bottle, and it solidified Bowie as the greatest to ever do it. Best Songs: Lazarus, Dollar Days, Blackstar Worst Song: None Score out of 10: 10

Not really my cup of tea, but I liked what he did with horns in the jazzier tracks, such as “Tis a Pity She was a Whore”

Amazing and memorable record. I really like the jazz approach in many songs. Probably my favourite Bowie album. 5/5

not a bad album to end on

Splendid. There’s nothing like Bowie. I saw this album performed by the San Francisco symphony and it was incredible.

4/10

I love that Bowie continued to experiment until his last album. Some of it worked better than others but compelling

I have never felt less qualified to “review” an album. This is David Bowie’s farewell album. It’s doing a lot and I’m not sure I understand it all. I think it is a beautiful sounding record. I really like the last few tracks Dollar Days and Can’t Give Everything Away those are a nice blend of classic Bowie vocals, the best bits of prog rock and classic jazz. RIP to one of the all time greats.

I thought that when Bowie released Tonight in 1984, he had recorded his last good album. This album proves that I was wrong. Very good album. For me, I think Sue is the one that stands out. Sometimes it's good to be wrong.

I remember when this came out. I remember when it won some Grammys and other awards. I think I expected more. We've had what, three Bowie albums in quick succession and maybe that's a bit much? I'm glad I listened to this, but I didn't really enjoy it. Intellectually it was certainly impressive to think someone staring down a death sentence could commit himself to creating more art, and surprising art. But intellect only gets me so far in terms of appreciating an album. I intensely disliked the first two songs, was very moved by Lazarus, intrigued by Girl Loves Me, confused by Dollar Days, once again moved by I Can't Give etc. Did this album stack up to what I'd heard about it? Not really. But I'm very glad I listened to it. Torn between 3 and 4 stars for this one.

Miss u bb, mini star under big star

A little nervous to start this. A record by a genius who knew he was dying. Spooky. Star - IDK where Ormen is but I’m there. Dig these subdued beats. Reminds me of DJ Shadow + Tricky. After the break the strings come in and the ghost of Lennon accompanies. Dips into a smoky bar that exists between folded space. All very dark sci-fi. Evidently a “blackstar” is a name for a cancerous lesion. Like I said, genius. And like I said, spooky. Little yapping flute protest at the end behind arcade sounds. …A Whore - Love the breath at the jump. Knitting Factory post-jazz wail + welcome boom bap. “That was patrol. This is the war.” Is Laswell on this record? (Is Laswell alive?) Either way his ghost is all over this. Lazarus - “Look up here, I’m in heaven.” Chilling. Just realized layered saxophone is the sound of ghosts. He sounds scared. You would be, too. Girds his heart with memories of being king of NYC. Steps up, finds hope in a bluebird. The most transparent song so far. Hurts. “Ain’t that just like me?” A reassuring smirk on exit. Sue - Love these math rock start stop guitars. My generation. “In a season of crime none need atone.” Very cool bar chords ascending in the background of the mix. Sue = the one who got away? Definitely some intent behind the discordance. Girl Loves Me - Oh shit yeah let’s go with the Clockwork Orange vocab. More clattering drum trills. “Where the fuck did Monday go?” Love this refrain. Waitsian echo behind beats that increasingly recall DJ Shadow to me. Dollar Days - More incidental background sounds:papers shuffling. Acoustic guitar snuck in from the Ziggy era. “Those oligarchs with foaming mouths call now and then.” I have a love/hate relationship with the alto sax. Hard to hate here. The light touch recalls Joe Henry’s Scars record. Or some more academic jazz reference my whitebread prole ass is not capable of. “I’m dying to…” I Can’t Give Everything Away - Washed-out sax ushers in the 1980s. Comforting. The most Labyrinth-era (my Bowie) track thus far. Feels like an apology. For fame? For not giving everything. Manic sax behind him the subtext of anxiety. Gets replaced by a confident Knopfler-esque guitar run. The seesaw of contemplating approaching eternity. A shorter record than I anticipated. Yet stuffed to complete with everything the Goblin Prince needed to say, I think. Less depressing than I expected. A man who spent enough time thinking about life and death that was more curious about his end than afraid of it. A position to consider. A fine and dignified self-eulogy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Não muoto meu estilo. Um pop moderno, pelo menos nessa primeira ouvida

Love this last album and can't believe I haven't listened to it in full til now.

Main features and "firm" style of DB. Like.

Not his greatest, but its hard to compare anyway

Reviewing this year’s after the release and death of Bowie will affect the score . It’s more atmospheric than brilliant but still a great album

It’s pretty haunting when he signs “Look up here, I’m in heaven”. Ok I get it, this album is good. It’s weird to consider it a Bowie classic considering there aren’t really any hits, but it’s a very maturely crafted album, with a beautiful sonic pallet throughout. Fave Tracks: Blackstar, Lazarus, Girl Loves Me, I Can’t Give Everything Away 4.5/5

This album is an amazing journey. You can really feel the depth through excellent instrumentals. This is an album that gathers and mixes so many genres without making a mess. Everything is in the right place. The lyrics are also pretty interesting as they touch the whole spectrum of feelings and relate to other important pieces of pop culture.

The greatest goodbye ever.

3.5

I recognize that this is an album that need multiple listenings to be fully appreciated, but I have no desire to listen to it again. That counts for something.

I thought the first three songs on this were great. And, yet, I tried to listen to it two times and could not make it past the 4th song. I don't even know why! My interest just sort of melted away. Weird. Anyway, I'd be lying if I said this merited more than a 3.

It’s kind of morose and creepy. It reminds me of the Berlin records. I’m ok with him trying something new right up to the end even if it’s short on singles.

Good for Bowie for trying something new and different, at least.

2/5 - If this were released at any other time than when we felt like shit that Bowie died, we would have been more honest that it's pretty weak.

An incredible way to say goodbye. An icon. Lazarus and I can’t give everything away are probably my favourite tracks. RIP Bowie

Simplemente increíble

One of the skeleton keys to understanding Bowie has always been his affection for, and fluency with, the language of jazz. From “Changes” to “Modern Love” he always loved a good sax solo; more fundamentally, though, he understood everything jazz signified in the post-jazz era - class and stately purpose, but also sex and chaos at the same time. Most of all it is music to *move* to: club music, not concert-hall music. On this album (Bowie’s last before his death) he utilizes Donny McCaslin’s sax to represent all these things, from his final march toward cancer’s town square (the title track) to his seemingly untamed libido, notwithstanding the circumstances (“‘Tis a Pity She Was a Whore”) to the pain he allows himself to finally feel near the end (“Dollar Days”). The other great signifier here is in the breakbeat rhythms that underlie nearly the entire album; one might wonder why a man on his literal deathbed would seemingly be so obsessed with, again, club music. And again, it’s because the too-fast movement of those beats serves as both a metaphor for the urgent ticking away of the remaining time and the surest statement of what made life worth living in the first place - the sense of possibility. The trouble with death, after all, is the whole finality of it. Fitting, then, that "I Can't Give Everything Away" is built on a smooth yet insistent house beat. Of all the places he could be at the end, Bowie wanted to be on a dancefloor, a place where people discard their previous inhibitions and figure out how to be someone different. And that’s the message here - that death is just another persona for him to learn how to inhabit, just as he has always done. As a piece of practical theology it seems to have worked wonders for him; I hope when my time comes I can face it with this same purpose and courage.

Could not finish, this was so bad.

So, I am a casual Bowie fan and only listened to this once when it was first released. At the time, I remember finding it okay but not hitting me the same way a lot of his earlier work did even despite my feelings being all mixed up with sadness after his passing We are now exactly ten years out from the release of this album and I, uh, basically feel the exact same way. It's solidly fine. There are some interesting choices but nothing really memorable to me. The whole thing just kind of blends together into one big auditory soup. The lyrics are a different, remarkable story but taken as a whole with the melodies, vocals and instrumentals: it's a 3/5 for me.

Look, I know this was the last thing that Bowie left us with before shuffling off this mortal coil, and he was some kind of legendary freak, but that doesn’t actually make this all that good. Overdose of saxophone not heard since the 80s, tacky drum ‘n’ bass rhythms, and mostly dirge-like singing does not make an interesting album for mine.

Len Houmous vs David Bowie. It’s a discussion as old as time. We all know David could never keep up creatively. 3.1 3/7 Lazarus

RIP bowie

Musically this is a great album, I especially liked the drums on pretty much every track. But I know this is blasphemy but I never really enjoy Bowie's vocals. Still, not a bad album but not something I'd seek out again. 3*

Two of big Dave's best ever tracks (and maybe of music more generally) can't drag this album up across the 3/5 threshold. Great cover artwork.

A pleasant and easy listen. It was a bit of a rocky start with the first song, but it got better in the second half and every song after that was pretty good. However, none of them were actually memorable. I'm writing this review a couple hours after listening and I only remember vague snippets from some of the songs. For a song/album to stick out to me, it needs to have me humming the songs after I've finished listening to them. It should have me wanting to listen to the song/album again. And whilst this was a solid album, I doubt I'll be listening to it again. Besides, I prefer a lot of Bowie's older albums. This one didn't have that same affect on me as the other ones do.

Bowie has undeniably had a huge impact on basically all genres of music we know today. But for me he's often a bit of "my favorite artist's favorite artist" more so than an artist I broadly enjoy listening to myself. That also feels true for this album for me. The context for the album itself and with how soon after 'Lazarus' was released he died adds a lot to the haunting feeling of that track in particular Standouts Lazarus 3/5

It's weird and experimental in all the right ways, still very much routed in art rock. Bowie might not have intended this to be his swan song, but it's it's a hellluva way to go out.

Good But depressing.

hell yeah

For many reasons I wish Bowie hadn’t been such a bastard, but the second foremost in my mind after listening to this album is that I would feel a lot more comfortable praising him for his lifetime achievement as an artist. While strange, experimental, and possibly a little too busy, this is a really fascinating final work. His voice really stood the test of time but you can still hear his age and state, and it really works for most of the album (I did not like the second track at all). The other aspect of this I find most interesting is that he did an excellent job marrying his sensibilities with contemporary influences. It’s rare for someone with the kind of success and influence he had to genuinely continue to pursue development as an artist right up until the end, much less to truly respect the work of significantly younger people enough to learn from it (and cite them). There are many things you can (and should) accuse Bowie of, but stagnation is not one of them. I wouldn’t personally call this a 5 star album but it’s essential listening for anyone who wants a full picture of his work. Special shout-out to the saxophonist, Donny McCaslin, who really played like there would be no second chance.

A really poignant album, with amazing creativity behind it. Pretty incredible how he managed to turn a bleak situation into this album and just channelled so much into 40 minutes of explorative jazz/80s pop-rock. Averaging almost 6 minutes a track it just adds to what is already an eerie feeling in this album, knowing at the time it would be his last and being able to hear how he turned that into a creation is equally inspiring and disturbing to listen to. Lazarus is great and the favourite for me is I Can’t Give Everything Away which just felt beautiful and a fitting closing song.

I’m completely indifferent to Bowie. It’s a shame I’ll need to experience this indifference 9 times.

Honestly not my favorite and will not make my saved album list.

Primera vez que escucho Blackstar. Te amo bowie, pero 1) me pregunto si este disco estaría acá si no fuera porque es de bowie, 2) misma pregunta si no hubiera Sido que bowie murió dos días después que salió el disco. Hay partes que sí son escuchables como Dollar Days, pero el resto complicado. Y el video que ví en su momento no me gustó... Una estética criptica... Es de esperar, de todas maneras es un no para mí.

While it seems like a solid introspective swan song for a man suffering from cancer, it also seems like a navel-gazing art-rock record. I guess that's the intention. It isn't really my wheelhouse. I like the jazzy feel of many of the tracks, but the overproduced drum and orchestra kinda takes away from the core sound for me. It's a good record, but not really one I'd circle back to much at all.

The harmonica on the last track dawg...

I am only familiar with David Bowie's hits but aware of his reputational willingness to experiment and change over the years. This short album sounds to me like what it is, music made by an older Englishman who didn't stay stuck in his original time period. Which I for one am a sucker for. I have some favorite albums in my library that I always listen to in their entirety and not individual songs, because they flow together. (I'm thinking quite specifically here of "Music Has the Right to Children" by Boards of Canada, The Good, the Bad, and the Queen's eponymous album, and "Endtroducing" by DJ Shadow.) This album fits into that category for me, or I think it might eventually. So, even though I am only adding one song (the title track) to my library, I'm giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and reserving the right to come back to it.

it's certainly interesting, and the band are playing quite well (drums stand out), but they can only do so much to hide a voice that's struggling, and the slick production makes it all blend together

Not my favorite of his work. Favorite track: I Can't Give Everything Away.

I understand that this was his last album and all that. But this is genuinely so butt, I couldn't even finish most of the songs because towards the end he was really just saying random words.

Bowie could have recorded himself farting in a jar and some people would have given this 5 stars. He was a genius, no doubt but his albums save a small sample have been more miss than hit. Releasing this days before his death will mean this will forever be remembered and one of the all time greats.

Good album. Love the atmosphere.

Bowie was a talented guy but a lot of his stuff feels like a chore to get through

Not a Bowie fan. His voice to me is just all over the place, and slightly grating to listen to for more than a song or two. Lazarus was fine.

David Bowie is, without question, an absolute icon. Nobody disputes that. He clearly wrote this album as a 'goodbye', and it's still quite good. However, I hold the belief that Blackstar is likely bets enjoyed by David's most ardent and loyal fans. It just doesn't land the same for the casual listener like myself. It's still fantastic, though.

Prima heb niks met bowie

First two songs were nails on a chalkboard level bad, the rest I though were pretty good. Some of the later songs sounded like Geordie Greep's "The New Sound", something about Bowie's voice and the jazz, I guess. I feel like it's hard for me to rank this album since I haven't really listened to any other David Bowie (so it's hard for me to say what this really means as an album, since it's his last), but I liked it. Especially the last song.

A giant departure from the more conventional The Next Day, this is a towering achievement. Some of the lyrics were striking in the day of the album's release - Where the fuck did Monday go struck me immediately - and got even more so when the news of his cancer and death broke a few days later. It's got grit and anger, it's pushy/groovy, it's conciliatory, and it's trying to find its way, all in the space of 7 (occasionally lengthy) songs. It's never sappy or self-pitying in the face of illness and death, though. Not an easy listen, but remarkable even over 10 years on. Standout tracks - Lazarus, Dollar Days, Blackstar, Girl Loves Me

One of if not the best Bowie album. Released a few days before his death, you can feel the melancholy of his approaching death in some of the songs.

Interesting album

Very nice album: well produced, some interesting prog elements and progression. It does lose a bit of steam towards the end though.

RIP

(3/7) I wonder if we'll ever get to listen to his normal stuff

Man, what an album. Bowie's still got it, even when he was at the end of his life. This was a gift to be enjoyed in his memory.

The world hasn’t been right since Bowie died. War, pandemic, the long slow collapse of democracy— at least we have this hauntingly beautiful album to remind us of the before times.

When listening to this album, it’s impossible to shake off a certain bias. It’s Bowie’s last album—his final word to the world—and there were very high expectations for it. It’s very hard to say whether I liked it or not. Because, musically speaking, this album feels like a kind of art-house experience to me. It’s a mix of sounds, rhythms, genres, and unexpected transitions. Listening to it is definitely interesting—it’s never boring. I’d say it really stands out from many other albums. I was just a little disappointed by Bowie’s vocals, as well as his singing style in some songs (when the music and his singing go in different directions). Overall, as a musical experiment from someone with such incredible experience and a rich musical background, it’s definitely worth listening to at least once.

Love this album. David wrote this before he died. Inspired by Kendrick Lamars To Pimp a Butterfly

I listened to a weird-ass album with jazz, lasers, and vocals reminiscent of Gregorian chants. And I liked it!!!

Dark. Dizzying. The drums!

A hell of an album to end your career with. It's hectic, emotional, dark, and it feels quite paranoid throughout several moments. You've gotta respect this guy for putting out an album like this prior to his death. Really poignant. Favourites: Lazarus I Can't Give Everything Away

I already listened to this so many times. One of the greatest swan songs/(swan albums?) ever created

A classic, if you have the time

Very interesting, the experimentally sounds and jazzy instrumentation were very fun. I enjoyed the vocals a lot too!

It was chill

I really was not a fan of this album. Love David Bowie, but this was just not doing it for me unfortunately

Favorite songs: Blackstar, Lazarus, Dollar Days, I Can’t Give Everything Away

I actually own this one. I’ve listened to some of it but it always made me too sad to listen to all of it. Finally did. It’s not his best work, but it might be his most emotional. Though I feel like he was still hiding behind his persona. But maybe that was all he knew by then. Maybe at some point the line between the real him and his persona blurred. Only listened to it once. Will revisit someday.

A moody, mysterious masterpiece of a final album.

Maybe I'm uncultured swine, but it was just fine. Some moving moments, but overall I don't think I'm a fan. Lazarus the highlight.

At the time this album released, if I remember right, we didn't know this would be Bowie's final album. The man seems to have made it on his deathbed, and with that in mind especially (but even without) it is a hauntingly beautiful album. I need to think about whether it gets a 4 or 5 from me, just because some of the choices and lyrics make me wonder why he did that. But the production and overall writing are excellent and unique. Blackstar and Lazarus shine as the standout tracks on the album, but the closing track I Can't Give Everything Away had me feel some deep emotions.

Gorgeous, dark and sad. Just how I like my records.

Each Bowie album sounds different. This one is dark & poignant. But within each of his albums, there’s not much range. He skirts the line between cohesive and repetitive (within albums). But here, the cohesive theme is important (Bowie is dying).The album is filled with really good songs, many of which really nail the poignancy and pathos. This is not the most “fun” Bowie album, but it’s a gem. A 4.

The first time an album in this series is one I've heard before. While the Bowie purist in me would probably sneer at someone who said it, I really couldn't judge someone who thinks this is Bowie's best album. What a spectacular send-off from an artist running against the clock. Bowie tackles the encroaching void with such dynamic poetry, interpreting John Ford (the playwright, not the director), fictional languages, and Satanism in tandem with the tightest of jazz backing-bands. Favs: Blackstar, Tis a Pity She Was a Whore, Lazarus, Girl Loves Me, I Can’t Give Everything Away Least Fav: Sue (Or In a Season of Crime) Score: 9.5

Fuck yeah - nvm

This album makes me uneasy, I respect that

This was, ironically, the album that made me a Bowie fan. Hearing this opened my 13-year-old mind to what music could be. Going through his catalog only reinforced that. It’s hard listening to any of these songs without tearing up (yes, even “Girl Loves Me”). Bowie, in some way, is coming to terms with his death on every track. Whether that be through humorous reflection or poignant metaphor, Bowie gave us clear insight into his mind during his final days. It’s not my favorite, but it is absolutely his best artistic statement.

Hauntingly beautiful

I liked it, kind of dark and pretty jazzy.

Quite enjoyed this! It's not exactly classic Bowie, but hit just the right chilled out note for this afternoon's mood as it happens! Will I come back to it though??... possibly not.

Bowie bores me.

I didn’t realize how into the sax Bowie was near the end.

Another David Bowie album that I think is just ok.

3.25 - It's been a while since I listened to this and I like it a good bit. I still can't believe he died two days after this was released.

A reminder that this project is not a speedrun.

Dark, sometimes challenging, very memorable.

Didn’t enjoy the album

Bowie’s swan song. It’s crazy how you can hear in the music he knows he’s not long for this world. A moving record to finish a remarkable life. The highlight must listen track is Lazarus, but the whole thing is masterful… from the lyrics, the music, the arrangements, and the mood and theme, and even the cover art. Here’s to David Bowie… grateful he blessed the world with his music.

This is a hell of send off for David Bowie's career, literally an end of an era. Very much bittersweet and mournful; I think those two descriptors best match the album. This album instrumentally is quite jazzy and fairly electronic with some rock elements. Usually it features jazzy - sometimes chaotic and noisy - horns, and electronic-like beats. My favourite element of the album is the dissonant brass in "'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore." The title track has a vibe like no other. The ominous part in the beginning and ending ("In the villa of Ormen"), it also has this quirky beat to it and is general very moody; which I like a lot. It takes you on journey and a half. I think this is a must-listen for the 1001 list and in Bowie's catalogue. I can't stress enough about his career ended on such a high note; going out in the best possible way. I recommend this album wholeheartedly. Even at the end of the road Bowie was still a firm believer in always re-inventing oneself. Which I admire a whole lot. Highlight Song/s: "Blackstar", "'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore" and "Girl Loves Me"

The feelings when this came out right before he died left a lasting memory on me. I never listened to the album but the singles that I heard many times back then were much stronger than the end of the album. Not quite five stars.

I used to work in a bar in Brooklyn. Very late one night there were (only) 2 gentlemen in the bar sitting at opposite ends. One man was looking at his phone and said, "Oh, shit! David Bowie died!" A few days later... same late hour, same two guys... same phone guy said, "Oh, Shit! Alan Rickman died!" One week later, just one of those gentlemen was in the bar. The bad news bearer walked in. I immediately told him that he couldn't come in. He couldn't even try because I didn't want another one of my heroes to die. This album is fine. Bowie earned the right to do anything he wanted to do.

Still hauntingly beautiful. An amazing cap to an amazing life of music.

Good

We know by now the list makers are obsessed with Bowie, as this is the sixth Bowie entry, and we’re not even 50% through the list. This album is Bowie’s 26th and last album. It’s a far cry from his early music. This one is art rock mixed with jazz, and includes a lot of saxophone background. None of these songs are familiar to me (too recent), and death is a major theme here. Just barely good enough for three stars.

In a natural class with Johnny Cash & Leonard Cohen's final albums, I think, although this is much more musically interesting. A lot of instrumental interludes, but happily (for me) they aren't guitar-based, rather drums/strings/winds. Also a cool album cover. ★(★★★) Obviously it is sad that Bowie made this album during cancer treatment & died 2 days after its release, but it is cool that he got to make a critically acclaimed "legacy" album before going. I admit that when 'Lazarus' came out in 2015 people were way higher on it than I was (me: "this is boring"), but as an album I think it's pretty cool and cohesive, especially having already heard a bunch of earlier & very different Bowie albums on here. Something else sad is that 'Blackstar' (the song) was originally longer, but was cut to its current 9:57 because "iTunes would not post singles over ten minutes in length" (per Wiki). I guess that's not so different from an artist accommodating physical album/CD/etc limits, but it feels very corpo-dystopia. Slur count = 7! (Blame John Ford) Highlights: 'I Can't Give Everything Away', the NIN-esque percussion, the Broadway-esque sax, the A Clockwork Orange references, the vibes

One of the best final albums I can imagine? But maybe not a top 10 Bowie album. The highs are high - first track is super radioheady, 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore is so fun and jazzy, choosing to use clockwork orange slang in Girl Loves Me is the kind of dumb crazy choice older musicians usually wouldn't make but it's very fun. His voice is clearly going though so feels a little like you need the narrative to enjoy it. Impressed he's not aiming for the center though it's definitely still weird and arty.

What a way to go out.

Doesn't quite blow me away but still really worth the time and list. RYM: Y (#58) Saved a song: N

Another "if this was anything except Bowie it'd be a 2 at best and more likely a 1", but he has that touch that makes everything at least okay.

not my favourite Bowie:( The whore one was fun

A truly haunting, but hauntingly beautiful final album from this weirdo. You can hear the trembling in his voice and lyrics, and obviously we all know after the fact that he was aware of his incoming death as he recorded, but it would have played out as a good album even without knowing the context. I was hesitant that a seven-track album wasn't really going to hit the spot, but it truly worked. I imagine it was literally all he could do.

Even without the fact this was effectively Bowie's last words, it's a strong album, interesting beats and reminded me of radiohead in a few places. The extra poignancy bumps it up a mark.

DAVID’S DEAD

Not my style. I get the experimental part of it. But it felt like background noise.

Not my favourite Bowie album, but it’s still brilliant. It’s interesting and intricate, a record that holds my focus. I can sit and listen without engaging in any other distraction.

Bowie on some freak shit

Gorgeous, visceral, and altogether worth a listen

Love this album. Get to listen to it on vinyl. Yey! David Bowie made this album in the times leading up to his passing. The knowledge that he would soon die was always present, and informs most of the songs here. The title track has always been mysterious for me. Whenever I think I grasp its meaning, it confuses me again. The first half seems to be a last visit to Ziggy Stardust, the most famous and iconic of his character, and the second half is both about defining his status in the world of music and passing the torch to the talents of the next generation. Intriguing and beautiful at the same time. 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore, inspired by a theater play, brings a new sound in Bowie's catalogue. The chaotic jazz influence brings a frantic energy that stays strong throughout the whole track. After all these yeards, I still can't fathom how someone made this song about themselves. A true and sincere look at fame as well as his legacy and place in the music history. But also, wanting to finally escape that prison, and "be free". THe instrumentals fit so well too. Perfect song. A modern retelling of the same play that inspired 'Tis a Pity, Sue is also similar to that track in sound. Again very chaotic, this one takes more from rock influences, although the jazz presence is still felt. While Bowie has always taken influence from literature, it is interesting to me that, in his final album, he would pay tribute to "A Clockwork Orange", of all books. But it makes more sense once you remember his life-long obsession with language and the occult, and everything perfectly fits in with the sound of the record, and the energy of the film is also somehow translated to the lyrics and vocal delivery. "Where the fuck did monday go?" also took an extra layer of meaning considering the date of his death. Dollar Days is a return to a sadder sound, and the outright dealing with death. Again self-referencial, Bowie sings to his public about his own death. He wants to beat it, and "fool'em all again ang again", but the repetition and dual meaning of "I'm trying to / I'm dying to" (both genius and depressing) seems to point in another direction. The mention of wanting to go see the "English evergreens" is just said. The closer... fuck Bowie for starting his last song by reminding us of "A New Career in a New Town". a song about starting new and being hopeful. It's beautiful, but fuck him. There's not much to say here, as the lyrics speak for themselves. Heartbreaking. This album is great. It's sad, and anything a legend like Bowie released as his last album would be viewed as good, even if it wasn't (although Lou Reed would disagree here), but it is genuinely great, in its own merit. But it is one of those instances where you can't separate it from its context, as it is it the record's DNA. An innovator to the last, Bowie goes out with yet another experiment and what is, in my opinion, one of his best works.

Album #142, David Bowie, Blackstar ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My favourite David Bowie album. I’d also argue it’s his best. For someone who made so many thematic albums throughout his career, I think this is his most cohesive. It’s genuinely experimental, but in a way that never feels pretentious, which I think some of Bowie’s more art-rock records occasionally can. On its own musical merits, I think it’s a fantastic album. That said, it’s impossible to separate the music from the context. This is a love letter to his fans, but it’s also a letter about his own death. It’s the most final of final artistic statements. I can think of thousands of artists who would have been envious of ending their career on a note like this. Very few musicians get the opportunity to say goodbye in such a deliberate and meaningful way. In that sense, it reminds me a little of Johnny Cash’s American series. It’s an incredibly fitting way to bring a remarkable career to a close. Musically, it’s just fascinating. Despite dealing with death, it isn’t a maudlin album. If anything, it’s angry, heavy and confrontational. It’s full of questions that can’t really be answered, uncertainty, confusion and reflection, and I think that’s far more interesting than simply making a mournful record. The production is superb. I love the different textures, the use of strings, and especially the drumming. The drumming throughout the album is one of its greatest strengths, particularly on Sue (Or in a Season of Crime). At times it almost sounds like electronic breakbeats, even though much of it is being played by an actual drummer. I also love the way effects seem to drift on and off different instruments throughout each song. Every sound feels like it’s constantly evolving. Bowie himself sounds different too. His voice is noticeably more fragile than it had been in the past, which is naturally quite moving given what we now know. But it suits the music perfectly. I actually think some of his vocal performances here are among his very best. The lyrics are excellent as well. Full of little clues, allusions and images that invite interpretation without ever spelling everything out. Also, I really appreciated at the time hearing Bowie and Tony Visconti talk about the contemporary influences behind the album. Artists like Kendrick Lamar were mentioned, and as someone who was a huge Death Grips fan when this came out, I remember feeling oddly validated hearing them cited as an influence. Death Grips were always a difficult band to recommend to people, but hearing Bowie draw inspiration from that kind of aggressive electronic music made perfect sense once you heard Blackstar. You can hear it in the drums, the electronics and the sheer intensity of the first half of the record. I also think the brevity of the album really works in its favour. Compared to his previous album The Next Day, which I think is a bit bloated, Blackstar never overstays its welcome. Every track feels properly weighted. There are no weak songs. Honestly, I think it’s a perfect record. It was an emotional album when it was released, it’s still an emotional album today, and in my opinion, Bowie went out on the finest note imaginable.

Bowie is one of the excessively represented artists on here that I don't hate, and often really enjoy. I knew this was his closing effort, aware during its production that he had cancer, so I would've totally expected something where he pulls all the stops. This goes a few steps further than I expected, it's like he's still giving innovative material. I really appreciate the way he's made his poetry seep into the music in an alternative way. I can see there, and conceptually, how even Kendrick Lamar is an inspiration for this record. The use of jazz on this album, holy hell. How else can you represent that emotion? His voice and his words can only go so far against a sax solo. Honestly, when you take the music in, when you're aware of the sound, this record feels very intimate. The album is mostly of a top experimental quality. I don't know if it's just weird things he's mastered throughout the years, or gems he's kept in his pocket. Lyrically, you can tell it's fresh material. On a personal note, after 3 or 4 listens today, that last song is the one that bears too close to sappy pop happiness, that conceptually works great. Guess it's just a little more Disney than I like my record endings. I'd still buy the fuck out of this album, though. It starts off beautifully, incredibly intriguing, and well executed. It continues to ride that wave to the end. 4.4/5

★★★★/★★★★★

Immaculate vibes 💔

started out a little rough for me, but got better.

Sorry Bowie, wasn't really feeling this one.

I had very mixed feelings while listening to this album. On one hand some of the songs sounded incredible, but others had me wanting to stop listening entirely. I might need to re-listen to this one again some other time.

Yeah I don't know about this one. Reading the circumstances of making the album I almost just don't feel right talking about it but this is a great venue because it won't be read by anyone! I had to pause the track with the breakbeat in it to respond to someone at work and then the act of unpausing it and just hearing David Bowies kind of vibrato croon sounds over a breakbeat just made me start laughing. It was just too jarring. Nothing connected with me on this entire thing. I'm so sad this was the last we got.

Another album I respect more than like.