Reviews (page 6 of 13)
4/5. A haunting and yet relaxing, for the most part, album on death, stardom, and a possible fake play? Not sure I fully understand that last one. It is a weird and jazzy album, abstract yet structured here and there, as if the norm was complexity. They are not rock songs or even pop songs, they seem to be studies on sounds. I am hyping this album up but I don't think it was perfect. It is unique and important, in regards to its relationship with its creator. But I think not all of the songs are classics or interesting enough to impress me. Best Song: Tis A Pity She Was A Whore, Blackstar, Girl Loves Me
Shorter than I thought, beautiful parting gift.
This is one of those albums that instantly takes me back to the first time I heard it and how moving it was
Blackstar reminds me of Leonard Cohen's last gasp on You Want it Darker - both artists embrace their age and feebleness, and by doing so, engender something far more powerful than forced strength. 'At the centre of it all' is a Bowie still as vibrant and addicted to imaginative production as the early incarnations, but death challenges him to be upfront and intimate in ways honestly not employed by his previous personas: 'I'm so high, it makes my brain whirl / Dropped my cellphone down below.' Especially stunning are the horns, provided by Donny McCaslin, but really the whole experience is instrumentally rich. He claims to have been inspired by Kendrick Lamar and Death Grips. I can see it: particularly K.Dot, the lyricism and riskiness.
4/7
4 maybe 5
This grew on me as I went
Long live Bowie. There is some fucking awesome instrumentation in this album. Dude was pushing the boundaries up until the end
Typically I'm not really a David Bowie guy and I was very lukewarm on this album when it came out but listening to it ten years later good gravy does it hold up. Probably a 4.5/5 but the title track is as good a song as any popular musician has made the last 50 years.
What a death march. It is a somber album, but that sax keeps it Bowie-dacious. So very different from his early work, but I really like it.
I mean this is a masterpiece. Madness to compose the music to your own passing. I don’t care if it is pretentious. Genius is not too strong a word. Strong 4
When this came out I really enjoyed it. Doesn’t hit the same for me but such a distinctive mood. This is what an end of life album sounds like.
always cool
wow. can’t think of a swan song like this that both encapsulates an artists career while adding something entirely new to it. very impressed, but not surprised mister bowie
A final wonderful note before the end.
After a brilliant, and sadly underappreciated comeback album in The Next Day, David Bowie clearly felt he needed to deliver something more ambitious for what he understood would be his final album. The Next Day has a comparatively packed tracklist - 14 songs to Blackstar’s 7. What Blackstar loses in length it gains in the scope and scale of the songs themselves. This is not a straightforward pop album. The title track is a multi-layered odyssey. I remember a friend of mine describing it as “weird” and not being sure about it when it was first released. Months later after Bowie's death they hailed it as “genius” and “very clever.” Well, I agree with their revised opinion. How the hell do you have a song like Blackstar in the tank while nearing end of life care? He had more energy and creativity at 69 than nearly anyone has in their prime of life. For the bulk of this album (Lazarus, Dollar Days, I Can’t Give Anything Away), after a career of writing from the perspective of different characters and rarely autobiographically, Bowie talks from the first person, as someone who is either dead or dying. Given that no-one knew about his diagnosis for the first 2 days of this LP’s release, he essentially chose to present himself to the audience as one of his characters. It's a powerful and very considered choice. He sounds mournful, nostalgic and appreciative. More than that, each of these songs are beautifully melodic with a striking central performance. The jazz musicians working around Bowie enhance every move he makes. Girl Loves Me stands out, not just as part of Blackstar, but across Bowie’s entire discography. It has an edgy, jumpy quality to it. Flirtatious and scary. He is almost rapping nonsense rhymes, which makes for a nice antidote to a lot of the more reflective and sombre songs elsewhere. There are two tracks which, for me, pull Blackstar back from being a masterpiece. Sue and ‘Tis a Pity are a rerecorded single and b-side from two years prior, both in my mind feel like a significant step down from the album as a whole. But forget that and think about this. He lived to see rave reviews from critics. He will have predicted the compound public interest ultimately generated by his death. He knew that, unlike The Next Day, this album was one of his biggest hits.
Very cool album and one of the greatest final albums by an artist ever. I don’t love everything but it’s solid for sure and I should go back and listen to Lazarus more.
Okay so this was my fourth Bowie album, and I had been rating on a downward trend. But honestly I really liked this album pretty much just as much as the first one I listened to. From what I gathered Bowie recorded this one just before he died, and I could hear the more depth to the album. (Except for the whore song that was a curveball.)
Giving this a first proper listen to be honest....the reputation of it being a heavy listen putting me off for years. Was struck much it sparkles out of the dark backdrop. It's got Jazzy elements and reminds me of Kid A era Radiohead at times as well. Meanwhile there is the sense of echos of years gone by in the production. His voice is waning - and that gives it a weird power. All in all, a fascinating listen. I'm pleased I invested the time into it finally. It's not a heavy rotation album, but I can see me coming back to this from occasionally from now on. Hell of a full stop of a hell of a career.
oh my gosh!i cant believe that i slept on this album for this long.made my sunday!
A crazy and honest moment in a sad time
I like this a lot. It's not too Bowie a Bowie, though I do also like Bowie Bowie. Blackstar itself is incredible. Enjoyed this when it came out and still do now.
Excellent
This feels really experimental and I like it. It’s clunky and nuanced and interesting in every moment. Perhaps, however, due to its extreme foreignness in sound I’m not quite accustomed to its complexities so it isn’t exactly the most enjoyable thing to listen to. But it is a fulfilling and rewarding listen and something I’m sure I could really love with time. Bowie ended his legendary legacy well.
Lemppari: Girl Loves Me Vähiten lemppari: ’Tis A Pity She Was A Whore
I never checked this out when it came out. It got a lot of hype but I chalked that up to people wanting it to be good because it was the album Bowie released just before he died. Boy was I wrong! This album is stunning. Bowie never stopped experimenting, he made incredible music right to the end. He didn’t rest on his laurels at all. And this album is a testament to that. What an artist this man was, truly a huge loss to the world of music. And as always, plus one for horns.
Lots of hype about this one, but I’m going to tune it out. Did I enjoy listening to this album. Yea, absolutely.
This is a good album, one I don’t listen to enough
May come back and give it a 5 once I re-listen, but very enjoyable album. A lot of talent for sure.
I quite liked this album. I absolutely love Girl Loves Me, and Black Star was also really good, and so is Dollar Days. This is a dynamic and varied album that is an absolute delight to listen to and I enjoyed myself a lot with this one.
Have I yet learned my lesson that past-their-prime albums can, in fact, be great? Surely now I’ve got that through my head, what with falling deeply in love with this on first listen.
Great last album for a true star.
taitaa näkyä tähtimäärä pikku spoileri albumin alussa taitaa saman verran tähtiä tulla..paskahousulle ei paljoa anneta iloa.. mietippä vanhamies.. bowie ääh ääh en voi laulaa yritän mutta haikea ääni ääh .. leonard cohen.. hineni hineni... no ei mitään heh ei mitään 69 vuotiaana vieläkin huutelee huorista jotain siellä emt en kuunnellu.. ei varmana ole muuten tämä saatananpalvoja taivaassa!! monet ei tiedä että saatana oli semberela.. jumalan kristuksen 9 kuoron johtaja, musiikkimestari saatana ennen kun tippui menetti siipensä ja tuomittiin helvettiin.. monet ei tiedä että ei ole saatana joka näyttää punaiselta pässisarviselta heinähangolliselta pikkuvintiöltä.. näyttää laihalta kalvakalta muusikolta ... BOWIE... bOWIE.. BOWEL.. BOWELS OF HELL... ★
Love this one. A fantastic send off for Bowie. He recorded this as he was dying of cancer of the liver. The whole vibe reflects it, but he still manages to keep his sound interesting and experimental despite the pall over the whole affair. I prefer his previous album before this one, The Next Day since it has a few more radio friendly tunes, but Blackstar is still really special. Highlight for me was Lazarus.
Blackstar is wild.. It’s like watching someone paint their final self-portrait with a busted brush, radioactive paint, and zero fucks. It’s theatrical, dark, scattered, and genius - classic endgame energy. A fitting swan song? Or maybe a final middle finger. Either way, it was compelling. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Blackstar - 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore - Lazarus - I Can't Give Everything Away
Not my fav cure album, but did like The Forest.
4/7
Seems strange that the first Bowie album I get on the list is his last. I’ve always enjoyed Bowies music, he’s always been a favourite of my mums, my introduction to Bowie was actually Labyrinth which also happened to be a favourite of my mums. It wasn’t until semi recently though that I did a deep(ish) dive into his catalogue and actually listened to the big albums outside of his singles and Blackstar was fittingly the most recent one I had listened to before the list. This album is strange, atmospheric, jazzy, funky, contemplative and introspective. And most of all it’s pretty great, it’s difficult to analyse this album without considering it in the context of Bowie’s death. It ultimately feels very prescient and intentional as a swan song. Without beating you over the head with it the album is about Bowies impending demise, despite the almost morbid subject matter he still musters every ounce of his enigmatic charisma to keep the experience enjoyable. Standout tracks are ★, Lazarus, Girl Loves Me, Dollar Days and I Can’t Give Everything Away. Weakest track for me is probably ‘Tis A Pity She Was A Whore. Overall 4/5
Very very beautiful even if I didn't love every single song. The opening and closing tracks in particular are gorgeous.
One for the fans but commendable nonetheless
Didn’t expect a drum n bass, trip hop/ mo wax type sound. I would have definitely dug an instrument version of this in my DJ days. Overall quite liked this. A surprise for sure
Beautiful and tragic album released only a few days before Bowie's death, I rarely listen to this one as it takes me back to the grief I felt when I learned of his passing in 2016. So it was good this project made me listen again for the first time in years; songs are mournful but a creative and fascinating blend of jazz and industrial art rock.
'Tis a pity there wasn't more.
The greatest life swan song of all time.
i've already listened to this once or twice a few years ago, but i needed a refresher ★ - 4/5 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore - 2/5 Lazarus - 5/5 Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) - 4/5 Girl Loves Me - 4/5 Dollar Days - 4/5 I Can't Give Everything Away - 4/5 Total score: 3.8/5 (rounding up) i remember Lazarus the most since i last listened, it's definitely the best track on here, followed by the finishing track. only one i didn't like was 'Tis A Pity, something about the instrumentals and vocals was off-putting (maybe a little too "out there" for me) overall, while this was a hard listen in some spots, i don't think anyone could ask for a better performance given his battle with cancer while making this. i consider this a beautiful farewell album from such a legendary artist
8/10 Haunting and close to the bone. damn. 3-14-2025
Not his best album but was the best thing he’d done for a long while. Poignant because of its time of release
big bowie fan but i have to admit i haven’t *really* listened to blackstar before. good excuse to do it now! it's very nice, i'm glad bowie was able to go out on a high note. not what i personally look for in bowie but very valuable.
To this point I am only familiar with a few Bowie albums so I want to thank this album for helping continue my deep dive into his work. Favorite Songs: ★ / Lazarus
Greatest swan song of all time? Well, it's either him or Dilla. It's truly incredible that as his body was failing him, Bowie thought of music. He thought of us. Looked death in the eye and said I've still got it. Not only that he's still got it but that he was capable of reaching his upper echelon. Not threatened by new challenging artists but instead galvanized. Whatever you may think of this sound or its quality, you must admit it's a testament to what an artist should be. Openminded, unbridled, and thankful for anyone who would lend them an ear. Rating: 8 Favorite Song: Lazarus
8.5/10 Good stuff from Bowie I tend to skew not as great as people think on this one. But still a great album. Favorite song: black star
Haunting, experimental, not something that's an easy listen, definitely an album for a particular mood, but certainly shows what a master Bowie was
I listened to this when it first came out and I wasn’t ready to understand it until now, the day after my father passed away. Thank you universe for this being my album of the day in this moment.
Unique in a different sense from some of the Bowie I have come to know and love. You can hear his age here, and the sounds he's playing with are super interesting, but not necessarily something I enjoy 100 percent of the time. Context helps this albums legacy, and even without it, its still a fine piece of work. Just not my favorite Bowie album
This was good, and not just for the bittersweet reason of it's release and Bowie's death. I liked the jazzy elements.
Remember listening to this first time round and being impressed, still works. Decent but won't be back although I did say that in 2014 so never say never. Mid 4.
Great stuff
This is fine, strange, new territory. What happens when one of the all time greats knows he's dying but can't tell everyone? He gets back in the studio for a final fling as a parting gift to the world. So poignant. And really interesting music. Excellent
# Album Name: Blackstar # Artist: David Bowie # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Bowie is a funny one for me. I love his classics. It just takes a while to warm up to his albums. If i warm up to them i intend to really enjoy them. Low was like that for me. Now i love that album. My first listen to blackstar, and honestly, musically its just not bad. I The depth and meaning behind the tracks is obviously there considering where he was on his journey in life. Blackstar is very radiohead to me. Lazarus is a moving track. Give everything away is a great finale. I'll give this a low 4. # Top Tunes: BS / Laz / Give everything away # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Good, but the first song sucked hot ass cheeks
didn't really know what to expect with this one. i like david bowie but i tend not to like these sort of dour, "end of life" albums that other artists have put out. but this one didn't feel like the others. this one felt uplifting, interesting, and nice. the vibe here is pleasant and feels hopeful. it's not depressing, it just sort of is. and i appreciate that about it.
I really liked this, really wild that this was his final album. A little haunting in some sense listening to Lazarus.
This was good. I remember listening to it when it first came it. It's incredibly well produced.
Eclectic , interesting, not nostalgic.
It’s impossible to separate this album from David Bowie’s death. But if you could take it out of the equation and judge Blackstar on its own merits, how many artists make an album this good and interesting 50 years into their career?
Can really appreciate this album and love Bowie. Would I listen to this on the regular? No I wouldn't but can acknowledge the narrative and work that has gone into it as his goodbye letter to the world. What an artist!
Shades of Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, James Blake, acid jazz, hip hop beats, some overblown theatricality. Interesting experiments-definitely more avant garde than Next Day. Really liked the “Girl Loves Me.” I could see revisiting this album; kind of fun to see how Bowie pushed himself for this swan song of an album. Didn’t really care for “Tis a Pity She’s a Whore,” but found something to enjoy in the rest of this album.
Track 1: ★ (Blackstar) Good use of synth, different from other David Bowie albums and songs I’ve listened to. Good vocals, great brass and good drum loop. Long but not boring. 7.2/10 Track 2: ’Tis a Pity She Was a Whore [Blackstar Version] Strong drums off the bat. Strings are perfect. Background vocal use is good. Love the instrumental after first verse. Great instrumental that’s consistent. Good ending. 8.7/10 Track 3: Lazarus Strong guitar start. Nice brass implementation. Sound effects add to mood. Vocals are good. Good bridge after second verse. Jazzy elements sound great. Strong outro 9/10 Track 4: Sue (Or in a Season of Crime) [Blackstar Version] Strong guitar and drums right off the bat. Straight to the point. Very breathy. Instrumentation between verses is good. Good but not my favorite based on a couple other tracks. 6.7/10 Track 5: Girl Loves Me Voice distortion is a little squeaky at start, after vocals are good. Plus background vocals are in a good area. Verse 2 was good. With the small instrumental break flowed smoothly into next chorus. 6/10 Track 6: Dollar Days Very good start, piano is beautiful. Vocally good. Good guitar. Brass solo is pure perfect. Outro with the alliteration is good. 8.5/10 Track 7: I Can’t Give Everything Away Straight song, good vocals. Vocals go with instrumental well. Good brass. Overall good closing track 8.4/10 Average score per song: 7.8
So sad Rating: 4.1
It's not his best But it's still better than I could've done
4 out of 5. Knowing this was Bowie's last album I was always hesitant to listen to it but now I'm glad I finally did.
Vrhunski album, nema se šta puno o ovome. ⭐ i Girl Loves Me su mi naj. Bowie kralj ♥️
Grande Bowie
A beautiful album! It's not my favorite, but it's very good nonetheless.
Oh I remember when this dropped out of no where. Especially how it came with the news of Bowie being sick and at the end of his life (he died within days of the album's release). What a swan song.
I think the mystic of the album- dropping on Bowie‘s birthday near the end of his life- is what makes the album.
The best
Not listened to this for a while .. a great album, admittedly not Bowie’s best, but great nonetheless. Does make me sad though 😢
Just as this record was released, the news announced of Mr. Bowie's passing after prolonged confidential illness. Blackstar was a sudden secret swan song that all the David Bowie fans and I didn't know we needed or deserved. I remember on that day how I was stunned, dismayed, but intrigued with this truly characteristically progressive farewell revelation. The tone of jazzy crass slam poetry and a cool, austere atmosphere left me feeling that he had departed on his own terms with the opportunity and open channel of expression to bring closure. Instead of feeling that his artistic brilliance had been snatched from us too soon, it felt like his departure was taken perfectly on point. Don't get me wrong, I commiserate for his plight and wish we still had him with us. And this is not my favorite record of his, but it made an impression on me that makes him immortal.
What a bombshell to drop for the first album to listen to. I love it, and obviously heard it before, but man it's a sad piece to listen to. Maybe that's a good thing... It has been a while since I listened to this album, and it does give you perspective. I also realized how much I miss Bowie.
Thoughts before listening: David Bowie's surprise release right before his death. The heaviness of the release of this album scared me away from listening at the time, despite the fact that I am a Bowie fan. I believe I have heard bits and pieces in the years since, but I believe this will be my first complete listen. Review: I am not a huge fan of the sprawling title track on this album, but once that is over, the album gets very good. Nice use of saxophone throughout on some very enjoyable moody, jazz-inspired tracks. The highs on this album are very high, but this is a 4-star Bowie album.
Bowie knew this would be his last album, which definitely affects both the tone of the music and how I listened to it. Musically, loved it. Rock and roll with powerful jazz influence, at times it felt free associative. The whole album had a sad overtone to it - the focus of the album seemed to be his regrets, lost loves, scars that couldn't be seen. In a life such as Bowie's, it's hard to imagine him leaving this world in such an unfulfilled place. Maybe you'll find what you're looking for in the next life - until then, travel well, Starman.
A distinct, discordant, unsettling overtone permeates. Bowie's voice is ghostlike and haunting. I really like it.
Great star
Good enough
This album is otherworldly. Released just before Bowie died, it sounds as if he was already on the other side reaching back into our existence. The title track is brilliant and defies genre. Lazarus is devastating. What a parting gift from one of the best.
Liked the guitar in Lazarus.
Already Listened to this previously. Beautiful album with amazing instrumentation, and lyrics. Best song: I Cant Give Everything Away Runner Up: Lazarus
Very good album. Touching in that it was his last, and he knew that when he made it 4/5
Favorite track: Lazarus other picks: blackstar, a girl loves me, i can't give everything away
50 years deep into his career, it is amazing that Bowie released what I consider to possibly be one of the top 5 albums of his career. Such a creative and singular sounding album. I'm not sure whether or not in a vacuum I would judge it as an instant classic based on quality, but we don't live in a vacuum and I do consider it a late career classic and a worthy final statement before his death.
I have been holding off on this review for a few days. I love a good coincidence, and getting this album on Jan 7th, the day before the anniversary of its fateful release, led me to the decision to really take the time to dig deep into Bowie's discography for the next three days and give him a proper chance. Now, in the past I have not been a fan of Bowie at all. Something about most of his songs I inevitably came across irritated me. It's hard to pin down what exactly the issue was, but I had always been bewildered by his immense success and legacy. After listening to the Blackstar album the first time, I was tempted to leave it at a 2-star rating. Like much of his stuff it is full of dissonance and rhythmic incoherence, and frankly was a slog to get through. Clearly I am not into jazz. But I wouldn't leave it at that. I can respect a swan song, and after spending a full day familiarizing myself with Bowies progression throughout his many studio albums, while listening to the title track again, staring up into a black winter night sky, it started to click. You can't have that sort of versatility without a bit of weirdness. His music is pretty much hit or miss for me, but I've been focusing on the frustration of the misses so much that I overlooked the greatness of the hits. Now, how to rate this album in particular? I can't think of many occasions in which the title track would be enjoyable, but for what it is it is brilliant and I wouldn't want it any other way. Lazarus and Dollar Days are fantastic, as is the drumming throughout the entire album, and the closing track is pretty good albeit a bit long. The issue is that I honestly still can't stand the remaining three songs. Now, normally I'd never consider a 4-star rating for an album with 3/7 somewhat unbearable songs. But if I have been unreasonably harsh to Hunky Dory, which I learned to thoroughly appreciate over the past three days, I can be generous here. I found some fantastic music because while this album might be irritating, it is above all interesting. Maybe Bowie will be my gateway into jazz, who knows. If you read this far, thank you for your time. This turned out longer than I anticipated. I'm not sure if this text is going to be helpful for others, I mostly wrote this for myself to look back upon years later. If I had to give some advice, I guess if you're on the fence about this album, consider giving it another listen. So far I've found something new to appreciate everytime I did. Today is January 10th, and I'm excited about where my musical journey will lead me next. I'm sure there's a lot more to discover. Rest in peace, Starman.
Excellent
Not my favorite Bowie. As a long time fan I was rocked when he died which was two days after this records release. So a listen takes me back. I don't like to go back.
A great album. I really enjoyed it.
Väistämättä artistin kuolema vaikuttaa kaikkien kuuntelukokemukseen. Tää albumi on PR-voitto mutta onneksi ihan hyvä. Kätsy mitta, sama äänimaailma pysyy koko levyn mutta ei ehdi tylsistyttää. Kaipaan kuitenkin koukkuja, ekassa biisissä on mitta sitten pitää hakea enemmän. Ei tämä neroutta ole mutta jees.
Me encantó
Favourite tracks: tis a pity; black star; Lazarus
wow, this one just sailed right thru me. i know it's his last record & i rly vibed with it, i just can't forget the fact he fucked teenagers at his peak! & never will! so 4 stars is all you get, david
Complicated
If I remember correctly, I only listened to the album casually and very superficially when it first came out. It's a good thing I've listened more closely now. As is so often the case with Bowie, it wasn't the music I was expecting from him. And also as so often, I liked it a lot. A great album that I will certainly listen to again. 4/5
Some great, some good
A lot of nice songs
4/5
Found this one very enjoyable! Specifically, really liked the title track - ★
I kind of dig this? But I would never like, listen to it for fun. Is that weird?
I count myself as a mild to moderate Bowie fan, but I’d never listened to Blackstar. It’s predictably great. 4/5 Highlights: Blackstar
Brilliant. Really really solid Much better than his previous album. Blackstar, more like 4 star
Contextually incredible, musically strong. Not as amazing as some make out IMHO, but certainly an album worth listening to, if not one I’d have on repeat
Actually decent you know, his voice still a bit annoying
Exceptionally dark yet groovy album. Hard to even describe the vibes the album entails knowing it’s essentially a goodbye from Bowie to his fans. What a life that man lived, and his swan-song album is near perfection.
Poetic and stark. Very cool listen
Listening to a David Bowie album is a guarantee that you will find many sounds at the same time and still sound good. And on his latest album, this could not be different. Yes, it is a very dark album, even due to its theme, but there still seems to be a small hope that everything will be okay. Bowie's work is always so brilliant that he can transform a sonic chaos into art in a matter of minutes. He will never be forgotten, there is no doubt about that.
"What I really need in this project is ANOTHER David Bowie album" said literally no one. There are too many goddamned Bowie albums. One caveat, however, is that this seems to be a 2016 album, which is a long time from his heyday, so I admit to being somewhat intrigued, in spite of myself. Well, damn. It's fantastic. A little weird, a little out there, definitely different than any of the Bowie I've heard so far, but really good. I'm sure there are loads of Bowie "purists" that hate this album, but I this is definitely an album where Bowie was branching out, trying new sounds. Definitely not resting on his laurels. I doubt that this album will be as timeless as some of his others have been. For one thing, where his earlier records sounded uniquely, singularly Bowie, this album sounds like I've heard parts of it before, but this is Bowie doing it, if that makes sense. Ultimately, however, I liked it.
great honesty facing the death
Bowie’s art rock surrealist excellence came to a flourishing and sombre crescendo with Blackstar. What came two days before his death was a final outing of supreme splendour, with Bowie exploring, understanding and grappling with the inevitability of his own death in the only fitting way - through outpouring of his thoughts into music. Existential, yes, but not complete doom and gloom. A sort of forty-minute “oh well, it’s been fun” to his own life - loaded with the same eccentricism that lined his very best records, putting this record rightly alongside them.
The Good: David Bowie The Bad: Last Album The Ugly: Nobody likes listening to a swan-song… I am not one of those die-hard Bowie fans, so I was not aware that this was his last album till I started reading the reviews and wiki information. Having said that, the first time I played the album, I found it hard to get through… especially the lengthy first song on the album. I gave the album a second try, and a third, and what I noticed is that melancholy was what increased more and more, as well as me not understanding many of the lyrics. Is Bowie a genius? What is a genius? Is this album worthy of all its accolades? I don’t know, I would have to check the list of albums published around the same time. What is certain is that the album grows on you bit by bit… 4*
This was weird and cool and original. I enjoyed it and I appreciate the effort to do something different.
Interesting ideas and the emotion is really palpable.
Black star was the first David Bowie song that I ever listened to on my own, so I have a bit of nostalgia for it. This album is strange, but it doesn’t get stranger than that song. Cool to hear the whole album, which is very much still a Bowie album. Definitely a swan song. Very enjoyable. Standouts: Black Star, Lazarus, Girl Loves Me, Dollar Days, and I Can’t Give Everything Away.
Very kind of David to leave us such a parting gift! And incredible that at age 69 he could still put together an album this good. Starts out a little slow and weird with Black Star (album would be better without this song, but then what would the album title be?) The album peaks at Girl Loves Me. Fantastic finish with Dollar Days and I Can’t Give Everything Away (which sounds like the words of a dying man). He truly went out with class. (4.4*s) Black ones, that is.
I can't tell what's more impressive, making Ziggy Stardust at 25, or making Blackstar at 66. I can tell you which one's better though, and that's Ziggy Stardust
I loosely remember when this thing came out and the hype around it and the shock that Bowie died just days after. I think it's cool that this guy who's entire life was making art where he is the art. He creates a world and character that he stars. This album is a continuation of that, a performative death to cap off a performative life. This is the kind of thing that Calculon would have loved to make. Sonically this album is a lot and at times challenging. The title track is great, very noisy. Lazarus is another stand out, haunting and loud. You do get the sense that this isn't a halloween haunting, this is a rock and roll haunting. There are some ballads on the backside that are strong. The buildup and jazz on dollar days is my favorite part. I'm not close to death myself but it impresses me the way that Bowie looks death in the face on this album. Bowie was the type who was true to his vision and this project feels uncompromised. Is it bold to make a song with the line "look I'm in heaven" with his history of, broadly, sexual indecency? I'm not the one to judge. But I will say Bowie's trajectory as a rock star and ultimately his demise feels true to who he was and even if his death wasn't particularly poetic, I think the way he made art of it is a feat worth celebrating. Few get a farewell like this.
- great opening song - track nr 3 fantastic music - track nr 4 is sooo hard - "Dollar Days" are perfect, maybe the best song on this album 4/5 - that was fun
While not his usual style, I found this album to be rather interesting. It can however be a little repetitive at times or quirky.
Really enjoyed it from beginning to end. Standout songs: Blackstar Girl Loves Me Dollar days
I was expecting that be blown away by this departing album from one of the greatest artists of our time, but it was mostly just "good" with a few standout parts. Maybe my expectations were too high? Maybe it will grow on me in time? Otherwise, it's not up there with the better Bowie albums.
favourite song - lazarus favourite lyric - idk, good lyrics overall tho cover - 2/10 overall album - 4/5
idk I feel like im still missing something here w/ bowie
Nice and ethereal
this was a bit weird (and sad) but still good
have you ever heard a song and thought wow that's how I felt while listening to this album black star I think that this album is good because I like the voice and the instruments as well I think that this album is good and I recommend listening to this album because its pretty good and isnt really that bad to listen to
I really liked the instrumentals the lyrics were ok but had deep meaning.I would recommend this album to most people great album 8.9/10.
"Something happened on the day he died/Spirit rose a meter and stepped aside." David Bowie's final album was released on his 69th birthday and two days before he died from cancer. Recorded in secret and without an advance press, Blackstar is watermarked with the specter of mortality. All musical recordings contain voices that are simultaneously embodied and disembodied. This is starkly real on Blackstar, where Bowie's presence and absence spiral in dance. Like his career, this album is rich with experimentation and a keen musical sensibility. Experimental jazz is marked by Bowie's ethereal voice - a voice both sonic and written - throughout this album. The soundscape is jarring, immersive, and challenging but never off-putting. All of us are in the process of writing our final chapters. Few of us are so self-conscious about our last testament. From Starman to Blackstar, Bowie continues challenging and vexing us to grasp the interplay of finite and infinite in the human condition. This album is not straightforward, but neither is life. A classic parting gift.
This was exciting for me because I have barely listened to David Bowie ever in my life. It feels so wrong like I'm someone who's never listened to the Beatles or something lol. What I have heard by him before were just main bops that I wasn't really into. It's still not blowing my mind but I enjoyed this album! I get the hype.
I remember this album's release very vividly - the local Austin radio station hyped the title single SO much and I remember not being able to escape conversation and excitement about the album. I think it lived up to the hype. I Can't Give Everything Away deserves more play.
Plenty of artists have reinvented themselves in an avant garde manner to make some very weird (at the time) music. Here David Bowie joins the likes of David Bowie, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan and many more. This is nothing new for Bowie, but when you look at the timing of the release - this album as a goodbye puts him at a level with possibly only Warren Zevon. Bowie can be a tough listen because of his constant change cycles, but I challenge you to listen to Lazarus with getting a gut punch to the feels. 4/5
Bowie's last album before he died of cancer - it was released only two days before he died. I still remember both days vividly - the day on which the album came out (the anticipation was huge) and the shock just two days later when the news came out that he passed away. It was his last gift to his fans - it centers around mortality, which makes it very heavy and haunting but it's uplifting in some way, because he came to terms with the fact that his life on this planet would end soon. Great farewell from one of the most unique musicians from the past 70 years.
I can’t quite tell if the is Bowie glow. Just giving him the nod because of who he is. He clearly isn’t just phoning it in, but it also isn’t his most accessible work. That said, it is engaging and compelling
Not bad
Sultry, jazzy, sexy. This is a really beautifully composed record with very distinct elements that continues to set Bowie on his own stage. The progressions and sequences of these songs are captivating and mesmerizing at times. Really nice one.
Haunting and ethereal. You can tell he knew this album would be the last thing he ever did.
I was never a fan od David Bowie, but I think that I wanna come back to this record. Its haunting,especially after reading the backgorund and meaning of this whole album,my favorite track was definitely Lazarus or Dollar Days. I love the moments and the jazzy melodies here and there,it woke me up.
One of the greatest ever
Groovy and moody with some funky rhythms
Witness a man staring death in its face! This album is transcendental, given the context that Bowie knows he’s terminally ill. Complete existentialism at the end of life for one of the world’s greatest artists. Makes for a powerful listen
Day-vid Bow-eee knocks it out of the park again with another great album. No radical ch-ch-ch-changes here, it’s definitely Bowie and very enjoyable
- Das einzige Album von Bowie, welches ich schon vor dieser Challenge komplett gehört habe, einfach, weil mich die Geschichte dahinter schon damals fasziniert hat. - Gleichzeitig auch mein Lieblingsalbum von Bowie. Hat irgendwie einen total eigenen Vibe und eine sehr abgerundete und "komplette" Ausstrahlung. - Jedoch ist es auch bei diesem album nicht, so, dass es mich jetzt restlos begeistert zurücklässt. Auch hier gibt es Passagen, die ich etwas weird und langweilig finde. Das soll nicht heißen, dass ich damit meinem vorherigen Punkt des abgerundeten Vibes widerspreche. - Textlich absolut großartig 3,75/4
Great album, finished sooner than I would've liked.
Nice variety, quite experimental.
Kind of unfortunately, you can tell Bowie is getting pretty old on the album in his voice. If this was recorded 10 years earlier, I think Bowie's voice would really shine, but the instrumentalists end up being the shining light, musically, on the album. It's so different and experimental, that I'm tempted to say that it falls a little flat, but I was emotionally invested in every song. A number of the songs also had an incredible groove that was impossible to not bob along to. Bowie's voice ends up kind of being the worst part of the album, which sucks to say out loud. But everything else was tastefully crafted, including the lyrics, that it ends up holding the album back from being truly elite for me. Still excellent, though. Favorite Song(s): Blackstar, Lazarus, Girl Loves Me
Very unique album.
13:10. Very interesting sound. I hadn't taken real time to listen to David Bowie before. I don't really like his voice at all. 13:22. David Bowie confuses me. I think this album deserves my full attention to actually take in what is happening. 13:35. Was this zeitgeist, or just drugs? Or both, of course. 13:41. I think I enjoyed this. But I'm not sure. 13:45. I really appreciate the sound and the band and the musicality. I think the lyrics are good. Couldn't care less about the voice. I think I'm intrigued.
I was at 2.5 stars on this on my first listen but I jumped up to about a 3.75 on my second. It certainly gets emotional bonus points for being his final album but I ended up digging a lot of the songwriting by the end of my second listen.
Nice n short, mystical but slightly samey
Fav: Dollar Days Least Fav: Girl Loves Me A lot more jazzy than I expected. I enjoyed the album but as I don’t really listen to Bowie much I felt as if some of the emotional impact wasn’t as strong as it could’ve been, in spite of this I thought it was well done and no song was necessarily bad but just had a couple of weaker sections.
8/10
This is a really interesting album. I think the jazzy instrumentals do a lot of the carrying, but David's performances are still really good too. Sometimes the lyrics can be a little simple or too all-over-the-place for me. 7/10
This getting released around the same time as his death adds an extra level of spookiness to Lazarus.
Kind of weird but interesting to hear this knowing he wrote it as he was dying
Bowie's swan song. I remember listening to it the day it came out at work and then over the weekend he passed. Blackstar is an incredible song and top tier Bowie song overall. I watched the music video so much when it first came out. Shit is the most creepy/artsy video I think I've ever seen. This is such a good blend of genres on this one and once again shows Bowies innovativeness even in his dying age. Strong 4 almost 5 but not quite.
Bowie was certainly an experimenter right to the end of his life. Of course this is very poignant and the context is hard to disregard when considering the music. His use of horns is interesting, sometimes they create a mournful atmosphere, and sometimes they sound in the brink of reaching a mad crescendo, a bit like Radiohead's The National Anthem. I also find the lyrics to be self reflective and interesting. Probably not an album I'd listen to endlessly but certainly impressive that he created this while dying of cancer
YOOOOOOO star- 6 or 7 tis a pity she was a whore- 6 lazarus- 6 or 7. "i was looking for your ass" sue- 6 girl loves me- "where the fuck did monday go" 6 or 7 dollar days- 6 or 7 i cant give everything away- :( 7 rest in peace, i miss you man
The last Bowie album and the lyrics are just as weird as ever. You can hear a difference in his voice. There is a lot of saxophone on this album. You can definitely hear a sadness in the songs, the title of Lazarus gives that one away, but there's a quality to the music that conveys the feeling too. I listened to this album right after he died and remembered liking it much more than I do now. I love the sound of the album, but the individual songs are kind of up and down. I Can't Give Everything feels like a perfect ending to an amazing career.
- Personal impression: Fantastic album, very "David Bowie" in style - Described as weird, experimental, and a pleasure to listen to - Awareness of David Bowie's famous songs, but not a regular listener - Belief that the album was recorded just before David Bowie's passing - Plans to explore more of David Bowie's work - Rating: Four out of five stars
Laatste Bowie album ooit. Interessant, super moody ook, tenminste de opener Blackstar is een heel duistere plaat. Sowieso is het album iets meer jazzy dan andere Bowie albums die meer poppy kunnen zijn. Het album is veel duisterder, met veel referenties naar de dood. Dan te bedenken dat hij overleed 2 dagen na release, best wel heftig eigenlijk... Als je het album hoort zou ik zeggen dat hij precies wist dat ie niet lang meer had. De muziek hoort daar ook bij, met veel strijkers en een soort trage jazz. Heel indrukwekkend album! FAVO: Blackstar, Lazarus, I cant give everything away
Great album. Very dark though.
This was beautiful and chaotic and discordant.
3.5
meme photo: lie down - try not to cry - cry a lot this album project has easily led to the most David Bowie I've listened to since his death, because that was the first celebrity/public figure death that really deeply upset me and I didn't like to be reminded about it. I had to take a couple of breaks during Blackstar and it reminded me of all the conversations I had with friends where we went from just talking about the album and videos to talking about how it was a secret farewell message. Life is hard! Death is hard! It feels trite to say that so much of this album is haunting, but it is - the vocals and the machinelike-but-human drumming especially. I do think the title and closing tracks are stronger than the rest, except for maybe Lazarus.
Incredible final send off to a once in a lifetime artist.
3.5★. Third Bowie prompt on this list so far (The other two being Young Americans and Heroes) and it's easily my favorite of the small bunch. Not a revelation by any means though as I've listened to it a couple of times before. It's not an album that admittedly moves me deeply like it undoubtedly does many Bowie fans (and it's easy to see why, Cohen's last album does the same thing for me) but it's an album I enjoy/admire a lot, and I love how dire and grave it sounds.
staring death to in the face
Probably a 3.5 without context, but the details surrounding its release and Bowie's passing give it a level of mournful poignancy that elevates it to a 4.
His Bowieness👑 shows his creativity and talent and will to reinvent himself for the last time. Not his best but still a pretty strong album. "Sue..." costs him the ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for me. Beyond that it´s a great production. 4,5
David Bowie was an underrated superstar. No big hits on this album, but it is a really great album. Tiz a Pity She was a Whore and Lazarus are well written and they just suck you into their magic. I love it.
I haven’t explored much of David Bowie's music before, and in fact, Blackstar is the first Bowie album I’ve listened to from start to finish. So, what’s my take on it? Simply put, it’s incredible. As I mentioned, my experience with Bowie has been limited—I've probably only heard about ten of his songs in total. I always associated him with a jazzy, disco-infused glam rock vibe. But this album took me by surprise with its art rock and experimental sound. Blackstar is a no-skip album for me. Every track is solid, with none dipping below an 8/10 in my book. The album's second single, 'Lazarus,' and the closing track, 'I Can't Give Everything Away,' are particular standouts. The latter, especially, has a serene, haunting quality that feels poignant without being overly somber. In short, Blackstar blew me away. It’s inspired me to dive deeper into Bowie’s discography.
Interesting interpretation of rock and combination, couple of great tracks
Yet another album recorded by a man that KNEW he was dying. Written and recorded as his literal swan song- I love this record. Bowie meets NIN meets the grim reaper. All of that said it is definitely an album you have to be prepared for, in the mood for, to really be enjoyed. The opening track sounds absolutely nothing like what you would expect from David Bowie and it’s almost 10 minutes long. That is a statement in itself. there’s a handful of songs that sound more reminiscence of his older material, but the point of this record was to explore something new because he knew, at least in his own mind, that he was about to go on the greatest exploration he had ever gone on. When I am in the correct mindset to listen to this record and feel it, and hear his words, to connect with it and therefore him it’s a five star album. The rest of the time it sits between a three and four.
Wanted to give it 5 stars but just falls short. A really good album filled with interesting songs and influences. One that I will go back to regularly.
Such an incredible insight into what an artist things, feels, desires, reflects on and shares when he know he’s close to dying. That alone makes this album so extremely memorable, with Lazarus really digging in deep.
B+
Really great late Bowie - interesting and challenging. It was his best for ages, ir really only a minor classic by his standards.
Really solid last album from Bowie. Probably needs a couple of listens. I remember hearing about this album when it was released and gave it a listen but didn’t really connect with it. Totally different impression second time around though.
Takie 4/5. Dobry.
amazing last album by bowie RIP
On his 26th album Bowie knew he was dying and still reinvented his sound and message. The artistry is on full display, although this was somewhat of a hard listen for me on a Monday going to work. Dark and moody, reflective, and at times sonically dissonant, but his genius still shines through. A struggle to start with Blackstar at ten minutes, but Dollar Days and I Can’t Give Everything Away are a strong close on the coda of an amazing lifetime of music.
So, this is it, Bowie's last album. The album that ended off his legendary career. I've heard some people claim that it's his best, which I find to be extremely far fetched, and feels like people find this release to be more tragic and impactful than it actually was because it came out only 2 days before his death. But with that being said, this is still a fantastic album. I'm not so familiar with his later works, so I can only really compare this to his 70s/80s material. And it sounds surprisingly good even compared to some of his absolute best. But this fusion of experimental art rock and jazz sounds about as good as it can, and this is a great way to end a discography as legendary as Bowie's.
May one of the best rock musicians of the 20th century rest in peace.
Pretty good, but not ground breaking.
Poeh bijzonde album, had deze ook nooit helemaal geluisterd
Heel goeie
Crazy album at lave lige inden sin død. Meget cool at være så grænsesøgende på trods af sin alder og sangene er både banging og meget rørende synes jeg :)
A varied medley of songs that all seem to work from one to the next. One of his most well executed albums I feel.
It's Bowie, of course it's good, but it's not my favorite. I know I listened to it before this, and I couldn't remember a single thing from it.
A lot of people have and will argue that "this album is considered to be a critical success only because Bowie died, without his death, no one would care!". Well, yeah, the entire point of the album is how Bowie accepts his inevitable demise and uses it to produce his final record. Its pretty decent, with Blackstar and Tis a Pitty She Was a Whore being the weakest tracks on the album, but it picks up and stays hard and solid until the end. Even if musically you may not like it, there is something haunting about anticipating death and creating something for the very last time, especially for an artistic person such as him. YYM
WOW! Very Poignant. I did not love the first track, but loved the rest of the album and therefore enjoyed it overall. Each time I listen to another Bowie album, I’m impressed with how much I enjoy his work. I have never listened to a full Bowie album before I started this journey. Now I regret that I haven’t done it before this. His catalogue of music is awesome and deserves numerous listens.
Very experimental, very David Bowie. All good things!
The poignancy of Bowie essentially writing his own requiem here will always be a huge part of this album's effectiveness. But it also seems like there's very little that's memorable enough here to to stand in the truly top tier of Bowie albums, especially to those who are not already huge fans. He was a genius, and this might very well be a work of genius. But it's also, sadly, largely forgettable when held up against the larger Bowie pantheon.
I am not a good enough writer or thinker to say anything cogent about this masterpiece immediately after hearing it for the first time. Notes: - Bowie is in a bad mood - Theorem: David Bowie can do no wrong (musically). - Dimery wrote a couple books about Bowie, IIRC? - Fan fiction/speculative: Bowie actually is an alien or possibly a returned jesus and we (earth-based humans/mortals) are tested with determining this to be true. We are given some clues, all of them in musical form. This album is the final one. Our literal last chance to save ourselves, but we must first decipher the music. A sad and brilliant album with amazing musicians. Heavy and very very dark in places. Throughout, I get the impression that Bowie just really likes to sing. There are some subtleties in his voice here that are really interesting, and absolutely on par with much of his earlier work. NOT THE SAME, different, but on par. Enjoyed this a lot, lives up to the accoades for sure. Bowie is still with us.
riese album glaub? mega big jazz people wo druf spieled. erste song bitz weird aber halt so nu jazz type drums und so. no cool aber nöd mis ding. zmitzt drin ischs plötzlich en song mit mega typische melancholische chords. aber de vocoder type stuff isch huere geil. de song au. er singt no recht guet findi. tis a pity und so foht reeecht geil ah d chords glnd dumm. de bassist (tim levebvre) hani mol als bassist vom chris potter gseh, siech isch guet. song isch schöön. jo finds geil. lazarus wieder bitz moody noisy und sehr viem höchi sache wo umetätsched. d blöser sind cool i guess aber finds etz nöd wooow. sue isch au wirder huuere dark. aber drums eaaasy geil. de djenty teil easy geil. girl loves me au uuuhuere harmonisch dicht und dark. de bass isch huere cool. s ganze isch mega unruhig. aber geil. dollar days sehr bowie irgendwie. doubletracked akustischi gitti am afang vorallem. gitti wiicht striicher und s wurd offner. hübsche song, meega sad.
SCHWARZERS STERN sehr geile ahfang, ich lieb d drums uhuere geile opener, alles flüsst innenand inne und da störts au nöd, dass es langs lied isch DRUMS ja s whore hetmi nöd umghaue lazarus het ultraaaschöni blöser omg lazarus isch super gsi allgemein werded d blöser sehr gezielt und mega würgigsvoll ihgsetzt girl loves me super wies immer ähnlich tönt aber d drums mached sache, geil dollar daysssss chli "normaler" falls das sinn macht uhuere schöns solo I can't give everything away wieder huere guete closener puuuh bin zwüscheme 4 und 5
Legend. Release music right up till the end.
Bowie is fantastic and the emotions in this album are really raw. 4.2 stars
Nice Bowie
It’s hard to separate this album from Bowie’s death 2 days after release - but I guess that was his intention. Musically, this album is a solid 3. But the emotional heft and the inescapable feeling of listening to art from beyond the grave elevate this to a 4.
Excellent final album from the superstar of music
Top album 🤟 rip music legend 😢
90/100 Fantastique. The Best Bowie album I've heard (so far).
Yeah this goes crazy
The drums on this album are absolutely incredible. Now take that jazzy sound that this album offers and mix it with the icon swagger of Bowie and you have a pretty solid goodbye project to the industry. Would absolutely listen again! 7.8/10
look up here, i'm in heaven 👨🏻🚀🎷🪦🏆🛸 highlights: blackstar; lazurus. see also: the rise and fall of ziggy stardust and the spiders from mars; part 8: gotta light? (david lynch, 2017); cancer; the idiot (iggy pop, 1977); john 11:1–44.
Bowie's ★ final album, is emotional. A stark contrast to his 70-80s glam rock. I prefer the glam, but in the right mood this would do nicely.
Will likely get better with every listen.
Notable tracks: Blackstar, I Can’t Give Everything Away
So good so far... where did the Monday go smh I cant give everything favorite
Love Bowie! This was his last album before he passed, and you can hear/feel his decline on this record. Made me sad, but also such a beautiful album.. definitely not my favorite album of Bowies, but still enjoyed listening. Bowie is surely missed.
Arty and Jazzy. Big beats.
It's so short. It's amazing.
26.(!) platan og hann var ennþá listamaður í þróun. Mér fannst hún þung og erfið þegar hún kom fyrst út. Kannski sérstaklega í skugga andláts Bowie. Með tímanum hef ég reglulega hent plötunni á og hún er frábær tónsmíði. Pólíseruð kveðja eins stærsta tónlistarmanns sögunnar.
Ótrúlega flott plata. Magnaður svanasöngur eins besta tónlistarmanns allra tíma.
Na de zwanenzang van Leonard nog een album dat dient als een laatste testament van een grootheid van de 20e eeuwse muziekwereld. De ingenieuze kameleon Bowie perst het restant aan creatieve energie uit zijn verkankerende lichaam, wat een plaat achterlaat die nog eenmaal de grenzen verlegd en genres verbuigd. Met een fusie van synthpop, post-punk en free jazz blikt David terug op het verleden, maar blijft hij ook vooral bij het heden, zijn mortaliteit in het gezicht starende. Soms op een nogal indiscrete wijze, met lyrics die er niet om heen draaien. Het had van mij wel wat subtieler mogen zijn, maarja, de beste man had nog maar één moment om zijn hart te luchten. Het zijn voor mij vooral de progressieve productie en de mixing van allerlei elementen uit zijn illustere carriere, van glam rock tot ambient, van new wave tot electronica, die van ''Blackstar'' een intrigerend project maken. Elk nummer heeft instrumenteel wel iets unieks en boeiends te bieden, wat een ontzettend consistent album tot gevolg heeft. De titelsong en 'Lazarus' zijn de obvious stand-outs, waar vooral de tweede een speciale plek in zijn discografie heeft weten te winnen. Als er één nummer aangewezen kan worden als slotsluk van zijn leven, dan is dit het. Een soortgelijk effect als 'Hurt' van Mr. Cash. Toch zijn het twee minder spraakmakende stukken die mijn aandacht vooral weten te pakken. 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore' is een ontzettende banger, met een drive waar je u tegen zegt. 'Dollar Days' is wat minder in your face, en zoekt de intieme kant op. Voelt als 70s Bowie, in een nieuw jasje. Het album bevat maar 7 songs, waarvan er geen een echt volledig in de schaduw van de singles staat. Ondanks de moeilijke segmenten, waar duizelingwekkende jazz-ritmes worden bijgestaan door buitenaardse geluiden, fiets je als luisteraar best makkelijk door dit album heen. Het doet me soms denken aan het latere werk van het fenomeen Scott Walker, al is dit popmuziek vergeleken met de avant garde sound die hij uiteindelijk produceert. De thematiek van het album is duidelijk, er is geen ontkomen aan. Het had van mij wel iets subtieler gebracht mogen worden, al is dat een onrealistische wens bij een album dat geldt als zwanenzang van een expressieve artiest als David Bowie. Één ding is zeker, dit is by far zijn beste werk sinds de jaren 80, al was dat ook niet zo moeilijk. Nogmaals, net als bij Cohen, een meer dan waardige laatste toegift. 8/10 Highlights: Lazarus Tis a Pity She Was a Whore Dollar Days
Prachtige zwanenzang en nog knap staaltje vernieuwing van een man die zich zijn hele leven wist te vernieuwen. Totdat het niet meer kon. RIP. 8/10 Highlights Black Star Lazarus
Don't usually like Bowie, but this was good.
weird and interesting. i like it
It is Bowie, it is always going to be good. But there wasn’t anything that really stood out to bring it all the way up to a five for me.
Iconic
85/100
Potentially the best swansong of the 21st Century so far. Bowie bowed out in magnificent fashion with a heart-wrenching, yet extremely well put-together and thoroughly entertaining jazz rock record.
A great album from a man staring into the eyes of death. Way better than anything he had done in a few decades, this took me by surprise when it came out and it still holds up
This album makes so much more sense when you know it was his last album. Though none of the catchy hooks or choruses, it still flows beautifully and for a final album ever is up there.
Where the fuck did Monday go? Four Black Stars.
Some good tunes
Pretty Good.
Bowles’s swan song. Literally.
Already loved the song Girl Loves Me from when it came out. Listening again, I can appreciate the length (pretty concise). It’s also just great!
There was so many Bowies: the Hippie; Ziggy; Aladdin Sane; The Duke; Garreth the Goblin King. This album was the diary of a man named David Jones dying of cancer. It’s a powerful view of his reality and fears. He yelps in “Tis a Pity…” in such a way that you can hear both the pain of his illness was and the pleasure of doing something he loves. Key track for me is Lazarus. I’m convinced that Bowie didn’t die. Instead the Starman just went home, leaving us this final opus of everything he loved from jazz to saxophone, to storytelling.
I had never listened the whole way through. The band was incredible on a few of these tracks and really made the difference. Bowie was a creative genius.
impresionante, jamas pensaria que bowie usaria estos tipos de recursos musicales, experimentacion total, excelente final. solido 4.5/5
Brilliant. Wonderful and morbid at the same time.
I heard this album quite a long time ago so I was very much excited to revisit the other songs from here that weren't 'Lazarus'. This album is famously legend David Bowie's final album before his unfortunate passing just a few days later, and its themes and atmosphere certainly reflect that. Despite its unfortunate context, listening to this album never really made me sad. I hope that doesn't come off the wrong way, but to me, it seemed like Bowie had this firm grasp on the idea of his life and death. It's certainly dark in many of its themes, but also enigmatic in what exactly Bowie was trying to say in a lot of these songs relating to himself, his relationships, and his legacy. I for one, always had trouble trying to decypher some of the lyrics on the title track. The imagery of something eternal, unknown, and looming is ever-present in the lyrics, but the idea of a "black star" I feel is overly ambigous and left up to the interpretation of the listener. This album's jazz fusions are its standout, mainly with the saxophone cropping up all over these tracks. There's a very unique sound being adapted here, one that's clean, calculated, and electronic, but also orchestral and larger than life in its presentation. The title track for instance feels like you're floating in an endless vacuum, especially with Bowie's echoey and distant howls and cries over these spacious synths fluttering the background. The following "Tis' Was a Pity She Was a Whore" is more direct in its potency and contains one of my favorite vocal performances by Bowie. "Lazarus" is my undeniable favorite track here. An existentially horrifying depiction of falling into an unknown plane, not knowing what you've left behind nor what's in store for you. His screams of "Look up here man, I'm in danger" under these crashing guitar hits always harrowed me. The saxophone sending off the song is great too. The first three tracks are utterly perfect and all the following ones are still pretty great. I especially love "Girl Loves Me", it's another more abstract track that's harder to understand but the refrain further reinforces some of this album's existentially harrowing themes. I love the airy synths on the closer "I Can't Give Everything Away", Bowie's Swan song, and one that never fails to make me misty-eyed. Its lyrics are partially regretful but also show Bowie accepting the inevitable. While not every song here lands for me, this album is *truly* one of a kind. It tells the story of a legend who kept giving to his last moments, through a medium that he's always been undoubtedly passionate about. David Bowie's legacy will continue to live on through his music, but this album in particular is an intricate snapshot of the star's final moments, wrapped in something truly other-worldly and beautiful.
Fuck cancer.
I am not a Bowie fan but… this is cool. Detailed, deep, interesting. I think people who really love him didn’t like this so much - makes sense I suppose. It’s the most I’ve ever enjoyed old DB. I didn’t enjoy every track but enough to listen again, I think.
Holds up incredibly well. Music video to title track is peak Nick Cave.
Weird Bowie is still good. Might be the Bowie-est Bowie album so far
7/10. Super interesting album. The first 3 songs imparticular. The first two I couldn’t decide if I loved them or if it was too much for me, which i think was good. Added Lazarus to my 5⭐️ song list. But after that it started to get less interesting for me.
I thought it was really good. Bowie with stage 4 liver cancer wondering where Monday went. He died on a Sunday too. Yeah idk super emotional and impactful
Bliver helt sikkert mere betydningsfuld når man ved, hvor kort tid han havde tilbage. Det er sjældent at man hører musikere lige til deres sidste på den måde, men jeg er endeløst fascineret af den kategori af albums (se: den Leonard Cohen vi havde for et par dage siden)
100% med på hvorfor den her er på listen, det var hans bedste album i enten 20 eller 35 år alt efter hvilket humør jeg er i, og der er noget ret magisk ved at pladen handler så meget om døden givet, you know. Godt companion album til You Want It Darker på den måde. Produktionen er så fed.
I remember when this came out and then Bowie died a few days later. Then and now I appreciate the album dealing with his death so close to the event. Listened to it twice this weekend, and on second listen decided to bump it from 3 to 4. Some catchy and nicely atmospheric tracks. The video for the title track is a trip #buttoneyes
A pretty great swan song from Mr Bowie
I remember when this got released, I was just diving into his discography, starting to really get into him years before. I thought this was a very interesting album at the time, especially coming out of what I knew of his earlier stuff. I really dug this album.
delightful last album by amazing iconic rock and roll star
Blackstar // Lazarus // Girl Loves Me
This is a legacy album. It isn't Bowie's best work, but I feel privileged that he could share one last album as a star in its final throws of life. I distinctly remember the weekend that I heard the title track on the radio. Bowie had just died and I was melancholy for two days. This music reflects that kinda vibe.
Creepy, cool, tragic, fun, all the best bits of the man who we knew and loved and lost just two days later.
Heard of the guy, and this album too, although never properly listened. Nice chilled album and kinda sad that it was probably produced when he knew he was dying. Low 4.
It's certainly a lot more experimental than I was expecting, in a great way. I always knew Bowie was known for trying new things musically, but I didn't expect this sound at all. Definitely was pleasantly surprised by this album. I'm not sure if it's a regular listener, but it's fascinating to listen to. It's enough to make me consider giving Bowie's newer work a more thorough listen.
Another artist who sits above reproach. I was raised on Ziggy Stardust and have loved the music ever since. This final chapter in his discography is a worthy finale and it is a marks of the man's inability to do anything undramatically that he died straight after it's release. On revisiting the album, it is dense and textured with lots of modernity about it despite his age. The voice holds well and it sounds great. If it was to be rated at the top of his discography it could benefit from a couple of slightly more accessible or poppy songs but that wouldnt be the point now would it. RIP David
This is an album that goes beyond just being a collection of songs. Especially enjoyable when listened loud, it's easy to feel surrounded by the experience of this album. The best of Bowie's later work and an excellent send off.
Not my favorite Bowie but still Bowie.
just the act of creating this was poetry. could i write poetry to this? y
I avoided listening to this for a long time. Not exactly sure why. Maybe I thought it would be too depressing, or maybe I was already burned out on Bowie and didn't want to force myself to enjoy it. Turns out this is an excellent album. One hell of a swan song.
First album of the generator. Mind blown
4/5 Best Track: Blackstar
Genial, aber etwas morbid.
Very sad at times, a few really good songs on it, a couple that I'm less into as well but what a way to end your career
Poignant and beautiful, A powerful goodbye.
An artist of sound and scape through and forever.
Bowie kept the quality great all the way til the end. A really good rock/electronic album
I was never a Bowie zealot, although I knew a lot of persons who were. I didn't like his voice for some reason and couldn't get past it. But I grew to like him as time passed and I heard his later stuff. He really sounds like an old guy here. But the band is great, his arrangements are stellar, and I love the techno sounds placed perfectly in the songs. I was completely drawn in, and will listen again with lyrics highlighted. A rousing goodby to us all. Rest in peace, dear David.
Man I remember when this came out. Bowie and I share a birthday, and it was so exciting for one of my favorites to release his new album on our birthday! And then it was so good! Everyone was playing it through that weekend, and going l “Wow, amazing work….hmm seems to kinda be about him dying though.” And then he was gone two days later. Two days. He gave us just enough time to realize what the album was about. And then he left. I can’t imagine what it is like to record an album about your death. But that was just Bowie. And it’s one of his best. Literally releasing vital, amazing work until hours before his passing. That was Bowie.
Bowie’s death album - it’s hard to decouple this album from that. The album is haunting, the effect to which is enhanced by his passing. This album gives songs room to breathe, but still has interesting production/arrangements and nice flourishes to fill out. Drums on this album make some interesting beats and stand out more than other Bowie albums. Singing is often slower, longer, and with lots of vibrato. The title/first track “Blackstar” is a standout that brings the listener along on its journey, and that and “I can’t give everything away” are phenomenal bookends to the album.
Muy interesante pero no sé si lo escucharía regularmente, aún así me parece digno de análisis y comprensión más profunda
lazarus
Bowies afskedsgave til verdenen. En legende og undersøgende plade hvor han samlede jazz-musikkere til at spille rock. Bowie fik skabt sit sidste mesterværk. Mande gik ud på toppen ⭐️
Torn between 4 and 5, very close
Listening to this album makes me want to go and listen to Bowie's full discography in chronological order. I felt like I couldn't get the full force of the importance of this music having only really listened his hit top hits in the past. I was kind of into it, it's dark, ethereal and a bit haphazardly confusing (to my ears) - but I think its a bit outside my usual 'Bowie zone'. One of the things I loved was the cover - love the typography! I'm giving this 3.5 stars, but I'll round it up! Given I'm reviewing this on a Monday - "Where the fuck did Monday go?'
Kind of eerie. Loved it.
Bowie's posthumous album. His final gift to the world. Given the setting and the lyrical composition the album gets extra points. Its not a regular listen, but it is impactful and gets played at least on his death-aversary if not a few other times each year. Missing Bowie every day.
I liked this album pretty well. Some of the singing and music really stood out.
There’s so much mystique surrounding this album. This is the only Bowie work where I’m caught up in the non-music considerations associated with it: he knew he had cancer, he kept it a secret from the public, and he made this album while in considerable pain and suffering, the title track and “Lazarus” being clear meditations not only on death but on the imminent end to his artistic voice. This is my Kennedy assassination album. My mom tells me that everyone from her generation knows exactly where they were the moment they heard about the murder. The events of my life at the death of David Bowie are etched into my memory. The night before I heard the news, I was playing D&D with my friends. I was playing a flamboyant bard based on Bowie’s illimitable stage role-playing ability. Some of my friends weren’t too familiar with Bowie’s different stage looks, so I got my phone out, googled him, and was showing his photos around the table. And then I just gushed on and on about what wonderful an artist—not just singer but artist—Bowie is. It didn’t take long for eyes to glaze over. Oh well. The next morning I was at the store and got a message from my friend telling me Bowie had died. I just stopped stunned in the aisle. And can you believe it: “Space Oddity” was playing on the store’s system. My wife, who shops there often, told me the song was part of that month’s rotation, so it wasn’t like the manager threw on some Bowie in tribute. It was just a coincidence, but it was one with powerful meaning for me. I was playing a Bowie character, had just been praising him, now to find out he’s dead, with one of his songs playing in a random place. Later that evening, my friend brought over a bottle of whiskey, and we drank it while listening to our favorite Bowie songs. He actually has more songs about death / transcendence than one might realize. Anyway, about this album: it’s got it all. Bowie doesn’t stick to one style but uses his swan song to do what he’s always done—stretch his wings and not be content with one thing. He mixes jazz and even electronic into the tracks. By the way, if you’re into vinyl, the LP packaging is lovely, including a beautiful booklet with some fine art and photography.
Very good. Etherial.
Maybe not his best, but all things considered still a very fine piece of work
Rating: 8.5/10 Great album overall, consistently high-quality songwriting throughout. This album has a lot of beautiful arrangements, instrumentally and musically it is very diverse and interesting to listen to. I really enjoyed the experimental nature of it, the mix of rock and jazz (and other genres) was done exceptionally well and the songwriting is unpredictable, making it a very enjoyable listen. I was not always a fan of the ideas on here but it works and sounds fantastic the vast majority of the time. Favorite songs: Blackstar, 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore, Lazarus, Girl Loves Me, I Can't Get Away, With Everything. Least favorite song: Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime).
This is a heartbreaking listen if you have context around what was going on with Bowie when he wrote it. Hauntingly beautiful. That being said, as much as I appreciate this album for what it is, if I’m gonna listen to Bowie, I’ll pick almost every other one of his albums before this. Makes it hard to rate, but tipped to a 4 because ultimately, it’s a special piece of art.
There was a manic saxophone player loose in the studio during the entire recording sessions. I love him.
THAT is what I call a swansong. This album is close to perfect and shows well what Bowie could do, even close to the end. I like the fact that it is very jazzy, the electronic bits were less a novelty in his career but still enjoyable. I find the opening track a bit irritating though.
I don't know Bowie very well, but this album is remarkable.
Solid lyrics and creative arrangements.
Realizing it makes a big difference to review and album when I've experienced its release first hand. This one will always feel eerie. Probably what he had intended. Hearing his fragile, old voice and breathing, yet still singing about infinity and his dick, I'm just grateful he was able to give his catalogue some kind of closure. May we all burn out!
i just love when bowie
really liked the instrumentals
Blackstar is such a weird song, and I love parts of it and others I did not. Bummed, cause I thought about this as the song I would add to my playlist, but ultimately decided on Dollar Days. I enjoyed the album on the whole and with the context that he died 2 days later, it definitely gives it an eerie tone. I kiked the Alladin Sane album more, but this was still good.
Using a jazz band for rock gave it an interesting sound. Especially the drums are wild. Opinion is significantly influenced by Bowie's death two days later.
I listened to this album shortly after it came out. I've been a casual fan of David Bowie's hits since around high school, but this was the first time I listened to one of his full albums. I remember being sad that he had passed away, but I also remember being hit with the regret that I didn't see him in concert in 2004 when he came through town. This is my sixth Bowie album to review, and I've been all over the map with how I've felt about his albums. Blackstar is really good, and while it's not a five star album for me, I think it's one of his better albums. It's weird and experimental, but the sound is still incredibly accessible, because of its overall beauty and haunting melodies. The instrumentation is all fantastic. There's great guitar playing, great drumming (I love James Murphy), and of course Bowie's fantastic vocals. The string, saxophone, and piano arrangements are great too, and they really enhance the deathly mood of this album, while still giving it a "trademark Bowie" sound. The lyrics on this album are haunting, and it's really sombre to listen to what are essentially David Bowie's last words for the world, even eight years after this album's release and his passing. "I Can't Give Everything Away" is a perfect closer to this album, giving us a bittersweet hint that if it weren't for his illness, Bowie felt like he still had more in the tank. While this isn't my favorite album from Bowie, I still think it's really good. As the last effort from one of popular music's biggest forces, I think it's a fantastic listen for any fan of music.
Great if you're a Bowie fan
In the context of how this album came to be, it is heartbreaking. It's surprisingly positive music whilst also sounding incredibly depressing. Great stuff, but it isn't something I will come back to time and again.
helt ok, men noen bangers
Tragic masterpiece.