Reviews (page 9 of 15)
Some nice moments, but not really my cup of tea
I didn't like this album when it came out, I don't like it now. Bowie was inspired by To Pimp a Butterfly and Death Grips while recording this, which is intriguing. But it doesn't make me like it anymore. I love the jazz group he hired to play the music. They are super dialed in. The drummer is especially tight. I'd give this a higher rating if it was just instrumental. The last track is the most Bowie sounding, and it hits harder because it was the last song to be released before he died.
Last album Bowie made, definitely not his best. It's just all over the place
peak
So boring
Beautiful music. Undoubtably I am missing the full context here as this is the first Bowie record I've listened to — there are surely a few references to previous work and other recurring themes placed throughout — but I can still recognise its significance, the sorrow and pride that intertwine to create a swan song that knows it's a swan song. Surely this is not the first time that Bowie has dabbled in jazz, but he has given it a modern flair; you can especially hear the influence of contemporary music on 'Girl Like Me'. I want to listen to music that sounds like this more often. Favourites: Blackstar, Lazarus, Girl Like Me (4/1001, 12th Jan. '25, 1657h.)
Perfect; a gift to the world.
🌟
I hated this. I know the story, I know the struggle, I still hated this. I hate his affectations, and the way he phrases his lyrics on this album. His style was amazing when it worked, but this is just worse than forgettable.
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.
This was the first album that ever got me into Bowie, and it really opened the door for me to him. It will forever be a favorite and the story behind it makes the album that much greater.
Rest in peace bowie
Okay moments here and there. Won't give it another listen tho. Maybe bowies earlier work is for me but haven't gotten there yet
Absolute beautiful beast of an album. Perfect swan song for Bowie.
Meh.
Excellent
Meh. I liked other Bowie stuff better.
Super powerful album about a man struggling with his mortality and the existential nightmare surrounding him. I fucking loved this album. My only critique is that I preferred the later part of the album despite all the “hits” (⭐️ and Lazarus) being at the front of the album. Girl loves me, Sue, and dollar days being my favorites. Can’t recommend this album enough, definitely check it out if you haven’t.
Experimental, not uninteresting in itself, but I struggle to like it. Probably better on drugs.
Pretty far from my favorite Bowie album. Lacked imagination and had a kind of stale sound, like it came out of the 90s. Still it's a pleasure to his voice, and to know he was devoted to making music, all the way to the very end.
One of my favorite albums of all time. Every second of this album is incredible and it was a great album for David Bowie to end it on.
Weird opening, village of Orman, sounds like the British infatuation of heraldry and mysticism. I realize it's his last album and the sax is great, but it sounds like a movie soundtrack. Maybe that's the point, last song has the vocal rhythms of 'the very thought of you'.
not for me
Not my favorite Bowie album
I've been a big Bowie fan my whole life. I take his music like medicine when I need it. I try not to abuse it because it loses its value. I can comfortably say, Bowie's been dead about 9 years and I never listened to Black Star. But im really really glad I did. Bowie has a way of staying sonically relevant no matter what time period he exsists in. Sure his 80's stuff leaned more towards garbage but thats okay, a lot of acts did that. But that being said Black Star leans heavily in to the abstract, avante garde and progressive side of Bowie. Detailing his life's journey into become and a dead "black star". Arguably flawless.
Honestly this was hard to get through. If the name of the artist were different this would probably get a 1.
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.
Pidin tästä lopulta. Mutkia oli matkassa: jazz-saksofoni-haahuiluja, elektromattoja ja notkeita rumpukoneita. Kappaleet nousevat kuitenkin läpi, eivätkä ne ole pelkkää kertakäyttötavaraa. Tiedän, koska kuuntelin muutaman useampaan kertaan. Plussaa toisen kappaleen huvittavasta koukusta.
Me encantó
heard maybe one or two songs from this in the past but didnt feel a strong connection, this time wasnt too different? i dont feel like this is an album *i* could get too far into. still good though this just wasnt meant for me as a listener
Take away the fact that this seems like a perfectly timed swan song for what was one of the greatest music careers or all-around art careers of all time, take that away, and this is still an awesome album. It is unsettling and still beautiful, it mixes some heavy industrial sounds with horns and guitar and freaky lyrics given the timing of the album. Such an awesome capstone to an awesome life.
Annorlunda, konstigt, nytänkande, märkligt. Gillade "Dollar days".
Favourite tracks: tis a pity; black star; Lazarus
So many different musical ideas put together in a perfect manner. Every track had me hooked in the first 10-20 seconds. Great instrumentals (horns on entire album stand out), and Bowie’s singing is perfect.
Oh no David. This is really, really bad. Bizarre vocals, feels like a Halloween album. Actually found myself getting angry halfway through this. Love Bowie's other stuff but this is not it. 2.25/10 (1.125/5)
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
Pure quality
As a certified David Bowie hater, this was the only one of his records I'd heard before doing the game. And in a shocking twist, I think it's very good. I like it when he gets weird.
I know it's Bowie. It's just too dark for me
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
Not my cup of tea. It gives off some pretty heavy Radiohead vibes, but honestly, if that’s what I’m in the mood for I’ll just go listen to Radiohead. And if I want to listen David Bowie, it’s not going to be this. It’s not bad per se, there just isn’t anything here that would ever make me come back to it.
Blackstar is a good album - no an amazing album. It's so creepy and dark, that David Bowie sets the atmosphere from the get-go. My favorite instrument is the saxophone here, it's so menacing in a way you do not see a saxophone used typically. It helps set the tone and it stands out wonderfully. In the same way that music can influence the world, the world can influence music. David Bowie's death affects this record and legacy. I knew about this record without hearing it specifically because of his death. It helps elevate a great record into a classic in my eyes. The fact that an artist used his death to create music is stunning. I have a few grievances with the tracks, but I wouldn't skip any of them. It's an album worth listening to in its entirety. An album that shows David Bowie's spirit still lives on.
Oofie doofie - I don't really care for Bowie at the best of times, and this is far from his best. Mostly unpleasant, gloomy, self indulgent. But there are occasional high points. Opening a 40 minute album with a 10 minute track is certainly a choice
It’s an ok album. There’s nothing horrible on it. Some songs feel intimate, others feel like they don’t fit the album.
Weird as f - straight up first song in. First song is also 10 minutes long... should be illegal. Not David's best I guess - or I'm just not a David Bowie fan lol.
Again - It's David Bowie
Can't lie. This shit was straight fucking ass!
Really enjoyed this, probably gonna add it to the rotation.
Saxophones, drums, beats and the jazz influence Love the instruments it's so levitating
- Felt different from the little bit of David Bowie I already knew - I feel like I would appreciate it more if I listened to it a few more times. Didn't hit that much the 1st listen
I wasn't overly taken with this. Tricky one - maybe it's a 'grower' and needs multiple listens. That said, I've never been that much of a Bowie listener overall, just the odd track here and there. Maybe I need to re-visit....
being generous with a 3 out of respect. he was way past his prime here, but its not bad music, just meh and a little too artsy for me
I thought about how I'd write a long intelligent post about leaving Blackstar for my very last album to rate, add some thoughts about the list as a whole and albums that have particularly struck me. But this album just makes all that seem a bit pointless and small. There have been other albums made in the shadow of death (Joy Division's Closer comes to mind) but really this is a one-of-a-kind. Bowie was never less than an artist in control of his music - even though he said he could remember making very little of Station to Station - and faced with his own death he left us with an album that pushed his work forwards, while absolutely facing head on his own mortality.
Man. I don't know what happened but I just can't click with this album. Maybe I'm just not "cultured" enough but I can't stand it. The beats are pretty good, I just can't stand the vocals. Very different from any of his earlier material, (at least that I've listened to). Has to be a 1/5 from me.
Some great, some good
A lot of nice songs
4/5
I'm sure it's a good album but i'm really just not vibing with it today. I've skipped the 2nd half of every song so far. 2 stars, giving it the benefit of the doubt that it's actually good and I just don't see it
Так получилось, что этот альбом я послушал первым среди всего творчество Дэвида Боуи и хочу сказать, что он самый необычный среди всех релизов, которые у него были. Электронно-джазовый, качающий, притягательный... На днях мне хотелось сказать, что он смог в композициях передать "запах смерти" (ощущение напряжения и тревоги)... Альбом не на каждый день, но великолепный. Как жаль, что он рано ушёл и мы не дождались ещё больше подобных композиций.
Masteriece
Bowie's ability to push boundaries and innovate shines through, making this album a fitting conclusion to his legendary career.
Found this one very enjoyable! Specifically, really liked the title track - ★
I've come to realize that David Bowie is really hit and miss for me. This album is a definite hit. My favorite track was Girl Loves Me.
I kind of dig this? But I would never like, listen to it for fun. Is that weird?
tiefgründig
The concept of a farewell album is interesting, not interesting enough to carry the album though. It was pretty boring and same sounding, the album felt much longer than it was. The lyrics felt cryptic. I’m sure if you hyper analyzed them there are some deep themes and meanings, but if I was doing that I’d rather read it on paper than have to listen to the songs again. 3/10
I've meant to listen to this for ages. I remember it coming out shortly before Bowie died, and it feeling more important because of that. I'm mixed on his spooky ghost voice, but I think I fall on the side of liking it. Its definitely better if I picture him in the studio doing spooky ghost movements while singing. I think this falls into the realm of albums I don't really get, but that still intrigue me. Maybe its more because of the mythos behind it though. Album cover: (B+)
This was Bowie's last album before he died and he wrote it while he undergoing treatment for liver cancer. That's pretty bleak. "Blackstar" was really long and I didn't enjoy too much about it. The instrumentals were fine, I don't enjoy Bowie's voice much, and I didn't like the constant "I'm a blackstar" bit. "Man she punched me like a dude" is an interesting lyric. Again, the backing musicians on "'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore" are doing some nice work, but I don't enjoy any of the vocals. Reading articles about how people revere these songs makes me feel like I'm being punked. "Dollar Days" is my favorite song so far, its nice. Nice saxophone sections. Sorry David, I just don't really like this. I don't understand how all the reviews are so positive. The singing is distinctly *not* pleasant to listen to, and the instrumentals are kind of boring for long stretches. 4/10
This really is something special, the swan song of a complex and significant artist.
It was expected to see this album as there have already been so many Bowie albums on this list. I do recall giving this album a listen when it was released and heard the rave reviews. This one just did not feel especially notable other than it was Bowie's final musical statement.
One last masterpiece by Bowie
This was like a David Bowie album without the knorr stockpot. It was not for my palette, and maybe that says more about me than it does the album. But I felt a little disappointed with this one. The saxophone was cool, but I don’t see myself listening to this again. Girl Loves Me was objectionably bad. Some of the lyrics on this album were off putting. I don’t know maybe that’s what he was going for.
Look, look! The Emperor isn't wearing any clothes! This is by far the worst I have heard of his. Are we all just pretending this is great because he died shortly after? It's a hot mess. Honestly this is so bad.
It didn't do it for me. I love Bowie and the influene he's had on so many artists. It's a shame this was his final album.
Bowie far past his prime. The album is interesting, but its boring. Bowie was an incredible songwriter and performer, this just doesn't hit for me.
Wasn’t really a fan I’m afraid. Disappointing.
Day339 - i loved this the day it came out and it just gets cooler every listen
I don't care for David Bowie, but I had hope that maybe old Bowie would be better than young Bowie. I think old Bowie may actually be worse.
I get it David Bowie was an influential artist in the late 20th century. Does that really mean his 2, 000th album should be in this list. As it is far from his best. Like I said before he didn't age like fine wine more like vinegar.
Not his best album, that's for sure.
I could take or leave the first few songs but by the time I hit the last song I was hooked. Halfway through the final song I got a message that a long time client who I had just negotiated a release from jail had died. He was 61, homeless and a lifelong alcoholic. How fitting.
Experimental and clang-y.
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
I’m really not sure how to rate this album…it had some good songs, Lazarus and I Can’t Give Everything Away, but the first song was 10 minutes long and really weird 😩 The other few songs were also pretty strange. Not for me. I’m a simple girl with simple tastes, ok. I just want to be able to sing along to songs that sound pleasant to my ear 😁 This album did not satisfy those requirements. But I suppose I can give Bowie a pass, because he was such a cool kook that he’s allowed to do anything he wants 😅 I’m happy I finally listened to this album, but I won’t be listening again.
Brilliant. Really really solid Much better than his previous album. Blackstar, more like 4 star
Not a fan of this one.
Incredible album, given the context - and one that can hang with his 70s works. I think this is the only album that's made me cry.
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
Bittersweet. Knowing he created this material while facing death gives it an added weight. It’s so eclectic. Modern and classic at the same time. Vulgar in a great way. Aggressively peaceful.
Actually decent you know, his voice still a bit annoying
Blackstar is last album released during David Bowie's life; it was released just two days before his death was publicly announced. It has found near-universal critical acclaim, especially noted as Bowie's "curtain call." With orchestrations from musical theater, these songs could be compared to Rufus Wainwright's; these could be described as an "operatic" version of pop songs. Bowie's rich voice makes interesting songs, but otherwise, these aren't particularly memorable songs. Imo, the most melodically interesting performance by the band is in "Tis' a Pity She Was a Whore," which makes the song, and the album, a bit less interesting...
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
Did not hold my attention (unfortunately).
Didn’t do it for me, much as I love Bowie
I did not like this album. It seemed experimental.
This was a peculiar album. Very experimental. Reminded me a lot of Radiohead in the early 2000s when they lost their direction and were into the weeds with experimentation. It’s a merging of genres with an out of control drum machine where the end result is where the style and substance never seem to fused together properly.
Most of the music was fine. It was the vocals that often seemed out of sync and not really connected to the music.
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.
David Bowie was an artist who even made his death into art. At his age, most artists slow down, but he delivered Blackstar, one of his most unique and powerful albums. The music is dark, experimental, and haunting, blending jazz, rock, and electronic sounds in a way that feels completely fresh. The title track is a ten-minute journey through eerie, shifting moods, while ‘Lazarus’ feels like Bowie saying goodbye in the most poetic way possible. Songs like ‘Dollar Days’ and ‘I Can’t Give Everything Away’ are deeply emotional, making the album feel like a farewell letter wrapped in stunning music. Even without the context of his passing, Blackstar would still be an incredible album. But as his final work, it becomes something even greater, a bold and artistic goodbye from a true genius.
David Bowie may have inspired Geordie Greep. Interestingly, someone I thought was unique may have been inspired by such a large star in the industry. It was a pleasant surprise.
"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.
GOAT. Everything he does is great!
Shocking And not in a good way I really disliked this. A cacophony at times and really not very pleasant. It seems self serving and actually quite unpleasant. Is it a 2 for sympathy? No, I really, really hope I never have to listen to this pile of shite again
Scratch in the same place
i don't hate this, and i admire much of this on its own especially when compared to the toxic landfill that is 2016 in music, but i also readily acknowledge it's basically only interesting because it's bowie's final bow "blackstar" (song) is immense and powerful, but there comes a point where giving this album kudos feels like rewarding an aging musician for simply still putting effort in
3½ / 5 Weird af, pero en un buen sentido, para nada lo que esperaba escuchar. No fui muy fan de la voz (y sí, si el pobre se estaba muriendo (literalmente)). Escuché el álbum sin saber nada de el contexto (Bowie falleció 2 días después del lanzamiento) y me pareció un poco meh, pero no es que al enterarme haya cambiado de opinión por lástima, sino porque entendés un poco más el proyecto, su trasfondo y qué está diciendo. De igual manera, no le doy un puntaje alto porque de por sí no creo que sea un proyecto que vuelva a escuchar, pero si espero con ansias escuchar sus otros proyectos. El ½ punto es por los vientos, que fue de mis cosas favoritas.
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.
not for me at all
I love how Bowie is my least favorite artist (site says it) and I get 4 of his albums in a 2 month span
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.
Blackstar is an appropriately beautiful swansong for such an ambitious artist. Favorite track: 'Dollar Days'
Before this album I had never listened to Bowie on purpose. Noticed this is a more recent album and wondered and maybe hoped it would reflect his work. It was crap. Like a concophony of mixed up sounds with some murmers over it. The stand out was the drumming for me which was also out of place. The 3rd track maybe called Lazarus was not bad the last two tracks I'll admit to scanning though. Not recommended and most probably never listen again, shame on me
Listening to this always makes me sad. Such raw talent.
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.
Needs another listen. 3.5
This was very hit and miss. First part of the album was quite bad. Final three songs were better. Still not great.
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.
Although a departure from his earlier sounds (and Earth physically), Bowie pulls off a decent later album. I will assume this one gets better the more you hear it, it deserves a close listen and I really haven't spent much time with it. There's a variety of sounds and genres at play allowing the vocals to be an accent rather than the main feature. "Lazarus" is really haunting and mysterious, very on-point given the circumstances with secret recording sessions and timely post-death release. It's very good. I liked a couple other songs on here too, but I'm mainly impressed that he was able to consistently make relevant music this far into his career. Anyway, where the fuck did Monday go? 2.85.
I listened to this album when it came out and was not super impressed but it's late Bowie and tough to hold up against the classics. It's not terrible, with a few ok tracks and a few bad tracks. The opener is not good...Dracula Bowie pining over a hooker does not bode well. Too track was "Girl Loves Me" with Bowie channeling his inner Gabriel and a pretty follower "Dollar Days." Another one making the list based purely on the timing and secretive recording. You can def sense the experience of his inevitable demise...2.0.
I remember the news of Blackstar's release and Bowie's subsequent death. I had low expectations that Bowie could still assemble a decent album in the last days while fighting illness. I was surprised how competent Blackstar was on this listen. Admittedly, the backing band is doing the majority of the heavy lifting as they bring in some funk that hits with more impact than Bowie's vocals. It's not an amazing album but certainly an appreciated parting gift from Mr. Bowie. Tragic loss to the music world, and even if it isn't something I'll return to often Blackstar was a great swan song on his way out. Final track I Can't Give Everything Away was a fantastic closer to a legendary career. 2.33 stars
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.
Somewhere in here there’s a great album. I can pick and choose bits of each song that I really like but they often go on in a weird direction or otherwise fall apart. I’m not talking about saxophone noodling or instrumental breaks, I mean completely changing the tone either via the actual key or the instrumentation. The first track is a great example, the first five minutes and the last minute are great, but what is that weird thing in the middle? Unnecessary. The same happens at the ends of a few other songs. Things I really enjoyed: the songwriting and the drums. Man, the drums. Whoever that is did amazing work. Crisp jazz/rock beats that go beyond keeping a rhythm and in to tonal music all themselves. Bowie’s vocals are good as always but a bit uninspired. There are some points where I felt that he was warbling over the scale for no reason. Overall pretty decent. Wouldn’t turn it off.
Are we going to get any Bowie albums from the golden days? These 2010's albums are not vibing.
- 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
There was a lot of hype for this one. My husband absolutely loved it, but I'm more lukewarm. 3/5
very gloomy sound, but I don’t hate it. Songs have good progression. bluesy, trancy, and rock all in one
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.
David Bowie's voice is just not good on this record. I understand its significance, but most of these songs were a drag to get through. Some instrument arrangements make this listenable though.
First listen. Been on the list for some time. Wow! I expected it to be good, but not this good! I haven't listened to a lot of David Bowie, but after a few listens this feels like at least being among his best work and one that I will grow to love even more as time goes by.
Liked this album. Kind of out there a bit but given the background of this album it’s kind of profound
ok the universe must be listening because i swear i had JUST finished one of my "why don't i like david bowie more" rants last week... and then i got another bowie album. it's just not hitting, y'all. i don't get it! 😭
a loud, resounding meh for this one. if this album hadn't dropped right before bowie's death, i don't think it would've been more than a blip on most people's radars. after listening to like 6 or 7 bowie albums in this list, nothing has topped ziggy stardust for me and the rest have slowly turned me into a hater. there's just nothing interesting or captivating really happening on this album, just pretentious drivel. favorites: lazarus
Omg this was so bad 😭 Literally none of the instrumentation worked well together, his voice annoyed me so much, and some of the lyrics were so random that it annoyed me. I genuinely don't know why people love this album so much its so off-putting. The title track is where I realized that maybe this wasn't going to be as good as I thought it would, what the actual hell is the intro. It doesn't get better either, the "I'm a blackstar" interruption was so grating. I get that this album's whole thing was that he was dying, but at least make it sound good damn. Fav Songs: Lazarus I guess?
favourite song - lazarus favourite lyric - idk, good lyrics overall tho cover - 2/10 overall album - 4/5
i mean even if i wasnt really into this for whatever reason, it would probably still feel too immense for words. without strictly imitating any of his previous work (at least that im aware of, tho im sure it takes influences from all over), it feels like bowie grasps the core of the appeal of his chameleonic always-on-the-artistic-move persona by creating a cryptic and emotive blend of sounds and styles that make anything Seem possible. for as often as this album is described as morose or oppressive it most often feels to me like wide open spaces and cosmic bursts of creativity as hungry as anything else he made at any other stage of his life. the way bowie cracks himself open and spills his caged-up vulnerabilities everywhere will be most people's main takeaway from the record, rightfully so, but i think at this point i find myself most moved by the final of finals I Can't Give Everything Away, which finds a beauty and serenity in all the things that bowie Could have shared with the world but never will. the beauty i think comes from simply the enormity of not just existence, but existence that is potentially worthwhile, u will never ever run out of things to discover and appreciate in this life. even if he wanted it would not be possible for even a nonstop maverick like bowie to express every single worthwhile thing in his life and head. he sure made a better stab at it than most though
Not my favorite Bowie Album...
Nothing great here, feels like there are many more albums out there that could’ve been on here instead of this
i’m definitely a bowie fan - and it’s great that he was able to make music up until the end. but this was obviously a step down from his earlier stuff. it had some cool instrumental stuff going on a lot but his voice was obviously tired. it’s good this exists but not sure what warrants it getting on this list
Bowie later years typical sound. Not bad, not great.
A man coping with his own mortality. A great album that’s only better with the sad context. Rest in peace to one of the greatest pop-rock artists of all time.
Not his "greatest" but typical Bowie... RIP
Appreciate the artist. Didn’t care for the album.
Fantastic goodbye and end to a great career. I highly respectable way to meet death, and it thought me a lot about the mindset one can approach the end of ones life with.
I like the fact the first song is just called star emoji
It was ok, but the fact he wrote these with his death looming at a different type of nuance which can make any musical work more interesting. 3/5 Standout track: - Lazarus 4/5
This is why this site is great! I have a new favourite artist
Was expecting to like this more than I did
I remember when this came out after he passed. It was forced down my throat, and I still feel that way now.
Bowie
Kinda catchy
Absurd !👎🏼
This was nice, but not something I'd probably go out of my way to listen to.
This is such a phenomenal album, but it is a hard listen knowing it was Bowie's farewell to the world. Haunting production from start to finish, even in the more upbeat-ish tracks like "Tis a Pity" and "Sue". There's a lot of prog elements to the album as well that keep it exciting and fresh. Favorite tracks: Blackstar, Girl Loves Me and Dollar Days
awesome, poignant
Oh god no....
god damn
Of course David Bowie was a treasure. Not bad, but definitely only here because it was his last work, not his best.
I can appreciate this but prob won’t listen to it more
Kinda weird, which is expected, and not as fun as the other albums. Nothing I would revisit. Also on Wikipedia it said he was inspired by Kendrick Lamar and Death Grips? I don’t listen to Death Grips but I didn’t catch the Kendrick Lamar vibes.
idk I feel like im still missing something here w/ bowie
3/10 - it was just bad. David Bowie but bad
Maybe I wasn’t able to fully appreciate this because I was doing homework, but this was pretty wack
outstanding album, it’s crazy how he released this 2 days before he died, truly amazing, shows how much he dedicated music in his life
Nice and ethereal
First time ever listening to a Bowie album front to back (not really a fan of his). From the jump, the title track is an ominous, but dreadful opening track that seems like 3 miscellaneous tracks thrown into one. Musicianship is overall solid; lyrics and vocals are sometimes lackluster. It seems that parting, loss and coming to terms with mortality are the biggest themes throughout this record, which of course was eerily prophetic, and probably by design. No song captures that better than “Lazarus” which is probably the album’s strongest track.
Appreciate the jazz style and instrumentals
Meh
Not as good as other albums especially vocally, but it was an interesting ride with very creative song writing
Not my favorite Bowie but it was fine. 2.5 but probably wouldn’t repeat so rounded down
Eh I can’t say that I am a fan of this album. As said in an earlier Bowie, I don’t think that I am a huge Bowie person and this album just seemed superfluous and added just because it’s Bowie.
I am frustrated by the curve on which we as a society grade an aging artist's late-career projects that have no actual cultural or chart impact. It's like the bullshit "lifetime achievement award" to pay your respeks. "Oh wow, so brave, good for you still out there making music." Who honestly wants to this self-indulgent shit instead of a contemporary artists at the top of their game. Listen to his back catalog and then this and tell me they are being judged the same way. I DGAF if he died, this still sounds like shit. I'm sick of everyone pretending this kind of stuff is good just because of the artist's "legendary" status.
this was a bit weird (and sad) but still good
I gotta say, it seems to me that because this is Bowie's "swan song," people like this album more than they otherwise would. And that's okay, it's sort of beautiful and very human, actually. I ALMOST like the chant in the second half of the first song, Blackstar, but the lyrics are lackluster to me. I like the Eastern sound Bowie had going on in the song, but it's just not quite there for me. Dollar Days is a pretty cool soundscape. I think a lot of these tracks would be amazing live (dang, too bad), but they're not quite hitting for me in the streaming format. The entire album is just not quite there for me. I'd say Bowie was more worried about translating his mind into music than conforming to a specific sound, which is cool, that's the special thing about experimental music, but it makes for highly polarizing music. You either love it or you are appalled. Except in my case I'm sort of in between, I appreciate this album for what it is, I find it interesting, it's cool, I didn't mind listening to it, but I didn't really enjoy it either. Probably won't listen again.
Do you like rock with jass music? if you do then this album is for you. I don't like this album and this is why. First the guys voice suck in my opinion. second I don't like the beat of the music it kinda suck. Last I don't like the lyrics there pretty weird. I don't recommend this album try to look for something else.
Overall this is a pretty good album. Its lyrics feel perfect considering he was dying of cancer. The Music goes well with the lyrics. Making this overall a great album, and I would recommend listening to it.
i Love the jazz and the jacksafon but i dont really like the lyircs. Its okay i like thne beat i vibe with it but dont really like the lyircs.
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
Do you like music that sounds like it's in the future? Then this is the album for you! The background sounds like it's a battle scene from a video game. I like his voice, but I can't understand the lyrics. I also like the beat. So that is why I recommend that you listen to this album.
If you like slow, electronic music, this album is for you! However, I wouldn't say I like this album. Because it's too slow for me, and I'm not too fond of his voice. He does have good range though. In my opinion, I don't think you should listen to this album.
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.
Had not listened to this before, pretty good.
Incredible. His best album. I have no words for just how well produced and realized all these songs are. REAL jazz elements implemented in rock like never seen before. His voice is incredibly dynamic and exciting here. The songwriting has never been this forward-thinking since maybe Low. What a way to end your career.
Bowie had to be trolling us here, right? He thought to himself "right, I've got this Radiohead rip-off of an album that sounds like someone doing a parody of me, and I've got a week to live. If I put this out just before I go toes up then people are going to be tricked into praising it, rather than pointing out it's a bit shit. You can't speak ill of the dead, right!" Also, it's only 41 minutes, but it seems to go on forever, especially 'I Can't Give Everything Away' which ends with around 4 to 5 weeks of him bleating about how he can't give everything away. We get it, Jones, we heard you the first time, and also read the title of the sodding song.
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.
lazarus sounds like he's been listening to blood orange. thus i like. why's he so moody saxophone is the real star here i will not be listening to this again
I may get slaughtered for this but listening to this album, then going back and listening to some old Bowie I realized I may not be much of a Bowie fan. I'm a fan of some of the instrumentals but none of these tracks are really landing for me and I'll likely never seek them out again
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.
This was the last album David Bowie made while he was dying of cancer. You could hear it in the music. It's a great final album from one of the best creative forces this world had to offer us. Not sure I would listen repeatedly (maybe I'll save find solace in it if/when I experience my own suffering). I really loved his words around being free like a bird -- he has a melancholy outlook on his fate. He's not ready to go yet but somehow imagining death as something other than an end. RIP to the best.
Not my favorite Bowie sounds.
It was fine I guess. Didn't really dig it much.
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
Good god this album is SAD. It’s him confronting his own death and it sounds like it. Some crazy solos, almost discordant metallic sounds and Bowie singing in a dirgelike style makes this a masterpiece.
It has been a while since I listened to this, but I still think that it's brilliant. Perhaps if it wasn't Bowie's parting gift I'd see it in a different light. But it was, so I can't.
This man changed my life and sculpted so many of my musical tastes. This album is yet another serving of his endless creativity: unique, exciting, tragic. This heavy dish is not for easy listening.
I can’t speak from experience, but I figure it must be very difficult to make a swansong album. On top of knowing your end is at hand (mentally and physically), but you must also leave your fans with something good to remember you by. I remember David Bowie’s passing somewhat well, but never heard that he released an album two days prior to his death. I’m regretfully not well-versed in Bowie’s discography to say whether or not it’s the perfect end for him, but as a stand-alone album, it is a great swan song. Lazarus in itself feels like a proper emotional goodbye to a legendary artist. Blackstar in its entirety presents classic Bowie with hints of art and experimental jazz. The result is an album that as haunting as it is reflective. I can’t say it was perfect, but for what it is, it works well. It’s a very fitting goodbye for someone such as David Bowie. Favorite track: Lazarus Other hits: I Can’t Give Everything Away, Dollar Days, Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime), Tis A Pity She Was A Whore
Blackstar? More like 5 star, am I right?
everyone says this is a swan song about mortality but i think it actually deconstructs the concept of looking for your ass
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
Did not enjoy it
I think that it's fine sometimes that the circumstances around an album's release influences the way people perceive it, and this album certainly takes on a more final tone due to its proximity to Bowie's death. Even though this isn't Bowie's best work, it is still rather good! It seems a rare occurrence that an artist can continue quality output throughout their life, and David Bowie is to be commended for his skill and his adaption of new styles on display here. I think I've talked myself up to giving this album a 4.5/5 (rounded up). Favorite track: "Lazarus"
5/5
In this old fart's opinion, Bowie's best material came between 1968 and 1980. Given the circumstances surrounding the release of this one, I really hoped I could like it but it's just not for me.
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.
Bowie's last dance I was almost 15 when Bowie died. At that time the only thing I knew about him was the Aladin Sane cover (as recognizable as a plate of rice and beans) and I definitely wasn't ready for this album at the time. But I remember seeing the Lazarus video and thinking "This is Bowie dying" Today, 8 years later, having explored the entire discography and having Bowie as one of my main artistic influences, I can feel what Blackstar is. I can see that this was a beautiful ending worthy of a legend!
One of the greatest ever
Groovy and moody with some funky rhythms
An absolutely phenomenal album. The thought and artistry displayed is awesome. The way the sax creates like a billowing tragic yet warming sound throughout, the gentle guitar and trumpet dancing in the background. Truly feels like we are floating in space in some moments, death all about, tumbling through time. Even better coming back to it older in life than when it came out. I love it
really tranports you to a different world for the length of the album. feels like going through a dark scary tunnel and then emerging on rainbow road and driving off a cliff at the end with your eyes closed smiling peacefully as you meet your fiery end and are freed from this mortal coil.
I hadn't listened to this since it came out amd forgot just how good this album was. I have a distinct memory of being in a bar with some friends the week Bowie died and talking about him and this album. A genuine icon.
I thought this would be an overrated endeavor being the critical acclaim and it being his last album. I was wrong, this is a great farewell. R.I.P.
Really solid for a late-career artist
this was NOTHING like 'magic dance' from the hit film 'labyrinth.' i feel betrayed! the first song gave me spooky vibes which i didn't like. sorry david, not your best work. i considered giving him a bonus star because he DIED like two days after this was released but then i remembered he's literally david bowie and he doesn't need my pity stars when am i gonna get like a beyonce album in here??? also i just don't think songs need to be longer than 4 minutes, 5 minutes MAX what are we DOING! daily dad update: I loved Bowie. Have you ever seen the video where he sings The Little Drummer Boy with Bing Crosby? (no i have not, dad, but i'll go look and you should too!)
idk what kind of music I thought David Bowie sang but this is not it. also a record being 41 minutes with only 7 songs????? do less. TLDR: not a David Bowie fan
Quite hard to rate this one. There were elements of it I really liked and others that I really didn’t. Going hot have to go down the middle for this one.
Bowie. Love Bowie
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
1st listen not sure
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
Worst david bowie album Ive heard. One song was very good others were the same and meh. Still love him.
- Das letzte Album vor Bowies Tod und zwar im Monat seines Todes erschienen. Wenn man sich die Songs anhört und durchliest und v.a. das Musikvideo zu Lazarus sieht, merkt man: Bowie wusste genau, wann es passieren wird und hat das gesamte Album darauf hin ausgelegt: Ein experimentelles und zugleich monumentales Abschlusswerk. Eine Verabschiedung von der Kunst. Eine letzte Verbeugung vor der Welt. - Es handelt sich wohl um das existenziellste Konteptalbum, das es gibt, denn existenzieller als der Tod geht nicht. Er wusste, dass er von uns gehen wird und ist quasi einen Konzepttod gestorben und das finde ich schon ziemlich einzigartig. Geht mehr Kunst als das?! - Finde das Album einfach toll, exzentrisch, unvorhersehbar und in meinem Augen trotzdem gut anhörbar. Rating: 4,5/5
- 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
- ich werde einfach kein Bowie Fan mehr glaube ich - verstehe nicht so ganz, was an dem „Hype“ dran ist - ging mir nicht total auf den Zeiger, aber habe auch schon besseres gehört
Really cool for his last album but not one that I'll come back to.
I remember hearing the singles on the radio and I immediately picked up the album when it dropped. But I did not have time to really dedicate to listening to it so let it sit beside the record player. And then Bowie passed and that was a punch in the gut. It took me a while before I could bring myself to listen to Blackstar and I often wonder if I would view it differently if I had sooner. It is a brilliant piece of work, not only a culmination of all Bowie's talent and artistry, but a farewell to the world. The bass and the horns are particularly fantastic on this record. I love how the album is jazzy and experimental while being encompassed in a gloom that accentuates without stifling. Bowie's lyrics here take on so much more meaning knowing what he was dealing with. Reading back about all the things that he was frantically doing near the end, spearheading the Lazarus Broadway play on top of recording Blackstar with a couple amazing videos to boot, was reminiscent of that last run that Johnny Cash did. Blackstar is a gorgeous end cap to a long and impressive career.
Easy 5-star. Complex, somber. An amazing work and a powerful goodbye.
Okay, so David Bowie has had some great songs throughout the years but as his last album from not that long ago, I didn't think it was THAT amazing. I am rating it solely by itself and completely disregarding all precious tracks of his. The first track was very disappointing and brought my whole rating down to 1 star, but then things pushed things a bit. Nothing too exciting, but it is supposed to be a slower album.
Less rock, and more smooth jazz saxophone than I was expecting. Bowie is still king, but this album didn't hit like I thought it should.
Great album, finished sooner than I would've liked.
Mystisch, Themen: Lebensrevue, Curses of his Life.
Blackstar is good, carried by the syncopated drum beat & production. The rest seem kinda forgettable. I'm trying for an objective rating scale, 1 = Couldn't make it all the way through. 2 = Finished the album, but didn't enjoy it 3 = Finished the album, enjoyed it 4 = Also listened a second time for pleasure 5 = Added to my library So it should get a 4. But I can't in good conscience give it that with only one standout track, so I'm going to downgrade in this case.
Listen, I get that this was the last album before he died. I still didn't like it though.
the instrumentals and drums in this album are amazing, it’s just a shame that the song is immediately ruined every time david bowie opens his mouth. best song is Girl Loves Me.
Nice variety, quite experimental.
I have nothing new to add to the conversation, other than that this was my first time listening to a Bowie album front to back, and that I didn't know the context of this album coming out only days before his death until I listened. That context aside, Bowie's swansong is a phenomenal listen. The lyrics and instrumentation are largely experimental (apparently Death Grips and Kendrick were major inspirations during the recording process), but the musicality has a distinct flow that keeps you hooked throughout. And the final track "I Can't Give Everything Away" hurts so much more after knowing the context of his imminent death... feels like his saying one last goodbye.
No idea what's happening. 10/10 no additional questions
Context gives it import
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
This is the second time I hear this album, it's a great goodbye to the one and only starman, david bowie, I heard it right when it was released, and heard it all day every day, all month, since he passed away. See you space cowboy
6.3
Davids last album Very morbid
One of the greatest albums of David Bowie, best sounding
Blackstar (stylised as ★) is the 26th and final studio album by David Bowie, originally released in 2016. This is the album famous for being released shortly before Bowie's death. This is actually the first time I got around to listening to this. I'm really not a big Bowie fan. I tend to prefer his earlier-70s work. I had no expectations for his late career work. This was definitely more experimental than I was expecting. He spans a few genres on here - from pop to electronic to jazz. There is a bit of a free jazz flair to a few of the instrumentals which I really enjoyed. Overall nothing really stood out to me as amazing. Of course looking back this album carries so much significance due to when it was released. But I can't help but wonder if it would be as popular had Bowie not passed right after it was released.
Very unique album.
Shite, top to bottom
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.
Expected something more exciting tbh
this is shite -cit.
Not the David Bowie I was expecting, but an interesting one still. No songs were particularly catchy or memorable. Lots of instrumental parts, little singing
I enjoy this album, but it suffers from being a bit to electronica for my taste. I'm not sure if it's on this list but I prefer his previous album THE NEXT DAY. It's also up against his oeuvre which is considerable. Giving it a 3, even if it's a 3.5 or a 4 for almost any other artist.
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.
Lazarus and girl love me were the best songs on there they were interesting especially the music video for Lazareth. That was kind of cool.
I found it tough to listen to this album. David Bowie, was battling cancer during the creation of these songs, so gotta give him that. Unfortunately so 2/5.
I get Bowie is a legend, but I am certain I could have died without hearing this album
I was out here telling everyone to get ready for a new era of Bowie, because the blackstar video just blew me away! I was ready for jazzy goth Bowie. However, just like everyone, I was not ready for his death, or the emotions that came with it, that caught me completely off guard, even though he was explicitly telling us he was dying, I didn't think it was self referential, until it obviously was. I don't know if I'll ever get over it, Love Bowie, Starman forever!
Nope. I never got the whole Bowie thing. I find most of his stuff dreary and droning. I quite literally fell asleep trying to listen to this. There are some interesting song ideas here, I guess, but then Bowie drones all over them. I still don't get the Bowie thing.
Super average for Bowie, boring/uninventive/outdated. Wouldn't play any of these songs again intentionally
Nice n short, mystical but slightly samey
This really reminded me of You Want It Darker - unsurprisingly as they both bookended 2016 and were the final, dark, religiously-overtones swan song albums of two prolific 20th century musician poets before their deaths. Every time I thought I got a handle on this it shifted musically in quite a different direction. I enjoyed the lyrics, and I love David Bowie but I only really loved Dollar Days on this with that sax solo.
eu acho esse album meh
I did not care for this. Bowie is hit or miss for me, which I think is indicative of his appeal. He explored and experimented with musical styles that caught his attention, which I respect. And I found this album dragged for me. But I'm a bit of a rhythm chaser. I did like the sax.
2,5
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.
I like Bowie's biggest hits but don't really care that much about the rest of his stuff. This falls under the second category for me.
8/10
Pretentious crap. Died a week or so after and could have done without having this out there. Scraped away from a 1 by about 12 bars.
Tough one this, because on the one hand, it's not very good.
unique. weird. not my style
me copó 7.5/10
The drum work on this is incredible. See Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime). Dollar Days is ascendant.
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
Maximalist, but sounds kind of amateur to me, songs without much structure (or too much), they wander around and do not sound harmonious. This might a jazz-type thing of knowing the rules and breaking them, but I didn't get much out of this album.
As a personal diary and journey into the unknown for someone close to the end, this is really deep. For a listener in a different stage, it’s a bit much. But then again, Bowie has always been hit or miss for me.
I’ll stick with Mos and Talib.
I’m a full on Bowie fan now because of this list.
This getting released around the same time as his death adds an extra level of spookiness to Lazarus.
I saw Bowie on the Spiders From Mars tour - fell asleep during a costume change and woke up for the encore. There was a "costume change." No more need be said. Hadn't missed a thing - there's a decent track or two on here, but all in all it's pretty awful.
Kind of weird but interesting to hear this knowing he wrote it as he was dying
Meh. This is an old artist trying to be artsy. Wouldn’t be as popular if he didn’t die right after it was released.
1 star just like his song
I would give this a 3.5 rating if I could. He tackles tough subjects, but musically, there are a few interesting moments in a generally blah landscape.
Bowie's swan song (album?). A bleak album from a dying man that is as pure a testament to his freakish ability to maintain relevance through his entire life. Album opens with ★, a mood setter with absolutely beautiful production and composition. Jazzy in its nature, this multi-part odyssey features Bowie's distressed voice fed through layers of effects over an uncomfortable and ever-shifting electro-jazz arrangement in the first segment, before flipping into an orchestral backed section and largely ditches the vocal distortion. Lazarus plays like a TV On the Radio song in tone. I think its the use of horns + effects with the moody bass line. This song is fucking great -- the production here is top-notch. Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) once again finds Bowie stretching his genre boundaries with another moody and propulsive electro-prog-rock (a la Mars Volta) instrumental. The instrumental on its own is entertaining and takes the show -- his voice kind of exists like a powerful ghost on top of it. Girl Loves Me is one of my favorites on here -- once again, I can't help but picture this as a TV on the Radio song. I Can't Give Everything Away is a fine closing track on his career. A self aware farewell song that is bright and uplifting . Not nearly so boundary pushing as the rest, but I think that makes for a better conclusion in all honesty. Also just took a look at the supporting cast here. No wonder this came together so well. Mark Guiliana behind the kit is fantastic -- if you haven't listened to his work with Brad Mehldau before, do yourself a favor and check it out (Mehliana: Taming the Dragon). Also Donny McCaslin on saxophone and flute has some great solo jazz works (Fast Future). Then there is James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem giving percussion support on a few tracks. This is a weird album for me. I love it when I listen to it, but never think to put it on. No idea why that should be. This is a soft 5 for me.
purdy good album. I give it 3.5 stars. My reviews haven't been the best lately
Not for me. Didn't really understand it and nothing jumped out at me.
This has been by far my favorite Bowie album and I didn't even know that this one existed. I have never heard a single song from this in my life. This was probably the most interesting wikipedia article read so far as well, the fact that this came out on his 69th birthday then he died 2 days later is absolutely insane and is the perfect way for him to go out. The dark, spooky, jazzy tones that this album gave off with everything song were pretty amazing. Lazarus is one of the coolest songs that I have ever heard. And the ending song where it kind of just fades away to the end while repeating I Can't Give Everything Away was a perfect ending. I also listened to this at the perfect time because I am currently in the outer bands of a hurricane so the weather is very dark and gloomy. Perfect match for this music.
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.