Reviews (page 10 of 13)
Fame is fantastic, but the rest of the album is just okay.
Good album. Not one of his best, but, good, nevertheless.
Young Americans is a decent album, though I feel like the only reason it was included is because it's Bowie doing soul & funk. It's neither groundbreaking for the genre nor particularly outstanding for Bowie. I do like Bowie though, so I enjoyed this album, although I wasn't blown away by it. Fame, Young Americans, Win and Fascination are the standout tracks, the rest is okay, but I wouldn't return to the album as a whole. 3.5 stars
This album is the beginning of the Thin White Duke Bowie, which means he’s trying to reinvent himself as an artist has a weird mashup of styles-pop, rock, disco- and performers, including a then unknown, Luther Vandross and post-Beatles John Lennon, who helped collaborate on both the cover of Across the Universe and Fame, which was always a favorite song of mine. Overall, this album is a good one, but it’s not his best. For Bowie aficionados it’s a must as a significant part of this journey, but for fair-weather fans you are allowed to skip this.
Een Bowie album waar het niet zo vaak over gaat, en die ik volgens mij ook vaak in de LP-bakken laat liggen. Ik was me er niet zo van bewust dat deze plaat zo'n andere sound heeft. Volledig de soul-koers opgegaan, en dat is eigenlijk best geinig en natuurlijk classic-Bowie reinventing himself. Dat hij dit kan en doet, ver voorlopend op de jaren 80 valt hem de prijzen. Ik vraag me wel af of het ook béter is dan de echte soul en funk artiesten. Daarvoor zou ik nog wat dieper in deze plaat moeten duiken. Daarom blijf ik voor nu wat op de vlakte. 7/10 Highlights Right Fame
I cannot really get away with this. It doesn’t sound like the Bowie I love, perhaps this reinvention of himself isnt quite for me. There are plenty of times I thought ‘this is good’, but there’s just something missing. Something not quite there. Undeniably a decent record, but it aint Bowie for me
- This goes hard in the Barnes & Noble. No seriously, I'm being deadass. The old Barnes & Noble I used to go to would play David Bowie constantly, but then they went out of businesses and got replaced by some bullshit. I Miss it. - When people talk about Bowie being a legend, as someone that hasn't gotten around to flipping through his entire discography, I listen to an album like this and I get it. - First half was stronger than the second.
only bowie can make me appreciate a lennon track
Not one of my top Bowie albums but still pretty good.
Even as a big Bowie fan, this one’s a mixed bag. Bookended with some amazing tracks, but nothing else stands out. Happy it paved the way for Station to Station, though.
album sucks
A couple of good songs
Really liked a few of the singles. A pretty odd album overall, funky Bowie
Definitely a 3 star album for me, some of these tracks I've never heard before. Fame and Young American's really carry this album and I love a lot of David Bowie.
It opens with the title track, which is good, but not my favorite of his. the rest of the album is strongly competent music that isn't particularly interesting or memorable. Until the closing track: Fame. That song is one of my favorite Bowie tunes. The cover of Across The Universe is bizarre; not a fan. I love the original. This turns it into a mid-tempo snoozer. 3 stars, just because of Young Americans and Fame.
Good album
Not a favourite Bowie album but a couple of good songs
I enjoy David Bowie but found this album a bit hit and miss; I really liked some tracks but actively disliked others. Rating: 3
é melhor do que o outro álbum do bowie que brotou por aqui, mas ainda assim, é mediano. acho que eu só não curto as música do homi mesmo.
acho esse divertido! tem umas pedrada, mas não é dos melhores da década de 70 dele não.
Eerste en laatste nummer echt briljant. Toch wederom niet echt een favoriet van mij. Vind Bowie echt een briljante artiest, al helemaal voor zijn tijd, maar vind veel van z'n werk ook saai en echt hetzelfde.
I really don't know whether it's the familiarity factor, but the first and last tracks, being the title track and 'Fame'. Are the best bits about this album. And to be honest I am more of an early Bowie fan. Sorry, but it's a very low 3, only just scrapes in. Nearly gave it a 2.
For a Bowie album, it’s pretty good.
Finally a David Bowie album I enjoyed listening to all the way through. I don't know why, maybe because of his change in direction to a soul inspired album, or because it had no amazing highs and crappy lows like the albums I've had to listen to so far. DB has never been a go to artist for me and he never will, but it was good enough for 3 stars.
Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Bowie is fun and still has a unique sound even by modern tastes. Fav Track: Young Americans
Bowie is very beloved, but he's also just weird and experimental and that's sometimes good and sometimes bad. This album for me is alright but doesn't really hit anything super special Standouts Young Americans Fame 3/5
Best songs are the classic Fame and Young Americans. Everything else was okay. I didn't hate it but it has a very dated sound now.
A pleasant enough listen, but each of these tracks are really quite repetitive, more jam tracks than anything. I enjoyed my time with it but I won't go back.
I'm less of a fan of the R'n'B phase of Bowie. The album is good nonetheless and the most knows tracks are real bangers (Young Americans, Across the Universe, Fame).
Blue-eyed soul from the White Duke. Some of this feels overwrought, but some of it is really interesting.
For all the absolute genius sprinkled through it, it has to be said that there are quite large chunks of the Bowie catalogue that aren’t much cop, actually. Exhibit A…
Didn’t really capture my attention, and Across the Universe was just bad. Overall pleasant, but not my favorite by Bowie.
Not a whole lot of memorable songs, outside Fame of course :)
10/10/24 Average listen.
tolles album von david bowie, stellenweise dann aber wirklich „clean“, technisch perfekt und fast emotionslos. ob es am remaster liegt?
Is this known as Bowie's saxophone album? Man that thing is WAILING for half this album. The backup singers are pretty fun – gives it a Gladys Knight and the Pips feel. It isn't my favorite Bowie album, but Young Americans and Fame are classics. Bowie's stylistic range was pretty impressive, even if musically most of the stuff on here isn't too inventive. On the negative side, I could have done without the Across the Universe cover, and some songs are corny and shitty (Can You Hear Me). 3 stars in my book.
Soul and funk... by far not as bad as the other Bowie albums I've had to listen to.
3/5. I think this album has a lot going for it. It is definitely has the most grooves throughout, just smooth soul and rhythm. The choice of background singers at first does seem out of place but they provide the vibe that Bowie could never bring. He almost allows them a lot of the spotlight in songs, which is cool choice. The issue though is that some of the songs definitely drag on and some are just not great. I think the first half is definitely better and the only song that is okay on the second side is Fame really. Best Song: Young Americans, Fascination, Fame
Nice record. First time listening to it. Don't know any song but cool nevertheless.
🎧Bowie takes a crack at blue-eyed soul producing mixed results. Title track is terrific, nothing else to write home about here. Fascination is decent, Fame is fine but overrated.
Fame was the only song I really cared for and it sounded totally different than the rest of the album.
Really good songs at the very beginning and the end but the rest was pretty mediocre.
Ok I guess. Never quite got Bowie's style.
Really, another David Bowie.
Good album but not Bowie's best. A few low points but Fame is one of the best of all time. 7/10 (3.5/5)
величия не увидел тут
zamanına göre inovasyonel
I enjoyed the soul influences and something about Bowie's voice impressed me more here than on most of his other records I've gotten.
Bowie himself described this album as "Plastic Soul", which is difficult to disagree with. Having listened to a couple of proper soul and funk albums because of this list, this album very much feels like a hollow imitation of those. It feels... appropriative coming from a white British dude. This was my introduction to David Bowie's music. It wasn't bad, but in the context of American music and how music from Black Americans has been historically treated, it doesn't feel right. The saxophone throughout is excellent though.
you did well, david. especially on Fascination!
Bowie has some high heights, and he has Low, but I’d say this is pretty mid.
Make I’m just getting Bowie fatigue from this list, but this album didn’t do much for me. It was fine.
Very cool songs that have unpredictable chord changes and melodies, along with much more sax playing than most pop bands. Across the Universe was a cool cover.
3.5/5 I enjoyed it, however I find it difficult to distinguish most of Bowie's works.
The Bowie education continues. Really enjoying the soul influences; a really rich record. Have to take 0.5* for butchering across the universe. 3.5* Highlights: young americans, somebody up there likes me, fame (1 and 3 I didn't even know were Bowie's)
Wasn't really paying attention but I kinda liked what I heard. 3/5
Classic Bowie
Not Bowie's best!
Bowie is a chameleon. He changes throughout the decades. This one fits perfefectly in the 70's. It isn't my favorite album, but it does have one of my favorite songs, Fame. If you haven't done so, check out the God Lives Underwater cover of that song. Good stuff. Again, not my favorite Bowie album. But I'll give this a 3.99
This album really showcases Bowie’s ability to adapt to different styles of music and still pull it off in a complementary way. Bowie wanted to do his own reinterpretation of American Soul and R&B music. The production is sleek and polished, with a sophisticated approach and complex rhythms. He also worked with a lot of great musicians, including one of my favorites, Mike Garson.
David bowie taikaa taas kerrakseen
Solid but not super.
This was a fun listen, but I’m deducting a star for the worst version of Across the Universe that I’ve ever heard.
Great Bowie album with maybe my favorite song from him. High 3.
I like this okay a different sound for him but a couple of really enduring songs.
Saxophone galore
Shocking across the universe cover.
Well it isn't the worst thing he ever did.
Not a huge Bowie fan in general. This album was more enjoyable than some of his later stuff. I wasn't crazy about his cover of Across the Universe, but this wasn't a bad listen. I've heard Fame on the radio ad nauseum for years, but otherwise I wasn't familiar with any of the songs.
Not bad, but not really the typical Bowie music that I am used to. Liked songs: Young Americans, Fame
Certainly has some bops on here but it's ultimately lower tier Bowie. That said, lower tier Bowie is still good 7/10
Young Americans and Fame are quite good, but not as great as other big singles of his (Let’s Dance, or Suffragette City). The other songs weren’t anything special.
Я не слышал этот альбом Боуи раньше, хотя песни известные. Альбом неплохой, но конечно будто слабее его реальных шедевров. Очень понравилось ревью на rym: "one of the greatest albums of the 1980s. And yes, I know it was released in 1975. Think about it." Лучшая песня - Young Americans.
It was alright, nice Beatles references
For a Bowie Album its pretty pretty mid, BUT Fame is a catchy Banger who in itself outscores some other Albums of the last week.
Kinda pleasantly surprised by this one. I dislike the title track and the wiki write up didn’t sound like something up my street. But actually Bowie’s voice and ear for a tune really shine through and I liked the backing, particularly the gospel/soul style parts. I even didn’t mind the sax too much, which is usually my kryptonite of the instruments. All in all, not amazing, but will likely listen again.
ok, not my favourite Bowie stuff though
It’s okay I guess
ok
Not one of my favorite Bowie albums, but one I've grown to appreciate more over the years. I quite like the concept of a self-consciously artifitial soul album, like stripping the actual soul from the music that gets its name from it. In the end, the idea is better than the execution and also some of the best songs were unfortunatelly relegated as B-sides. Key tracks: Young Americans Fame
Not the best Bowie album in this list in my opinion, I enjoyed the occasional funkyness but overall it is a bit forgettable
Occasional brilliance surrounded by mediocrity. Covering the Beatles was a low point.
This is an important album for David Bowie (in terms of moving from glam to other styles, developing his voice, working with artists from alternate musical styles) and it produced some excellent singles (Fame) and deep cuts (Win). It sounds decent altogether, but doesn't stand out particularly well from other soul albums. A strong 3
While the ending of this record slowly loses my interest, this is the record that solidifies that Bowie really can't do any wrong. A true music chameleon. He has his glam, his psychedelics, his singer songwriter nature, his good old rock and roll, his ambience and now a soul record? I never knew the name of the title track but when I heard it I just couldn't believe it. It's definitely not his best record but for a man with so many classic albums and timeless tunes it is impressive that he can switch genres so easily.
Hit and miss
Not his best but Miles ahead of his worst
3.5 rounded down highlights: young americans, fame (aug 3 2024)
B- Young Americans 4 Win 3 Fascination 3 Right 3 Somebody Up There Likes Me 3 Across The Universe 3 Can You Hear Me 3 Fame 4 Honestly, I expected more.
Soul and funky Davie Bowie is my favourite David Bowie.
Not Bowie’s best IMO. I enjoyed some songs like Fame and Fascination, and the concept seems fairly well thought out, but overall I feel this doesn’t really work as an album. As individual songs, they’re great. I’d listen to them anytime. But it seems to be too much of the same to be a whole 40 minute record. In addition, just a personal gripe of mine, but Across the Universe pales in comparison to the Beatles original and doesn’t really do the song or the band justice. All in all, I don’t have many problems with this record or each of its songs, but it just doesn’t have the same energy or gravitas as other Bowie projects, so for that it’s a 3.
Good, but better bowie albums out there 3*
This Bowie is especially jazzy and leaning into the American choral gospel sound, I like! Nice to hear Fame and Youn g Americans again.
Probably not the best Bowie album on here. But still somewhat enjoyable.
Very good. 3.5
I've never actually listened to a David Bowie album in its entirety before this morning. It was a nice listen, with just a song or two that I already knew - the perfect amount. I liked this just about as much as I expected to.
Let’s face it here, David Bowie had better music when he was on drugs. This album could have been written by Stevie Wonder as in it has a very Stevie Wonder funk sound. Solid musicianship, typical Bowie lyrics, great delivery. I really can’t sit here and explain a Bowie album. Everyone knows who he is and how he sounds. Choice cut: Fascination
Definitely not Bowie's best work, but certainly not a bad album. Middle of the road stuff here.
Best David Bowie album so far but still not quite for me
This album’s fine. I’ve always found it to be one of Bowie’s most overrated. His venture into R&B and soul was daring and was pulled off well, at least through the instrumentation. Where the album fall short for me is in the songwriting, which in my opinion gets tedious with several tracks on here. Don’t get me wrong, there are some sure standouts, a couple of which are some of my favorite tracks Bowie ever made, specifically the final track “Fame.” I also adore his cover of Lennon’s “Across the Universe,” which is a perfect example of how Bowie took his sound, as well as the common sounds of the time, and transformed it into something that felt new, yet natural. However, aside from those two songs and the title track, there isn’t a lot to note of the rest of the tracks. “Win” stays pretty stagnant through its runtime, and the same goes for “Somebody up There Likes Me.” “Fascination” and “Right” have groovy riffs but just like the other two songs I mentioned, they definitely overstay their welcome. While I’d like to say this record is a little inconsistent, I almost can’t even say that because it sticks to and commits to its sound very well, even if the end results are a little bit of a mixed bag. All in all this is certainly not a bad album, and it’s a sound Bowie improves upon in nearly every way on his following record. This was a respectful experiment, even if it’s not a personal favorite
Nothing stood out to me but it was enjoyable
My perspective as a Middle Aged Canadian commenting on a 20-Something Brit's album Young Americans is...not bad man, not bad.
I was feeling Somebody up there likes me, Across the universe and of course Fame. The backing vocals and percussion adds to the soulfulness of this record.
Rock, Pop, 1975 -> 3
3.5
Young Americans Fascination Across The Universe Fame
FAME
пойдет под фон
Young Americans Can You Hear Me Fame
Not Bowie’s best, but not bad. Super funky
David Bowie continues to be a little boring for me? I can see what's going on, and why people may like it, but it's not doing it. There's a lot of instruments, a lot going on musically, and good variety in the songs, but none of them really manage to capture me. I really don't enjoy his voice or style of singing very much, and it never feels like a song pulls me in. I wouldn't listen to this again, sorry David. 5/10
This sounded a bit forgettable on first listen, but hit me hard on subsequent plays. Perhaps not quite as 'out there' as some of his other stuff, but it's solid. Favourite tracks: Young Americans, Fascination, Right, Across the Universe (that damn offbeat snare that kicks in around 3:15 is sick), Fame
Decent Bowie. Not my favorite of his stuff, but I’d listen again.
Not the strongest Bowie album but still pretty good. Fav Songs: Somebody Up There Likes Me & Fame.
Solid album, bookended with two big hits and some uneven material in between. The two big singles from this album, Young Americans and Fame, are also the best songs, but I have a soft spot for the cover of Across the Universe which is one of my favorite Beatles songs and Bowie's take is interesting, even if I like Fiona Apple's cover more.
not my favorite bowie album but "fame" alone is worth the price of admission
Solid album, it’s not anything special, but it isn’t really trying to be. The Beatles references were cool and the genre switch was also interesting and handled well, it just felt like it didn’t have a lot of depth, especially with the 40 minute runtime (2 minutes longer than Ziggy stardust).
it’s decent not the best bowie
Nice, but nothing outstanding
decent but not my favourite bowie
beter dan verwacht, meer nummers dak al kende dan gedacht ook: 2,5 of 3/5
Fame stuck out from the rest but apart from that this one didn't wow me. 3/5
Good funk.
hay algo con él que no puedo terminar de quererlo lo siento tantísimo. 7,5 porque me encantaría quererlo pero no se da
Okay
This was a new Bowie album for me and for whatever reason it just wasn't hitting. A few enjoyable tracks on here but not really enough to push my rating higher than 3.5.
This was okay, but it just felt kind of ~off~ to me, like Bowie is going out of his way to try an entire genre on and see if it fits him (it doesn't). The result is an album that reinvents a sound that didn't need to be reinvented, and is sort of an awkward elephant in the room for everyone else. i liked the two songs that felt the most unique and well-done on the album (both of which i had heard before). i also really enjoyed the bowiefication of the beatles track, though a lot of reviewers here seem to despise it. the other tracks just last too long and don't go anywhere special for me. favorites: young americans, across the universe, fame
I was expecting to really like this, but I was disappointed. I really love 'Fame' though! 3/5
Not my favourite Bowie album
Not my favourite Bowie album
I enjoyed this more than some of the other Bowie albums I think. I’m still not a huge fan of his music, appreciate it but not totally my thing and I don’t know why. 7/10
Another mid as hell performance from Bowie. The original across the universe performed by the Beatles is a pretty good song, but it sounds like ass on this album.
A mostly forgettable-but-solid outing immortalized by two all-time-great singles in Bowie’s catalogue bookending the record. Enjoy the sound, but lacking in substance. Young Americans and Fame are fantastic tracks though.
Young Americans, fascination, and fame are so good it almost warrants a 4
- fand ich ganz gut - entspannt
There is defintely a competition on the 1001 list for albums that include Bowie of Lou Reed. I think this edges David in front for me. It sounds like an 80s record so it's fairly typical of the man that it was released in 1975. It's defiantly the sound of a (very) white man doing soul, but it kind of leans into it. At first I wasn't sure, but I really warmed to it as an album. It all works and feels like a very complete experience. I don't think I loved it, but I now see it in a completely different light.
This album was OK, but I'm really not so keen on Bowie.
Not his best, but some stuff.
A couple great songs. Not what I expected for Bowie.
I like that Bowie was always evolving. I didn't necessarily enjoy every change of style but you had to admire him for never standing still. Here we have soulful Bowie. This album has a lot to enjoy without actually blowing me away. I really like the horns & backing vocals that weave throughout this album. Favourite track is 'Right', I just love that guitar riff. Solid 3 stars.
Classic Bowie. Bit more R&B
Better than the previous Bowie recommendation I've gotten here, but I think this is an artist that I enjoy listening in a more 'random song pops up in playlist' way than sitting down and listening to a full album.
way better than blackstar, an album that was so boring and musically uninspired that I considered giving it one star, but this album is still not really to my liking. don't get the hype and am not looking forward to 6 more albums
Jazzier/funkier/groovier than my preference but I respect it.
I just don't get Bowie, and I've come to accept this about myself.
I think I liked it a lot more when I was giving through my Bowie phase a couple of years ago. Today it’s just ok. Maybe I’ve become more exposed to other kinds of music and it doesn’t impress me that much anymore. It’s still great that Bowie was trying different kinds of music without being constrained by race especially right after his Thin White Duke era. There are some parts that are a bit cringe though (the sax on the title track makes me think of an intro to a 90s sitcom for example). Nice step away from glam but what lies ahead in Bowies catalogue is way better than this. 3/5
couple of good songs, loved the opener but was not a fan of his Across the universe cover. I dont think this is a one listen album. Need more times to truly form an opinion
Meh
A few awesome ones and the overall feel of the album was enjoyable. Rating: 3.5
Another Bowie album. This is the second David Bowie I have gotten so far from this list (out of 8!) and once again it's a solid album but I am yet to be truly impressed by his work. Fame is the best and most famous song on this record, but Fascination, Right, and the title track are also quite good. I still feel as if I'm missing exactly what makes Bowie so renowned. Maybe by the time I listen to 6 more of his albums I'll get the appeal.
Bowie described this album as "plastic soul", which means soul music that is believed to lack authenticity. It's certainly not that often for an artist to be self-critical of their work within a year after its release, and he would later soften his stance while still aware that it was an attempt at soul music from a white man. Having listened to this album, that is exactly what we get. It's not a bad album, as it's aesthetically pleasing and bookmarked well enough by the title track and "Fame". Bowie was helped through the recording thanks to funk guitarist Carlos Alomar, saxophonist David Sanborn, backing vocalists Ava Cherry and Luther Vandross, and John Lennon. But at the end of the day, most of the tracks permeate with this sense of a white man trying to adapt to a style of music that he wasn't comfortable with. From a historical standpoint, this is one of the first notable instances of such a phenomenon. Young Americans as an album certainly has its place in Bowie's discography, albeit as an odd little phase. Make of that what you will.
Not bad
A couple good songs, but some just sounds like music from a 70’s porno
3.4 My uninitiated take with Bowie is that the great songs are so good it overshadows the B-Sides. You have such high expectations of what bowie should be and some of deeper cuts fall short. Thats how I feel about this album. Still pretty, pretty good
jazzity ziggity bop
Dit is een leuk album. Sommige nummers van David zijn erg excentriek, maar dit album is meer popmuziek. ***
Not bad, not a ton of hits. It I love the sound of it.
Not my favorite Bowie album but not awful, a style change from Bowie but like most of his music it’s still listenable
I can recognize talent, but I’m just not a Bowie fan
Starts with a classic and ends with a classic. Good album, but I know there's far better Bowie albums to come.
Feels like another solid David Bowie album, but missing the big hits. I’m not particularly into Young Americans or Fame. Considering how many entries he has on the list, is this one really necessary? Fave Tracks: Right 3.1/5
While it's not his best work, Bowie still manages to create a cohesive and engaging project in a genre which he wasn't known for. One of his many explorations and a good one at that. Fav songs: - Young Americans - Win - Fascination - Somebody Up There Likes Me -
Always enjoy a bit of Bowie. A decent 3.5 stars, this one.
Not my favorite Bowie album, but not bad.
The singles are fantastic. The album tracks are ok. Really, the only Bowie album which has consistently great songs is Ziggy. Fight me. Bowie could do great singles. But his albums tend to be patchy. Wanna try it out? Take out the singles and then sequence the rest. What stands out? Yeah, thought so. Not much. Sigh. 3 stars.
This album contains 2 of Bowie’s best post-Ziggy songs. It opens with Young Americans & closes with Fame. Both would have been given plenty of spins in the burgeoning disco culture of the late 70’s - because they are both terrific slow-dance trax. That’s enough to earn the album a gold star. Of the rest, I really like Somebody Up There Likes Me, but am not that thrilled by much else. He really doesn’t do that much with Across The Universe (Laibach’s cover of that is hard to go past). John Lennon not only played guitar on Across The Universe & Fame, but co-wrote & did back-up vocals on the latter. The then-unknown Luther Vandross also provided backing vocals & co-wrote Fascination with Bowie. Jean, one of the Millington sisters from the all-girl band Fanny, a band Bowie admired, also added back-up vocals. But it should have been a 5-star album. Maybe cocaine got in the way that time.
I like Fame, I kind of like Across the Universe, I almost like Young Americans
Well, I think this isn't one of Bowie's best albums, though I do like 'Fame'.
Very solid! As usual I have a hard time with the more stranger compositions, but I can still find enjoyment in most of the tracks
It's Bowie, definitely not his best but good.
Despite Standouts in Young Americans, Fame, and Who Can I Be Now? This album doesn't hit the mark for me.
good
Fairly low on my list of Bowie albums.
Hverken første eller sidste gang mit yndlingsnummer også er det, der var med på soundtracket til GTA San Andreas! Kan egentlig meget godt lide stilen her, men det er langt fra Bowies mest succesfulde eksperiment. Ret dårligt Beatles cover
Kan godt sætte mig ind i Bowies glam > soul pipeline, men det her er måske stadig min mindst yndlings Bowie plade fra 70erne! Gør mig nysgerrig på hvad for noget Bowie der ellers kommer på listen. Stadig ret fed dog og han går virkelig all in, første og sidste nummer er kæmpe bangers
Fin Bowie plade, men ikke lige de største bangers!
It was good - I liked The Beatles cover and interpolation on the title track, which I'd never noticed before. Out of Bowie's work though, I would probably reach for a different album first.
Meh
Best track is Fame. The rest are sorta meh…
I don’t know what to say, so I will say I liked the instrumentals
Eh, I'm not a big Bowie fan. I mean his voice isn't awful but I don't love the vibrato. Also it's all just pop stuff. Not really my style. Wasn't bad but I really didn't need to have listened to this before I died, it just was not that good or profound.
I'm not a Bowie fan, but did enjoy this album. enjoyed the funkier/soulful vibe.
Rocking out of glam with mixed results
Interesting style shift for Bowie. Some Bowie essentials on this and in whole a fun album. Not sure I like the Across the Universe cover. But overall, pretty good. 3.5 stars.
I don’t know if the world needs Philly Soul David Bowie, but the title track and Fame are killer. Bad cover of across the universe. Fun fact, Bowie gave Lennon songwriting credit and backup vocals on Fame because JL told him he should sing the word “fame” in that weird way
3.5! Funky Bowie is not my favorite version of Bowie, but it’s still better than most music! Also, two Bowie albums in one week! Wow!
Fame and John are true standouts. While it’s been derided, it’s not terrible.
Not a fan of this genre, sorry "The Big Bowster". Still pretty good, but not one of his best.
Enjoyed this one. Has a few classic Bowie tunes on it. “Young Americans” is a great song. 3.5/5 Probably will listen again
This is a tough one to rate. On the one hand “Young Americans,” “Across the Universe,” and “Fame” are, obviously, amazing. Then there was a new to me “Can You Hear Me” which I really enjoyed. Then there was everything else on the album which was so boring I flatlined for a while. I am going to have to give it a 3 only because those songs were so bad and someone should have been brave enough to tell David Bowie hell no.
Fun beach listen! Enjoyed it in the kitchen with dad. A bit boring… Good, but I was waiting for something new and exciting. There were some good tracks! I liked the cover of Across the Universe. Then felt a little bad that my favorite song on the album wasn’t even his…
This was kind of fun. Kind of the hits album with the title track and Fame bookending it. A bit more soul/r&b than I usually like but it worked here. A solid 3.
12/1001 It's the first Bowie album I've heard and I have to say it's not bad. Good production and good voice performance. I think that at some points it became repetitive but it was not overwhelming and heavy, it was a pleasant and enjoyable listen. I don't think it's perfect but I'm excited to know what Bowie's other works are like. And that Beatles cover is a little weird. Notable songs: Young Americans, Fascination and Fame
David Bowie, what else is there to say
Ironically, this album would have been an easy five stars before this project jumpstarted a love of soul music inside me. It’s still good I think, but the self-imposed “plastic soul” descriptor is incredibly apt. I love Bowie, but I don’t see myself coming around for this one all that much. Three stars.
Good, creep
Some hits! Still looking out for my favorite Bowie.
Yeah, not his best album, but there's more good than bad on it. Title track and Fame carry it pretty hard. I'd heard this a couple times prior but it's not clicking all the way yet.
Y'know, I think it's fine. Like, I don't think Bowie did soul music badly, but I know there's better out there—better soul music **and** better Bowie.
Stuck with a 3 on this one – maybe something never quite clicked for me, but even though I liked a lot of this album, it either felt like Bowie was holding back a little bit vocally to try and better fit the atmosphere of the record, or that lyrically he got a little too repetitive at times in a way that kind of just distracted me from that excellent top to bottom instrumentation – what a band. I can see what the vision was; a David Bowie soul album, and while I’d say he succeeded, those conflicts between the vocals and lyrics became just a little too distracting for me to completely stay invested in his messaging. It could definitely jump up to a 4 if something clicks right later, but I think for my tastes, a 3 feels right.
In a nutshell: in the words of the man himself "plastic soul". It pains me to say this as a Bowie fan- it's not his best album on the list. Title track obviously rocks. Lots of filler. Fame sounded out of place on the album. Supremely talented musicians and vocalists on this album. Overall: 5/10
Eh, I have enjoyed the other David Bowie albums I have heard from this list. I found this one to be not as strong as previous efforts, but even for fear of comparing David Bowie to his other classic albums, "Young Americans" is relatively boring. There is a lot of saxophone and I do not find the music to be terribly compelling. I probably would have left this album off the list, as there is a lot of Bowie and a lot stronger Bowie albums. I found this album to not be bad, but to be very tedious at times.
Some good bops.
Good overall. More soul-y. Favourites- young Americans, fascination, fame
Got bored, some good songs though!
Fame is an all-time banger.
The titular song kings serious ass. Love a jaunty pop rock song with saxophone. It set really high expectations for the rest of the album that ultimately weren't delivered on. A couple of the songs were nice, but nothing came close to Young Americans, even Fame is which is a more famous song itself.
I haven't really listened to Bowie before except what's on the radio. This is probably not the best album to start with but I kinda enjoyed it. There's likely better soul albums out there but this was fine
This one is good and probably one of his best for me but its only because of the instrumental. I didnt like the title track I dont know what people are praising that one for. Fame was cool af tho. John Lennon doing stuff. Altogether I wish this wasnt on the list and instead we got an actual funk record which sounds just as cool, but no. We need to get the popular white man on here.
A;num where Bowoe takes off the glitz and plays some rock songs. Am occasions cover. Fame and title track are hits. 1st time hearing the entire album, Pretty good
Already heard. I like it but it's third the weakest album of his from Hunky Dory to Scary Monsters. Only Pinups and Lodger are on that low level for me. It's not bad though. Bowie is still really talented, but Blue-Eyed Soul isn't my favorite.
This is just ok. More of a miss than a hit. Bowie trying every genere under the sun eventually turns me off
I've never fully understood the hype around Bowie. Maybe now I will. So far I still don't really get it. There's a Beatles cover. Because of course. I don't hate this necessarily. I like the music, but I am not a fan of Bowie's voice. 3/5 Meh
Se puede escuchar y está "Fame" que desborda y lo hace subir a ... 3 estrellas, pero en general flojo.
It's hard for me to view Bowie as the eccentric he came off as in the 70s because he laid a foundation for plenty after him to be even more bizarre. His music is pretty much the same for me. It's good, but I can't see it as great because it sounds like a bunch of stuff that came after it and built on top of it. I obviously love the title track and "Fame" but nothing else catches me enough.
I’m not really a big Bowie guy, but the first and last track of the album do stand out. However, I find myself really bored with his vocal performances. The production bangs at times, but it doesn’t make up for this coke ridden record. Sorry Samuel.
FAME!
Can't say I'm well-versed in all the Bowie eras, but having sampled a bit from all of them I'd say this era would not be one of my favorites. Lots of easy listening filler between the opening and closing tracks.
A different Bowie ……
Big Bowie fan, so no surprise that I enjoyed this album... Not quite as strong as some of his others, but lots of goodness on this one... Clearly "Young Americans" & "Fame" are the 2 most popular songs here, but the quality of the rest of the album is fairly solid... Bowie has a nice version of The Beatles "Across The Universe" on this album, and the sleeper song that I really enjoyed - but had forgot about, was "Fascination" - which is also stunningly good... As for rating - it's definitely more than a 3, but I can't quite give it a 4 - as that is reserved for albums a notch below all-time classics which are 5's for me - so I'd give it 3.5-stars if I could...
Not his best but still great
Bowie went to a different stylistic direction with this album than his previous, glam rock ones. This is not a bad album but the fact is that there are many way better soul albums than this one. Soul wasn't really Bowie's style, especially not in singing. 'Fame' (co-written by Lennon) is great and funky though. He left behind this era, too and went on to create the Berlin Trilogy which was a much better period in his creative career than the era of Young Americans.
I've always considered myself a casual David Bowie fan, but before this project, the only album of his that I'd listened to in its entirety was Blackstar. Over the course of this project, I've learned that I tend to prefer David Bowie's singles over his albums. This is now fifth album of his to review, and I found this to be pretty middle of the road. Bowie's soul and funk inspired sound on this album is a nice departure from the other albums of his that I've listened to. Bowie's vocals are fantastic as always, and he's supported by some nice backing vocals on several tracks. The arrangements are fine; there are some good piano and saxophone parts on the title track, and "Fascination" blends the saxophone and bass really well. "Fame" gets a lot of love, and it has some nice and funky guitar playing, but it's probably one of my least favorite of Bowie's singles. Overall, I think this album is fine, and it's a mildly interesting piece of Bowie's catalog, but I'd rather fire up some Hot Buttered Soul.
- i love fame it’s very nostalgic for me
Didn’t have huge expectations but liked some songs a lot
Okay David. Let's do this. Damn 1975, wasn't even born yet! I didn't get to listen to the whole thing today but I think I'll rate it a 3 I don't hate it but I don't love it.
I'm a little conflicted about this album. It feels like soulless soul—which I think is what Bowie was going for—so, in that he was successful. But it's also not the most enjoyable thing to listen to because of that. Most of the lyrics seem to reflect that emptiness—songs about excess drugs, excess sex (but longing for love), the loneliness of fame. It's an interesting juxtaposition to the mostly upbeat music. But the music gets a little repetitive over the course of the album. There's almost always a sax solo, there's usually a vamp section where the band jams out, etc. The songs all seem to go on and on, and after a while it's like listening to the SNL band. The "Across the Universe" cover is very meh. It's like a David Bowie karaoke performance. The best song is "Fame," mostly because it's the only song that really deviates from the formula in any noticeable way. Not a terrible album, but probably not something I'd listen to much. Soft 3/5.
The grand finale made this album.
A couple songs weren't on spotify. Overall i liked this one.
It's not my favorite David Bowie, but it's still got some bangers. I'm glad that this detour into "blue-eyed soul" is in his discography in any event.
Not really a big fan of this album. Maybe I don’t like soul, or maybe I don’t like David Bowie doing soul. 3
Some fun songs
Leaned into that sax waaaaaay to hard on this one David.
Had heard Young Americans and Fame a lot before, favorite song was probably Young Americans
Not my favorite Bowie, but some good ones
Bowie album few good tracks but I don't find the vocals engaging. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would but doubtful to listen again. Strong 5
Definitely enjoyed this more than typical Bowie, never heard the term "blue-eyed soul" before 😂 I'm not quite sure *why* it connected more, I guess the Soul/Motown sound? Some great guitar work and a few iconic tracks (Fame, Young Americans). Favorite track: Fascination
Sexy and funky! Didn't know Lennon was on Fame. Bowie's version of Across The Universe is...not great. Nice album, another case where the hits are first and last. Some sleepers in there but probably not gonna end up in my rotation.
A very uneven album. Two classic Bowie songs, "Young Americans" and "Fame." The rest of the album is funk and borderline psychedelic, neither of which did a lot for me.
Thoughts before listening: This is the third Bowie album I've gotten on here, and again it's not one of the truly classic records. I've heard this before. The song "Young Americans" is an all time great track. From my previous listens, I don't feel that the rest of the album matches up to the title track, but I'm looking forward to listening with fresh ears. Review: Well I forgot that "Fame" is on here as well, so that makes two classic songs. This album is pretty good, with Bowie abandoning his glam rock sound for one inspired by soul and r&b, but nothing else quite hits the highs of those two hits. The song "Fascination" is pretty good, as is his cover of "Across the Universe", but ultimately this is largely forgettable outside of the two hits. 3-star album.
This is very well-polished music, especially for the time. It just doesn't hit for me.
A solid album, but so far the 6th Bowie album that I've seen. Not every one of his albums is a masterpiece or a MUST listen. But as always, very good stuff. Rating 3 stars just for the Bowie fatigue. At this rate a full 37 albums out of 1001 will be Bowie
Not too bad, but not as good as the previous Bowie album we listened to.
The musicians are tight as a group, but I didn't really feel David Bowie on this album.
I love Bowie, but I really just don’t care for this album. Even the two tracks that are really popular, aren’t even that great to me. Especially Fame. What a letdown that was. I’m shocked that I’m giving a Bowie album 3 stars, but I have to. 7/10 Top 3: 1. Young Americans 2. Across the Universe 3. Fame
I liked this ok. I recognized Fame at the end but the rest were new to me. I felt meh about it. But maybe another listen would be good.
Way groovier than expected. I loved the collabs.
Monta Bowieta nyt putkeen; tässä on enemmän menoa kuin esim. Hunky Doryssa. Ei silti saa mua täysin keskittymään. Onneksi on vetävät hitit, Young Americans ja Fame, muu jää aika puuroksi. Voi kuitenkin ihan mieluusti soittaa oleskelumusiikkina.
Artistin selkein yritys matkia mustaa musiikkia: lopputuloksena vastustamaton biisi, vastustamaton riffi + täytettä, josta kaikki ei suinkaan ole filleriä, mutta mikään ei myöskään erityisen avartavaa.
Not my favorite Bowie album, but there is still a lot to enjoy here. Bowie's dip into pop soul produces a few good grooves and some nice vocal performances, but it feels miles away from his groundbreaking Ziggy Stardust work that I love so much. "Young Americans" and "Fascination" are strong additions to the Bowie cannon, but "Across the Universe" is a definite misstep. The album feels like a precursor to the cheep feeling 80's era Bowie that never occupies my stereo. Worth a listen, but only a few memorable tracks to savor.
I found it overall to be quite enjoyable but to me it was a bit too flat. Felt like there wasn't that driving force that an album should have, like a bunch of chilled out tracks. Which I understand because of the music coming out at the time. I really liked the track "Fascination" it has a nice repeating refrain, very catchy. I didn't love Bowie's rendition of "Across the Universe", despite my Dad singing its praises - it just felt a bit forced to me whereas the Lennon version flows very nicely like a poem. Title track is kind of just okay. I also liked "Can you hear me", it was nice and a pretty way to close the album off. I would rate it a 6.5/10
Some good hits, but not really my thang
there were a few songs I enjoyed listening to on this album, good album to work to
ну вот короче есть янг американс, а дальше ну был соул попизже, я хуй знает :///
Funky album, better than later albums and has nice of sax.
The track Fame stands out from the rest of the compositions. Very "white" funk, showing the music's progressive direction towards 1980s pop.
did not know that John Lennon plays guitar on Fame
Best songs: Young Americans Fascination Fame
Good but not great. I think I had high hopes since Bowie gets so hyped up and it didn’t quite live up to the hype.
I like Bowie, but not this so much
jaa jaa. amerikka centric roska. MUITAKIN MAITA OLEMASSA.. tiedoksi vaan.. ihan pimeetää. vvittu sä oot pimee...Kiitokset (acknowledgements) Quibble ryhtyi etsimään elämän tarkoitusta kumisella kanan valtikka ja pilkulliset sukat. Matkan varrella Quibble kohtasi tuntevien vaahtokarkkien heimon, joka palvoi jättiläismäistä paperiliitintä jumalana. He tarjosivat Quibble vaahtokarkkiviisautta vastineeksi vitsistä, jota ei ollut koskaan aiemmin kerrottu... hilarious absurdisti tarina. win
David Sanborn's saxophone was the highlight of the album for me, Young Americans and Fame were obviously singles, and are strong songs. I thought it was interesting that this album included a pre-fame Luther Vandross. But otherwise I didn't find much noteworthy about the album.
Really solid album from start to finish. Couple of great hits and some solid album cuts. Only 1 song that I wasn't into. Although I prefer the original, a Bowie-fied Beatles song is always welcome. I think I'd be interested in basically any song getting a Bowie treatment. First album of the project. I plan to be pretty stingy with my ratings but I was impressed on the first listen. Happy to get the project started. 2.78 stars
Pretty short
OK - honesty time , I actually haven't listened to much David Bowie! Considering I've just learnt he put out 26 studio albums (What a machine!) I've really only listened to a small percentage of his music. This album wasn't what I was expecting, and seemed heaps different stylistically from other music of his that I've listened to. I have a dear friend who is a huge Bowie fan, so I've definitely grown to appreciate him over the last few years :) Fave Track: Fame
Avg
Faaaaaaaame
It was ok but not really too memorable. Fame gets stuck in my head and gets hella annoying
I like the song young americans and Fame. the rest of the album i can take it or i can leave it. was not expecting a beatles cover there lol
J'ai un grand respect pour Bowie, mais l'inspiration RnB de cet album est moins mon genre. Déjà je savais qu'avec la pièce titulaire et Fame ça s'enlignait pour être moins mon style et le reste de l'album l'a confirmé. C'est loin d'être mauvais : c'est très bien produit, c'est très bien composé, etc. Mais le style global résonne juste moins avec moi. 7/10
Young Americans and Fame are bangers
AJ: 3 for Young Americans and Fame
Hmm, some cool grooves on this record. I was surprised this came out in 75, thought it was an early 80s album. Would I rather listen to Bowie tinker with 70s soul than the original artists? Probably not, but I like what he's doing and it's an interesting departure from his glam stuff. Still, I would take the Ziggy and Diamond Dogs records over this most days.
Blind album, had some cool beats and Bowie flair!
This Bowie is pretty good Bowie. Not my favorite Bowie but pretty good.
Pretty good. I bet that if I gave this another listen, I'd rate it even higher.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: yeah, it was nice little testament to him now Favourite song: Track 1 - Young Americans
Not a huge Bowie fan but appreciate this album quite a bit. Some good funk, soul songs.
I deeply appreciate Bowie's ability and impulse to go off the deep end and to fully explore any musical area that catches his eye. But a lot of it leaves me cold. In this case, first track and last track work just fine for me. Everything in the middle fades to the background.
Old skool maar medium
This album was fine, but not spectacular. Of course, I hit replay on Fame like three times because da' funk.
This didn't do much for me. 2.5.
Muy buen disco, bien de ritmo ochentoso con coros y saxos.
Niet compleet mijn ding, maar wel mooi
Not my favourite bowie album but a solid entry in a fantastic discography. full of classics. best tracks: young americans, fascination, fame
David Bowie is the man but this isn’t a greatest hits album. Not the greatest Beatles cover I’ve ever heard but Fame is just so dang funky.
Solid, not remarkable
Mildly funky/jazzy tunes. Few standouts.
It's ok
Pari hyvää. Muute aika meh
I mean it was alright. Didn’t stick out to me. Top Tracks: 1) Somebody Up There Likes Me 2) Across the Universe
3.5
I am not really a fan of most of the tracks on this album. I really enjoyed "Fame". The album genre is very "soulsy" and "bluesy".
Not the best David Bowie album, in my opinion, but I enjoyed listening to it. You can really feel the disco influence. Best Songs: Fame Worst Songs: Win
Good but certainly not his best album.
Não gostei muito
Nice mix of new (to me) songs and others that I knew very well. I did not know that Across the Universe was covered by Bowie. Interesting version.
good solid Bowie
Good album. Not too keen on the Beatles cover. Fame is a classic of course.
3.5
Really like "Fame" and "Fascination." Whole album has a big time 70's vibe which is great, but probably not coming back to it much?