Reviews (page 11 of 14)
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
A really good album from one of the greatest artist ever lived. Love it.
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.
A classic. Lots of great songs that I hadn't heard in years
tá bom
This is just ok. More of a miss than a hit. Bowie trying every genere under the sun eventually turns me off
couldn't listen- awful noise
Bowie gets funky. IMO, nothing gets close to peak Bowie.
An ode to soul and rock. I'm with this
Reading about this album made me appreciate it so much more. What he did to Fuze together his musical styles with r&b and soul created a album that's at the top of his already stacked discography.
to call a david bowie album bad would be objectively wrong sure this isn't his best album but man its still good everything just works, he truly is a talent some heater tracks overall like a 3.8/5
7th Bowie album on this list (and after this, I will only have Pin-Ups and Diamond Dogs as 70s Bowie albums I haven't yet heard). Not as necessary as other Bowies, but I enjoy it all the same. Chillest 70s jams I’ve ever heard from this guy (Station to Station infuses the funk with some icy paranoia) …though the album’s distinction of being traditionally black music (funk, soul) being interpreted through a white British lens doesn’t sound much like a distinction. Weren’t Eric Burdon, Zeppelin, the Stones, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Elton John, etc. also kinda doing that by 1975? HL: title track, “Win”, “Fascination”, “Fame”
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.
Interesting that the first Bowie is his biggest transition. From glam superhero to crooner, sort of like he's glamming Elvis. Young Americans the song is an all timer for me, I particularly love how the pronoun of who wants the Young American changes. The rest of the album is nicely funky with amazing backing vocals, but none of the tracks really stick with me away from the album. Even Fame is a bit too basic funk. To me this is a Bowie 3, but any other artist would call this a 4.
I like more of his albums better than this particular snooze fest
I saw David Bowie in concert the year this album came out, so listening to the “Young Americans” and “Fame” tracks brought back fond memories. However, I don’t think I ever listened to this album in its entirety, because there are a lot of songs I didn’t recognize. I know Bowie is better known for his glam rock, but I really liked this album. Daryl Hall certainly is a better singer, but Bowie pulls off the blue eyed soul vibe very well. I will listen to this album again.
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.
Bowie should not be allowed to cover Lennon. I like Bowie but this album just wasn’t it for me. Fame is a classic but it wasn’t enough to save this one
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.
I like this lot the first and last tracks are for sure the standouts and I love the dynamic way Bowie does his lyrics. Not all the songs hit but in order they stand well. I think Bowie is also the most prevalent artist on this so get used to praise. This album would be perfect if i was not sick
I gave it multiple chances over the weekend because everyone looked at me crazy for saying I didn’t like it on Friday. I really tried. It’s just not for me.
During the mid 70s Bowie was moving away from his earlier glam rock work and found himself enthralled with the r&b scene in New York city. This is the point when he stopped dressing in spandex and started wearing loose fitting suits to emulate the culture around that music. It represented one of several major shifts he made in both visual, and more strikingly, audio style over his career. Cue running into John Lennon and a team up on the song "Fame" and you've got a strong album in what was Bowie's in a decade of strong albums.
Bowie dipping his toes into soul. Good stuff.
Don't think I'm a bowie guy
I love the soul influence on this record. Bowie is the ultimate songwriter in that he can take any kind of musical idea and incorporate it into his own style, and Young Americans might be the perfect example of that.
FAME!
I really like this album—Bowie was definitely going for an R&B/Soul sound for it, and succeeds in doing so while still remaining indisputably Bowie. He has one of the most distinctive voices as a songwriter. I also find the John Lennon connection interesting: quoting “A Day in the Life” during the title track, covering “Across the Universe,” and then fully having him featured on “Fame”—which, by the way, is such an amazing track. It feels like everyone in the band had a stank face on while playing. We do need to talk about how overrepresented Bowie is on this list. I love him and think he’s amazing, but should he really make up nearly 1% of all the albums when so many other incredible artists are completely omitted?
Enjoyed the listening, nice album
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...
What a dancing jam vibe Young Americans has. I'm glad to give this album a more detailed listen. Win has a beautiful sound and some of the soul and funk throughout has a unique feel with Bowie doing it. Not his best but you can hear the growth from doing this in his later albums.
I had not listened to very much David Bowie before starting on this journey. This is not the strongest album of his I have listened to so far but it interestingly kept me engaged. I would like to figure out how some of his songs can come close to losing me but for some reason I stick around. Like the Cover of Across the Universe isn't better than the original, but what he does with his vocals; I'm interested in the emotion he's conveying. Fame is a great song
I’m not sure I ever listened to this album in full. Right from the first few seconds, the title track gives me thrills. It’s so familiar, but never gets old for me. “Win” shifts to a more R&B sound, followed by “Fascination” with lots of background vocal support. The end of Side 1 (which is an out-of-date concept) is Right, which starts with some great saxophone, but wasn’t a favorite track for me. Side 2 highlights were a cover of the Beatles “Across the Universe” (apparently with John Lennon on guitar and backup vocal!) and “Can You Hear Me?” (again with a slower R&B feel). The album ends with the familiar “Fame”, which I’ve never loved, but I found myself really connecting with this time. Overall – a great classic album from a true creative genius.
No idea what to expect! I've never actually sat down and experienced Bowie. Overall, I really enjoyed it and was surprised by the funky sound. The album was short with no need for skips. The live sound really contributed to the groove very well. This has to go into the rotation for when I'm wanting something a little funky. Track by track: 1 - Certainly has a live vibe. High energy and seemingly some improvisation. I can get into this. 2 - It is so Pink Floyd and yet not at all. I dig it and love the hints of brass. 3 - Certainly a groove. Feels like a mix of psychedelic and funk? I don't know genres but I like it. 4 - Brass is a little more prominent here. That background chorus is powerful. 5 - Another groove. This has been a really consistent album! 6 - I know this one! I hope that "I prefer The Beatles version" is not too much of a critique. This is still very listenable. 7 - Not my favorite track but it's not a skip by any means. 8 - THIS IS A BOWIE SONG? I had no idea. Liked it a lot!
I had listened to this album before, but this was the first time I really lived with it - and the first time I recognized it as a transition for David Bowie's career. The title track is great, as are all the band tracks. I don't love the songwriting in the back half of the album as much as the front, but it's enough that I'm giving this one 5 stars still.
Young Americans and FAME are such classics, it was good to finally listen to the whole album. A cool story about how Bowie hung out with John Lennon and began exploring more African-American musical influences. Though the album is defined by the bookends, it's still as meticulously crafted as much of Bowie's other work.
entertaining, not too long
None of these tracks are going to dethrone my top songs from Bowie, but they are consistently good. "Young Americans" is probably my favorite.
i had only heard 'fame' before but this is an absolute banger of an album. tend to enjoy bowie's rockier stuff but this was great fun to listen to
Not his best but still great
i quite liked this
The album with Fame on it. This would be the crossover hit into the US that Bowie needed. This success can be attributed to a shift from glam rock to soul music, which is often referred to as "plastic soul" in the context of Bowie's music. "Plastic", here, means "inauthentic", but the only inauthenticity I see is in his middling cover of Across the Universe. Once you lose Across the Universe, you have an album full of incredible songs. It's kind of the most plain Bowie since his 60's works but not in a boring way. The theatrical elements of his glam albums get transmuted into instrumentally-rich songs that are otherwise straightforward. His ability to channel the dynamism of performers like James Brown or George Clinton helps give a new dimension to his style, thus fleshing out the artist David Bowie as we know him today. With that, another building block of the house of Bowie comes into frame. Another sign of excellence.
all
Plastic soul Bowie is it my favourite Bowie. Still Bowie though, and 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
I love Bowie in his soul phase. Its some of the best stuff he recorded. The title track is amazing. It swings like a sould track should
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.
I give this album a two due to the fact that it starts out sounding like a 70s club. fun funky music. but then halfway through the album it slows down. also bowie did across the universe dirty in my opinion.
Bowie's glam persona had become a little long in the tooth (as displayed on the over-rated Diamond Dogs), and this album was a welcome pivot to warmer R&B sounds. Calling it "plastic soul" is a bit of a disservice, as the songs display some legit Philly soul credibility, while still showcasing Bowie's trademark voice. And "Fame" is a slow-burning banger. A top Bowie album in my books, and the one I'd consider most under-rated in his catalogue.
Though Bowie's ' Plastic Soul' period isn't my favourite in his back catalogue, this is still a lovely album. Standout track for me is the beautiful 'Win' ("Someone like you should not be allowed to start any fires"), though the unfairly maligned cover of 'Across the Universe' is rather good in my opinion. It's interesting to compare this album with 'The Gouster' which was finally released as part of a boxset a few years ago. That was apparently set for release in 1975 before being replaced by "Young Americans" and contains different mixes and outtakes, including 'John, I'm only dancing (again) which was a single in about 1979. A good solid album which really demonstrates the chameleon-like nature of Bowie's artistry.
Solid album, but what do you expect from Bowie? It’s not a 5 star level but still excellent.
The grand finale made this album.
Couple bangers, better than modern Bowie.
Unbelievable, electric. Didn’t really know Bowie and now I’m obsessed
Fame was good, but one song cannot redeem an entire album.
Some great rock and fuck fusion. Fame is the best track
Chill med Bowie
I liked the first song of the album and the last three but overall it was just okay.
A couple songs weren't on spotify. Overall i liked this one.
Nice one. Soft rock. Across the universe!!
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.
Enjoyed this album
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
Slow and steady wins the race. Not his best, no lives were changed, but it's solid and it's Bowie.
Some fun songs
an amazing opening track, a fantastic closer, a pretty good beatles cover, and some other songs i don't quite remember
Nope.
“I don’t want to be gay. I just want to be sexy” - David Bowie, 1975
Really Funky and upbeat and kinda sexy!
Another Bowie album. So soon? This album was pretty damn good. More cohesive than Heroes. Honestly, maybe not a bad song in this album. Bowie does some pretty interesting stuff with vocal phrasing. I wonder how much I put he had with the music that accompanies his vocals because it's so good. The use of instruments are well placed within the songs. The writing is next level, in my opinion. There's a reason why Bowie is timeless and recognized as a force within music. Each album sounds different, but sounds Bowie. That's a feat many try to replicate and often come up short. Or their fans abandon ship. Perhaps this album pissed off some die hard Bowie fans, perhaps Heroes did the same. I know Blackstar was WAY different than anything he's done. And that album is a masterpiece. Anyways. Bowie is great. You should listen to Bowie.
Fantastic. It may be plastic white soul but no one did it better than Bowie. He had to do it to escape the Ziggy persona and build his career. He did get help from Carlos Alomar, Luther Vandross and John Lennon but Bowie was still the mastermind. Such a great album and a pleasure to revisit.
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
I've always found Bowie hit and miss, but this was more hit. A lot different to his usual sound but shows he can smash it out the park even when changing genre for an album or two. Fair play. Few duds but mostly hits. Beatles cover feeling completely out of place being the worst sin.
Like it!
Awesome
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
Didn’t enjoy most of this, although it had its moments. Just not a fan of the vocals and song structures.
This album was a Win. Somebody Up There Likes Me.
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.
fave track: can you hear me final thoughts: loved this, absolutely gorgeous!!!
cba to write a review today, just know i liked it likes yessss get ur soul/funk bag bowie!!!
This one is fun
Really enjoyed this one, there are a lot of songs on here that I loved before and some new ones to me that I enjoyed as well too.
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.
Top Tier Bowie
I like this album very much. I don't necessarily like any particular song more than any other, but I like David Bowie, and how he arranges his music and his delivery as well.
Classic
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.
Has better albums but I was still groovin
love this album, Bowie's early-to-mid 70s output is my absolute fav and such a big part of my teenage years. bowi(e)ng down to the legend.
I just don't get why David Bowie is lauded as one of the greats. I skipped through three tracks on this album because they sounded so discordant to me.
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.
Has young Americans and Fame which are straight up bangers. The rest of the album is surprisingly groovy and funky
The musicians are tight as a group, but I didn't really feel David Bowie on this album.
I’ve never been sure if Bowie is good or if he just surrounds himself with the best available musicians. This album doesn’t change that mindset.
And I quote "Bowie himself had mixed feelings about the album throughout his lifetime." "Bowie himself labelled the album's sound "plastic soul"." Smart guy, this Mr. Bowie.
The 4 odd songs I recognise are great
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
Love David Bowie
Excellent album! Classic vibes. A+++
Is this record more successful than many other Bowie efforts because he plays it relatively straight – you know just making a pop/rock record and not some high-art statement or playing around with some silly and unnecessary personae? A credible case can be made. Sax playing is a strength throughout and title cut is an all-time personal fave. Much else seems an outlier in the Bowie canon because of its seeming authenticity and rather straightforward relatability.
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.
3.5
too much sax great confidence great musicianship bit too slick/clean for me bit slow, soulful, dark for me 3/5
Way groovier than expected. I loved the collabs.
Listened to this on a road trip to lake hawea. Quite boring
first of all i was not expecting soul r&b from this album and from bowie and that was a suprise. The title track is catchy but it doesn't really connect, it all sounds very by the numbers - to be honest most of this album sounds like that and it was a let down. some elements here and there do pop up but as a whole it doesn't connect. Fame is the best song ofc tho, the bass line is great and the distorted riff is unexpected but works so well. It really gives the song a lot of character. can you hear me is nice and right as well. the vocal melody of win and the atmosphere is nice. across the universe is meh. i don't really thin I'll be coming back to this album much apart from fame and can you hear me. it's a strong 2 to a light 3.
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
not my style. I'm too old.
Some good hits, but not really my thang
Meh.
Very bland and either I’m having major hearing problems or the vocal audio is so bad in half these songs that you can’t hear what he’s singing about.
there were a few songs I enjoyed listening to on this album, good album to work to
The worst from Bowie is still great and better than 90% of all other stuff.
Оу вау, Боуи ударился в соул... это забавное. Но вообще, звучит конечно как-то искусственно. То есть мы уже слушали прям достойные соул пластинки, а здесь... попытались содрать всё лучшее из них. Ну, такое.
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.
Nice
The track Fame stands out from the rest of the compositions. Very "white" funk, showing the music's progressive direction towards 1980s pop.
Definitly not my type of music but if you grew up with this older style of music you would probably like it
did not know that John Lennon plays guitar on Fame
Best songs: Young Americans Fascination Fame
A true classic. Plain and simply a classic.
I like David Bowie.
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.
Great discovery, I enjoy funky Bowie!
Obwohl ich eigentlich kein Bowie Fan bin gefällt mir diesen Album doch außerordentlich gut. Ich denke ich werde es jetzt öfter mal hören und auch andere Alben von ihm antesten.
Great but not his best
Not my jam
so much LOVE LOVE LOVE for Mr. Space Oddity!! short but sweet, this album had almost all bangers but my clear favorite was Right, just the minor key gave such a funky vibe
The first song and the last song are good, the entire middle of the album is meh. Bowie is great but this album is a pass for me.
Quiet and nice. Bowie is different
Love it. The R&B, sax backing vocals. Love it all
I played this, inadvertently, not knowing it was the record of the day! I love this album and Fame never disappoints!
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
D (3 out of 10). Bookend album...good song to start and finishes with one of my fave Bowies. The middle is all skips. Way to Saxy. Particularly did not like the "Across the Universe" cover. Must have some artistic reason it makes the list but certainly would not make mine.
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
One of the better Bowie albums I've heard. Short album but liked it.
Pretty short
There is a lot to love about this one, it's Bowie's soul album. Fame (the single was his first number 1 single). It's not my favorite Bowie album so i sincerely hope that there are a few more coming up in this challenged. I love Young Americans (the single) and John, I'm only dancing. It's unfortunate that he decided to cover Across the Universe because its an awful version! It gets a 4 just because its Bowie.
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
I can’t even make it 3 songs into this albums. I have never listened to a David Bowie song until today and I know why. I don’t like it one bit.
Exactly how I feel about the previous Bowie albums on here: I feel like I appreciate David Bowie more than I enjoy the actual music. I love how eccentric, theatrical, and (for lack of a better word) "artistic" he was. I just don't really care for listening to the actual music too much unfortunately. To me, it's like seeing a really gorgeous, intricately made, striking piece of clothing at a store that doesn't fit me. I can appreciate it for what it is and the effort and talent put into it, but it's just not something I'd wear.
I am a David Bowie fan first and a human of earth second
Avg
Faaaaaaaame
Bah Was expecting better songs
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
"Young Americans" is a magical album. Young Americans and FAME are smashers - and the rest of the album is pretty strong as well.
Time was this was my favourite Bowie album. But over time I can see it was precursor to Station to Station, which is my favourite and possibly the greatest album of all time. Two monumental songs, the title track and Fame, but elsewhere a bit shallow at times.
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
Awesome Bowie
Young Americans and Fame are bangers
AJ: 3 for Young Americans and Fame
Good, but not a favorite. I definitely appreciate that he expanded and experimented so much throughout his career, running to where the ball was going instead of where it currently was. It makes listening to multiple albums more enjoyable, because he moves on before the style gets really stale.
good songs
As much as I love and respect Bowie, this is an album I've mostly avoided, and I understand why. It's a solid body of music, but also not the most interesting thing to listen to. A 40 min album with 2-3 memorable songs isn't a bad album by any means, and I think it's still a very impressively written album, just not entirely my taste.
hell yeah man
Bowie is my favorite so I am biased
What can be said about this album? It’s a perfect mix of dance, soul and funk. And no better way to bookend the album with the opening and ending songs.
Test
Young Americans Fame It's Gonna Be Me
Really nice listening. I listen to him with the heart:) my first album from 1001 collection. Thanks
Figo, molto mood, non saprei classificarlo, tipo semi pop? Sicuramente non contemporaneo, ho apprezzato la varietà di strumenti e il groove
2 great songs, the rest of the lot were subpar
Funky, groovy perfection!
Nice album!
Very close to a 5
4/10
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!
It'd be good if it wasn't like listening to your uncle get up to sing his favourite Motown songs at Karaoke.
Solid album. 70's Bowie is tough to beat.
One of the best funk-albums ever.
I can’t think of anything clever to say about this good album and multiple great songs because I’m still mad at Aerosmith for tricking me into giving their album four stars.
This Bowie is pretty good Bowie. Not my favorite Bowie but pretty good.
I’d never listened to this one before, but I do like Bowie and frequently revisit Ziggy Stardust and Hunky Dory. I’m glad this list is branching out my Bowie listening, because I unsurprisingly enjoyed this very much. This album grew on me as I listened and went from a 4 to a 5 by the end.
Pretty good. I bet that if I gave this another listen, I'd rate it even higher.
i feel like i need to be high for this
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: yeah, it was nice little testament to him now Favourite song: Track 1 - Young Americans
5/10 Highlights: Fascination
Decent enough, but not Bowie's best showing.
Not a huge Bowie fan but appreciate this album quite a bit. Some good funk, soul songs.
Not a huge fan tbh
I'll be completely honest that I'm giving this 5 stars because "Young Americans" is a top 10 song for me. But overall the album is really solid. And I've always loved Bowie's cover of "Across the Universe."
yacht rock done right
Enjoyed the album a lot. Great vibe
Ur spoiling me w all these Bowie albums! Another great album, not as good as the last one but I still loved it and always perfect for a wee groovy boogie.
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.
David Bowie's conversation with Black American music - and typically for Bowie, it's conducted on his terms. On this album Bowie tries on a few different voices, a few different poses and mostly gets away with it. Young Americans is a bit of a detour album. The songs are not as immediate as much of his previous material, nor as wrought in weirdness and mystery as those that would follow. Production is quite thin and flat - I believe this is the album Bowie described as 'plastic soul' - but again, it works. Pretty much everything here works, in fact. The whole shebang is bookended by two wonderful songs - the title track and 'Fame' - but 'Fascination' deserves reappraisal within the Bowie canon too. He always kept his listeners on their toes.
Old skool maar medium
Obviously a great album, no notes, audio quality awesome
He can do anything.
Lil db action
It was good. Not my favourite Bowie but still good.
It was Bowie so it was good, but not his best. Still had fun.
My first complete Bowie album. It will not be my last!
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.
Bowie, in any form, brings me joy. With that said, YOUNG AMERICANS would not be my first pick if I was able to be choosy. The difference is negligible, like choosing a non-Allstar NBA player over a high school b-ball star for your pick up basketball game. It is still a W.
Amazing album. The flow is amazing, and it bangs front to back.
Muy buen disco, bien de ritmo ochentoso con coros y saxos.
After the Fall of Ziggy Stardust DB went to NY and fell in love with a saxophone player.
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
Good! A few songs I hadn't heard on here that were good. Not great 100% of the way through but Fame is a classic and a few others.
I didn’t mind this album. Definitely different from the David Bowie songs I knew before. I thought a couple were funky and cool, but overall not my favourite album
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.
this is the type of Bowie i can get along with. However that cover of across the universe is bobbins. .
Young Americans - Scott Kelly's Noncing World Cup 2023
This was completely fine, but in a way that felt bland and just kind of washed over me. Found myself skipping through it, sadly realizing through this project that I’m not a Bowie guy.
I'm not interested a in white British guy doing soul. I wish this list would give better examples of what the genres actually sound like instead of giving us the British White Dude versions of them. I didn't like Rolling Stones doing honky tonk on Let It Bleed and I don't like this.
Yesterday we had the Bowie album “Low” on this list. I thought it was a very good album but it asks more from the listener than the typical album does (a little more attention, a little more patience). “Young Americans,” on the other hand, only asks that you dance. It’s generous with its party energy, funky licks and big hooks. It’s a lot of fun. Funk and soul aren’t necessarily a natural fit for Bowie but he makes the genres his own. Some of the songs have a strange, awkward swagger to them. You expect smoothness from funk. But Bowie makes the music a little gangly and weird. I love it. His vocals get pretty wild. He’s got that jazzy, improvisational spirit. The title track is a classic. It’s a little weirder than I remember it being too. Wow - “Fascination” is a banger! This backing band is phenomenal. And “Right” is spectacular! I love the call-and-response between Bowie and the backup singers. “Fame” is another classic and a perfect example of the style I’m talking about. It’s cool and funky and danceable but a little odd and off kilter too. I’m very glad I finally listened to this album.
I really really like the soul moments of this album, like on "Somebody up There Likes Me". The backing singers and that screaming saxophone are really so captivating. "Across the Universe" was a nice and unexpected cover right in the middle. "Fame" is such a great song. Personally I feel like this is a song that when I hear it it stays in my head for months at a time on loop... in a bad way unfortunately. I don't know why.. I think everyone has some songs like that? that are earworms? Love this album cover. Bowie at times either looks like a model or like an awkward kid going through puberty trying to fit into his clothes.
I loved this album so much, reminds me of growing up in the 70's.
Hot take but not my favorite
Solid, not remarkable
Mildly funky/jazzy tunes. Few standouts.
Not terrible, but it wouldn't be rated anywhere near 3.65 average (current rating in 2023) if it wasn't Bowie. Favorite song: Fame.
Great album
It's ok
Love bowie
Really enjoyed this project even if it’s a bit more mainstream Bowie. The Across the Universe cover is great and Fame is a banger still. (3.5/5)
Liked more than first Bowie album we listened to. More rock
Enjoyable but lacking the grandeur of other Bowie albums
The first of many true reinventions of Bowie's career. Having reached a peak of popularity during his glam rock/Ziggy Stardust period, he took a major risk by moving into plastic soul. By doing so, he proved that he could effortlessly move between genres and continue to be influential. Aside from soul artists, this album was also heavily influenced by Bowie's friendship with John Lennon, contributing to the very unique sound of the album.
Nicht das beste Bowie aber nice
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
It's Bowie, 5 stars. (not always but this counts, Aladdin Sane and Black Star are the exceptions) Picked up a new really good one in Fascination
#3 #1 #8 Bloody good!!
David Bowie rarely put a musical foot wrong and this is no exception. It’s not my very fav Bowie — that’s obviously Ziggy Stardust — but it’s still high quality Bowie. 4/5
3.5
Good album but personally like Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust better
Great album. "Right" is bomb.
A couple good ones but overall not impressed. 2/5
Uno de los trabajos más sólidos de Bowie y una demostración de por qué lo comparan con un camaleón. El radical cambio de estilo que realizó en medio de un frenesí de drogas y enfermedades mentales creó a un nuevo personaje, el "Thin White Duke", quien se codeó con el mismísimo John Lennon para crear la legendaria pista "Fame". Aún así, este no es la mejor obra de este corto y problemático periodo de Jones, pero es una gran adición a su catálogo y al panorama del "Plastico Soul" en general.
cant hate on bowie, fame is definitely my favorite track from this
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".
Boring, slow, uninteresting drivel. It's a shame.
As a Bowie fan, I have to admit I have never fully listened to this album. In Bowie's lore, this was positioned as the radical break from Bowie's glam past into his new soul era, but also as an awkward transitional phase to his artsy era. But in reality, what Bowie sets out to do here is plain: create 'plastic soul', a good if maybe inauthentic replications of the soul and funk sound Bowie was falling (back?) in love with. And these are some damn fine songs, 'Win' and 'Can You Hear Me' have a nice smooth sound to them, while 'Fascination', 'Right' and the famous 'Fame' have that funk edge to them. But the real distinctive quality is Bowie's performance. He sounds less passionate and more desperate and exhaustive, his highs and sustains creaking along the edge. You can immediately hear it in the opening track 'Young Americans', and the undertone pervades the entire album. It's a type of distant paranoia that Bowie would further indulge in in his next album, Station to Station (a personal favourite), although for obvious reasons that paranoid path is not one to walk long term. What is long term is the strong backing band that Bowie has assembled here, which he will play with for the rest of the 70s and his classic era, such as the Berlin era, and which will form the really secret sauce of those albums (it's not Brian Eno, well known people are not secret sauces). Fans of Bowie's artistic records do themselves a misfavor by skipping this record. Strong 4
I really want to like Bowie, but it’s just not for me
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
Again it's Bowie entering a new period, here embracing some disco sounds.
Good but certainly not his best album.
Melodic, uplifting music with skilful singing voice. While it is a classic, it's also good music.
Não gostei muito
Sorry I don't get it.
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.
Very solid album. A lot more energy and funk than `Low` and 2 absolute banger singles.
good solid Bowie
Boring. I never understood why people call Bowie a genius, but that is probably due to the time I live in.
Good
Good album. Not too keen on the Beatles cover. Fame is a classic of course.
i liek across the universe cover
a classic
Love David Bowie
Class. Never knew there was a Beatles cover on it.
Bn chill, david bowie god
3.5
David Bowie is a good artist but im not a fan of the genre.
Incredible. Classic. Start to end. A beatles cover that doesnt stink. Wild.
I love this record! Win and young Americans are still among my favourites. And the cover of across the universe is also a hit.
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?
Not bad. A bit more "funk" than I might have expected, but certainly appropriate for the time. "Fame" is a classic tune. For the overall quality, I'd give it a 3.5, but for this album, I'll round up.
"Classic" sound that has a driving beat throughout. It's impossible not to move to, but also great to keep in the background.
I love Bowie and this is a solid album with lots of good songs on it. There are two massive tracks on here ('Young Americans' and 'Fame') in particular. That being said, this isn't one of my top Bowie albums and I rarely listen to it as a whole, like I do a number of his other albums. Still really great record though. Standout Tracks: Young Americans, Win, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Across the Universe, Fame
Enjoyed. But not my favorite Bowie album
It's no Ziggy Stardust, but I love Bowie and it's great hearing him try his hand at a soul sound. It's soul, but it's been twisted a bit by Bowie. Very fun.
sadness
Well produced and good performance, but kinda boring and forgettable. Fame slaps though
Maybe I wasn’t in the mood. Hard to follow steely Dan with Bowie - too much pop
I don't think I like this album. FAME is fantastic though.
This is straightforward David Bowie. No swerves, no experimentation. Mellow sounds, beautiful voice. High 3
really good. makes me feel very young america
(Previously Heard) Highlights: Young Americans, Win, Fascination, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Fame Really wish he had spent more time exploring the "plastic soul" sound he was going for here (perhaps earlier instead of the underwhelming "Diamond Dogs"?), as it has some of my favorite Bowie songs ever. As it stands, the pretty bad "Across The Universe" cover and just okay "Can You Hear Me" drags it a bit down. Still one of Bowie's best records tho.
Great album, great length. Listened to it twice yesterday
Voelt gedateerd. Was het niet helemaal m.i. Wel cool om de across the universe cover te horen die ik niet kende.
classic bowie but particularly sax heavy lets gooo
Voelt gedateerd. Was het niet helemaal m.i. Wel cool om de across the universe cover te horen die ik niet kende.
- "Somebody up There Likes Me" is amazing. Great solo! - Never head his version of "Across the Universe" before.
Fame is fucking banger.
I want to dive into Bowie's hair, frolic in its lusciousness. I want to nestle by his sweet voice, have his choir console me with sugar-coated harmonies. I want to slide down the groove of a warm fuzzy bassline, to watch sax flourishes garland a relentlessly blue sky, for synths to ooze sweat, rum and sea salt, to taste sparks, to chase a nostalgia of a future which has never existed, which has never been, but is all too present.