Reviews (page 4 of 14)
Really pretty record. Bowie stripped of theatrics but not losing any sense of purpose or presence.
Miss him
No fue muy de agrado, para escuchar de fondo esta bien pero no hubo una canción que hiciera que volteara y pusiera toda mi atención
Iconic!
I don’t think the Across the Universe cover is anything special really (is that a hot take?) but good lord the rest is FANTASTIC.
Skvelý album. Ale mám radšej iné jeho albumy. Preto len 4.
I knew more songs on this album than I knew I would know, lol. I think my mom has this album when I was a kid. Young Americans, Fame, I think it's cool that he references other songs with some lines he has in these songs, or maybe it's the other way round, and the other songs reference this album.
Bowie and Luther Vandross with some bits and pieces of Lennon ends up being a pretty good record, all things considered, but not one I would rank as one of his all-timers. Couple of tracks here go nowhere (I'm looking at you, "Across the Universe") and there's only so much the title track and "Fame" can do.
I never really knew that David Bowie made more soulful funk music before listening to this album but he is a lot better at it than i thought he would be, my favorites were Young Americans, Fascination, and Somebody Up There Likes Me 88/100 1. Young Americans - 91/100 2. Win - 86/100 3. Fascination - 94/100 4. Right - 84/100 5. Somebody up There Likes Me - 90/100 6. Across the Universe - 85/100 7. Can You Hear Me - 86/100 8. Fame - 87/100
There are far better Bowie albums than this, how this on the top 1,000!
So so
Bowie on top form
Does not hold up as well as many of Bowie’s other 70s albums (Ziggy, Low, Hunky Dory, Station to Station, Heroes etc), but there are a few great songs here, especially Fascination. It also has a pretty bad cover of Across the Universe, though, and the extremely cheesy Can You Hear Me.
Honestly not something I would listen on repeat. It wasn't a bad album, just most of the songs weren't really something that I would listen often without any skipping.
6/10
Class Bowie - Fame etc. Flight of the concords would have based their parody on this Bowie.
I prefer other Bowie albums but I enjoyed this in the end. “Right” is very good and should get some more recognition radio play.
Not a bad album by any means, but also probably not one I’ll revisit anytime soon.
I don't have much to say about this one. Favourites: Fascination (it just maybe lasts just a tad longer than it needs to?), Fame.
Win sounded like i'm going home from rocky horror, the whole album realy, definitely a big influence what with david bowie being the reason there's gender markers on id's. across the universe cover was straight up bad,
Better than Ziggy Stardust, but still meh.
i dont like bowie (personal don't get offended pls)
A bit underwhelming. The title track was pretty good, Fame is OK and the Beatles cover is a stinker. The rest I found pretty unmemorable.
It was alright
Great Album, lots of jazz influences. Very soft and easy to listen to. 8/10
Not Bowie’s strongest, but an interesting pivot out of his glam rock years. “Plastic soul” is a pretty accurate (if not entirely positive) descriptor.
You can't go wrong with Bowie 4/5.
I like the opening track. The rest of the album seems to drone on a bit. Strongly disliked the Across the Universe cover. Generally well crafted, perhaps just not to my taste.
Timeless classic, my favourite is “Fame”!
win would be so good while dissociating at the ceiling/ stars in bed
gran introducción de Bowie en el funk y el soul. un álbum que definitivamente volvería a escuchar. Fame y Fascination son tope de gamuza (creo que a Bowie le hubiese gustado esa expresión)
Love it
Third Bowie album in this experience. Starts and ends with two absolute bangers in "Young Americans" and "Fame." However, in between the songs didn't do much to move the needle for me. With a discography as prolific as Bowie's not all of them are bound to be fantastic. 3/5
So close to being 4 star. 3.99
I don't like David Bowie, I don't care.
Really enjoyed listening to this. The band and singing are excellent. Saw him live years ago, surprised how much ass he kicked. Should have listened to this sooner than now.
Not my fave but there's so many hits
7/10 solid album not really a particular song that sticks but solid album
Not as strong as other Bowie albums, but solid nonetheless
A classic, but not my favorite Bowie album.
zzz
Désolé mais c'est très mid Bowie.
David Bowie’s Young Americans is the sound of an artist shapeshifting in real time — and somehow making it look effortless. Trading glam-rock glitter for satin‑smooth soul, Bowie dives headfirst into “plastic soul” and comes up with a record that’s surprisingly warm, slyly funky, and endlessly listenable. The title track struts in with swagger, “Fame” snaps with sharp-edged cool, and the whole album glows with that lush, mid‑70s studio sheen. It’s Bowie at his most playful and least alien, crooning and hustling his way through grooves that feel equal parts nightclub, street corner, and smoky after-hours jam. Not every experiment lands perfectly, but even the wobbles are interesting — and the highs are undeniable. Young Americans may not be Bowie’s most iconic persona, but it’s one of his most charming detours, a stylish pivot that still feels fresh. A confident 3 out of 5: bold, soulful, and just messy enough to be human.
Young Americans - 4/5 Win - 3/5 Fascination - 3.5/5 Right - 3/5 Somebody up There Likes Me - 3.5/5 Across the Universe - 3/5 Can You Hear Me - 3/5 Fame - 2.5/5 Who Can I Be Now - 2.5/5
8/10
As a big fan of David Bowie, I don’t think this is a very great album from him. It’s held down by the title track and Fame, but the middle is very forgettable, especially after Fascination. Across the Universe is definitely a Beatles cover. I don’t actually love that song that much and I don’t think his interpretation does anything too crazy with it. I want to like ‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’ but I just don’t, really. I could even say the same with ‘Win’. Even though it is pretty, it’s also unexciting and doesn’t feel meaningful lyrically.
Fame made the album
I've Like other Bowie songs like Starman and Space Oddity, but have never a song from this ablum. Very familiar sounding of many songs from the 70's with some classic Bowie bits make this an pretty decent album. Favorite songs were Fascination, Across the Universe, and Who Can I Be Now? And least favorite was (Ironically) Young Americans.
Better than heroes, a bit short
I like it A LOT
hmm. it's okay. not my favorite bowie.
nice cool 4
Ziggy Stardust and glam rock was out and 'plastic soul' was in by the time David Bowie emerged with 'Young Americans' in 1975, an album that would prove to be his first hit in the US and his second major stylistic shift. 'Young Americans' sees Bowie delve deeply into the R&B/soul sounds inspired by his ventures through Philadelphia and New York, and the result is a funky, often stylish set of material with plenty of danceable groove. The best tunes on this record are the two that bookend it: 'Young Americans' and 'Fame'. The former is a cynical dissection of the American dream, the latter expressing the isolating nature of stardom. 'Fame' ended up becoming Bowie's first number one hit in the US, and was co-written with John Lennon, who befriended Bowie around this time. The pair also collaborated on a cover of the Lennon-penned Beatles track 'Across the Universe'. What's noticeable about 'Young Americans' is the raft of talented new musicians who joined Bowie for this dramatic change in his career, including guitarists Carlos Alomar and Earl Slick (who'd continue with Bowie on and off into the 2000s), a large raft of backing vocalists led by Luther Vandross, Ava Cherry and Robin Clark, and the impressive saxophonist David Sanborn. These new musicians helped Bowie fully realise his attempt at soul music, and while there's moments where he doesn't sound entirely comfortable in the genre, he performs admirably as always. It's hard to think of 'Young Americans' as anything more than a transitional record for Bowie. He was done with glam rock and wanted to reinvent himself for different audiences. Given the success of this record in the US, the rebrand as a soul singer did work for him, but Bowie's personal struggles and growing reliance on cocaine would ensure he wouldn't get too comfortable with soul. Best songs: Young Americans, Fascination, Fame
Good driving music
Middling.
Been a while since I’ve hit this one, did not relisten for this project.
imma be rlly honest David was a fantastic artist and a visionary but I never was a big fan of his voice. I do recognize a master at his work when I see one
First there was the Brazen Bull, then The Rack and Water torture. Now it's David Bowie.
Honestly Bowie is the worst part of this album. The band and backing vocalists (Ava Cherry, Luther Vandross, and Robin Clark) are great and the highlight of this album. It's pretty bad otherwise.
Great album
Kinda forgot that Young Americans was such a good song. Not my favorite Bowie album but still really good
Ziggy stardust>>
Solid
A completely different side of David Bowie from Ziggy Stardust. Much bigger fan of David Bowie’s weirder songs, but the ones on this album are still great.
Does 70s soul beautifully 4.3
What happens when you mix Bowie with funk, soul, and disco? You get this album. Pretty enjoyable all around. Young Americans and Fame stand out here.
👁️👁️
Solid David Bowie album. Couple of classics tucked in there along with other enjoyable songs. Not my favorite album from him overall but I was happy to listen through it.
The typical David bowie, exactly what you'd expect. Still solid.
Funkified Bowie slaps pretty good. The music on this album is a little all over the place and the songs are pretty diverse, but the influence of black musical styles is a unifying theme that ties it together. Special mention for the sax throughout the album.
Глянцевый постмодернизм, будто произведенный на Фабрике Энди Уорхола Кайфовый кавер на Across the Universe, прелестные кривляния, идеальная адаптация под более циничные и беспринципные времена, когда nothing’s gonna change my world начинает звучать мрачно и безвыходно
Один из моих любимых альбомов раннего Боуи. Когда его космическое альтер-эго исчерпало себя, поиски нового себя привели его к американской музыке. Хотя он уже заигрывал с этой стороной в другом обожаемом мной альбоме Aladdin Sane, написанным как раз во время тура по Америке. Но там он больше черпал вдохновение в рок-н-ролле, а здесь больше в соуле и олдскульном джазе. Тягучая атмосфера прокуренного бара вкупе с его оверсайз пиджаком неожиданно удачно создали новый образ, который подкрепился отлично написанной и исполненной музыкой. Это как раз из тех альбомов, где нет бэнгеров, но которые прекрасно и ровно слушаются от начала до конца.
Думала, что после очередного пика снова станут персохейтером Боуи. Утомило. Но норм.
Лучшая песня: Fascination Худшая: хз Понравилось, нескучно
кавер на битлз немного отдавал пыткой, а так fame - одна из любимейших песен боуи, альбом по большей части приятный
За несколько месяцев челленджа я уже прослушала в разы больше треков Боуи, чем за всю остальную жизнь. Если от Hunky Dory мне было физически плохо, а Low и Station to Station показались нормиком, то этот альбом пока самый любимый. В очередной раз удивляюсь, какой большой простор для творчества был у исполнителей минувших лет, что можно было вот так запросто решить записать альбом в несвойственном стиле соула и даже не попасть в Khia Asylum после смешанных отзывов (возможно, спас прорыв на американском рынке)
loved it. fav: across the universe. 9/10
en mi opinión no es lo mejor de bowie, pero lo disfruté bastante
No strong feelings
Some great moments.
Bowie decides to suddenly go R and B and soul pop? It's ok and has some decent tunes but it's not the Bowie I want to hear.
Young Americans is the seventh David Bowie album to pop up on this 1001 list—seven, which already feels excessive. Even more unbelievable, there are still two more waiting in the wings, bringing the total to nine. But I didn’t sit down this morning just to complain (well, not only to complain). I get it—Bowie is revered. He’s just usually not my thing. I respect what he’s done, and I like enough to own a greatest hits album, but let’s not go overboard. That said, Young Americans is probably his most accessible record for a non-devotee, which makes sense given the stylistic pivot. Instead of glam rock, Bowie leans hard into soul and R&B—an unexpected move for a very white, very odd British rock star. Interestingly, that shift is also why many Bowie diehards seem lukewarm on it. The songs are largely easy to digest, with the exception of the odd "Across the Universe" cover, which doesn’t quite land—at least for me. Still, anchored by the standout singles "Young Americans" and "Fame," the album works better than expected—and might be the first Bowie record here to earn a 3.5 from me. Whether it pushes to a 4 when I make it official tomorrow… we’ll see.
While there are way too many Bowie albums on this list, I have a feeling this one will be the most enjoyable one. The bookends on this album are worth the price of admission and the meat in the middle isn't bad either. I'm having a hard time likening this to Soul or R&B as the critics tell me I should unless R&B stands for Rock & Bowie.
I guess I don't know David Bowie music. This was much different than I imagined.
Goofy rocky cool creative mess
Buen disco! Ideal para los usuarios de la discografía de Stevie Wonder
Another album with more historic significance than must listen. “Bowie biographers have considered it one of his most influential records, mainly noting him as among the first white musicians of the era to overtly engage with black musical styles.” It is still Bowie, but Fame and possibly Young Americans hit me today. 1.5 songs added to playlist.
Gee I like Bowie. I love that this is such a departure from what he had been doing. Somehow I'd never come across this album. Obviously, Young Americans and Fame are the standout tracks, but really, I liked it all.
By the end of 1974, David Bowie had grown tired of the Ziggy Stardust image he'd created (knowing the artist's love of change, he held on for a long time), and then, during a US tour, a fortunate stop in Philadelphia, where soul music reigned supreme, came up. "This is what I'll make my next album like," the maestro decided. He did. My feelings after listening to it are mixed. I'm not really into soul music in general, and this one feels strange somehow; even Bowie himself called it "plastic." The Beatles cover here is perhaps one of the most disgusting I've heard. Half the album is practically filler (though that's often the case with Bowie). On the other hand, it's not bad as a backdrop to a party, and there are a couple of strong hits. And it turns out that a three is not enough, and a four is too much... But for the smart move to put the two best songs first and last, so that the album starts off strong and leaves a good aftertaste, I give it a higher mark!
I know this a very unpopular take but I’m really struggling with the Bowie albums on this list I’ve had so far. I don’t ever really feel drawn in and the wobbly vocal thing doesn’t work for me. I do appreciate the instrumentation on some of these tracks though.
Young Americans é um bom álbum. A música que dá nome ao álbum, Fascination, Fame e Right são as melhores. 3/5.
I am a Bowie hater but I’m also a fair reviewer, and I thought this particular style was much more enjoyable than the glam stuff.
The title track and "Fame" are so good, transcending the cliches they are mining, but the rest is pretty much filler to these ears. I bet any of those songs in the right movie might sound brilliant, but on their own, not so much.
In retrospect, Young Americans was something of a way station for David Bowie between his Ziggy Stardust persona and Thin White Duke/Berlin era. So the “plastic soul” on offer here is kind of an oddity in his catalog. I don’t rank it among my favorite Bowie albums, but it certainly has its high points, including the title cut, the astral funk of “Fame” and “Fascination,” co-written by Luther Vandross. As usual, Bowie surrounds himself with incredible musical talent.
The most saxophone-forward of all the Bowie records? I feel like this is the least "Bowie persona" record, and sometimes that makes it harder to get into, but when it clicks, its pretty great.
Good but not all songs are great.
Great David Bowie album. Love his blend of funk and rock and great supporting instruments as well
This might be the Bowie-Album I like the least. The switch to more Pop and Soul music and the omnipresent Sax...too much for me. And the cover version of "Across the universe" is unnecessary, IMO. Fav: Fame
Fun album!
Outside of the title track I was generally not over the moon for this album. Definitely interesting but not special for me.
3.5 or something
Good album but I prefer other albums.
This one may be on the lower end of 5 for me but still a 5. It started really hitting me that we’re listening to like… 1000+ albums and so if I find 150 albums to be 5s, that’s fine. So although this is not my most favorite Bowie album, it’s for sure a re-listen. It reminds me of when I first got my car and would play Bowie whenever my parents were in it because I didn’t have any other playlists that felt appropriate to play with them around. Which was mostly funny because they listened to tons of much more explicit music around me. Anyways, my older sister was a big fan of NASA stuff and Bowie always makes me think of being a kid and watching rocket launches. Nostalgia album. Season: Start of School (Early Autumn) Favorite Song: Across The Universe
David bowie. This is actually my first time listening to a david bowie album! This album was generally very nice to listen to. As ive been listening to albums, ive discovered a greater appreciation for blues and this feels like Bowies blue hour. my only gripe is that it feels like an ode to the genre rather than trying to make a more unqiue experience, which I may be wrong about, since im . Which is overall, not bad, but make it a tad shallow at times for my taste, there are alot of moments where it feels like im listening to the intro to a 90s show. But for someone who is a fan of bowie, i can see how theyd be a big fan
There are definitely better Bowie albums but i love ‘Fame’
I get the sincere feeling that I haven't gotten to David Bowie's best work yet, but I do really like the last 3 songs on this album. I've yet to pull Ziggy Stardust, so hopefully that's soon!
The more I listen to Bowie the more I think he’s a 3 star kinda guy I’ll start off with this: the dude does not make bad music. Every song on this one is pretty solid from a musical standpoint, well thought out and there’s enough variety where it doesn’t get boring. Across the Universe is pretty cool (even though Emily told me he stole it from the Beatles) I just don’t think his highs are particularly high. I know he has better songs on other albums but I never come away from his albums with a real standout or banger. Maybe it’s just a symptom of his music not being my thing since I really can’t highlight any major flaws It’s an enigma; I’m never upset when we get a Bowie album but 20 minutes into one I kinda wish it was over
Like Fascination Quite enjoy the Across the Universe cover Can you hear me sucks, but that's because I loathe 90% of ballads Pass on Fame I just think Bowie needs to be weirder. This is too commerical of a sound; if I didn't see the artist on this album I probably wouldn't have guessed it was him :~(
Hey look! A David Bowie album! A couple good songs and a bunch of meh. Was on the fence as far as 2 or 3 stars, and Across The Universe pushed it to a 2. Jesus, don't do a cover if you're just gonna fuck it up. Can't wait for more Bowie.
This album sounds pretty good, except it feels somewhat lacking to me. It could be that I listened to Low and Hunky Dory before this one and liked those a lot and so this one felt disappointing to listen to.
This album’s fine. Bowie’s attempt at 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.” However, the cover of Across the Universe it… something. I don't know how to explain my reaction to hearing this. It starts off a bad, but acceptable cover of what is an amazing song, probably one of my favorite Beatle songs. The whole way through it manages to get worse. It's so bad it's funny. I was literally laughing out loud for the last two minutes. It's made worse by the fact that Lennon actually sings backing vocals on it, harming not only my memory of one of my favourite songs but also one of my favourite artists. I was actually tempted to downgrade my score to 2 based solely on this one track it's that bad but Fame just about saves it. Did I need to hear it before I die? For historical context only
Intresting outreacb of Bowie, but not my favourite from him
I enjoyed this one. Got a totally different round to what came before it. That's not news to anyone though. Somebody up there likes me is the standout on this for me.
Not sure I like Bowie's voice. Good vibes though.
Not my favorite Bowie album, but some really great songs none the less
I've always thought the song Young Americans was a bit of an odd Bowie tune, and this whole album is similar in that it seems like his attempt at doing a blue-eyed soul thing. It's not bad, and it has some really great sax moments, but definitely not going to be one of my go-to albums. 3/5
Decent album bookended by a couple amazing songs. The middle songs sorta just pass me by though. I think I still like the album, but it's by no means in the running for best Bowie. 3.5/5
Dig the “Plastic Soul!” You were truly one of a kind Mr. David Robert Jones!
This is my 9th Bowie album on the list, and enough is enough. He’s a bit overrated in my opinion, and the cover of ‘Across the Universe’ was pretty awful. ‘Fame’ was the hit here, but by the time I arrived at that track I was pretty over it.
hat schon bangers
This is far from his best album... I love Bowie but this album should not be on this book. This Beatles cover is really rough... Theres atleast 2 good songs, the first and last one. The rest mostly decent-ish.
Bowie #2 on the list - The soul-funk years. It's great. End of.
'Twas Alright, probably won't listen to it again.
Do I not like Bowie’s voice? Is that it? Other than some hits, I have not dug deep into Bowie. Most of these songs started with a decent groove and some sax too…Bowie’s voice didn’t make them better. (Although Fame is an absolute banggggger). 3.6
Didn’t do much for me, but it was enjoyable. I’m realizing that part of the problem with this project is that some days I have more attention available than others. I wonder if, on the right day, this could have captured me as it did so many others in the reviews? 6/10 Pretty Good
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Good Bowie, but not my favorite Bowie.
Very ok.
A very solid offering by Bowie - seems he just can't miss, but not as strong as other records
I am not familiar with David Bowie's discography, so I was surprised how different this album sounds from his previous album I listened to. Favorite track : Fascination 3.5/5
Holy moly, NOT my favourite Bowie era! Pretty bland funk for the most part, few decent parts. And the Across the Universe cover sounds like someone parodying Bowie singing
After listening to Low, I haven’t got much faith in Bowie, let’s see if he can redeem himself. Young Americans: 7.5/10 High energy, catchy and great. Win: 7/10 Smooth and chill, has the qualities of a soft RnB song. Fascination: 6.5/10 Groovy. Right: 6/10 Somebody in there likes me: 5.5/10 Across the universe: 6/10 Beatles song. Sounds very Bowie even though it’s a cover. Can you hear me: 5.5/10 Fame: 7/10 What a tune. Great intro. Banging song. The definition of funk.
young americans is a banger but the rest of it is kinda boring although probably the best bowie album i’ve had yet….. and i still have six to go 😩 2.5
Fantastic album. I fricken love David Bowie. Every song on here is SO GOOD. His voice is just so captivating and somethin else. Such grooves on this album. If you dont like Bowie, we cant be friends.
This is why I never listen to Bowie albums. You get 1-2 good songs and the rest is unremarkable.
Album #37, David Bowie, Young Americans ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’m glad Bowie lived to make the music that he did, but without meaning any disrespect, cocaine and Bowie seemed to go hand in glove around this period. There’s something interesting that happens when an artist makes music that’s very obviously derivative. The elements of the genre they’re borrowing from often end up exaggerated. It’s like they lean too hard into certain parts in order to make it work. That’s kind of what happens on this album. This is exaggerated soul. Everything is turned up to the maximum. The chord progressions are big, soulful progressions. The backing vocals are huge. The smoothness and slickness of the sound are pushed right to the front. Even the lyrical style leans heavily into the genre. It’s basically an exaggerated version of soul music, and I absolutely love it. I love the sound of this record and the feel of this record. I don’t really care if it’s derivative, and I don’t care that Bowie himself didn’t seem to look back on it as fondly as some of his more experimental albums. When I want a Bowie fix, I sometimes reach for this before albums like The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars or the Berlin-era records like Low. It’s probably not his best record, and it might not objectively be a five-star album. This is definitely a personal rating. But it’s one of the most enjoyable Bowie records to listen to. You can put it on in almost any situation and it works. This album and Station to Station, and Bowie’s short move into soul music generally, are probably my favourite period of his career. I love every song on it. It’s an album that works best as a full listen, even though the individual songs stand on their own. Just putting it on and letting it play is a great experience. Even the slightly strange inclusion of Across the Universe by The Beatles, which can feel a bit clumsy at times, still ends up soaring. The songs are quite long for what they are, but they draw you in as they go. They build gradually and they’re incredibly catchy.
Heard Before? Yup. One of the several times I've tried to get into Bowie. Notes: - production is more or less perfect. great sounds, well placed. - so many ingredients i love: lots of keyboard work, cheesy sax, group background vocals, long vamps, false endings, compositional variety. - so why don't i care? - the problem, as often, lies in how despite my heart admiration for Bowie's stylistic risks, everything he did was done in a more interesting way by someone else. - i take that back about the long vamps. these songs are mostly underwritten and endless. kind of grating. Verdict: Bowie Bowie Bowie. And more Bowie. Your mileage may vary. Listen Again? Nope.
muy chulo y divertido! me lo he pasado súper bien, repetiría en cualquier momento. <3 resulta que la canción más funky está coescrita con john lennon, esa no me la vi venir
Beatles remake and Fame - love it David Sanborn on sax
Very cool. First introduced to this album with Somebody Out There on GTA San Andreas and when I was a little bit older, I ventured to hear the rest and it's pretty strong. The saxophone feels stylish over superfluous and it has a great feel.
god
Great music, but wasn't as memorable as the first album of his I listened to.
Wait...at first, I thought I accidentally turned on a different YouTube video. I was thinking "why do I hear a black soul singer?", and then when I glanced down at my phone, I realized, to my amazement, I had a David Bowie album playing. This was a fun little experiment for Bowie, but he's better off as a Blackstar, and rockstar named Ziggy. (My album yesterday turned 40 years old today, and this album turns 50 years old in two days; it's March Madness). Favorite Track: "Fame".
Dancey fun. Sounds quintessential 80s. Some songs were captivating. Great production but not my typical flavor of music. Seems one you grow to love.
Incredible! The legendary Fame song is here. I loved this album
- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM
Eindelijk eens een Bowie-album dat ik van het begin tot eind lekker vind klinken. Het is funky, relaxt, geen dissonanten of gekkigheid. Voor elk nummer wordt ruim de tijd genomen, ook fijn. Misschien wat commercieel met die gelikte saxofoon erdoor, maar het is ook gewoon Bowie die laat horen dat hij gewoon retegoeie muziek kan maken. En speciaal voor Dieleman nog even een Beatles-covertje erbij.
Deze een tijdje geleden geluisterd, maar daarna kwam My Bloody Valentine en daarna was ik zo klaar met deze lijst, dat ik zelfs niets meer opgeschreven heb. Dus wat is er blijven hangen? Een beetje een saai album van Bowie, iets minder eigen. Een toetertje, een beatje. Laten we het maar een standaard pop-album noemen voor de eind '70's / begin '80s. Maar als mijn hitster skills enigszins op orde zijn, is mijn idee dat het niets eigens heeft, niet terecht. Dan is meneer wel een trendsetter geweest. Want dit album is al een paar jaar ouder. Ik kijk eens terug. Bijna alles van Bowie krijgt 3 sterren van mij (Uitzondering: 4 sterren voor Station To Station). Uiteindelijk doet Bowie mij blijkbaar niet heel veel.
Nummer 8 van de 9 albums in dit boek. Mag het een onsje minder zijn? Graag. Al kan ik een goede portie Bowie prima hebben gelukkig, anders zou je er maar ongelukkig van worden. En Bowie weet altijd wel enigszins te vernieuwen of te veranderen, waardoor het geheel zeker wel tof is om te luisteren en elk album een iets ander geluid geeft. Maar om diezelfde reden zouden we ook Taylor Swift 9 keer kunnen opnemen in de snoblijst en dat doen de snobs ook niet. Dit album is van net voor zijn Berlijn-trilogie en de laatste in zijn glamrock-periode. Nou ja, verder kun je de wiki of hele boeken erover lezen, mocht je daarin geinteresseerd zijn. Of talloze podcasts luisteren, danwel met danwel zonder Don Leo Blokhuis, die deze muziek zoals gewoonlijk grijs heeft gedraaid als we de beste man mogen geloven. Zo, heb ik toch weer 2 alineatjes gevuld met lulkoek, zonder iets over de muziek te hoeven zeggen. Ik vind de titeltrack wel prima, Somebody up there prima, Fame is wel aardig. De rest is niks mis mee, maar of het nu tot het hoogtepunt van Bowies oeuvre behoort, waag ik te betwijfelen. Als je geinteresseerd bent in de handel en wandel van Bowie, dan is dit album zeker interessant om te luisteren, maar als ik 3 albums zou MOETEN kiezen, dan hoort deze er niet bij. Dan zou ik denk ik voor 1. Ziggy Stardust moeten gaan, 2. een vd platen vd Berlijn-trilogie, wellicht Heroes al vind ik persoonlijk Station to Station beter, en 3. een ander album naar eigen keuze. Mijn scores zouden dan zeggen Aladdin Sane. Qua luisterplezier zit het ergens tussen de 3 en de 4 in, ligt een beetje aan de mood en wat ik ervoor zou hebben moeten luisteren van de snobs. In dit geval kies ik voor de 3, vanwege de overdaad aan Bowie (en het gebrek aan Taylor).
Not my favourite Bowie album, but still great
Not one of the better Bowie albums IMO. It was ok but not as interesting as other albums of his.
(V) I mean, it’s Bowie. Great record
Starts and ends well, but pretty lean around the middle. And I never need to hear that version of Across the Universe again.
Neblogas
Definitely a vibe… liked it more than I thought I would. Background singers are so good.
After multiple Bowie albums on here, I can officially say I am not a Bowie boy. His music isn’t bad it just doesn’t do anything for me.
The band is absolutely fire and the songwriting is honestly passionate about soul (Right is a freak exercise, true to form) I do enjoy more the Bowiesque detours (Somebody Up There Loves Me) than the pure soul attempts That said, hopefully people did go listen to proper soul and r&b after this
Not unpleasant - but I'm a Bowie fanatic and even I would never think this is in any way essential.
Love it
Soul crooner is my favorite flavor of Bowie.
Is it a very white man singing soul? yes, but it's Bowie. Bowie wins.
I never listened to much Bowie. This is the second or third album I've listened to of his thanks to this website. I'm always so impressed and intrigued by his work. What an artist. You can see his impact on contemporary artists who are so thoughtful with each album release and how they plan the aesthetic of each project.
Great tunes and lyrics thx !
Interesting, kind of funk so not my favorite
Decent British bull shit. Nice to hear the sample for Beck’s Deborah song.
Bowie doing Bowie. Not his best, but still quite good.
Apart from the two famous songs this is my least favorite Bowie style I think.
Average Bowie is still good, but it's not his peak period.
This is the first Bowie album that ALMOST clicked for me.
Bookends were shoe ins, I wanted to like the middle ones more- esp the someone up there likes me, but as someone down here- I didn’t like it darn
4-5 songs in the middle are kinda weak. Or maybe Young Americans and Fame are so good they outshine the others?
Hard to believe this was not an 80’s album.
average
No me voló la cabeza, pero es muy bueno. Mucha presencia "Beatle" en el álbum. En la primera canción, hay un guiño a "A day in the Life". Luego, el cover de Across the Universe. Y, por último, Fame. Canción en la que participó John Lennon. Por último, Right se lleva el álbum.
6/10
Great gospel backing vocals
3rd Bowie album. It's decent. IMO so far Bowie seems to be an artist that has a lot of albums that have 2-3 great songs and the rest are fine or lacklustre. I don't think I'll be encountering a perfect 5/5 album from him but this list has given him 9 chances. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.
my least favorite David Bowie era - plastic for a reason...
David Bowie shows once again he’s brilliant by completely changing his style and managing to knock it out of the park.
finally a david bowie album. i’ve been getting into david bowie as of late and he’s so amazing. but we are going to talk about this album young americans. it’s really soulful if i could say. it leans more into more rock/ jazz aspects of music or soul you could say. and he does this so well i love this album, it also has one of my favorite bowie tracks “win” he did his thing with it. it’s a short album but it packs a punch, you could just put this on and dance. i haven’t really seen anyone talk about this and it needs more recognition. this album is now on rotation for me and i just want to say david bowie was one of the most artistic and creative and influential artists of all time, he did everything and wasn’t afraid to experiment on his music. this album is a 10/10
Better than Coldplay
Not for me
from someone as critically acclaimed as bowie, this left way too much to be desired for me.
Bowie, what can I say?
Classic.
good album but dont save anyone, dont fit with me 100%
7/10 No recomendaría este disco a nadie. Tiene uno de los peores covers de Across the Universe. Única canción rescatable: Somebody up there likes me
Der kann auch Soul
meh.
It’s fine. Sounds like the music they play during commercial breaks on SNL.
Very strong opener, very strong closer. The rest of it is completely forgettable saxophone noodling with a crap beatles cover.
Me ilusioné cuando vi que el álbum tiraba más al R&B y al soul porque es la música que más me gusta pero creo que sigue teniendo demasiada influencia del rock. No termina siendo de mi gusto aunque hay canciones bastante buenas
Ничем не отличается от предыдущих альбомов Bowie
2.5/5 While I do like David Bowie this is not my favorite by him. Although the song fame is a banger
Jazzy, soulful. So many layers and textures. Funky. I love it!
Young Americans is an album that sounds different from Bowie's past work, and there are songs that are amazing, but there are also songs that feel too long and repetitive, nonetheless it is still a pretty decent album. 3.4/5
Bowie's jump towards soul is sometimes met with derision or muted disinterest, but I find it fascinating and refreshing. Maybe it's my hometown love of Philly soul, but the title track that kicks this thing off is so vibrant, smoky and smooth that I can't help but love it to death.
Upon seeing all of Bowie's albums considered in this publication, this is by my count clearly the weakest. I would much rather have 'Scary Monsters' but as an album in the better half of the artist's discography it remains a really enjoyable record. 7/10 [DROP]
Love Bowie, own this album, it's not my favorite of his. Young Americans and Fame are both phenomenal. Yeah
Opening track (Young Americans) - it's an all-timer. The best of sax with lyrics that make no sense to me. Fame - also amazing. The others - much less memorable and, despite repeated listenings, are not sticking with me.
Such a great listen beginning to end with a number of classics.
Hell yeah! Had fun with this one
Love this album, never really realized he covered Across the Universe, I think I like it better than the original
el saxo me enloqueció en cada canción pero bajon las letras no me terminaron de enganchar~
no mi favorito, el sonido en particular que tiene este álbum no me termina de convencer :p
like it
muy bueno
Funky, trying to explore new music genres kinda like it but it doesn't really have a catchy beat.
I love this album. Such a nice vibe to this. ended up listening to it a few more times than I'd planned just because you put it on and just jam for 40 minutes or whatever and then it's over. Every song on this one has such great replay value. A lot of funk/disco tracks so jammy and full of smarm (I think I mean swank here). You do the stank face and move around to it. Blue-eyed soul the way only Bowie can pull it off. Have to give it a 5.
Znowu Bowie. Z tych płyt, które już tu spotkałam ta jest gdzieś w środku. Dość zachowawcza, krótsza chyba, miejscami wręcz popowa. Nie ma specjalnego miejsca w moim sercu, nie zabrała mnie w inne stany świadomości, ale zasługuje na naciągane 7/10
yay another bowie i prefer his more rock-y eras though this is not bad however, just doesn't compare to me
Wunbdervolle Mujsik, habe nicht mal bemerkt das es BNowie ist
I like 'Right'. Never heard this album fully through - even though I've been a fan of Fame and John I'm Only Dancing. Funky Bowie!
Im a fan of all things Bowie, obviously considering this project, so this being the first album given on this project is fantastic. Never heard the album in full before, feel like I missed out
nice sound, but not sure if its one id be listening to often. a lot of the songs kinda sound the same, but its still really good. songs from the album that id most likely listen to are Fascination and Right, with Right being my most favorite. great album!! will listen to more david bowie some day.
Decent album, best one i’ve had so far.
It might have been great at the time but seems flat now.
The title track is a banger, and "Fame" is interesting, but the rest is not Bowie at his best.
It's ok but not my taste
Eh. I wanted to like this more than I did. YA and Fame are great songs, and there are some nice textures and vibes, but nothing else really grabs me. For as talented a singer and songwriter as Bowie is, you just know he can do better than this, and it all feels a bit too much like the cocaine is talking. And worse, 'Around the Universe' is dull. How can Bowie covering the Beatles be dull! A high 3.
Great 👍
Love David as always
Loved it, start of Bowie's soul period. Just magnificent
Creatieve genie
Solid David Bowie album. 4/5
Good opener and closer. Not super good in the middle.
Bowie is always a banger. This isn't my favorite album ever but it's definitely fantastic.
I LOVE DAVID BOWIE
Very enjoyable funky vibes
I prefer 70s Bowie
Fairly dull Bowie album. Not bad, just not as stand out as any of his other stuff. Listenable, some clear influences, but fairly boring.
The Great David Bowie
Probably guilty of initially overlooking this album with it not being one of his classics, but this is another side to Bowie and an enjoyable take on funky soul.
Love this album
3,5
While this is not really a top tier Bowie album and not very representative of his sound, it's still a pretty great one. It predates my favorite Bowie album (Station to Station) by a year and it's in a way a prelude to that record. With it's massive soul and funk vibes it feels like a gateway to that record, not as polished and strong on the songwriting but still really good. Fascination and Fame are total bangers that are really on par with Station to Station. The opener title track is also a classic and I love the ballad Win, always been underrated to me. The album is not flawless, I think he overdoes it a bit vocally on Across the Universe and a few others are a little bland, but it remains a respectable and underrated Bowie record.
Kind of boring
Another 5/5 by Bowie. This soul period suited him very well.
Love this album, underrated of Bowie’s mid 70s work.
I even like the Across the Universe cover.
Much better album than I expected a 3 matter 4 his disco album but he carries it off.
I could never get into Bowie, alas...
Really good David Bowie album. My favourite song is Fame
couple of really good songs but I just cannot get into Bowie somehow. 2.6
I like some of Bowie's stuff, but I just don't understand why people act like everything he's ever done is transcendent. This project does not need 9 Bowie records at the expense of some other very good records, and besides for Fame (which is a banger), this is an album that could easily be dropped.
First time I’ve ever listened to Bowie. Wish it was more of what he was known for and not the very blue-eyed, plastic soul sound that this album has. “Fame” was alright, wasn’t feeling the rest of it.
Weird white guy funk that… works? Bowie’s awkward signing style is the complete opposite of a smooth, suave RnB vocalist, but somehow it’s complete oppositeness plays right into this album’s listenability.
Pretty alright, more chill than I was expecting. Fascination was my favorite and the rest of the album is pretty solid. Across The Universe is actually one of my favorite songs, so it was nice to see Bowie's cover. 5.7/10
Not his best but enjoyable, pretty good soul record
++*: Fame ++: Young Americans, Fascination, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Across the Universe +: Win, Right, Can You Hear Me? 8,2/10
A song or two I had heard parts of before but did not realize was Bowie. Liked it more than I expected to having very little knowledge of his work, much more Rock than the Pop I expected. A lot of sounds I recognize from Killers songs and I have to imagine this is an influence on them.
Interesting sounds. Not amazed. But not bad.
well, it's been 5 David Bowie albums.. can we stop already? I mean I like the guy, but I would also like to listen to some other artists :) This one was good, but not as good as the previous two, so I won't add it to the replay list.
#2/1089 ------ Favorites: Young Americans, Fame Least favorites: Across The Universe, Right Rating (out of 10): 8/10
bangersssss. love bowie
i love david bowie but i really don't care about blue-eyed soul at all. the only songs i trully enjoyed are 'fascination' and 'fame'. and it's probably because they are more funk than soul.
This is one of the few Bowie albums I’d never sat down and listened to in its entirety and I’m so glad I did. A favourite would be the cover of Across the Universe especially as it led me to discover John Lennon did the backing vocals for Fame! Definitely a fun listen.
Este disco me gustó mucho, lo disfrute bastante y creo que tiene cosas muy interesantes. Pero lo que más me gustaría destacar es la ambientación y el uso de distintos instrumentos y estilos en cada pista. Construye un ambiente único en cada canción muy diferente a la anterior. El uso de los distintos instrumentos, no siempre utilizados en la música rock, como timbales, flautas, trompetas, etc., invoca distintas texturas en cada pista y eso es lo que hace única cada ambientación. Además, recurre a diferentes estilos a lo largo del disco, como son funk, glam, psicodélico, pop, R&B, soul y más los cuales hacen este disco aún más versátil y completo. Y precisamente así definiría la música de Bowie: completa. Se nota que nunca tuvo miedo de experimentar y hacer cosas nuevas. Y en este disco lo demuestra, su estilo tan único mezclado con todos esos estilos a los que recurre... caray creo que deberíamos llamar a eso un nuevo genero. Bowie style o yo que se. Igual y ya existe, pero yo que se. Y lo que hizo con ese cover de Across de Universe, joder es cover. Por último, reconocer el nivel de producción tan alto que tiene el disco. Los arreglos e incidencias de cada instrumento aparecen en cada pista de una manera tan precisa y sutil que resulta en un disco increíble. Gran disco.
Young American Young American: gran apertura al disco, y un hermoso y bailable R&B con ritmos pegajosos y dándonos una parte de lo que oiremos en todo el disco que son esos súper coros. La letra, la añoranza a lo americano tradicional, desde la perspectiva de la mujer. Nostalgia por los 50, la depresión, los hijos, Nixon…. Y ese membering de American pie de Don McClean TE AMO BOWIE 10/10 Win: Entramos con algo mucho más Soul puro. Se pone romántico el pedo. Pero la mezcla de la voz de Bowie que sabe cuando entrar, donde los coros agarran más protagonismo junto con esa guitarra que te dice “Slow down and let someone love you” 9/10 Fascination: Pasamos del R&B, al soul y ahora también al R&B pero mucho más funky. Ahora, esas entradas en el coro… Bowie aquí te inspiraste un poco de más del Stevie Wonder. Fascination comes around… superstition ain’t the way…. Me encanta cuando los artistas se ponen ya locos con toda la canción al final 9/10 Right: se siente acá la presencia de Warren peace que es la única canción donde tuvo coros. Además ya nos regalan un solito de guitarra el cual se aprecia. “La llamada y respuesta” entre Bowie y los coristas le aporta mucho mucho mucho a la rola. 10/10 SB up thr lks m: se continúa con la historia musical del álbum. Ya tenemos más pianito + ese efecto de phaser en la guitarra. Se siente más arriesgada con los coros que el resto del disco. Y ya en el minuto 4 es cuando realmente se siente como un statement de R&B y soul increíble.10/10 Across the universe: casi casi tan buena como la original. Suficiente cercana a la de los Beatles pero con un twist. Comienzas a extrañar la voz de JL pero de repente madres ahí aparece para complementar a Bowie 9/10 Can you hear me: la última canción soul del álbum y la mejor interpretación vocal de Bowie en Young Americans. Una súper balada que en serio se siente como amor. Gracias por los violines. “I want love so badly, I want you must of all” 10/10 Fame: De mis canciones favs de Bowie. Funky,cero coros , cero soul lo que hace que el disco sea un paseo por la black music de los 70. En homenaje. John Lennon se rompió la garganta seguro con esta 10/10 Overall: 9.71
A great album if only didn’t had the worst cover of across the universe I ever heard, like man how could yo go wrong with that song? He really try so hard to the point that sounded like the song was about to explote in a bad way, other than that I love the rest of the songs and the concept of being a plastic soul album
Faaaaaaame
I don't hate it
It's whimsical and creative in every way, because David is an artist in the first place. Always love his manneurism and text delivery, he would convince me in anything if he wanted to. The gospel elements are the perfect component of the songs. Overall funky impression, especially in "Fascination". This version of "Across the Universe" has so much determination and positivity compared to the Beatles original and I think it's a very Bowie thing to do. "Fame" is a timeless hit!
Good album. Love Bowie
Fantastic album, has some great jazzy elements
Young Americans is a great combination of Soul and Rock classic David Bowie Win is much slower but still such a soulful piece the backup singers are just amazing Fascination is another great jam not as strong as the first two but it still has that groove so far so good Right is a perfect blend of the slower pace Bowie established earlier and transforming it further that saxophone is just amazing Somebody up there likes me is not as strong as the songs before it for me but it still keep the motif Bowie is going for very strongly the last 1:30 is my favorite A great cover of a already great song. If I never heard the beatles version I'd assume this was an original Bowie song just by how much he imports his own essence into it. Can you hear me is exactly why I love David Bowie he just know how every note is supposed to hit its not my favorite song but it's classic David Bowie magic Fame is the only song I've heard before listening to this album and I can say for sure I see it much more positively now as a closer to the album. Its such a good jam and I could imagine so much when listening to it. 1. Right 2. Young Americans 3. Win 4. Across the Universe 5.Fame 6. Fascination 7. Can you hear me 8. Somebody Up there likes me
It’s Bowie man.
To be completely honest, this was a pretty bland record. I only care for Somebody Up There Likes Me, and Who Can I Be Now?
The B in R&B stands for Bowie ----------------------------------------- Wasn't too sure about this one at first but it's really grown on me. I'm not too well acquainted with David Bowie's work generally, but this was shockingly unlike the music of his that I did know. The schmoozing blues-y/souls-y sound is kind of infectious. The interpolation of A Day In The Life on the title track was stuck in my head all day, and those first three tracks in general are really great Fav Track 1 - Young Americans Best Three Track Run 1, 2, 3
Only heard Fame before
I am not a David Bowie fan. I hope there aren’t anymore albums. I’ve had 3 so far. I’m tired.
bastante flojo, estilo ochentero melodico
хороший альбик, подходит для игры в симс
If this album consisted of just the title track alone repeated 8 times it would still stand as an almighty pop music masterpiece. 'Young Americans' (the song) is as close to a perfect song as I have heard, each tiny element tuned to absolute perfection, the track unfurls over 5 something minutes of scintilating, luxuriating, envigorating bliss. The rest of the album does a gallant if not entirely as captivating job of following such a peerless opening act. Rich, textural production, smooth rhythms and harmonies, ineffeble sex appeal and sophistication. A sleek, stylish and satisfying cocktail shaken and served by the master Himself.
Classic Bowie. All the sounds. One of his many great records.
More 3.5 but I actually enjoyed
2 of the greatest songs ever written are on this album (Fame and Young Americans)
Not a Bowie record I had even heard of before, but thoroughly enjoyed! A very cohesive album and sounds so sure of itself despite being a diversion from the usual Bowie sound. Good fun
Another great album from David Bowie
David Bowie was one of the most important and influential artists of the 20th century. With that out of the way, this Bowie era is not my favorite. I’ve always loved the title track. After that it’s perfectly fine. Lennon should have done him a solid and talked him out of that Beatles cover.
¡Me encantó! Es un disco buenísimo (ya tenía algunos temas conocidos) la experiencia de escucharlos todos juntos te pone en contexto de como trabajo el ritmo y te invita a bailar con casi todas las canciones. ¡Muy Bueno para subir la energía!
Sounds alright but I’ve never been into Bowie as much as a lot of people seem to be
Sounds good, we were all young once.
Not his best, but very good album. Best Song: Fame.
Álbum soul e rnb do Bowie. Não curto tanto soul mas é Bowie.
All bangers. Coked up pre-Berlin r&b gold. An incredible cast of collaborators. He had already reinvented his sound 5 or 6 times by this point in his career, but he was somehow able to make it sound perfect each time he tried something new. The production sounds great, the band sounds great, Bowie's voice sounds great, the backup singers sound great. It just sounds great. Maybe not even a top 5 Bowie album for me, but it's still close to perfect...that's how good Bowie was.
The "plastic soul" album. Some interesting vocal arrangements. Perhaps Across The Universe could have been replaced by one of many outtakes from sessions but a solid piece of work nonetheless.
Title track is a classic but the rest of the album doesn't quite do it for me
Bowie again? I liked this one more than the Low. Fame is such a banger. Fun album, but pretty dated for it's time. Honestly, I'm not that into the Bowie hype. I'm not very educated on his influence. Musically, he's decent but that's about it. Maybe I should read his biography or something idk.
Are you serious? Bowie two days in a row? WHERE IS CHUCK BERRY, ROBERT DIMERY? Jesus fucking Christ this is like my 4th Bowie album and we’re not even 200 albums into this project. Uch. Ok. Fine. I don’t fully understand the hype around Bowie. Even Ziggy Stardust, I’m not blown away. There though, I see the appeal. Here, there is nothing mind blowing. Just inspiration from greater funk artists. Is it a “real" 1? No. So many ratings of this project are subjective to day and mood. David Bowie lost being placed in my hands 2x in a row.
Never listened to this Bowie album before, but I absolutely loved it. It’s slick, groovy, sexy, moody and it’s now one of my fave Bowie albums. maybe it’s just because it’s new to me - but it’s is a 5 for me 5.0/5.0 Best Song: Somebody Up There Likes Me
pretty good, didn't like as much as changes. not even close.
A couple of fun hits and a couple of interesting songs. Not too bad, but would rather be listening to T-Rex Zinc Alloy. Bolan did it better!
Not my fav David Bowie but a great one nonetheless. Kept listening out for Luther
Bowie goes funky soul. A couple clunkers on this one, but the good ones sound SO GOOD and more than make up for it. I was head-bobbin hard. YA and Fame are all-timers.
iiiiiiiisssss this a shit sandwich?
Not as well written as diamond dogs….not as fascist as station to station. Still pretty damn good. Fascination is a truly great track
This one was always a "lesser" Bowie album for me growing up but I appreciate it more now. Yes, he does "appropriate" the Philly soul sound ...but he does it so damn well and with the right backing singers and players. There are some great songs on here like the title track, "Fascination," "Right," and "Fame." Also like the cover of "Across the Universe." It may have been "plastic soul," as he put it, but, for a shape-shifting rocker who loved to change genres, he nailed this transition.
Was there anything this guy couldn't do? From reading a bit about it, Bowie was uncharacteristically self conscious about this one, calling it plastic soul, but at least this pasty brit went to the source. The backing band sounds terrific, and Luther Vandross and the other vocalists bolster a lot of tracks here. For me, the deeper cuts aren't as memorable as deeper cuts on his other classics, but I do love Fascination, giving it his best James Brown. And this record is bookended by two fantastic singles, especially the title track - one of my favorite Bowie songs, so much fun
Young Americans is a good star but this process has made me wary of Bowie album and the fact that the other recognisable track bookends the album is slightly concerning. Win lacks the punch or jollity of the opener and it feels like the momentum is sucked out the album. Fascination continues this trend despite a far more upbeat chorus. It just sounds very dated. Right applied a similar laid back sax laden approach. This is not the Bowie I want. Same with Somebody up there likes me. Christ! Across the Universe is my favourite Beatles track and Bowie’s version is a crime against humanity. Can you hear is equally disappointing, before we finally teach Fame. Fame is a great track and cements my increasing virw that save for a couple of exceptions Bowie was very much a singles artist. I guess in the age of cassette putting the only two good tracks first and ladt meant you could listen to the first one and the flip it over with minimal rewinding or forwarding.
I’ve never been the biggest Bowie fan and the last album which came up here left me feeling as though I didn’t know what all the fuss was. Turns out you just needed the right album. I wasn’t at all familiar with this one (aside from “Fame”), but when the title track began, and it oozed that mid-70s soul vibe, I was hooked. It only got better as the tracks continued and I’d realised I could hear the might of the fabulous Luther Vandross on backing vocals - it’s not a surprise that my favourite track, “Fascination”, also has a Vandross writing credit, I suppose. Surprisingly (or not, as I’ve come to find with my Bowie relationship), “Fame” was a bit of a let down compared to the rest of the album - and I thought that prior to learning that it was a John Lennon co-write. I wasn’t really fussed on the penultimate track either. But the first 6 tracks getting a rare repeated play from me is what earns this album its 4*. My dad always said I’d get the Bowie thing - turns out he was right.