Reviews (page 8 of 14)
2/2 Youthful and vibrant. Standout Tracks: Young Americans, Win, Across the Universe
Even though Bowie is kinda overrepresented on this list, all his albums here are fantastic, and this one is no different.
Funk soul melody.... it’s what the thin white duke does best. Top record!!
Never understood the Bowie-hype. This is quite average.
Lite mysigt, vet inte om jag kommer lyssna igen dock.
🙂
Oh my god there are so many David Bowie albums. This one is on the better end, but still doesn't rival his peak material.
I have Bowie fatigue. Still good, but not better than good
It was ok. Couple of good songs. Overall I thought it was a nice album.
Mid
three stars for fame
Fame is one of my favorite songs but this album doesn’t compare to other Bowie’s.
Great sounds. Thoroughly enjoyed!
Very soft fall vibes. Would listen again. Didn’t realize i knew and like lover, you should have come over as much as I do!
Musically sound. Just couldn’t bring myself to enjoy his voice.
It's funny how much this sounds like the rolling stones and I suspect it's because the rolling stones wholesale ripped off Bowie but were worse at doing it than he was. These are cocaine fueled rock songs of the 70's, but with a precursor to what would end up as glam rock. It's fun to listen to but it's not really my jam as far as repeated plays. Still good.
Title track was very solid, everything else wasn’t quite my jam. I’ve tried repeatedly to get into Bowie but I think he’s a little too weird for me.
Begin leuk, daarna eentonig
Another Bowie I don't have. Starts so strong, and I like the sound and the idea. But maybe not an album's worth of an idea. Didn't know about the Lennon connection before. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some Owned: No, 99/376 (26%) Will I get: Maybe
good
Not my favorite Bowie: somehow, the music never quite takes off
Really enjoyable.
This album is better than I remembered it. Young AMericans and Fame are great songs. Fascination is quite good. The rest ... is kind of lackluster, but more listenable than my memory of it. Solid. Good performances. There just isn't enough strong material. Bowie was making albums absurdly quickly at the time.
Enjoyed some songs on this. Not really my thing but enjoyed Fame and Across the Universe
You can’t go wrong with Bowie, he’s got a mode for every mood.
3rd bowie album and just 10% in. this one is just ok
Pretty gay yo
Only the hits hit unfortunately
I thinks it is a album with a strong message Fav song - Fascination
Huge David Bowie fan and there's a lot here to like, including of course Fame. Some fantastic vocals though do feel the album loses its way, especially in the bad cover of Across the Universe.
Okay. I love Bowie. But not this album. Even this version of Young Americans and Across the Universe are unpleasant. But what is going on in those songs poorly, Fame brings in and brasses up. Makes up for a lot of boredom.
There are 23 Bowie albums on my shelves, but not this, and I've never heard it in its entirety before today. 'Fame' and 'Young Americans' rightly stand out amongst a somewhat unremarkable album, dominated by saxophone noodling throughout. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit 🫳 ★★★☆☆(6/10) Total reviewed : 393 Already owned : 87 Purchased : 21 To buy : 3 Nope : 282
7/10 Fav Tracks: Fame, Win Heard before? --------–- ❌ Saved a new Song? ----- ✅ Saved Album? -------–-- ✅ Will Listen Again? ---––– ✅ Album Cover ----------– Great
Decent album, but nothing special
good, but doesn't hit like the berlin trilogy. 3.5
I don't usually listen to this genre but I really enjoyed it and found the songs very good.
7/10
Was fine
Well, it finally happened: I got my first David Bowie album in this challenge. And naturally, I landed on the one where he decided to go R&B. Overall, Young Americans was a pretty mixed bag for me. Bowie’s voice sometimes worked with this style, and sometimes it really didn’t. I love the title track, and there were a few other songs that caught my attention, mostly because of the spacey, funky, and soulful instrumentation happening behind him. Even when the vocals weren’t completely clicking for me, there was usually something interesting going on musically. The first half was definitely stronger. It felt more varied and had more personality, while the second half started to lose me and became a little boring. The major exception is “Fame,” which wakes the album back up right near the end. There are some great sounds on here, but as a whole, Young Americans never fully came together for me.
3/6
I am used to either loving or hating his music, and this album confused me by not eliciting either reaction.
It was fine. David Bowie is fine.
Super high highs, drags from time to time 3.5/5
Langweilig; nichts besonderes
125 in and I finally get one of the mythical Too Many Bowies. Maybe I'll finally get an Excess Costello tomorrow? Maybe even a Very Justified Beatles. And yeah, there aren't many Bowies that both check off the Unnecessary Addition and also the Likely Addition. I don't think we're getting Black Tie White Noise or even Diamond Dogs (though sure, that has Rebel Rebel, so maybe). And as that goes, this is probably the second I'd cut out besides The Last Day, which was very good but only essential in that it was truly added for the same reason Hackney Diamonds is being added, but is worlds more respectable. It's always impressive how Bowie can work a throwback. Young Americans does what so many America songs do… it takes something that feels nostalgic and upbeat and, well, American, and makes the dumbest Americans think it's pro-America. It's supremely catchy despite being almost impossible to follow lyrically past the chorus. On the other hand is Fame, which slinks and sleazes in a way that feels ahead of its time. In the middle, we get a lot of what Bowie would call “Plastic Soul.” This was the start of an era marked by too much cocaine and bad decisions. It was also a period of Bowie breaking into the US Mainstream (again, Americans can not be trusted to interpret songs about America), of experimenting with funk and proto-disco and embracing other black musical styles, of recording with John Lennon (he shows up on a reasonable Across the Universe cover and on “Fame” itself) and Luther Vandross before he was a name. So it's a weird moment where Bowie the musician and songwriter is not at his peak, but the album is still racking up reasons for inclusion. I suppose the idea of soulless Soul is interesting. Certainly he pulls that off (his backing vocalists are certainly acquitted, but Bowie himself often sounds listless and rambly). Side B makes a much better argument for the album than Side A, even with the Title track being the best on the album. Side A really leans into particularly banal work (what would make anyone write and record “win”?). For my money this is probably the least successful original album Bowie put out to this point, at least from a quality perspective. A very thin ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A pretty interesting album, especially since my last Bowie was Ziggy Stardust. The range of genres Bowie can cover is fascinating, and he kind of pulls it off here, even if it's not entirely my taste of music.
Bowie’s disco record? Not my favorite of his. But you could do worse than having Young Americans stuck in your head all day.
Underwhelmed. Bowie knocks it out of the park with Young Americans, but nothing else rises back up to that level.
Huh - not really sure if I like this white boy funk era Bowie. Enjoyed the music but I’d need more time with this album I think.
Out of all of the different David Bowie eras -- this is the one I forget about the most! Nothing terrible here but nothing FANTASTIC like some other Bowie stuff.
ngl sounded a musical soundtrack
favorite song: young americans & fame
The first half of the album really didn't do it for me but the second half certainly shined. Don't think it's a must listen but nonetheless it was a fun listen
Probably his weakest of the 70s run for me. Not sure his voice suits the material, and so many tracks have the hallmarks of cocaine-fueled jams at the end.
How could John Lennon let him slaughter "Across the Universe"? Bowie warbles like a doorstop.
Thought I would like this more than I did.
It's good!
a good time until we hit a cover of one of the worst Beatles songs out there. at least the guitar licks are better than butchering the pronunciation of "jai guru deva". anyway Fame is my favorite song here by a mile but i think that's more to do with the quality of that song than the quality of this album
has a lot of interesting moments but not as cohesive as other projects Would I listen again: I did to get a better idea of this album Deserves to be on this list: nah 3.2
I’m so ambivalent about this that it hurts. As much as I love Bowie, this album is just a wee bit below his usual greatness. On the other hand, what a huge risk as n artist to just shift into an entirely different genre, and not only that, but pull off this perfectly executed album. Definitely the primordial soup for the later and more brilliant life forms. Even so, Young Americans is primordial. It feels like Bowie and company are sort of playing with a style rather than feeling it. On the other hand, there’s a very heartfelt appreciation for that style. But in this case, Bowie isn’t creating anything new or using the R&B he emulates as a jumping off point to something better. It’s more of a tribute. Which is respectable. It just doesn’t feel genuine. With a few exceptions, the title track and Fame among them, of course. An important transitional work.
Bowie got pretty funky there. A nice change.
I expected to hate this, but this was the best Bowie album yet
I like Bowie, but this album was kind of boring for me today, even with the couple of radio hits. Fame is an incredible song, but not quite enough for me to boost the album up to 4...
Another day, another Bowie album. Boy this Dimery guy has got it bad for Bowie. Onto the album. Definitely a different sound from prior albums. Half way in, I thought, huh when was this made? It feels later than 1974, which I guess is what folks think he was a bit ahead of his time. The two big hits on the album, Young Americans, and Fame, are clearly interesting and unique. Other than that, nothing stuck me as particularly fantastic. Right has a funky thing that he stole from somewhere I'm sure. There was no reason to remake Across the Universe and he just did it worse than the Beatles.
Not really much to bop to in here but nothing bad either.
This was pretty fun. Except the cover of Across the Universe; that was odd.
The title and final tracks are the standouts of course. I hadn't realized Lennon played on this, and so the repeated, strident denials that "Nothing's gonna change my world" in his cover of Across the Universe seems poignantly prescient. Don't know though, would we call the rest cultural appropriation today?
It was okay bit dated
Bowed
Favourite Songs: Fame
An early Bowie album, not my usual listening appetite but still similar enough to not be jarring. 3/5.
Bookended by absolute classics, the rest of the record is a bit empty. The Beatles cover is fine, but doesn’t quite fulfill the hopes of Bowie covering Lennon.
kIND OF MID WITH SOME HITS.
Over a quarter of the way through the 1001 and I’m only getting my first Bowie now. As a huge fan (he might just be my GOAT) and aware he has 8 albums in the book, this is actually the one I was least looking forward to reviewing. It’s pretty low in my total Bowie ranking, and certainly the one of the 8 I’ll be awarding the fewest stars to. It’s always been so, and I think it’s because the concept should totally work for me (I’m a big fan of 70s soul music too) and because I want so much to be blown away by it. But I’m just not. Today as I listened again, this time trying harder to figure out why it doesn’t grasp me, I probably enjoyed each song a little bit more individually than I ever have done before, but I still came away from the album as a whole dissatisfied. There are some exceptions of course. I couldn’t truly call myself a Bowie fan if I didn’t enjoy the title track. But while I can get off on the vibe of “Fame” I’ve never really been sold on its central songwriting. “Someone Up there Likes Me” is the moment here the idea of the album gels for me; I just believe it more than elsewhere, the moment where Bowie’s self-proclaimed “plastic soul” is least plastic. The sophistication of songwriting is more recognisably Bowie. I straight up don’t enjoy the Beatles cover. I didn’t like much of Pinups either, though I know incredibly well how capable he is of a quality cover (Fill Your Heart, Wild Is the Wind, Cactus, Pablo Picasso). My unpopular take has never had “Across the Universe” as a favourite Beatles song anyway, but on top of that it seems to have little in common with what’s going on elsewhere here. I think the bottom line is that when I’m listening to ‘Young Americans’ I’m hearing Bowie adjusting his writing to what he thinks will suit the surroundings and the outcome comes across as a group of shit-hot musicians doing excellent work but without the quality of material to merit their skills. There’s a good vibe and Bowie’s vocal performances are, by and large, up to his usual spectacular standards, but despite all the positives flying around, I can’t get on board as much as I’d like to. I’ve been glad to give it this much attention today though. Maybe next time I pull it from the shelf, I’ll be finally loving it.
Title track was good, but was a bit bored by the end of the album
Some good songs. Title track and Fame are very good, the rest pretty average.
3 star A proper 3 star Bowie album. Good enough that I own it on vinyl but mid enough that I probably haven’t played the record in the decade since I bought it. This is an album I wouldn’t say anything if it wasn’t on this list, but it’s not bad. The singles are good and the rest of the album is passable as “blue eyed soul.” Except the cover of “Across the Universe” is not great. Can’t believe he got John Lennon to play on that cover.
This reminds me how much I don't really enjoy David Bowie's voice. I do like the switch from his usual glam rock to the more soulful rock sound. I do like most songs with horns. I do not like the "Across the Universe" cover. That's one of my favorite Beatles songs, and nothing is done to really differentiate the song or improve it from the original. Bowie's voice isn't so bad that I dislike this album, but it does curb my enjoyment of the album. There's a couple of fun songs, but in terms of listening there really isn't a whole lot going on here. The style of the album is really the important thing here, and in terms of music history there's some importance to it, but it doesn't sound all that impressive. Favorite Song(s): Fascination, Fame
This cool. a little too poppy for me but it's still great.
Hard to give this one more than a 3. Bowie is great but this one didn't need to make the cut. Love Fame though.
It's commonly called his "blue-eyed soul" or "plastic soul" period. I think it's closer to disco-tinged... either way, it's quite a departure from the glam and glitter rock that he made it with. I'm not a huge fan of his experimental side but I enjoyed this just fine.
oki was not big emotions
It was quite a relaxing album. It encouraged me to clean my room.
Smooth and enjoyable but not fully holding my attention. 7.5/10
Ziggy goes funky soul.
Bowie does soul. Pretty good and an example of his extraordinary versatility.
Young Americans impressed me with how naturally David Bowie could move into soul and funk while still sounding unmistakably like himself. At times, the album barely felt British at all, which made Bowie’s ability to constantly reinvent his sound even more remarkable. Fame was easily my favorite track for its sharp, stylish funk groove and restless energy.
There was a young American i guess
No me gusta como vamos Bowie. No me gusta su voz. Tuve que pasar la versión de Across the Universe
Переслушай
Ok. Glad I listened, but not likely to listen ag6
Ahhhh, my 6th Bowie album so far. C'mon. I'm not going to listen to this but I will give it a middle of the road 3
I'm struck by how some of Bowie's songs sound out-of-time. While much of this album has a cool soul feel, like "Right", which I really liked, "Win" is almost easy listening. Unlike Station to Station, which I listened to recently, there are songs that I've never heard before, including an over-the-top cover of the Beatles' Across the Universe. Each song is interesting in its own right, but there's a reason why I didn't hear them regularly growing up. The title track, and the last track, "Fame" are spectacular, but besides "Right", I don't think I'd return to other songs on this album. 3 stars?
★★★½
7/10
It was good. Nothing special and writing this review a few days later, I don’t remember what I listened to, but the beat and music was fun
This is the coke album. Young Americans and Fame are great tracks but too many tracks drag on too long. Also, not a good Beatles cover on here.
i didn't make much of it. Some groovy tunes.
Dark and funky -
2nd David Bowie out of 9. I understand he was ahead of his time, but not my favorite. 6/10 Top song Fame
It’s Bowie but not my type of Bowie.
So, so, although Fame and Young Americans comfortably take this into 3 star territory
So here we go again. 3 Bowie albums in (none of them Ziggy era) and I'm generally unmoved. Fame is the standout track. The title track and Somebody Up There Likes Me are ok. But what the hell is he doing with Across The Universe? Beck's Debra shows how much the musical ideas in Win (and maybe the entire album?) could have been improved. Another disappointment from the legend that is Bowie. And without Fame it would have been worse.3*
Not the greatest Bowie album.
Really cool soul album! You could really tell Bowie didn’t hold back with this album and was really himself. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I thought his voice in certain songs was very Hendrix. The beginning of the album was pretty weak, minus the title track. That might have put some people off but atleast it actually got really good by the end! I think this is definitely a big landmark for soul, as this acted like Elvis for soul music; not that he was the greatest soul performer of all time, even though he was great. It’s more that it acted as a door for white people to soul music like Elvis was to rock ‘n’ roll music. Although the black community that started it off is definitely better. I’d recommend Young Americans, Right, Somebody up there likes me, Across the universe, Fame and Who can I be now?
Bowie taking a stab at soul- but couldn't quite make up his mind whether he wanted to be Ziggy Stardust or James Brown. Still quintessentially Bowie but with some good stabs at soul It’s funny if this was done by Clapton I’d hate it but Bowie pulls it off with out feeling like a safari in the ghetto
Funky and still pretty mellow.
Not my favourite Bowie. Not sonically or lyrically interesting to me. But even the worst Bowie is kind of good, no?
cool ig
Not my favorite Bowie album but his butterlike voice is always a privilige to listen to. Although, it might not be the best match for this particular music. The songs are great tho!
meh
There are 2-3 excellent songs, and the genre experiment of “Plastic Soul” is an interesting premise, but the album overall is Bowie’s most uneven since the early folk/ hippie records (prob at least partially due to the miles of coke lines the glittered one was doing at this time, according to the legends).
This is probably my favorite Bowie that I've heard on this. He was clearly a talented guy and able to work in different genres. I think this is pretty decent soul, but it sounds like someone pretending to be a soul artist. I think it works pretty well for what it is.
Eines der schlechtesten bowie alben
Pretty decent but not his best
As a huge fan of Bowie, one who would give many of his other albums a full five stars, I feel I have both the freedom and an obligation to be a little harsher on this record. I don't think the soul thing he's attempting to do here really works all that well. Bowie's strength is in driving, catchy hits, I think, and this album feels like a whole lot of him noodling without getting anywhere. Somebody Up There Likes Me is very good, certainly (and also one of my Grand Theft Auto childhood songs, I now realize) but it feels more like a happy accident in the surrounding context. Still, it's Bowie... his sound /is/ still in there. And it does seem like whatever he was doing here did have a positive influence on his later works. I'm certainly not going to go as low as two stars. Favorite tracks: Win, Somebody Up There Likes Me
bangin
Sounds like it got a three on it though, to me. I heard some funk like David Bowie. It was cool, but can you imagine Bowie in your funk? Ho! W-E-F-U-N-K
Like Bowie still only a 3 starer for me.
the first and last tracks? impeccable. maybe some of my favorite "Bowie in America" songs. the title track, with its irresistible soul pocket and that Beatles interpolation, is an especially high point in this transitional phase of Bowie's career between the glam years and the Berlin era. as far as the rest, it's unfortunately kind of a flatline. most of these songs just make me want to run "Young Americans" back again. Bowie and his "plastic soul" band make their way through the whole middle of the LP with just enough energy to not sound completely dead. that is, except for David Sanborn going absolutely apeshit on alto saxophone in the right stereo channel. it's a juxtaposition that's hilarious in a way I don't think was intentional. proving my personal maxim that Bowie's covers are either impeccable or disastrous is the rocky rendition of the Beatles' "Across the Universe". it's somewhat made up for by the John Lennon collaboration "Fame", a modal funk jam stacked with vocal and instrumental earworms. decent 5/10.
It's fine
Godd but not my style
Sure, there are two outstanding tracks here, but this is not one of Bowie’s best albums.
Good listen overall, but it’s really a two‑or‑three‑song album, and they were smart enough to save the best track for the finish..
el álbum perfecto para una banda sonora de una BUENA película. Sin duda la primera mi favorita, te hace sentir el main character sin duda
It's a good album, I'm not gonna give it a relisten tho, maybe Fame. great overall sounds, there's up and down but still
mais um caso de uma faixa de abertura e uma de encerramento sensacionais com músicas razoáveis entre elas, com exceção de somebody up there likes me. ps: que cover horroroso esse de across the universe pqp
Another average Bowie album with a couple of great tracks and some very competent (but less thrilling) others. He certainly churned them out.....
Bowie ends his glam era with a pivot to soul. It almost feels like a pastiche at time, with a plastic sound, tacky saxophones, and tons of background vocals. But calling it a pastiche ignores the fact that it often sounds very good. The title track and "Fascination" are lively, flowing jams with great vocals. "Fame" is irresistibly funky even if it feels a bit skeletal. Most of the other tracks feel inessential though, without enough going on. The Beatles cover is too similar to the original while also being just different enough to sound off. On his next album Bowie expanded on these sounds and turned them into something new. For an artist of Bowie's caliber, this one sounds a little tame.
Obviously there are really big hits on this album and I love David Bowie, but this record just grated on me idk??? I feel like the songs were endless and his voice was more abrasive and the cover of Across the Universe wasn't good? Idk am I on something? Wouldn't listen again no offence, there's better Bowie.
Good album, but maybe not DB’s best
Fine, don't care much for Bowie
Glad I listened to it for the bangers
Young Americans is one of my fave songs ever but this album isn’t really doing it for me. Still enjoyed, still a classic
Starts and ends strong but this is at it's best when Bowie's to the side and the backing vocalists are doing their thing
I get why this is here -- it's Bowie. But the whole thing just feels undercooked somehow. He sounds great and there are some forever bangers on here. But he was still trying to find what would eventually become the wonders of the Berlin trilogy and it just...doesn't...quite...click. But if you want to know the origins of all that sax in popular music through the early 80's, this is probably the place to start.
A nice listen, bit funky. Good stuff. Didn't finish it yet but got the gist
I think the instrumentation on this album is very fun. I see the appeal and I was grooving a little but I think I am not a fan of his voice too much. No shade to David Bowie or his fans, just not my personal style. 6/10
prima
Sadly, this is one of Bowie's albums that's fallen off a bit for me, especially considering how great the albums surrounding it are. That said, it still has some all-time bangers on it, like the title track, Fascination, and ESPECIALLY Fame.
Bowie gets….. soulful & funky??? what! I’m truly predisposed to like it off the genre influences alone; if there’s any white dude who can be creatively trusted to pull off a genre switch like this, it’s him. Could see this becoming a 4 if it stays in the rotation! Standouts: Young Americans • Fascination • Right • Fame
Mildly disappointing but perfectly acceptable Bowie album. It definitely starts to sag a little at the end. I was completely buying what he was laying down but a little more variety would have helped a LOT, in my opinion.
Good stuff
The middle period of a fairly incredible 10 album or so run in the 70s for Bowie. Probably one of my less played ones, I prefer the Ziggy era or the Berlin era, but this is still fairly excellent. Shit hot session musicians, lots of backing vocals and sax make it more slick than anything that came before it, which was intentional, but also puts me off it a tad.
Por ahora el más flojo del David. Me gusta Fame nomas. Nota: 3.2
Bowie was a curious shapeshifter, always reinventing himself and creating a solid body of work in the process. When you change the formula of your success you'll eventually create something lesser. But creating the lesser work is often a step in creating much better work. This record does not reach the heights of Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Low, or his final gift Black Star. There are some good songs on here: the title track and "Fame." The cover of "Accross the Universe" is ill-considered and Bowie's voice is not up to turning that song into overwrought soul.
For those of you who can remember anything of the Miss Peaches trivia night, the title track featured in the music round (theme: song titles with America/n in the title). At the time it was my first exposure to the song and these days it’s one of my all-time fave Bowie tracks, so I was very happy to listen to it (over and over, if I’m really honest). The Across the Universe cover was a nice touch too, there’s just not a whole lot else that grabbed me here.
Saw the title and foolishly thought Afraid of Americans would be on here. Then I read the little wikipedia intro and didn’t think that really sounded like my interests. I think I probably liked this less than the last Bowie album we did because I didn’t feel like it was as adventurous, but I really liked the title track!
This isn’t Bowie at his strongest. It’s fine and has moments of brilliance (Young Americans is incredible) but it is a trial run for the excellent Station to Station and doesn’t quite hold the same weight.
It’s funky, groovie Bowie - complete with a warm 70s production, saxophone, and soulful background vocals. The record starts strong with the stellar “Young Americans”, but for the most part the album works more on vibe than on the strength of its songs, which simply don’t meet the bar set by the preceding and subsequent albums of the period. But, it’s still Bowie. And its still fun and worth listening to.
One of the Bowie albums that gets lost in the catalogue
väldigt lugnt och sansat för att vara mr. bowbow
I dont remember it
Solid Bowie album; never heard the “Across the Universe” cover before.
You know what! Enjoyed.
One of my goals with this project is to find my way into Bowie. It’s not for lack of trying. Everything here was pretty good, but nothing grabbed me and said “genius!”
I’d never heard this cover of Across the Universe.
7/10 suena bien pero medio lento no me entretuve mucho
Bookended by some classics and its an ok listen throughout but not my favourite Bowie era.
Bowie has never been a consistent album artist for me. He has frequent moments of genius and you have to appreciate the breath of styles he covered in his career but this album has always just been fine for me. Nothing terrible on here but maybe a bit boring. Young Americans, Fascination and Fame are the best tracks. Overall perfectly pleasant with some good grooves but not very exciting. 3.4
It's ok and fair play to any artist who's brave enough to go in a new direction like this. But I think that there are far more interesting and memorable albums in Bowie's discography.
Some obviously classic bangers--Young Americans, Fame--but also some tracks that sound a bit unfocused (although I still like them). I can see why reviews were mixed at the time of release, but I think this album has probably aged better than people expected.
Its good but It isn't my personal favorite
5/10 Overrated Bowie, isn't it? Naff, if we're honest.
side A and the closer are pretty killer but most of side B drags it down. kinda makes me wanna listen to a normal philly soul record instead.
I like Bowie generally, but this album isn’t great. Couple of good tracks and the best one is a Beatles cover. Preferred Hunky Dory, although, like the Beatles, I’m finding Bowie a bit overrated so far. Good but not great.
Highlights: Young Americans, Fascination and Fame. 3.75
Bookended by a couple of classic songs, the middle isn’t as strong. Not as good as his other albums on the list. Maybe I’m not a fan of soul.
легенда, но не мой вкус
This is album #241 for me and already my 5th Bowie. I enjoyed the saxophone, the elements of funk and the soul accentuated by the backup singers. I understood that it wasn't true soul but a Brit superstar ("plastic soul," he called it), but it was a worthwhile experiment. The title track has always been solid, as is Fame, and I liked his remake of Across the Universe.
Not a Bowie fan but I liked this more than I thought I would. The first track had a “little kid music but for adults” vibe but opened into more interesting territories afterwards. The song Fascination is a scorcher.
Out of the three Bowie albums on this list that I’ve listened to so far, this one has been my favorite. I don’t think Bowie’s voice will ever be my cup of tea, but I dug the funk/soul influence on this one.
Si le doy una chance
The saxophone solos are always hits. This album is definitely with soul. And there's a lot of headbobbers (songs that make your head bob). However i think when it comes to soul there are many artist I would rather listen to. While this album was good overall I prefer his other albums I got to listen to. Fame however really stood out to me, definitely a fav on this album
Not my favorite Bowie album and he honestly sounds uncomfortable at some parts, imo, but it has a couple of solid songs: "Fame" and a cover of "Across the Universe".
No tan bowie como los posteriores, pero con tremendo flow, aunque más homogéneo que los demás también
Nice album, I remember hearing several of these songs on the radio in my youth
This definitely sounded different than I expected, and came out a little earlier. I can hear the glam influence of the Ziggy Stardust years, but I wasn’t anticipating hearing some R&B and gospel mixed in as well. There were a lot of parts that reminded me of some of the art-rock-soul that infiltrated Peter Gabriel’s debut solo album, so much so that I had to see if Bob Ezrin produced this album first before ol’ PG (note: Bob Ezrin is not involved in this album). I think the first half had more life than the second half, as I found the second half to drag a bit before we reached “Fame” (and tell me this song wasn’t a precursor to PG’s “Big Time” eleven years later). I did enjoy this, but I was ready for it to be done by the time it ended. Would listen again though.
Young Americans is one of my least favorite songs ever so that has prevented me from ever fully enjoying this album. Sorry Bowie.
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.
So so
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
Not as strong as other Bowie albums, but solid nonetheless
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
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.
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.
Good driving music
Been a while since I’ve hit this one, did not relisten for this project.
Ziggy stardust>>
👁️👁️
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.
en mi opinión no es lo mejor de bowie, pero lo disfruté bastante
No strong feelings
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 :~(
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
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.
'Twas Alright, probably won't listen to it again.
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
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.
This is why I never listen to Bowie albums. You get 1-2 good songs and the rest is unremarkable.
Dancey fun. Sounds quintessential 80s. Some songs were captivating. Great production but not my typical flavor of music. Seems one you grow to love.
- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM
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 one of the better Bowie albums IMO. It was ok but not as interesting as other albums of his.
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.
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.
4-5 songs in the middle are kinda weak. Or maybe Young Americans and Fame are so good they outshine the others?
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
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.
from someone as critically acclaimed as bowie, this left way too much to be desired for me.
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
It’s fine. Sounds like the music they play during commercial breaks on SNL.
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
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.
no mi favorito, el sonido en particular que tiene este álbum no me termina de convencer :p
like it
Funky, trying to explore new music genres kinda like it but it doesn't really have a catchy beat.
yay another bowie i prefer his more rock-y eras though this is not bad however, just doesn't compare to me
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.
The title track is a banger, and "Fame" is interesting, but the rest is not Bowie at his best.
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 👍
Good opener and closer. Not super good in the middle.
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.
Kind of boring
I could never get into Bowie, alas...
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.
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
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.
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.
Faaaaaaame
Only heard Fame before
хороший альбик, подходит для игры в симс
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.
Sounds alright but I’ve never been into Bowie as much as a lot of people seem to be
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.
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!
iiiiiiiisssss this a shit sandwich?
Had a few Bowie records now and they're always a decent listen. No complaints really. Still a mid rating - Hunky Dory is still better
One of the 5 million Bowie albums out there on the list. It's not bad but it's also not amazing. The across the universe cover was a nice discovery.
neutral
3.5
I have so much respect for Bowie as an artist who was always true to himself and constantly evolving. All the same, his music has rarely landed with me personally.
Encore du David Bowie ? J’ai commencé il y a moins de 2 mois et j’en ai déjà eu 3 ! Je veux bien qu’il soit important et influent, mais y’avait rien d’autre ? Tout le monde n’aime pas David Bowie ! Et en plus, cet album a l’air assez mineur dans sa discographie, ce qui en fait un drôle de choix (Low était bien plus intéressant). Ou alors, c’est que la moitié de sa discographie est dans la liste et que je suis pas rendu.
Bowie’s albums are usually better than his singles. This one deserves repeated listening.