Hilarious first pick. I remember over 15 years ago my good friend who is a virtuoso guitarist broke down Britney's Blackout Album, from a production standpoint. This is a man I still to this day greatly respect, and I always held reverence for Britney due to this, and this kick-started the choke hold pop music has on me now.
As a Death/Black/Doom metal purist (at the time) I remember finding it rather interesting. I believe it was the same year that I discovered Lady Gaga (as we all did) in 2008. From there I've been a fairly steady fan of pop, especially in 2017 when I discovered Carly Rae Jepsen, but it began with the Blackout Album and The Fame (from Gaga).
This album was released just after she turned 17, so she was 16 when she recorded it. I'm keeping that in mind.
Baby One More Time - Classic, 10/10, no notes, don't even rub two sticks together, just play this one. Classic Britney, forms the Britney Trifecta (Baby One More Time, Oops I Did it Again, and Toxic)
(You Drive Me) Crazy - You can not convince me this is not Hit Me BabyOne More Time 2.0, the end of the hook 1000% sounds like it's about to say "Hit me baby one more time". Max Martin really copy/pasted this one. It's like watching Saw 2 after watching the first one; it's not bad, but maybe give it some space. If it was later in the track list it would've have hit harder. The very end of the pre-chorus gives Madonna vibes, which are not really felt elsewhere in this album, as far as I can tell.
Sometimes - This single cover is very early 2000s core, but the song is mid.
Soda Pop - wtf is happening, lol no, this lowkey turned me into a lib, wtf is this. This is genuinely horrible.
Born to Make You Happy - Instrumental too wavy, guitar with the OD delay for no reason but it's crispy though. Kinda wild subject matter for a 16 year old? Bridge has these kinda obnoxious keys, very artificial (I definitely would have drowned these in reverb because cloudy), but the hook and production is 10/10. Use of layering and background vocals for emphasis is VERY well done, especially in the hook. The layering is insane, from an engineering nerd aspect. "I don't know how to live without your love" sounds INCREDIBLY lush. I would give a $100 bill to see what effects and side-chaining/buses were used to make this happen.
I Will Still Love You - Sounds like they tried to make a Sheryl Crow song for teenagers, also idk wtf a Don Philip is but it's a no.
Deep In My Heart - What in the Mario Kart/Wii music is this? Sounds like something you would hear at a bar/cafe/club type thing next to the ocean in a Final Fantasy game. It also somehow vaguely sounds like a Christmas Song on a cruise ship while also shopping at a mall in the future.
Thinkin' About You - Mid/bad song overall, but the phrasing of the chorus is hilariously bad, especially the "thinkin about you".
Autumn Goodbye - This is literally Final Fantasy Music. Upon second listen this is actually kinda fire, but I will never listen to this song ever again.
Best: Baby One More Time, Born To Make You Happy
Worst: Soda Pop (also kinda offensive)
Overall: 2.5/14,
But those 2 are FIRE; I'm giving (You Drive Me) Crazy a half a point because it's literally the same as the intro/title track.
I used to have an ex that was obsessed with Bowie, to the point that she cried when he died, and said Blackstar is one of her favorite albums ever. Needless to say, I've heard a few of his songs, I'm aware of his work, but it was generally not something I listen to. Even so, I'll see what this is about, as it is clear Bowie has transcended rock stardom.
Wiki says the genres of this album are art rock, funk, and R&B, but I can most definitely hear the first two.
Word on a Wing - The first song I actually liked from this project. Bowie has a rather.... distinctive singing style, to the point I'm not sure he's even a good singer, but he is an effective vocalist, and this is the first song where the songwriting really connected with me.
TVC15 - For some reason this give me the vibe of a NASCAR race in the early 80s, in that it sounds a little country (especially in certain vocal runs/inflections), and the guitar/piano work could have directly been pulled from a country song. On paper the final bridge/outro is rather repetetive, but definitely still works.
Stay - The first song on the album where he really sounded like a rockstar. First guitar solo on the album if I'm correct, and Bowie really sangin on this one. I think I would enjoy an album more on this side of his lexicon.
Wild is the Wind - A cover song, and unfortunately, my favorite song on the album. I really like Bowie in this aspect, so hopefully I find more from him that is similar to this.
I don't forsee myself listening to any of these songs in the future.
Best: Stay, Wild is the Wind
Worst: Station to Station
Overall: 4/6
Awfully swell album and such, but I can't really think of a time I would listen to this.... in 2025.
Overall there were only 2 songs that I can say I actually liked to the point I listened them them multiple times, but overall this just isn't for me.
The Rolling People - Finally a rock song, this one definitely didn't feel like 7 minutes, and actually flew by, keeping my attention the whole time.
The Drugs Don't Work - Sadboi ballad, I really like it, definitely feels like some 90s British Sadboi vibes with some occasional strings,
2/12, nothing else really sticks out.
Gives me smokeshop music vibes.
