David Bowie Wrote Good Songs...

[Alejo R.]

I really enjoy my Bowie albums. Lately I've been listening to full albums again. But let's face it Great Albums, in all music, are the exception. The vast majority have one, two or maybe three good tracks and then filler material. Except the compilations of course.

 

[Alejo R.]

Sorry, I take it David Bowie was an English rock singer?

Not only that. He was an integral artist, who also painted, acted, directed and, above all, he was a transgressor of traditional artistic limits.

 

[Alejo R.]

Good critique, but you evoke the Christian Bale character in American Psycho when he gives that discourse about Genesis haha.

Aren't Music Reviews the best part of that book? It almost makes you like Huey Louis and The News.

 

[huntertrw]

For me, Mr. Bowie begins and ends with Fame:

 

[puff_not_snuff]

For me, Mr. Bowie begins and ends with Fame:

That's his Labyrinth of songs.

 

[Briar Lee]

Growing up in Humansville, the consensus of the old men in the barbershop was that in the year 1964, the Beatles came over here from England and brought all that long hair and hippy music with them, the kids all listened to instead of the good old music.

The truth was David Bowie was as talented as Bing Cosby.

I have no quarrel with David Bowie.

Garth Brooks on the other hand, was the Anti Hank.

 

[K.E. Powell]

I guess it also doesn't help that he expressed some very disturbing fascist views even if it was the blow doing most the talking...

Yea, that is definitely the hardest pill to swallow for sure. To his credit, he repudiated those views and retired the Thin White Duke persona, got clean, and was willing to advocate on behalf of black of artists. There is this interview on MTV where he calls them out for excluding black artists on their program, and it is kinda brilliant:

 

[kcghost]

Never cared for him at all.

 

[ron123]

Funny how varied the opinions. Personally, I think he's one of the greatest and coolist of all time. Saw him live only once unfortunately but one of my favorite shows of all time. This was mid-80's, the period some are saying was a low for him. All of my albums were stolen around that time as well, and to this day, along with a live Pink Floyd The Wall bootleg (best version of Run Like Hell I've ever heard), I also lost a Bowie double live bootleg picture disk album that I still think about today.

 

[Winnipeger]

Waiting until 2 days before you die to release your final album on your own birthday, which turns out to be a deep requiem on your own death, was at the very least the most badass music marketing of all time, not to mention it's a great, innovative album, coming late in — literally at the end of — a decades-long career, proving he was still a vital, creative, artist, until the end, right through sickness and death. Check out the video for Black Star. Talk about creepy...and wonderful.

The video I had in mind was Lazarus. Creepy. Death bed and all that.

 

[jpberg]

Hell, how many great albums are there?
I’m assuming the op is not discounting Bowie, just umm, stating something, or whatever.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Funny how varied the opinions

Not really, nor surprising. The beauty of art and or music is just as subjective to the individual as anything else. Didn't particularly care for his music myself buy glad that many did.

 

[bullet08]

Didn't like his music growing up. Just wasn't something I listened to. But lately, they sound better.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Hell, how many great albums are there?
I’m assuming the op is not discounting Bowie, just umm, stating something, or whatever.

I am OP. Hear me bore.

BTW Jp, u like Prefab Sprout?

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Not really, nor surprising. The beauty of art and or music is just as subjective to the individual as anything else. Didn't particularly care for his music myself buy glad that many did.

This is the most astoundingly sane thing I've ever seen you post!

 

[pantsBoots]

...but didn't really write a great album if you ask me.

He's better listened to as a best of sort of artist.

I watched the documentary on him last night and he mostly rambled on about nonsense...

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars wasn't a great album!? Are you suffering from long covid or something!?

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars wasn't a great album!? Are you suffering from long covid or something!?

I'm mostly suffering from a long malaise aka life.

 

[GatorElGato]

Growing up in Humansville, the consensus of the old men in the barbershop was that in the year 1964, the Beatles came over here from England and brought all that long hair and hippy music with them, the kids all listened to instead of the good old music.

The truth was David Bowie was as talented as Bing Cosby.

I have no quarrel with David Bowie.

Garth Brooks on the other hand, was the Anti Hank.

One of the best Christmas songs, does a great job of combining both styles, while still respecting the Bing generation. Music, like anything else is subjective.

 

[pantsBoots]

I'm mostly suffering from a long malaise aka life.

So everything is not Hunky Dory?

 

[puff_not_snuff]

So everything is not Hunky Dory?

Well to be honest I'm afraid of Americans but I'm afraid of Armenians too!