David Bowie is releasing another album 'Blackstar' on January 8th

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > No Music Discussion > David Bowie is releasing another album 'Blackstar' on January 8th

«‹›20 »

cptn_dr: Sep 7, 2011; Seven for beauty that blossoms and dies

I loved it. I spent the past week listening to his entire back catalogue in chronological order, and this feels like a natural direction for him to be taking.
Definitely agree with the comparisons to 1.Outside and Station to Station

# ? Jan 6, 2016 09:10

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Apr 18, 2024 16:45

Diet Poison: Jan 20, 2008; LICK MY ASS

Earwicker posted:

Yeah I'd definitely agree with that. Especially the way both have such an epic, conceptual opener. But I actually think its more consistent than Station to Station (which has a couple songs I'm really not into)

Agreed fully. Also it would be completely believable as a planned sequel to Outside if it had some weird spoken word segue tracks, or if Outside hadn't had those to begin with.
In the end it's still the more "accessible" tracks I'm listening to the most, though- the last three.

# ? Jan 6, 2016 16:50

Mermaid Autopsy: Jun 9, 2001

There is a throughline from Buddha of Suburbia to Outside to Heathen that is the real Bowie

I don't know who that guy on the other albums is, probably some persona

# ? Jan 6, 2016 19:22

Hot Diggity!: Apr 3, 2010; SKELITON_BRINGING_U_ON.GIF

I'm glad the reviews have been stellar so far and I ain't spoiling it for myself until the release

# ? Jan 7, 2016 05:15

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Already posted this in the vinyl thread, but gently caress it. I got my copy of the LP today and it's really good. Rewards intensive listening. The title track is a definite highlight; Lazarus and I Can't Give Everything Away are probably my favorites. The LP packaging is very cool as well. Lots of constellation shapes, as well as the image from the voyager's golden records (all embossed black on black, naturally). Here's a couple bad cell phone pictures.

http://imgur.com/a/3mDU2

The comparisons to Station to Station are pretty legit, imho. Nothing that hits me quite as hard as Wild is the Wind or that album's title track here, but drat if it isn't a fun (albeit frequently inscrutable) listen.

# ? Jan 7, 2016 05:46

Kart Barfunkel: Nov 10, 2009

This record is seriously good. And I was lukewarm (on the positive end) on his last one.

# ? Jan 7, 2016 08:44

SulfurMonoxideCute: Feb 9, 2008; I was under direct orders not to die
🐵❌💀

New video released! There's a theme going, I wonder if there's going to be a storyline in video form?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-JqH1M4Ya8

# ? Jan 7, 2016 10:08

Earwicker: Jan 6, 2003

Incidentally I believe the actual name of the album is properly ★ rather than "Blackstar"

# ? Jan 7, 2016 10:20

Josef K. Sourdust: Jul 16, 2014; "To be quite frank, Platinum sucks at making games. Vanquish was terrible and Metal Gear Rising: Revengance was so boring it put me to sleep."

Bought this on CD today. It is a shortish album but it was priced at �9.99 for CD and �23 for vinyl. I don't know what the standard price is for a 60 min album but I think the CD has been priced a little lower to reflect the amount of content. That is fine for me. I'd rather pay less for a shorter album than more for a longer album with filler.

I like it a lot. "Girl Loves Me" is a bit dull but everything else is really fun with a touch of the unexpected. I like "Sue" for its fast beats and tight riff - like a jungle track. "Tis a Pity" has classic early 70s Bowie vocal harmonies.

If you're a Bowie fan or just like some of his stuff I think this is strong recommendation.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 15:40

Earwicker: Jan 6, 2003

Josef K. Sourdust posted:

Bought this on CD today. It is a shortish album but it was priced at �9.99 for CD and �23 for vinyl. I don't know what the standard price is for a 60 min album but I think the CD has been priced a little lower to reflect the amount of content. That is fine for me. I'd rather pay less for a shorter album than more for a longer album with filler.

60 minutes makes it one of the longer Bowie albums. Most of his classic albums are around 40 minutes.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 19:15

Nail Rat: Dec 29, 2000; You maniacs! You blew it up! God damn you! God damn you all to hell!!

It's not 60 minutes though, it's 41.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 20:08

Earwicker: Jan 6, 2003

oh. but still, thats just a normal length, not particularly short.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 20:14

Josef K. Sourdust: Jul 16, 2014; "To be quite frank, Platinum sucks at making games. Vanquish was terrible and Metal Gear Rising: Revengance was so boring it put me to sleep."

Yes, that's my point. 50-60 min is about standard for a rock album but Blackstar is 41 min. I assumed - on the basis of the title track being 10 min, which was released first - that a 7-track LP might work out at 50-60 min. Nope, it is atypical. The timings are: 9:57, 4:52, 6:22, 4:40, 4:51, 4:44, 5:47. Hence my thoughts that the price was a touch lower than it would be for a 60min album.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 20:15

BigFactory: Sep 17, 2002

I've never heard of albums being priced based on length before. I guess EPs will be discounted, but 40 minutes is a full length album.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 20:19

Earwicker: Jan 6, 2003

BigFactory posted:

I've never heard of albums being priced based on length before.

Generally length only effects price when its a matter of format. EP vs LP vs double etc.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 20:21

Earwicker: Jan 6, 2003

Josef K. Sourdust posted:

Yes, that's my point. 50-60 min is about standard for a rock album but Blackstar is 41 min. I assumed - on the basis of the title track being 10 min, which was released first - that a 7-track LP might work out at 50-60 min. Nope, it is atypical

Where are you getting that 50-60 minutes is some sort of standard though? Most of Bowie's albums are 40 minutes. That is the normal length of a 12-inch record (the maximum is somewhere around 22 minutes per side iirc, but optimum sound is much shorter). Yes some people started making longer albums once they were releasing on CD only and not on records, and in the digital age all bets are off.. but a 40 minute album is still totally normal.

Earwicker fucked around with this message at 20:28 on Jan 8, 2016

# ? Jan 8, 2016 20:25

BigFactory: Sep 17, 2002

Earwicker posted:

Generally length only effects price when its a matter of format. EP vs LP vs double etc.

Yeah, exactly. New releases are often discounted, though. Maybe that's what the guy is seeing.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 20:30

ALFbrot: Apr 17, 2002

I listened to "Blackstar" back when it was first released, but it was in the car while I was driving and I couldn't really get into it.

Now that the full album is out and I listened to it in headphones, holy moly. I thought The Next Day was good, but it didn't make an immediate impact on me outside of "first Bowie in a decade," but this is really, really good.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 21:07

HP Hovercraft: Jan 1, 2006; one thing a computer can do that most humans can't is be sealed up in a cardboard box and sit in a warehouse

The new album is everything I ever wanted, as a massive Bowie fan. I can't help but be reminded of A New Career in a New Town when the harmonica comes in on the last track. If this is his last album it will be a fitting closer, but I hope it isn't.

# ? Jan 9, 2016 00:49

Moai Ou: May 18, 2004; WE LOVE SHOOTING GAMES!; Fun Shoe

Just finished listening to it, and I want more! The whole album had a great cohesive sound. And props for "Girl Loves Me" being littered with Nadsat.

# ? Jan 9, 2016 01:40

cptn_dr: Sep 7, 2011; Seven for beauty that blossoms and dies

Girl Loves Me seems to be the most divisive track on the album. I've seen a few reviews who were left cold by it, but I really enjoyed it.

# ? Jan 9, 2016 01:55

hallo spacedog: Apr 3, 2007; this chaos is killing me
💫🐕🔪😱😱

HP Hovercraft posted:

The new album is everything I ever wanted, as a massive Bowie fan. I can't help but be reminded of A New Career in a New Town when the harmonica comes in on the last track. If this is his last album it will be a fitting closer, but I hope it isn't.

I completely agree, I think it must be intentional. Love it when I heard it first today.

cptn_dr posted:

Girl Loves Me seems to be the most divisive track on the album. I've seen a few reviews who were left cold by it, but I really enjoyed it.

I like it quite a bit too. There's no track on the album I don't like. And I think this version of 'Tis a Pity She's a Whore is much better than the single version. Something about the instrumentation on that one irked me.

Anyway I agree that this album is great and I'm enjoying it a lot. Love The Next Day for being a comeback after a long silence but there's only a few tracks I find myself coming back to a lot. This one is an excellent package.

# ? Jan 9, 2016 02:16

Good Soldier Svejk: Jul 5, 2010

cptn_dr posted:

Girl Loves Me seems to be the most divisive track on the album. I've seen a few reviews who were left cold by it, but I really enjoyed it.

I'd actually put it up as the top track on it for me. It's just pure fun and the vocals are incredibly unique. It's a song only Bowie could do.
I also listened to Outside several times the past couple of days and musically this is such a good follow-up. I wish he'd do a thematic one too but this is absolutely excellent.

# ? Jan 9, 2016 02:23

trilobite terror: Oct 20, 2007; BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

hallo spacedog posted:

And I think this version of 'Tis a Pity She's a Whore is much better than the single version. Something about the instrumentation on that one irked me.

IIRC, he did the original (or at least a substantial portion of it) at home himself with a DAW. I could be wrong, though.

# ? Jan 9, 2016 05:38

Frankston: Jul 27, 2010

Listened to it yesterday for the first time and I didn't think too highly of it. I'll give it another few listens because whenever a new album comes out I never really appreciate it first time because I'm too impatient to see what the next song will be like, if that makes sense.

Edit: Still not liking it after a second listen. I think it's pretty weak, nothing really memorable or stand out in my opinion. I liked The Next Day quite a bit but I'm not getting anything from Blackstar unfortunately.

Frankston fucked around with this message at 12:53 on Jan 9, 2016

# ? Jan 9, 2016 11:07

Ixian: Oct 9, 2001; Many machines on Ix....new machines; Pillbug

Frankston posted:

Listened to it yesterday for the first time and I didn't think too highly of it. I'll give it another few listens because whenever a new album comes out I never really appreciate it first time because I'm too impatient to see what the next song will be like, if that makes sense.

Edit: Still not liking it after a second listen. I think it's pretty weak, nothing really memorable or stand out in my opinion. I liked The Next Day quite a bit but I'm not getting anything from Blackstar unfortunately.

As living proof of how subjective taste is I love this album. Definite Thin White Duke vibe coming through so the Station to Station comparison is apt in spite of the 40(!) year gap between the two. Jesus that album is almost as old as I am.

# ? Jan 10, 2016 04:07

Wampa Stompa: Aug 15, 2008; I literally have no idea what I just saw in there!; Grimey Drawer

Hot drat, after listening to the album more-or-less on repeat since it dropped, I like it a lot better than TND. It sounds like a proper followup to Heathen (which is one of DB's most underrated albums, I think), and Bowie actually channels his Scott Walker fixation in an interesting way here. In this sense the title track is an incredible success; after almost 40 years and at least two failed attempts ("The Motel" and "Heat"), he's finally written his answer to "The Electrician." It's ominous, strange, catchy, and darkly funny all in equal measure, and I think it ranks up there with "Station to Station." I'm also really glad that he's willing to modulate his voice again after the spoken word fiascos on Outside; the "I'm a blackstar" bits call to mind the end of "Bewlay Brothers," and it's disconcerting as gently caress.

The new versions of "Sue" and "Tis a Pity" are both really good, if not terribly exciting considering how long the originals have been out. I think the album will age well once the fact that these two came out as singles fades from memory. Also, I think using Nadsat in 2016 is gimmicky and lame, but Bowie's weird-rear end cadence on "Girl Loves Me" constitutes some of the most distinctive vocal work he's ever done, and the song is great in the album sequence. And the final two ballads are both great. I got chills when the "New Career In a New Town" harmonica first came in.

I think "Lazarus" is the only real weak link. The lyrics are straightforward and kind of bad, honestly, and it doesn't really go anywhere. It's a damned good chord progression in there, though, and I think that with some more dynamic vocal work it could have been a real highlight of the album. It's not a bad song, but it's forgettable, especially sandwiched between "Sue" and "Tis a Pity." Strange choice for a single.

# ? Jan 10, 2016 04:15

abraham linksys: Sep 6, 2010

I just saw Lazarus and it was fantastic! Very surprising songlist, including a few songs that are either the deepest of cuts or haven't been recorded/released by Bowie. The (slighly spoiler-y) Slate review by the author of http://bowiesongs.wordpress.com hits on most of the points I would.

Oh, one spoiler-y story I can't resist: I had a front & center seat, and during "Valentine's Day," Valentine gestured me to pick up a balloon for him that had fallen off the stage (which he later popped in front of the girl who's name escapes me), and I obliged. That was one of the more terrifying interactions I've ever had with an actor.

# ? Jan 10, 2016 05:06

sethsez: Jul 14, 2006; He's soooo dreamy...

In the never-ending procession of albums from Bowie that have been hailed as "the best since Scary Monsters," this one joins Outside and Heathen as actually deserving it.

# ? Jan 10, 2016 18:04