I know it's a cliché easily used these days, but seriously: has no one mentioned yet how Lynchian this video is? For it is. The intro music ("Ghost of Love" echoes), Tilda Swinton (who is already David Bowie in many ways, in a parallel universe), characters flashing in and out of themselves, the panning of the camera (the shoddy filming of the balcony, the supermarket scene). I can't think of any other music video that is so Lynchian.
I like the song, but I think I like the song in combination with the video even better.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Thursday, 28 February 2013 01:27 (eleven years ago) link
(forgot to mention the stop-motion like movement of the people in the video, too)
― Le Bateau Ivre, Thursday, 28 February 2013 01:28 (eleven years ago) link
you can listen to it now streaming!
http://pitchfork.com/news/49744-listen-to-the-new-david-bowie-album-now/
i'm pretty impressed. did not have any expectations.
― in a chef-driven ambulance (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 1 March 2013 01:44 (eleven years ago) link
It's up. It's good.
― Popture, Friday, 1 March 2013 02:12 (eleven years ago) link
i'm getting a Lodger vibe on some of this, which i did not expect
― in a chef-driven ambulance (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 1 March 2013 02:13 (eleven years ago) link
i think visconti talking about how it was "rockers" is a bit misleading, i mean it's not like these are all 4 on the floor power chord songs, lots of cool stuff in the mix and the songs go in odd directions
― in a chef-driven ambulance (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 1 March 2013 02:25 (eleven years ago) link
Whoa... I can't go to bed without listening to this! Better fix me that coffee...
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Friday, 1 March 2013 02:29 (eleven years ago) link
man between this and strong MBV and Bad Seeds albums it's 2013: The Year Heritage Alternative Rock Acts Broke
― in a chef-driven ambulance (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 1 March 2013 02:42 (eleven years ago) link
Rockers compared to an album of Where Are We Nows
― 'Separate Lives', by Phil Collins & Marilyn Manson (PaulTMA), Friday, 1 March 2013 02:44 (eleven years ago) link
my response to the new record is nostalgia:where are the times Bowie was "innovative"...
― nostormo, Friday, 1 March 2013 14:16 (eleven years ago) link
You are no fun
― in a chef-driven ambulance (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 1 March 2013 14:29 (eleven years ago) link
"Stars" sounds much better as an album cut. Works nicely in context.
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 1 March 2013 15:05 (eleven years ago) link
i don't think the album is bad, but it's like the new Neil Young album: good for an aging rock star, but i can live without it
― nostormo, Friday, 1 March 2013 15:07 (eleven years ago) link
Cool insight
― in a chef-driven ambulance (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 1 March 2013 15:11 (eleven years ago) link
cynical?
― nostormo, Friday, 1 March 2013 15:13 (eleven years ago) link
Like no offense but every time I see you post you're just being a drag or killjoy about stuff, gets old
― in a chef-driven ambulance (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 1 March 2013 15:29 (eleven years ago) link
Good album on first listen! Some lovely moments. Especially like how concise the tunes are.
― That elusive North American wood-ape (Capitaine Jay Vee), Friday, 1 March 2013 15:42 (eleven years ago) link
I think it's his best since Scary Monsters
― 'Separate Lives', by Phil Collins & Marilyn Manson (PaulTMA), Friday, 1 March 2013 15:53 (eleven years ago) link
Keeping in line with the album cover, i sort of which he had just taken his old songs and wrote new lyrics/melodies over the old tracks. Or maybe just take the old lyrics and write completely new music for them.
Haven't heard this yet, aside from the first OK single and 2nd single, which i can't remember at all.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Friday, 1 March 2013 15:54 (eleven years ago) link
give it a listen on iTunes. Worth your time.
― That elusive North American wood-ape (Capitaine Jay Vee), Friday, 1 March 2013 16:02 (eleven years ago) link
is "Boss of Me" a cover of the Malcolm in the Middle theme song? (please say yes)
― frogbs, Friday, 1 March 2013 16:06 (eleven years ago) link
Not sure if this is just to do with me paying more attention to this release than the last few, but there's an energy and directness to the vocal melodies that reminds me of the way Ferry came with "Frantic" (though they don't sound anything like each other) after a handful of more muddled, mature and indirect propositions (Mamouna, Heathen, etc...). Either this record is more engaging... or I'm more engaged. Time will tell.
The 'hum along' factor seems as high as its been in a long time, yeah? I dig it.
― mr.raffles, Friday, 1 March 2013 16:40 (eleven years ago) link
I'm listening to the stream, so can't see song titles. What's the one that starts "If you can see me, I can see you?" 'Cause it was good enough that I just went back to play it again.
Rest of the album all sounds at least ok, it'll take time to know. Nothing jumping out as *wrong* with it yet.
― dlp9001, Friday, 1 March 2013 16:41 (eleven years ago) link
On first listen this is really solid. Only dud was "Dancing Out In Space".
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 1 March 2013 16:42 (eleven years ago) link
The first Bowie record I haven't wanted to pretend didn't exist in a long time. I like it. I'm not as excited as I am when I hear new Scott Walker for instance but I'll give it the time to see if it gets into regular rotation or whether I just reach for older records. I'm into the sneaky arch Lodger references in almost every song. But I like that type of thing.
― Oblique Strategies, Friday, 1 March 2013 17:12 (eleven years ago) link
"Like no offense but every time I see you post you're just being a drag or killjoy about stuff, gets old"
nah, just a coincidence
― nostormo, Friday, 1 March 2013 17:42 (eleven years ago) link
get me Mr. Raggett response!
― nostormo, Friday, 1 March 2013 17:46 (eleven years ago) link
does he like the new record?!
― nostormo, Friday, 1 March 2013 17:48 (eleven years ago) link
well, it sure is a polite record. And well-named: sounds like it was recorded a day after Reality. That's all for now.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 1 March 2013 17:50 (eleven years ago) link
otm
― nostormo, Friday, 1 March 2013 17:51 (eleven years ago) link
Heat sounds like a Scott Walker tribute song!
― nostormo, Friday, 1 March 2013 17:53 (eleven years ago) link
It's surprisingly alright. 'The Next Day' started off with such a heavy (and grin-inducing) 'Red Sails'-vibe, could even pass the chugging 'rock'-rock stuff in the middle without problems.
― the europan nikon is here (grauschleier), Friday, 1 March 2013 17:59 (eleven years ago) link
It boats one legit terrible track ("Love is Lost")
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 1 March 2013 18:02 (eleven years ago) link
The little bit that I'm loving even though it's kind of obvious is the way the "Rock and Roll Suicide" song ends with the start of "Five Years." Kind of an easy move, but it works for me.
― dlp9001, Friday, 1 March 2013 18:09 (eleven years ago) link
Trying to listen to the stream while doing something else but I feel like I haven't heard much of a tune up until 'where are we now', but then the next couple are great
― kinder, Friday, 1 March 2013 18:25 (eleven years ago) link
It's...nice? I'm feeling carefully neutral about it. The last album of his I really thoroughly loved/was struck by remains Earthling, with everything since being more reexploration/retrenching. I enjoyed the listen and will purchase the album, a couple of strong moments but I think this one would have to be a grower for me instead of some revelation.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 1 March 2013 18:30 (eleven years ago) link
Final track is good, sounds Labyrinthy
― kinder, Friday, 1 March 2013 19:11 (eleven years ago) link
this is great! haven't been paying attention to the song titles either since I'm listening to the stream. But it's a strong album than Reality which was kind of flabby to me. Don't know if I like it as much as Heathen, which is among my very favorites of his. But it's good. I'm just glad his career isn't going to go out on some kind of Hours/Never let me Down/Tonight meh thing.
― akm, Friday, 1 March 2013 19:18 (eleven years ago) link
i like it - better than the last 3, i think. but then i loved 'hours' when it first came out and grew to dislike it. it's certainly some sort of grand marketing campaign.
― nonightsweats, Friday, 1 March 2013 20:17 (eleven years ago) link
Incredibly faint praise like "better than the last 3" assures me that I won't have missed anything by never listening to this album.
― Campari G&T, Friday, 1 March 2013 20:21 (eleven years ago) link
Better than "Tonight" and "Never Let Me Down" ... combined!
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 1 March 2013 20:24 (eleven years ago) link
And the comment I quoted wasn't even so brave as to unequivocally state that it was - outright - no question about it... 'better than the last 3'!
― Campari G&T, Friday, 1 March 2013 20:29 (eleven years ago) link
The breathless schoolgirl enthusiasm of the Quietus write-up on this really doesn't tally at all with the general okayness found within the actual album.
I mean:
"Moreover, it closes with two mind-blowing, show-stopping, grandstanding epics: one as baroque as 'Rock And Roll Suicide' ONLY MORE SO"
Just...no.
― Position Position, Friday, 1 March 2013 21:46 (eleven years ago) link
then there are those of us who never thought much about "Rock and Roll Suicide."
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 1 March 2013 21:48 (eleven years ago) link
i gaze in defeat at the stars at night
― reggie (qualmsley), Friday, 1 March 2013 23:04 (eleven years ago) link
oh, ok. it's definitely better than the last 3. i'd actually listened to them all again this past week and was surprised at the enjoyment i got out of them. but this one has more good melodies and a lack of any tracks that are abominable.
the overt praise by reviewers is a little off-putting.
― nonightsweats, Friday, 1 March 2013 23:40 (eleven years ago) link
I like this a lot.
It's funny, like bowie just can't make an album of good david bowie songs?
but it's cool for a band like The XX to basically make the same album over & it's only their second record
― in a chef-driven ambulance (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, 2 March 2013 00:40 (eleven years ago) link
listening to the stream atm -- there's something kind of nice about having Bowie just sound like himself? Like, it's nothing exciting, but the familiarity's not really a letdown for me so far. So far it's a rather nice Bowie hug :)
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 2 March 2013 01:19 (eleven years ago) link
but yeah, I don't really understand the cartwheels & fireworks crazy ott reviews
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 2 March 2013 01:20 (eleven years ago) link
I mean bowie being bowie is way better than like whatever 10 crappy modern indie bands are gonna ”buzz” and get great reviews this year
― in a chef-driven ambulance (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, 2 March 2013 03:21 (eleven years ago) link