David Bowie - Blackstar discussion plus poll

The word sublime is not wrong to use to describe this album. Very well used in a scene with Larry Trainor in Doom Patrol HBO Series

Well worth its fours: one of Bowie's best albums.

Over most of Bowie's career I have respected him, and I like some of his stuff a lot, but I haven't really been much of a fan... many things he did ran somewhat counter to my "personal aesthetics", and there's pretty much no album that doesn't have some stuff I can't connect to. Blackstar is for me *the* Bowie album, with which he finally really got me. A masterpiece from beginning to end.

I think Paul raises an interesting issue with it being depressing.  I expect that we all know that Bowie was terminally ill and delves into those themes of his mortality.  If it was just a "pity party" type of album then I might not respect it so much.  I think of my dad who was dying of cancer, and he never once complained (he was very much of the old school British stiff upper lip variety), he did become quite reminiscent and I learned a lot more about him during his time (including things he'd never shared because he had been an MI5 and MI6 officer and had signed on to the official secrets act).  Bowie was a very different character from my dad, but my experience with my dad did make the Blackstar album more emotionally resonant.  I felt there was kind of openness to the album that I respected, and maybe some would rather that he had just made  a feel good album while dying or not made an album to it all.  In my perception, and we all perceive things differently, that showed a certain courage.  As said, to me it was more bittersweet than depressing and I found it life-affirming and uplifting in its way.  Enjoy it or not, I think it's a remarkable achievement and a great testament to his impact. Icarium has a way of summing up my feelings, sublime is a word I would use.  Transcendent is another.

I would rate it around 4 stars. It's the best album he released since Scary Monsters (which tends to be my favorite of his).

^ I love most everything you've listed (should know Kathleen Ferrier).  I have clinical depression (I have my ups and downs), and I think listening to melancholic things actually helps me to deal with some of the feelings I go through. If I have depression, I might as well enjoy wallowing in it (to be glib).  There's beauty in sadness.  There are times when I do avoid music that has too much emotional impact.  I appreciate the sentimentality of Blackstar and various works, and to me there are uplifting qualities, but different psyches respond differently.  I understand that it can all too easily bring up trauma and Blackstar does deal with uncomfortable subject matter.  I find it quite a humble album in its way from a flawed individual who has had his ups and downs and I like that it's as personal as it is.

Edited by Logan - September 04 2021 at 11:18

4 stars at least. He finally reached the level of his heydays again.

I'd go as far as to say it's his best album, 5 stars.

I'm planning on running a David Bowie Top 7 albums poll soon, so it'll be interesting to see how well  Blackstar fares against some of Bowie's earlier classic albums. Here's a preview of my Top 7:-

One of his best works and a beautiful way to end his distinguished career. The only thing that sours it a bit for me is the lyrics to the second track, which I just find needlessly mean and bitter.