David Bowie - Blackstar
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=105476
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Topic: David Bowie - Blackstar
Posted By: A_Flower
Subject: David Bowie - Blackstar
Date Posted: January 10 2016 at 14:24
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I just listened to the first song from Bowie's new album, it was 10 minutes and really progressive with flute and sax! Anyone else heard it? ------------- User Banned for this Post |
Replies:
Posted By: LearsFool
Date Posted: January 10 2016 at 14:30
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I've heard the whole flippin' album, and it's some excellent stuff. The title track really is something, pulling the two song fragments Bowie wanted to stitch together brilliantly into a mystical, jazzy, bittersweet whole; it progresses really well. Most of the other tracks are hard driving rock affairs with continued jazz elements and ever the same dour atmosphere, and Bowie transforms into his own version of Tom Waits. It all ends with an electronic track. Don't expect the other tracks to be quite so progressive, but do expect energy and a great use of the title track's other elements. -------------  
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Posted By: zravkapt
Date Posted: January 10 2016 at 15:06
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Have it, love it. A very consistent album. Better than anything he's done since Earthling IMO. The album is 'proggy' and 'prog related' but it's not Prog per se. Great album anyway. ------------- Magma America Great Make Again |
Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: January 10 2016 at 15:35
| I like it very much. Not a masterpiece, but his best album since Outside. |
Posted By: DamoXt7942
Date Posted: January 10 2016 at 17:53
Recently some Japanese CD shops have pushed his "limited digipack" one sooo strongly enough to squeeze his Blackstar and White coolness around into my eyes.  So ... let me know whether I MUST buy this stuff asap.  ------------- http://www.facebook.com/damoxt7942" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: LearsFool
Date Posted: January 10 2016 at 18:02
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^ Give this track from it a listen, and if you like it, you'll like the album and should probably buy it. -------------
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Posted By: DamoXt7942
Date Posted: January 10 2016 at 21:29
^ Great one! Bowie notifies me of the importance "always to try Neues".  ------------- http://www.facebook.com/damoxt7942" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Kazza3
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 00:34
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Reposting, because this album deserves a lot of attention:
I've figured out what Sue reminds me of at times- King Crimson, the 2000s-era stuff. The breakdown at 3:05 or so is glorious.
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Kazza3 wrote:Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 01:21
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Rest peacefully, Dave. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 01:25
| I'm gobsmacked.......... |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 01:29
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^ We gotta defeat cancer. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: LearsFool
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 01:37
Wow. RIP, David.  At least he went out on one hell of a high note. -------------
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Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 02:19
| A friend told me this morning. I'm devastated. |
Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 02:25
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I had Blackstar on repeat last night, dreaming that he was going to do more new things now. Didn't expect this at all. RIP, David. ------------- http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
Posted By: Warthur
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 02:46
| I am convinced Blackstar must have been developed as a concept album about Bowie's own demise. His cancer fight has been going on for some 18 months, which maps onto the recording process for the album uncannily, and death and pondering one's past and legacy constantly comes up in the lyrics. Talk about going out on a high. |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 02:50
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I have not had much interest in Bowie's output after the hideous Lodger, but I'll give this one a listen as soon as I can. He had the rare gift to reinvent himself again and again anyway. ------------- 
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Posted By: Warthur
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 02:52
I think it's much more successful than Lodger - the experimentalism in it reminds me more of Low (one song even quotes the harmonica solo from A New Career In a New Town), with a bit of the long-form songwriting as per the title track of Station to Station, if that's of any help.
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Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 02:57
I think it is. Thanks  .-------------
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Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 03:04
| Lodger is an absolute masterpiece for me. |
Posted By: Sagichim
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 05:41
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Funny I've heard Blackstar for the first time yesterday after listening to the title track on the radio about two weeks ago, it felt really special and I knew I gotta have the album. I think no one saw this coming so fast, this is so sad. R.I.P David...
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Posted By: jayem
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 07:51
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!!! His artistic life finishes very well is all I can say...Blackstar is an amazing song ! ------------- http://www.digger.ch/?lang=en" rel="nofollow - Support mine-clearing ! https://bandcamp.com/machinechance/?lang=en" rel="nofollow - bandcamp collection |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 09:00
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David died, I am so sad ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 09:21
Make that an amazing album. ------------- http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
Posted By: DDPascalDD
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 10:39
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I just heard the sad news! Although I don't know him very well. I'd like to hear an album of him, what do you think is his best one? ------------- |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 10:47
Hard to say. You have to judge by yourself because he changed quite often.. My personal favourite is Space Oddity. -------------
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Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 11:14
| I have around 12 favorite albums. I'm not sure I can say the same for Bach or Mahler. |
Posted By: Cosmiclawnmower
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 15:30
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My personal recommendations are Hunky Dory, Low and Heroes! Both 'The Next Day' and Blackstar are fairly astonishing. ------------- |
Posted By: zravkapt
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 16:16
One? The Man Who Sold The World Low Outside Blackstar ------------- Magma America Great Make Again |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: January 11 2016 at 21:24
| ^ Blackstar is one of the best songs EVER! Not just by Bowie |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: January 12 2016 at 09:27
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I'm not a big Bowie fan but listened to Blackstar yesterday evening on youtube. I think it's great and I'll buy it, and I also think it's Bowie's best, although after listening to it once on youtube, I can't yet know really. It's very direct, personal and touching, and also very interesting musically with many good ideas. RIP! |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: January 12 2016 at 09:48
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To be honest I haven't been a Bowie fan for a long time....since Scary Monsters probably. And even then his albums were always hit or miss for me. I listened to Blackstar last night and thought some of the tracks were interesting but ultimately most of the material didn't do anything for me. Most have this 'electronic' sounding straight ahead drum work and the melody lines are not real immediate. Some of the lyrics are interesting though and I did like Lazarus and I Cant Give Everything Away...which to me are the most traditional tracks on the album. I'm sure it will please the core Bowie fans but ,,,.... ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: January 12 2016 at 10:11
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He ended his musical career in a worthy way. This album is definitely good and the title track is superb. -------------
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Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: January 12 2016 at 13:28
| What is (are) your interpretation (s) of the song Blackstar ? |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: January 12 2016 at 13:40
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A fantastic record! Many, many thanks and 'bon voyage, mon ami'. ------------- |
Posted By: Warthur
Date Posted: January 13 2016 at 05:43
Low is probably my personal favourite (and is the album of his which I suspect is of most interest to a prog listener). Though Blackstar is actually really good, and it's newly released so if you listen to it now you can have the shared experience of discovering it alongside everyone else, plus based on what Tony Visconti has said and the album's fixation on death and legacy and memory it seems to be a piece crafted specifically to mark this moment, so now is a really good time to dip into it. I'm sure as time goes on and people get through the mourning process and are able to approach the album as a piece in its own right rather than something connected so closely with Bowie's death it'll be regarded as one of his strongest works - I really loved it from the first listen, and that was days before the death was announced - but one of the things Bowie was really good at was reading the zeitgeist and putting out the perfect album to suit it, so there's something to be said for listening to Bowie albums when they are new in general and this one in the wake of the event it was built to commemorate in particular.
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Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: January 14 2016 at 16:24
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I've got to admit it's getting better A little better ... every day  |
Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: January 14 2016 at 17:39
| Just when I thought I'd become used to the album and disinterested in the album, it opens up more things like two songs near the end with a Fripp guitar pastiche. |
Posted By: Warthur
Date Posted: January 15 2016 at 05:14
I like to think of it more as a tribute than a pastiche... and in light of recent events, perhaps a final "thank you" for the magic Fripp added to "Heroes" and Scary Monsters.
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Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: January 15 2016 at 05:57
During the Heroes sessions, Robert Fripp had made three takes of the song Heroes. They were quite so good that Tony Visconti was not able to choose and used them three.
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Posted By: A_Flower
Date Posted: January 15 2016 at 08:06
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Crazy reading a forum and in the middle suddenly, the mood completely changes. It took us all by surprise. He made his art part of his death Rest In Peace, Bowie ------------- User Banned for this Post |
Posted By: DamoXt7942
Date Posted: January 15 2016 at 17:18
His "Blackstar" is unavailable in almost all CD stores in Japan!  ------------- http://www.facebook.com/damoxt7942" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: January 15 2016 at 17:27
My language was too strong, I observed and felt touched enough to post. But I see it as a "Thank you" too. Didn't notice "pastiche" had some negative connotations. And not listening to any other album than "Blackstar" since Saturday!
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Posted By: zravkapt
Date Posted: January 15 2016 at 17:27
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He died within the first week of the album's release. It came out a week ago. I wonder what the sales have been(I haven't read anything yet nor have I searched for any info). ------------- Magma America Great Make Again |
Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: January 15 2016 at 17:59
"150,000 copies sold in week one. has scored an astonishing nineteen top 100 albums in the UK charts, the first charts listing to be released following his death on Sunday, January 10. Bowie's new album 'Blackstar' - released just two days before his death on January 8 - becomes his tenth number one album, and the fastest selling release of 2016 so far, with 150,000 copies sold in week one. The Official Charts have revealed Bowie was already on course for the number one spot before he passed away from cancer earlier this week. The re-entry of a host of the Brixton artist's past albums have flooded the charts, though, with re-charting albums including 'Hunky Dory', 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' and 'Nothing Has Changed'. The latter - a best of - is the second highest charter, in at number five. Bowie's singles have also gone big this week, with 'Heroes' at number 11, 'Life On Mars' at number 16 and eleven other singles to be found inside the UK top 100. Bowie released 27 studio albums in total, as well as 120 singles and a wide range of compilations and live albums." From this http://www.nme.com/news/david-bowie/90801#0UMgwYEUvCo9xXU3.99 And copy and paste this to see the official UK album charts now drawn on a Friday: http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/
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Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: January 16 2016 at 02:25
| Blackstar is avalaible in the biggest record store of Paris. But the other albums are not. |
Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: January 16 2016 at 02:49
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I got my (pre-ordered) CD in the mail yesterday, a week after the release. Thank you, UK Mail for taking 10 days to get it to me - mail from the US is sometimes faster despite being across the ocean. I also have the LP on order, but it is delayed. Not sure if they will actually press more. They should, give demand, but you never know. ------------- http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
Posted By: Komandant Shamal
Date Posted: January 17 2016 at 20:10
| "Blackstar" the album is a perfect example of an *instant classic* album. |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: April 19 2016 at 12:01
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I've never been a Bowie fan. I respect his artistry but it just hasn't been my thing. However....Blackstar This album is truly amazing. Reminds me of Peter Gabriel's "UP" and Robert Wyatt's "Comicopera" in some ways, a late life moment where the stars align. |
Posted By: Intruder
Date Posted: April 20 2016 at 09:48
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His best album since Scary Monsters......not saying much - a lot of dross in between Blackstar and Monsters. That said, this is easily his best album in 36 years.....nothing even comes close. Earthling? Hours? Outside? You can cherrypick the best of those three albums and not even come up with a decent LP side. ------------- I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there..... |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: April 20 2016 at 20:14
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^ incorrect. ------------- |
Posted By: giselle
Date Posted: April 21 2016 at 05:43
| I think Blackstar and Lazarus are both artistically a high point for David, but I can't help but feel terribly sad that he had to express his approaching death in such a negative way. I did read somewhere that he believed in God, so I also hope that these songs/recordings don't reflect his true feelings about his life and death. |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: April 21 2016 at 18:54
To me they seem authentic, but this can mean many things. Some people get their darkest thoughts out in an artistic manner in order to be left with the more positive ones. Also many details in the lyrics can mean many things and the interpretation that seems most obvious may not be the right one. |
Posted By: King Only
Date Posted: June 17 2016 at 03:41
I think he was very frustrated that his death came so soon. His daughter was only 15 when he died, I'm sure that he was sad he wasn't able to stay with her until she reached adulthood. Plus he still had many things he wanted to do artistically, his well of songs had not run dry yet. He must have been disappointed that he wasn't able to record more music. It's obvious that he truly loved music, not many other people would have struggled to finish an album when they were that sick.
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Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: June 17 2016 at 05:51
| I'm glad this thread has got bumped as it's reasserted itself as the best thing I've heard in years, let alone from Bowie. |
Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: June 18 2016 at 12:20
It was dark, indeed, but honest. And it wasn't supposed to be the last. As Tony Visconti pointed out in an interview, he was already working on new material before Blackstar came out. Sadly, it was not to be. ------------- http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: June 18 2016 at 13:03
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Blackstar is an amazing album from an amazing artist. I was just googling David Bowie best rock pop artist, and came across a discussion thread that made me chuckle: https://www.reddit.com/r/DavidBowie/comments/447txc/is_david_bowie_the_best_rock_artist_songwriter/" rel="nofollow - Is David Bowie the best rock artist / songwriter ever? Mama146: "I would say yes. I first heard him in 1974 as a teenager. He is the ONLY one who has stood the test of time. 200 years from now he will have the same notoriety as Mozart does to us." segfaultxr7: "Agreed 100%. Eerie fact: Mozart ran out of money after a bit too much debauchery, then went to Berlin to get his career back on track." MelissaJuice: "Wow. Cool connection." ExtraCheesyPie: "Eerie fact: Mozart also hated flying in planes. Too eerie to be a coincidence." segfaultxr7: "k" ------------- Just a fanboy passin' through. |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 18 2016 at 13:32
Priceless!! As for Blackstar: I am trying not to overdose on it. As an old fan of Bowie's I've been waiting over 20 years for an album like this to be released. It is not because he hasn't made interesting music in the meantime, Earthling was very good...but it is simply not in the same class as this his swansong. Listening to the lyrics gives me the chills. There's a contemporary and wholly personal Nostradamus hidden in there - oozing through in a beautiful and very poetic manner. He knew where he was going and, at least from a musical viewpoint, embraced it and turned it into something artistic. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: June 21 2016 at 13:25
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Love at first hearing and, man, it gets better and better... I can't give... I can't give everything away...  ------------- |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: June 30 2016 at 07:12
You are correct. He has not been to Oxford Town. |
Posted By: HosiannaMantra
Date Posted: June 30 2016 at 09:25
| I'd say one of the worse albums Jason Lindner plays on, and one of the best David Bowie has recorded. It has some really great arrangements and playing, but vocals sometimes go too far for my taste. |