Entertainment For Lively Minds
Has Bowie released anything good in the last 25 years?
Posted by mikechurch on 30 September 2011 - 2:07pm.
I lost track of Bowie in the mid 80s, and never really got back to him. But listening to all his old 70s stuff brought back happy memories, and I was wondering if any of you nice people would like to recommend any of his more recent recordings. Thanks.
I might equally ask the same question of The Rolling Stones.
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Heathen
That's a pretty good one.
Seconded
Yup, Heathen is a good album. The follow-up, Reality isn't that bad either, but I'd go for Heathen first.
I think its realy wonderful
?I gave up on him at 'Never Let Me Down' though friends persevered - Heathen is an ALBUM in the way his 70s effort were. Its lovely, cracking songs, great band, complete Dame authority and often very moving
Reality / A Reality Tour (Live)
I think both Reality and the live album A Reality Tour are both pretty good. The live album has a good mix of classics and tracks from Reality over its 2 CD's.
Heathen is one of his best 5 albums
Ever.
Buddha of Suburbia is very good too, as is Reality.
The Stones however - nothing since Exile, aside from the odd track (Start Me Up, Undercover)
No way...
... I like Heathen but it's not better than Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dogs, Station To Station, Low, Heroes or Scary Monsters.
Well.....
I would argue it is better than Diamond Dogs and Aladdin Sane(both very patchy) and side 2 of Low always left me cold anyway.
Yes
Yes he has, IMO.
Tin Machine I
Outside
Heathen
Reality
Plus a lot of the live stuff from around '96, '97 more than cuts the mustard.
edit: Sixdog's right, Buddha of Suburbia too.
Most of these are on Spotify, I think
Tin Machine
The first album is really good.
Avoid the second one though,
Tin Machine I
The only album I have *ever* taped over. Ever. And like the rest of you I have a Word Reader's size music collection.
Everyone Says Hi
But other than that, not really.
Is he ever going to do anything new?
Outside
In the recent podcast reference was made to the great Dogfacedboy (we're big fans of his work) recommending Outside. This was an album I'd never listened to despite having almost everything that came before and after it. A trip to Spotify confirmed that it is in fact well worth a listen - give it a go!
Hallo Spaceboy
Genuinely thrilling and disturbing, to my ears, at least. Though the rest of Outside doesn't do a lot for me, apart from Strangers When We Meet.
Another up from me for Heathen and Reality/Reality Live. And does Bowie at the Beeb count, if you include the excellent live disc in the special edition?
It counts with me
Especially the version of Absolute Beginners
The version of "I'm Afraid
The version of "I'm Afraid Of Americans" is the best I've heard. Stunning. Mike Garson's baroque piano stylings, Gail-Ann Dorsey on bass and Earl Slick's guitar. Now -there's- a band. What's not to like?
No Control
off Outside. I can easily live without the rest.
A respect to him for doing Nite Flights, even if his version is a bit pedestrian.
Doof doof doof doofdoof
Earthling came out while I was at university and my housemate played it A LOT. Therefore, I do have a very nostalgic view of that album.
I saw him live on the Reality Tour and the newer tunes were excellent. I really should have bought that album.
Oh, and did I mention that the video for Buddha of Suburbia was filmed in my road?!
No one is sticking up for the Stones here?
Patty, who's been wearing Miranda's clothes?
I like The Heart's Filthy Lesson, driven once again by the formidable Gail Ann Dorsey
One outside
I think One Outside is excellent, & I really like Heathen & Reality.
Tin Machine & Earthling do nothing for me, & I am not familiar with Buddha of Suburbia.
Black Tie White noise ? - Big disappointment AFAIAC.
If you can source a copy...
...the 'Toy' bootleg,largely recorded (I think) around the time of Heathen, is well worth tracking down...
Space Boy
I like Outside and Heathen. I've only started getting into Bowie in the last few years, so started with his newer stuff first.Which was maybe not the best course of action. This week, I listened to Station To Station and Low properly for the first time. Both excellent, will no doubt buy in due course.
Stones
In the last 25 years, these are worth your time ...
Some Girls
Tattoo You
Voodoo Lounge
Stripped
A pedant writes...
Some Girls was in 1978. Tattoo You was 1981.
Er ...
... yes. My god I'm 49!
Undercover Of The Night
Undercover Of The Night (the single) ,.....is right up there, but seemingly a freak occurrence as everything else in it's immediate reach was dodgy, IMO.
Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels is a half decent album. Mixed Emotions, Slippin' Away, Rock & a Hard Place, Break the Spell, Continental Drift. There's some filler on it too, but it's probably the only one since Some Girls that you could listen to all the way through. Of course, even that was released 22 years ago ...
Bowie recent
As with others, Heathen was a creative highpoint for Mr Jones, I would particularly recommend it for the opening track, "Sunday" which is just gorgeous and for "5:15 The Angels Have Gone" for the same reason, and because it was sampled by UNKLE.
Also another thumbs up for Earthling, as its often overlooked in the Bowie cannon for not being the plodding Tin Machine or experimental 1.Outside which are the usual examples given of his 90s output. But Earthling has the awesome "I'm Afraid Of Americans" with Trent Reznor, the jungle-influenced ones, "Telling Lies" and "Little Wonder", and "Seven Years In Tibet" which starts like Massive Attack and ends like Nine Inch Nails. Well worth digging out.
Has a journalist ever asked...
... Jagger/Richards/Bowie/Bono etc why the songs they write just aren't as good as their earlier stuff? I am sure they are all aware of this being a problem in other artists if not aware of it themselves too.
Yes they have...
In the mid 90s Bowie did a dinner-time TV show (can't remember which one) where he sat in a hotel room, with all the tv lights visible, and talked to camera answering questions which I think were written on cards.
He admitted in a lot of detail how in the 'golden years' (no pun) he would deliberately engineer situations to put his friends in intense emotional discomfort and create fights just to watch and then write about it. It was also concurrent when he took a lot of drugs and drank a lot. He said that he would not and could not do that to his friends any more. If that meant the songs weren't as epic or brilliant, so be it. It was an amazingly mature admission for a star/artist to make.
That's interesting but...
...it sounds like "An Answer" rather than a real assessment of why songwriting goes downhill with age.
Having said that, I have just commented below that Absolute Beginners is my fave Bowie song and he was probably regarded as 'finished' even then.
All you need to know about why songwriting goes downhill
with age, is succintly encapsulated here.
Playlist time.
I hope you have Spotify. I think all these tracks are mighty fine...
http://open.spotify.com/user/jasongrayson/playlist/3sXHVFnwQ5pLzbH1P6vKk...
I've alway preferred Reality to Heathen. Oh well.
Brilliant!
Just what I needed! Thanks.
Just gave it a lis
Much better than I expected. There's rather a lot of that "China Girl" four on the floor drums, but some of the tracks are triffic.
Sheev! Sheev!
Where is he when you need him? Personally, I like Heathen and Outside. But frankly, what do I know? I would just go with Aloe Blacc and forget about Bowie and Stones if I were you :)
I suspect Sheev would dismiss anything other than "Stay"
You've taken the words out of my mouth.
?
Hours?
Call me a weirdo but I reckon Hours is well worth anybody's time. Some great tunes on there and Bowie's voice cracked and full of pathos. I love it.
You've nailed it Kev
While I love Heathen and Reality, I've always revered Hours more and I never knew why . Your line about his voice 'cracked and full of pathos' is why...
So he's retired
but I'd just love him, after another five years say, to make a grand comeback a la Morrissey ('04) or Cash (the Rick Rubin albums). Perhaps just as a vocalist. Suggestions for covers/producers?
A DB comeback album.
I would love to hear a stripped back, version (unplugged if you will) of The man who sold the world.
You should make a new thread
about which songs he should cover.
Little Wonder
I think the single, Little Wonder is the link back to his early Anthony Newley-isms and whimsy. He's got his sense of humour back.
Deram Bass?
Get it? Deram? Drum & Bass?
*adjusts collar* Oo, It's hot in here.
And where does the panel stand on his Absolute Beginners OST contributions?. Right on the cusp in 1986.
"Welcome to world of your dreams, Colin"
Little Wonder
sounds like that song he does in that episode of Extras.
This is pretty good
i wish he'd record again, because he is one of those old geezers who is always worth a listen
Don't forget the Moulin Rouge soundtrack
and Bowie's version(s) of Nature Boy. Not exactly Nat Cole, but Bowie tries his hardest to make the song his own à la Wild is the Wind.
Thanks for some great suggestions.
That's all I wanted to say. Looks like Heathen is the one I should start with.
Waterloo Sunset
During the Reality sessions the Dame recorded this wonderful version, which showed up on the Japanese release.
Stones-wise
I've always thought that 'Saint of Me' off 'Bridges to Babylon' was a pretty nifty tune. It stood out a mile on an otherwise rather unispired set.
In terms of Bowie I bought 'Heathen' on the day of release, put it on and thought 'hey, this is pretty good'.
I've never listened to it since.
You should do.
It's pretty good!
The quality of the music
is almost irrelevant somehow. I grew up with Bowie. He was my soundtrack. My older brother. Then I grew up, left home and I didn't really need him that much anymore.
He carried on making records. I bought them out of loyalty. Some of them were good.
But they'll never be 'Aladdin Sane' when you're thirteen.
Might get slated for this
but I was always quite partial to the "Labyrinth" soundtrack. Also "Absolute Beginners" was his last stonewall classic single.
No argument there
I feel reluctant to give an opinion as I am a greatest hits kind of Bowie man. But Absolute Beginners is my favourite Bowie song ever.
I love the Dame
But I always thought that this was more than a nod to Madness.
Bowie (cont)
I've had quite a wonderful few hours listening to your recommendations - particularly enjoyed Dr. J's spotify list, what a clever way to share music! (And I downloaded a couple of tracks, so Spotify should be happy too).
Heathen is really a very beautiful album, I think; I was less keen on Reality (also recommended by many of you).
OK, now it's back to Bowie at the Beeb. Favourite tracks: Amsterdam, Cygnet Committee, The Supermen and Eight Line Poem.
Cool
Glad you liked the Spotify list. I was listening to it after putting it together and realised I have a soft spot for Bowie after 1990 because I was old enough to buy his albums when they came out. (I am younger than Hunky Dory and older than Low)
The cynic in me says
Best 69/74
Best 74/79
Best 80/87
Bowie at the Beeb
But I'll be kind and mentioned the pre-mentioned:
Hullo Spaceboy
Little Wonder
Nature Boy
This is nice.
I've always liked Reality..
I've always liked Reality.. Heathen's good but I think Outside and Buddha of Surburbia are the best of his latter work.
How about a Bowie covers LP?
Not Pin Ups but you could muster a reasonable bunch of songs:
It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City
Wild Is The Wind
Across The Universe
Pablo Picasso
I Know It's Not Going To Happen
Kingdom Come
Try Some, Buy Some
Cactus
Add your own...
'Jump They Say' is really good
& was the last time The Dame looked quite fit too, if you're interested.
Check out the video.
Terrific subject
I adore The Thin White Duke. I was 15 when Outside was released and became obsessed by Strangers When We Meet. Brilliant, epic tune. Never had the foggiest as to it's meaning, still don't, but listened again and again. David Buckley, a noted Bowie archivist, describes the track as having a 'Son of Heroes' feel. The original version of the song features on the Buddah of Suburbia album. The title track of that one is also worth 99p of your hard earned cash on iTunes.
Alongside that belter, I'd heartily suggest newcomers hunting down Thursdays Child, Survive, Seven, Jump They Say, Never Get Old, Everyone Says Hi, Days, Little Wonder, and Thru These Architects Eyes. Listen to those again and again....
Enjoy!!
Thanks...
... for your recommendations. This Bowie thread is keeping me busy. But very happy too :)
The following make the cut...
Absolute Beginners 12" Version (wasn't that 1986 and therefore just within the rteach of your question?)
Around half of Tin Machine's first album.
Baby Universal single.
The Jump They Say single.
The Buddha Of Suburbia album.
Strangers When We Meet single.
The Seven single.
About 20% of the Heathen album.
The New Killer Star single.
The remainder do not make the cut.
My tenpenneth
I agree with...
'1. Outside'
&
'Toy' (an unofficial release)
They're my two favourites of the later period.
That said, 'Heathen', 'Reality' and 'Hours...' all have their moments.
What? Of course he has!
Ashes to Ashes for one.
EDIT - *crushing revelation of middle-age*
Baal
I know it's over 25 years old.. but I just dug out my ep of Baal.. Bowie's voice is amazing and the whole thing is beautifully recorded..
If he's finished with pop I'd love to hear him tackle more projects like this..
His last trilogy speak to me now more than
his 70s albums did when I was a teenager/early twenties!
I was obsessed with Bowie. I loved all of his 70s albums with a passion I felt for no other artist. But, he was a mystery, distant ... yes, alien.
Now, I'm in my fifties (about the age started recording Hours...). All three albums (including Heathen and Reality) I personally relate to a great deal. Bowie looks back on his life not with triumph but with a tinge of regret. Over the three albums, he becomes increasingly worried about failing health and the twilight of life, even death itself (which is no longer just a song). The covers seem to pay off debts to artists he copied/stole ideas from.
He offers no solutions but, as the final cover demonstrates (a George Harrison song) love is the answer. And in the last track of all, he simply disappears.
It's striking that Crowley, The Golden Ones, Nietzche, Buddism and all the philosphies that obsessed him in the 70s are completely absent except when wistfully looking back on his youth.
In the final analysis, Bowie is a frail human being just like the rest of us, riddled with doubt, anxiety and other complex emotions but capable of great things.
I love these three albums and play them frequently, far more than most of his others.
Very well said
I think you're spot on. I was fifty this year and feel very much the same.