David Bowie - Tonight (1984)

Believing the strangest things

A few years ago, me and my buddy Mr. Magic did a very small Swedish-speaking podcast where we discussed Bowie’s albums. In the very last episode, we ranked Bowie’s all albums from 28 up to number One. 

The bottom five in my list became a fierce dog fight between the two Tin Machine albums, “Pin Ups”, the first album named “David Bowie” and “Tonight”. With that I must say that this album is not great. 

“Tonight” was released the year after the smash hit “Let’s Dance”. The reason for the Record Company Man was of course to pull more gold out of the mine. For Bowie it seems to have been an after-thought altogether. He ditched Nile Rodgers as the producer, and the album looks like a support project for his friend Iggy Pop who ran low on cash at the time.

Bowie wrote two new songs with Iggy, Tumble and Twirl and Dancing With the Big Boys, and added three old Iggy songs from the seventies as well as two other covers, one Beach Boys and a Leiber-Stoller song. The rest was a mere two new songs, Loving the Alien and Blue Jean. This is not nearly enough I would say. Bowie continued to surprise his audience, ever the chameleon. He never took the easy way out.

Besides the low output of new "fresh" material, the production of the album is extremely weak. It reeks of bad eighties choices of instruments, mixing and overall “style”. As if that was not enough, many of the songs are done as reggae!!! Hate is a strong word when it comes to reviewing music, so let’s say I really, really don’t like reggae.

In the end only three of the new songs are interesting. “Blue Jean” has a funny music video that is so dated you can only smile with remembrance in your eyes. The best thing with it may be David’s make up. If you are to check it out, don’t miss to also have a look at the 20 minutes short film built around the song directed by Julien Temple.

“Dancing With the Big Boys” is like an early song from the “Never Let Me Down”-sessions. It is bombastic and fun in a way, but it’s not among Bowie’s classics. “Loving the Alien” is better. Reminds me about some of his work for soundtracks like “Absolute Beginners”.

Of the rest, most of them are unbearable to me. Sure, Bowie gives a master class in singing on the “God Only Knows” but I question the need for this song and this album to begin with. One part new stuff, one part covers and one part reggae versions of old Iggy Pop songs. Crazy. Like a “Kinder Surprise”, but without the chocolate.

Maybe I can give him that the album is eclectic at least.

My rating: 3/10

Side A:
1. Loving the Alien
2. Don’t Look Down
3. God Only Knows
4. Tonight

Side B:
1. Neighborhood Threat
2. Blue Jean
3. Tumble and Twirl
4. I Keep Forgettin’
5. Dancing With the Big Boys

Best songs: “Loving the Alien” and “Blue Jean”

Produced by: David Bowie, Derek Bramble and Hugh Padgham

Released on September 24th, 1984

Media: Box “Loving the Alien [1983-1988]”, 2018, reissue, remaster, 180g

Veckan låt

Snart blir det en massa album och låtar från 1990 i Specialen, men jag hinner klämma in en gammal goding från Bowie före dess.

David Bowie med Golden Years i en video som något fan gjort.

Redan slut? Då hinner vi med en låt till, en låt till från samma skiva. 

Denna version live på scenen hos BBC sommaren år 2000.

Wild is the wind. RIP, Mr Magic.

Moonage Daydream (2022)

Som ett gammal Bowie-fan måste jag säga att Moonage Daydream var helt fantastisk. Jag har alltid gillat Bowie och min fascination för hans karriär och liv har bara ökat sedan han gick ur tiden 2016. När jag ser denna film blir det så tydligt att hans musik har sökt sig in i mitt innersta.

Filmen kan med fördel ses med hörlurar på och slå av textningen för bövelen så du inte blir spoilad på vilken sång som spelas. Det är ljuvligt att bara dras med och överraskas av låt efter låt som sköljer över en. Hela upplevelsen blir som en psykedelisk resa som om den vore regisserad av Salvador Dali.

Brett Morgens dokumentärfilm är egentligen inte en dokumentär utan snarare ett kollage där han låter Mr Bowie tala till oss från graven. Filmen är som en dröm man drömmer som vaken. Morgen ger oss ingen historisk kontext, berättarröst eller några nyinspelade intervjuer. Den består endast av arkivmaterial från livekonserter, tv-framträdanden, musikvideor och intervjuer med Mr Bowie.

Fokus ligger på 70-talet, de två stora turnéerna under 80-talet och de sista åren. Musiken hoppar fram och tillbaka lite men detta är framför allt en kronologisk berättelse. Morgen har fått tag på fantastiskt material för sin film. Vi får se den mytomspunna bortklippta sekvensen där Bowie gör en cover på Love me do under avskedskonserten 1973. Vi får se outgivet material från London under hans Isolar II-turné 1978. Filmen innehåller givetvis också en hel del från Let's dance och Glass Spider turenérna och det blir ett kärt återseende. 

Allkonstnären Brett Morgen har också mixat om flertalet låtar, strippade ner dem som Modern love, eller mixat ihop olika låtar som Memory of a free festival med Station to station. Generellt sett är det mycket bra mixat ljud och flera av live-upptagningarna låter bättre än tidigare släppta skivor. Quelle spectaculaire!

Mr Bowie var en filosof och han delar med sig av en hel del visdom i materialet vi får se, jag blir varm i kroppen och yr i huvudet mot slutet av den långa filmen. Bowie var en fin människa som hade insikter om många saker. Filmen avslutas fantastiskt och vi får två av hans allra mest ikoniska låtar över slutsekvensen av filmen. Dammigt i rummet så att det förslår...

En stark rekommendation till alla musikälskare i allmänhet och fans av Bowie i synnerhet. Betyget är givet.

Betyg: 5/5

David Bowie - Diamond Dogs (1974)

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Bowie had a few themes he often returned to such as the outsider alien, mortality and insanity. In 1974 he took it one step further and released a concept album - "Diamond Dogs". Recorded less than a year after Pink Floyd's masterpiece "The Dark Side of the Moon" it is not hard to imagine that he might have been influenced by Floyd.

Bowie was at the time interested in doing a musical piece on George Orwell's novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four" but he was denied the rights by Orwell's widow. Instead "Diamond Dogs" became a story in a dystopian post-apocalyptic setting loosely based on "Nineteen Eighty-Four" as well as the writings of  William S. Burroughs.

 I like to listen to the album as a self contained unit, from start to finish. It holds fewer songs that pop up as stand alone pieces. Instead there are two powerful musical suites. The obvious is on side A with "Sweet Thing"/"Candidate"/"Sweet Thing (Reprise)". The second is the whole side B except for the first song: "We Are the Dead"/"1984"/"Big Brother"/"Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal family".

The "Sweet Thing" suite is presented as one long song on the 2008 release "iSelect", a rare best of album curated by David himself .

The album is to me the bridge between his glam rock days to the soul music of "Young Americans" and the lurking Thin White Duke in the shadows. The powerful ballad "Rock ' n' Roll With Me" could have easily found a place on "Young Americans". 

The intro with the short "Future Legend" mimics many conceptual albums. After the ouverture the album launches into the first of two rockers on the first side. "Diamond Dogs" and "Rebel Rebel" are up-tempo rockers and the latter is still a fan favourite at live shows. They are great as rockers, but to me I do like the more complex and slower songs on the album as much if not more. 

Deep in the suite on the second side we find the song "1984". I guess Orwell's wife couldn't stop David to call his song a general number! It is crazy! Just like a theme song to a cheezy seventies tv show about bandits and detectives.

So how good is it? Everything is super subjective of course, but to me it's a step down from the terrific "Aladdin Sane" from the year before. This album feels better produced but the best songs don't stand out to me as much.

My rating: 8/10

Side A:
1.    Future Legend 2.    Diamond Dogs 3.    Sweet Thing 4.    Candidate 5.    Sweet Thing (Reprise) 6.    Rebel Rebel

Side B:
1.     Rock 'n' Roll With Me
2.    We Are the Dead
3.    1984 4.    Big Brother 5.    Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family

Best songs: "Rock 'n' Roll With Me", the "Sweet Thing" suite, "Rebel rebel"

Produced by: David Bowie (in collaboration with Tony Visconti)

Released: May 24th, 1974

Media: 2016 remaster 180 gram vinyl, reissued in 2016 as part of the "Who Can I Be Now? (1974-1976)" box.

Encores

The "Rebel rebel" smash hit single, a sample of the mystery of "Diamonds dogs".

"Sweet thing" live in 1974, a sample of the mystery of "Diamonds dogs".

David Bowie - Pin Ups (1973)

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The rotten teeth

I really can't stand this album. I don't want to bring you down, but there it is. 

Bowie at the height of his powers and he wastes it on a covers-album? I fins it boring that he puts his time with second hand songs, in the peak of his creative flow. Maybe he needed to blow off steam? Maybe that could be an answer to the state of his mind.

Bowie apparently wanted to celebrate the bands he listened to in the sixties. I can relate, but put those song on b-sides of singles! Who is this album for? Older guys that experienced the sixties? I am not one of those.

I am not a big fan of British pop music of the sixties in general. I love The Beatles and Pink Floyd but no more. The Who is utterly boring, all too simplistic for my taste, but then again, I always loved a complex song like “Time” more than the simple rocker as “Rebel Rebel”, to reflect over two Bowie songs. This album is in the very bottom of my ranking of Bowie albums, I am sorry to say. 

There were apparently some plans to do a similar covers album with American artists from the sixties, a “Pin Ups 2”. That I would have been much more interested in. I can easily find many more interesting American bands from that decade, with Neil Young first in line. Yes, I know he is Canadian, but anyway. I like the California rock scene, outlaw country and mellow yacht rock from the era. Bowie didn’t follow thru on this idea, not the first or last time he didn’t complete a project, but he added songs on later albums that could have easily ended up on “Pin Ups 2”. One example is Neil Youngs “I’ve Been Waiting For You” from his debut album “Neil Young” from 1969 that we get on the 2002 album “Heathen”.

Back to the record we actually got. The only two songs I really can stand are Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play” and The Mersey’s “Sorrow”. Both are quite nice.  But the best cover from the era is the b-side of the “Sorrow” single, “Port of Amsterdam” by Jacques Brel. The first time I heard it was on the “cash grab” album “Rare” released in 1983, as a follow up to the immensely popular “Let’s Dance”.  I love the port, the fish heads and the rotten teeth.

As a complete album on its own this is rubbish. I can’t imagine I will play it all through many times in my life again. Maybe never.

My rating: 4/10

Side A:
1. Rosalyn (The Pretty Things cover)
2. Here Comes the Night (Them cover)
3. I Wish You Would (The Yardbirds cover)
4. See Emily Play (Pink Floyd cover)
5. Everything’s Alright (The Mojos cover)
6. I Can’t Explain (The who cover)

Side B:
1. Friday on My Mind (The Easybeats cover)
2. Sorrow (The Merseys cover)
3. Don’t Bring Me Down (The Pretty Things cover)
4. Shapes of Things (The Yardbirds cover)
5. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere (The who cover)
6. Where Have All the Good Times Gone (The Kinks cover)

Best songs: “See Emily Play” and “Sorrow”. But really "Port of Amsterdam".

Produced by: Ken Scott and David Bowie

Released: October 19, 1973

Media: Remastered 180 gram vinyl, reissued in 2015 as part of the Five Years (1969-1973) box.

David Bowie - Aladdin Sane (1973)

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Sigh like Twig the Wonder Kid

Listen to the album is such a treat. A few seconds into the first song “Watch That Man” and I get goose bumps running up my arms. I am flung back through time to my childhood’s summers out on the island Tjörn on the West Coast of Sweden. I am walking on the narrow sloping path through the gnarly pine trees towards the warm cliffs down at the waterline for yet another dip in the salty ocean. My friends close behind. In the trees the air is still and hot, like the inside of a sauna. Down at the ocean the air is fresh. 

It was the best of times. “Aladdin Sane” was played over and over again on the TDK AD cassette tape. On the flip side I had “Diamond Dogs” but we loved “Aladdin Sane” the most…

I love this album and it feels cemented in my mind. It’s such a treat to sit down and listen to it from start to beginning. Time slows down when I hold the large foldout cover of the LP and stare into Ziggy’s face. Truly one of his top 3 album covers.

“Watch That Man” is a straight forward rocker, not the most interesting song on the album but a great lead off track. It also, apparently, unlocks all that nostalgia. “Aladdin Sane” is a little bit of a challenge. It took me many years to love this complex song, the jarring experimental melody, the jazz piano almost progressive in nature. Nowadays, I really love it. The rest of side A is as good, borderline superb.

“Drive-In Saturday” may be the second-best song on the album but damned me if it is not my personal favourite. Again the strong memories from my childhood. It is somewhat melancholic but it packs a great melody. “Panic In Detroit”, the slow burning rocker with unrelenting drums. David almost sounds bored when he sings. “Cracked Actor” may be the ultimate Bowie song from the seventies with the edgy lyrics, the melody, the instruments, the singing. It’s a blast.

The second side is great but a little more uneven. “Time” must be the best song from the album. It’s dramatic and theatrical. David’s singing is among his best all time. It is getting better and better the more you listen to it. The song is of course brutally good live. A song that heavily influenced Swedish singer Magnus Uggla I would think. “Livets teater”!

“The Prettiest Star” is somewhat of a filler, but what a fantastic filler that is! But you can never go wrong with hand claps! And you must love the bap-bap by the backing singers. The only real miss on the album is the never to be missed cover song. This time it’s Stones’ “Let’s Spend the Night Together” that gives me the hives. No value at all to me. Why? How? Why?

“The Jean Genie” is a great slow rocker, a staple for live shows. Also a favourite of mine. One of many songs on the album with interesting lyrics. The last song “Lady Grinning Soul” is like a companion to “Aladdin sane” and “Time” with the flowing piano, the mysterious atmosphere and more advanced musical theme. A great ending to the album.

Song for song it may not be the best bunch of Bowie songs, stand alone, but collectively as an album it is up there among my top 3. Of course, it gets a bonus by force of nostalgia, but that is how it should be with music you have loved your whole life.

My rating: 10/10

Side A:
1. Watch That Man
2. Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)
3. Drive-In Saturday
4. Panic In Detroit
5. Cracked Actor

Side B:
1. Time
2. The Prettiest Star
3. Let’s Spend the Night Together (cover of the Rolling Stones song)
4. The Jean Genie
5. Lady Grinning Soul

Best songs: “Drive-In Saturday”, “Time”, "Aladdin Sane", "The Prettiest Star", “Cracked Actor” and “The Jean Genie”

Produced by: David Bowie and Ken Scott

Released: April 13, 1973

Media: 2013 remaster 180 gram vinyl, reissued in 2015 as part of the Five Years (1969-1973) box.

Encore: A music video of Drive-In Saturday with song lyrics.

David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)

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We move like tigers on vaseline

"Ziggy played guitar, jamming good…" “Ziggy Stardust” is an iconic album. It’s one of the best glam-rock albums ever and it’s on the short list for my albums that I have listened to the most in my life. It is filled with great songs, almost no weak points all through. All that said, I am still a little bit conflicted over exactly how great it is…

Maybe I have listened to it too much, but I feel it may have faded a little. When I rate albums the sense of  how much I urge to put it on the turntable is important. But then again, the other side of it is all the nostalgia. Ziggy has faded a little when it comes to eagerness, but it still rates high on the nostalgia. It was one of the first albums by Bowie I got, and it seems like it has always been there in my life. Now it is like a worn-out old friend.

As an album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars” is a rather big step forward compared to “Hunky Dory” when it comes to production and ambition. It has a fuller sound and feels overall more cohesive. It feels like they were a band. Bowie in a band? Unfortunately, that’s something we later learned was a very bad idea…

Another change that comes with the band and the fuller sound is that there is much less focus on the piano. Rick Wakeman is almost gone, he may have played only on a song or two, and Mike Garson hasn’t joined the band yet. This, I feel, is on the not so positive side.

The album is said to be a concept album, but very loosely if so. It would be about an androgynous rock star who acts as a messenger for an alien being, at the time of the doom of our world. It is about space, aliens, apocalypse and insanity. All the usual subjects Bowie was interested in. Ziggy as a kind of Messiah? Yes, I am on board.

The first side is kicked off with “Five Years”. It is faded in, a great intro like “Space Oddity”, it feels earnest and David has a desperate tone in his voice. It’s a very good lead off song. “Soul Love” is the perfect companion to the sombre “Five Years”. A love song, it’s a little lighter and give us a slightly happier David.

The third song “Moonage Daydream” is the first of my favourites. "I’m a space invader." The song was used to great effect in a spacey scene in “Guardians of the Galaxy, vol 1”. I love the guitar in the intro. Now and then Mick Ronson got it right!

“Starman” is another classic. Do you see how impossibly dense this album is? Again with the sci-fi theme. Maybe we can see it as Ziggy’s “Life On Mars?”? It is one of my favs. The last song on the first side is the only filler on the album, the cover of the Ron Davies song “It Ain’t Easy”. Random curiosity to my ears.

What a stellar first side! But nevertheless, the second side is stronger! “Lady Stardust” is a softer melancholic song, “Star” the up-tempo rocker that was so fun live and “Hang on to yourself” is another fan favourite, this time with the fun lyrics and hand clapping. The typical proto-punk rock song.

“Ziggy Stardust” must be the most well-known song from the album. The guitar is classic, again well-done Mick Ronson. David’s singing is with clear eyes and a full heart. One of the best songs in David’s whole career. And it is almost equalled by the penultimate song “Suffragette City”. This is one of my favourites now when I am getting older. It was always a blast on the live stage.

The album is finished off with David’s early career magnum opus “Rock’n’Roll Suicide”, a song about depression and the fall from grace. It meant the end of the Ziggy era when he played it at Hammersmith Odeon on the last show of the Ziggy tours. It is a perfect ending, starting slow with an acoustic guitar and building up to a crescendo. Album ended.

The Ziggy album is like a box of chocolates. The pieces might all be wonderful, but you won't eat a whole box in one go. You want to savor a few pieces at a time. It may be the same with this album. How can it not be a 10/10? Maybe I feel full, and sometimes only a song here and there at the time is perfect… And the obligatory internal time travel to my youth. I still ranked “Ziggy Stardust” at number six in my latest Bowie albums ranking.

In the “Five Years” box it’s the Ziggy album that has got the “special treatment” with a second mix added. We get the 2003 mix by original producer Ken Scott. I have listened very hard to find the changes, the improvements. It is actually quite hard to hear any clear differences. I have even searched the Internets to read up on the changes, but most reviewers seem to say that there are very small differences between the mixes. If anything, David’s singing is a little clearer and pushed to the front, the drums are a little dryer and there’s maybe a fatter bass. I don’t even know if it is for real or only in my head! I can say though that the different mix doesn’t give me a different feeling from the album. It seems like the Bowie team will treat us with one album getting the "special treatment" per super deluxe box. This one might be one of the least necessary updates.

“Ziggy Stardust” will always be there. It is a part of the soundtrack to my life. But nowadays maybe I don’t put it on as often as I should?

My rating: 9/10

Side A:
1. Five Years
2. Soul Love
3. Moonage Daydream
4. Starman
5. It Ain’t Easy (cover of the Ron Davies song)

Side B:
1. Lady Stardust
2. Star
3. Hang On to Yourself
4. Ziggy Stardust
5. Suffragette City
6. Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide

Best songs: “Moonage Daydream”, “Starman”, “Ziggy Stardust”, “Suffragette City” and “Rock’n’Roll Suicide”.

Produced by: David Bowie and Ken Scott

Released on June 16th, 1972

My media: Remastered 180 gram vinyl, reissued in 2015 as part of the Five Years (1969-1973) box.

My 2nd media: the Ken Scott 2003 mix, included in the Five Years (1969-1973) box.

Encore:

A wonderful live version of "Rock 'n' roll suicide" live i Philadelphia in 1974. Video is a fan made montage. One of the best versions of this song out there.

David Bowie - Hunky Dory (1971)

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Immune to your consultations

My relationship with “Honky Dory” is made up of different stages of longing. Back when I started collecting vinyl records, the first time around, I couldn't buy all albums at once. A big part of record collecting was "the chase". Sometimes it was really hard to find them! Me and my friends went to the one record shop there was in Skövde. Then we went to record fairs in Gothenburg and Hova. Collecting records could be very frustrating indeed. But browsing bins of vinyls and finding that one you had been looking for could give feelings of true satisfaction. But the album I always seemed to miss out on was “Hunky Dory”.

It is funny how the impressions you get when you’re young stick around. Even though I now have multiple copies of the album in multiple formats, I still feel in the back of my mind that it is scarce, and that I need it. Funny thing.

Let’s see what we have on this LP then. Hmm, the first four songs… Yes. It is so similar to Neil’s 1972 LP “Harvest”. Two very, very good tracks followed by a weaker one and followed by the fourth song, the most iconic songs on both albums. The same structure! Two great albums released within two months. One on each side of the pond. How does “Hunky Dory” rate compare to “Harvest”? Well, that is for another review, isn’t it? Ok, ok, ok, I give in. Of course, “Harvest” is better. But some of the songs from “Hunky dory” may be more known, especially over here in Europe.

“Hunky Dory” is the start of Bowie’s exceptional run in the seventies. It would be ranked in the top half in the list of 26 studio albums. In my last ranking of Bowie studio albums I had it in at eleventh. That means it’s a very good album! The album art is also iconic. Bowie in long golden hair and blue eyes in a Garbo-esque pose. A great album cover can be a part of my feelings about it.

And so it begins, the curse of the cover songs… Another thing I come to think about is the trend of David using at least one cover song. That all started with “Hunky Dory”. I famously stated on my Swedish podcast Shinypodden that Bowie didn’t do covers often (except for the covers album Pin ups). How utterly incorrect I was. Embarrassing.

The first song on the album is “Changes”, a song I think readers of any music review blogs already know of. It’s such a great song for the youth in all of us. The second “Oh! You Pretty Things” can’t disappoint anyone. As on all the songs on this album Rick Wakeman’s piano is the most important instrument accompanying David’s singing. You also must not miss the hand clapping! Catchy!

Now to the mega hit, one of the best songs ever by Mr. Bowie, “Life on Mars?”. What can be said of the song that is not already said? Well I don't know, heck, I even don't know what actually has been said. I love it because it has always been there. Listening to the song feels like time travel to me, for a moment I am myself as a youngling again. 

Bowie was the first major artist I discovered and he filled me with joy for music. I love Rick’s piano, Bowies melancholic lyrics and his singing. Some lines from the song pop up now and then when I am totally unprepared. Is there life on Mars?

The remaining songs on the first side of the LP are nice enough, they are enjoyable, but still they’re kind of fillers. Except for “Quicksand”. That one is really nice.

The second side of the LP is not as good as the first side. The first song is a cover and it’s at its best a fun and quirky filler. Often the covers just seem to be less worthy to me, I want his true material. It’s like documentaries in the movies, often interesting but they seldom feel like a “real, full” movies.

After a bridge of curious studio banter we are thrust into the glorious “Andy Warhol”. The acoustic guitars are great, David’s singing top notch and the melody is slightly jarring. It’s clearly one of the two best songs on the second side.

“A Song for Bob Dylan” is calm and seems earnest enough, but I find it a little boring. “Queen Bitch” is a fun song that would have been a perfect fit on the next album also. It was often great when played live.

The last song “The Bewlay Brothers” seems to have been a mystery to the audience back in the seventies. Nowadays we think it’s about David and his schizophrenic brother Terry. It is a haunting slow song written by David one night in the studio. Later on he would more frequently write songs on site in the recording studio. His creative mind blows my mind.

This is a very nice album. High floor with some spectacular peaks.

My rating: 8/10

Side A:
1. Changes
2. Oh! You Pretty Things
3. Eight Line Poem
4. Life on Mars?
5. Kooks
6. Quicksand

Side B:
1. Fill Your Heart (cover of the Biff Rose song)
2. Andy Warhol
3. Song for Bob Dylan
4. Queen Bitch
5. The Bewlay Brothers

Best songs: “Life on Mars?”, “Changes” and “Oh! You Pretty Things”

Produced by: Ken Scott

Released: December 17, 1971

My media: Remastered 180 gram vinyl, reissued in 2015 as part of the Five Years (1969-1973) box.

Media 2: Remastered 180 gram vinyl, Reissued Limited edition 2017, Gold

Encore

Today I give you David's last ever live performance of "Life on Mars?". Together with old friend Mike Garson they graciously present to us a stripped down and very heartfelt version of the classic song. Live at Radio Music Hall, New York City, September 8th, 2005.

David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World (1970)

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Newly wed, oh Angie

The width of a circle can be very long indeed. David had some success with the folky dreamy "Space Oddity" and sure enough - right away he changed his style completely! David Bowie, the chameleon ever for ever. And the change from folk songs was significant. “The Man Who Sold the World” is like a very early grunge album. It must have been David’s spider senses that picked up the trend of guitar-based rock à la Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. This could be his forte, but alas it was only to be for one lone album.

This is a rock album with a lot of guitars. It is the hardest of David’s seventies albums, not until the late eighties would he return to this kind of music. The band that soon would be the Spiders from Mars assembled. The Micks, guitarist Ronson and drummer Woodmansey, joined David. On this album producer Tony Visconti slapped the bass and a random keyboard player was added. Who was he, was he ever significant?

To be honest I never did like Mick Ronson's sound. It is something I have to live with. As a guitarist in such a famous band he is iconic, sure, but the sound is too thin and sharp to me. Some of the guitar riffs are very nice nevertheless. This is an album I used to love, but the feelings have grown a little cooler by now. I may have listened to it too much back then in the early nineties. I think it may better suit folk who listen to the Stones and The Who.

I usually don’t focus that much on the lyrics when listening to David’s albums. It may have to do with the fact that I was too young with little to no knowledge of the English language when I started to listen to his music. Lyrically, the theme is about insanity, a subject David seemed to come back to often. Insanity and sci-fi were the things he was thinking about. It suits me perfectly.

The album cover of David in long hair, in a dress on the divan is a classic shot. I may be bold enough and say it must be in the top 10 of his album covers…

“The Width of a Circle” is one of the longest Bowie songs on a studio album. It’s a progressive rock track, flowing up and down, like the tide. Parts of it are quite nice, others not so much. The song was a staple in his early live shows though and the live versions can be thrilling.

The insanity... “All the Madmen” and “Black Country Rock” are great, highlights of the first side of the album. "After All" is a beautiful softer song. The first side of the album is strong.

The second side is dominated by the title song. “Running Gun Blues” has that young and high pitched voice of David’s. It’s crazy to my ears. “She Shook Me Cold” is the weakest track on the album, it is almost hard to think David wrote it. Tony Visconti has said that the band developed some of the songs while David sat on the sofa with his new bride Angie. Sometimes that trivia could be easy to believe

“The Man Who Sold the World” has always been a favourite. It got a new life when Kurt Cobain did a cover of it on their “Unplugged” album. Even David began to play the song more after that. I think the boys in Nirvana did great with the song also. Good job, well done.

This is an album that I loved 30 years ago. Now, I may have played it too much. I find other albums in the collection more interesting. Still it is very cool as it stands out in the collection, and every time he revisited one of the songs from this album at live shows it was usually very interesting. It is precious and should not be forgotten.

Rating: 7/10

Side A:

1. The Width of a Circle

2. All the Madmen

3. Black Country Rock

4. After All

Side B:

1. Running Gun Blues

2. Saviour Machine

3. She Shook Me Cold

4. The Man Who Sold the World

5. The Supermen

Best songs: “The Man Who Sold the World”, “All the Madmen”, "Black Country Rock"

Produced by: Tony Visconti

Released: November 4, 1970

Media: Remastered 2015, 180 gram vinyl, reissued in 2015 as part of the Five Years (1969-1973) box.

Today I'll offer a live version of the title song from a BBC concert in the summer of 2000. What a great band!

David Bowie - Space Oddity (1969)

My vinyl records 00003

Floating in a most peculiar way

David Bowie was a trend setter, he was a true influencer. Yes. He saw trends early and adapted fast, but I don’t think he invented them. But all that came later, at the earliest stages of his career he was almost rudderless. From the crazy vaudeville and music hall theatrics of the debut album in 1967 to his second self-titled album in 1969 he was a follower. Quite talented, but still a follower. 

The 1969 album “David Bowie”, that later was called “Space Oddity” on many re-releases, is a mix of different moods and styles. Many of the songs are in the folk music tradition of the sixties. Overall the LP lacks the consistency of his works in the seventies, as an album this would be “minor” Bowie.

Without the monumental “Space Oddity” the album would have been weak even. Now it is passable at least. “Space Oddity” is one of his songs that are so well known, so “important” and so often played that I feel some fatigue from it. As a part of the LP it pops out and it is great, but as part of numerous “best of” albums and playlists it may have run its course and burnt out, just a little. The song was used to perfection in the long introduction scene in Luc Besson’s “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”. It may have been the best part of the whole movie! When it pops up unannounced like that I realize, again, how great it is.

However, I have never been a fan of the LP, it is too experimental perhaps. As a “Bowieian” I feel a little embarrassed, but here it is. I am not a fan of this album. At closer review there are some nice tracks, but still “the whole” is not greater than “the sum of its parts” in this case. Some notable later albums will be quite the opposite.

The opening track “Space Oddity”. What do we have on it? I like the intro, the music is faded in like a mystery, the acoustic guitar, the militaristic drums, and then David’s voice. That voice was lighter and in a higher pitch early in his life. It is good. I like the counting, the themes, the space travels, the dreams. Major Tom is a friend. He has always been there watching from the sky.

The next song is “Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed”, what a jaunty name of a song! It has a nice electric guitar and a somewhat slightly boring harmonica. The song grows on you though.

Jumping to the last song on the first side we are faced with the elusive “Cygnet Committee”. Is it about very small swans? I like swans, they are one of the most beautiful animals I know. The song is an early progressive rock song, it’s long and flowing, and it has separate distinct parts. I like the middle part, and I like the ending with the repeated lines “I want to live”. What killed the hippy movement? I love the melancholy in the text and singing. David is doing a great job expressing himself.

“We’d speak of a Swedish room…”... Smiles, fun to hear! Is it the room in my childhood home in Skövde? Which room is it? Is it big?

Tony Visconti, David’s old friend and producer, is producing this album together with someone called Gus. Visconti is also playing the bass. Other notable musicians are Rick Wakeman of YES fame on the keyboards, and guitarist Tim Renwick that later would play with Pink Floyd in the eighties.

On “God knows I’m good” I almost don’t recognize David’s voice. It is like from another century even. It is part of many Bowie songs that are dealing with dystopia and scary future worlds. This theme of his is something that is popping up here and there in his music.

The last song on the LP is the sing-along “Memory of a Free Festival”. It’s like Bowie’s “Hey Jude” but, well you know, not quite as good. I think you all can agree. It was a favourite of mine when I was younger but nowadays I think it is too simpleton, too naïve… and we’re gonna have a party.

My rating: 5/10

Side A:
1. Space Oddity
2. Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed
3.     Don't Sit Down
4. Letter to Hermione
5. Cygnet Committee

Side B:
1. Janine
2. An Occasional Dream
3. Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud
4. God Knows I’m Good
5. Memory of a Free Festival

Best songs: "Space Oddity”

Released on November 14, 1969

Produced by: Tony Visconti

Media: Remastered 180 gram vinyl, reissued in 2015 as part of the "Five Years (1969-1973)" super deluxe box.

David Bowie - "Heroes" (1977)

My vinyl records 00002

My first Bowie album

I am fairly sure that “Heroes” was the first album by Bowie I ever owned. It must have been around 1981 when I was working in a record shop two weeks as part of an assignment for school. All kids got to work as interns at real work places. I choose a record store in my small home town Skövde. My friend worked at a bakery and got home every day with a bag full of still warm sweet pastries. I got to pick one record “for free” after my two weeks of work. The decision felt monumental… it was “Heroes”…

At that time I didn’t like it that much, I might have been too young. I had “Alladin Sane” and “Diamond Dogs” on a TDK audio tape and those records were much easier to fall in love with. A couple of years later when “Let’s Dance” came out, the album “Heroes” almost was forgotten. But not so much anymore. This is a sneaky good record.

Just as “Low” we get one side of the album with songs with singing and a second side with mostly instrumental songs. The album is a piece best listened to as a whole entity. It is mature music, not easy listening. The album opens with the pulsating and almost frantic “Beauty and the Beast”. You really can’t say no to the beauty and the beast. Liebling… It is a great first song.

“Joe the Lion” is not my favourite. The inspiration to the song was the performance artist Chris Burden who got his 15 minutes of fame by having himself nailed to the top of a Volkswagen in 1974. Bowie’s vocals are impressive enough though.

“Heroes” is the third song. Is it too famous? How can you even start to assess a song that you have heard so many times? Is it boring? Is it great? As a part of the experience listening to the album it is great! Bowie may have written it about the stolen kisses his producer Tony Visconti and Antonia Maas got beneath the Berlin Wall during the recording sessions. Legend has it that produced Tony Visconti put three microphones with different distances to Bowie in the room. They got activated at different sound levels and due to their respective distance to the singer a slight delay was introduced for each mic. When Bowie puts in more and more power he sings in chorus with himself.

“Sons of the Silent Age” is a slow song with a heavy saxophone and a showcase for David singing. What is he thinking of here? In “Blackout” he is either signing of an actual blackout in New York City or his mental breakdown before he moved to Berlin.

Now we come to the very exciting second side of the album. It’s an atmospheric ambient music that is all about feelings. The songs are written by Bowie with a lot of help by Brian Eno who also introduced the oblique strategies where he would distribute random “obscure strategies” cards to the band to follow. Eno said nein to rehearsals, to induce a creative environment built on chaos and uncertainties.

“V-2 Schneider” is an almost instrumental powerful song with military undertones. Funny note, Bowie’s sax is played in the wrong key, but it works anyway. 

The subsequent three instrumental songs make up a mighty section. “Sense of Doubt” feels like a space ship taking off and travelling to unseen places, “Moss Garden” takes us to Japan. “Neuköln” is a melancholic lament for the Turkish immigrants in the Berlin district Neukölln (Bowie may intentionally have named the song misspelled). The lonely saxophone is crying! The song could easily been used in the classic movie Blade Runner.

The album is rounded off with an almost disco-esque dance romp, “The Secret Life of Arabia”. It’s one of the hidden treasures of the album, even though one could argue that it’s actually misplaced on the album. It should not have been the last song. But, hand claps! Catchy!

My rating: 8/10

Side A:
1. Beauty and the Beast
2. Joe the Lion
3. “Heroes”
4. Sons of the Silent Age
5. Blackout

Side B:
1. V-2 Schneider
2. Sense of Doubt
3. Moss Garden
4. Neuköln
5. The Secret Life of Arabia

Highlights: “Heroes”, “The Secret Life of Arabia”

Produced by: David Bowie and Tony Visconti

Released: October 14, 1977

Media: Remastered 180 gram vinyl, reissued in 2018, part of the box "A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982)"

Veckans låt

Johnny Cash är en favoritsångare. Countryn är outlaw och sångrösten är en bland topp 10. Mot slutet gjorde han ett gäng skivor där han hade med flera intressanta covers. "Hurt" är en av de mest kända och det med rätta. Trent Reznor och Nine Inch Nails har gjort originalet. 

Äh, slänger in en version till av samma låt. Bra grejer.

Veckans låt

David Bowie är en av mina absoluta favoritartister. Topp 10 utan tvekan.

Istället för första skivan vänder jag mig till det allra sista studioalbumet från Mr. Bowie. Skivan kallas Blackstar och den släpptes på hans 69:e födelsedag, den 8:e januari 2016. Vid releasen var han mycket sjuk, det var kräftan som det så ofta är. Han gick ur tiden endast två dagar senare, den 10:e januari.

Skivan är otroligt bra och mörk. Han hade spelat in den och sparat den för release inför det ofrånkomliga slutet. Just denna skiva är extra bra att lyssna på texterna då alla spår på skivan behandlar hans mortalitet och känslor inför resan. 

Musikaliskt är den ett unikum i hans diskografi. Istället för att som en kameleont plocka upp nya musikaliska trender gör han något helt eget i denna svanesång. Den känns som starten på något nytt... Han spelade inte ens in skivan med sitt vanliga band utan spelar här med en kvintett jazzmusikers ledda av saxofonisten Donny McCaslin. Tony Visconti var dock med bakom reglagen.

Jag väljer Lazarus, skivans bästa låt som också är en av Mr. Bowies bästa låtar genom hela karriären. Rest in peace, gamle vän...

Shinypodden om Bowie, sista avsnittet

Ground Control to Major Tom

Commencing countdown, 

engines on

Check ignition 

and may God's love be with you...

So... it has ended.

Olof och jag sammanfattar upplevelsen med att minnas tillbaka på säsongen. Vi kontemplerar vad vi lärt oss om Bowie, och hur det har känts att vara fullständigt indränkt i Bowie-musik under ett drygt halvår. Vi listar favoritomslag och avslöjar i samband med det hemligheten med omslaget till "Blackstar".

Under avsnittet spelar vi våra några av våra personliga favoritlåtar från David Bowie och till slut listar vi alla album från sämst till bäst.

Ni hittar avsnittet här. Gå in på shinypodden.se för äldre avsnitt och gamla säsonger, såsom Buffy och Marvel...

Shinypodden om Bowie, näst sista avsnittet

I det näst sista avsnittet av Shinypodden om Bowie pratar vi om Bowies allra sista album "Blackstar" från 2016.

Han gick sorgligt nog bort två dagar efter skivan släpptes så han fick kanske aldrig veta hur hyllad den blev. Alla låtar på skivan handlar om döden såvitt vi kan bedöma.

Det är en suverän avslutning på en ikonisk karriär. Har Bowie till slut hittat en unik egen musikalisk stil? Vi funderar med gråten i halsen...


Gå in på shinypodden.se för fler avsnitt från säsongen och äldre säsonger.

Shinypodden om Bowie, tredje sista avsnittet

Nu har jag och Olof kommit till slutet av Bowiepoddningen. Vi pratar om Bowies näst sista album The Next Day. Bara två avsnitt kvar nu efter detta.

Vi fascineras av Bowies överraskande återkomst till musikbranschen 2013 efter nästan tio år av tystnad. Han visade var skåpet ska stå. Dessutom blir vi konspiratoriska. Kan det varit så att Bowie stal musikaliska idéer från Blondie, Tom Petty, The Sounds, Billy Idol med flera? Kan jag väl aldrig tänka mig! ;-)

Gå in och lyssna på detta och äldre avsnitt på shinypodden.se. Kommentera gärna på hemsidan om vad ni tycker om skivorna eller något vi säger...

Shinypodden S02E26 Nästa dag

Shinypodden Säsong 2: Utanför

Nu har vi kommit fram till avsnitt 20 av säsong 2 av Shinypodden. Olof och jag pratar om Bowies skivor, ett avsnitt per album.

"1. Outside" från 1995. Bowie återupptar samarbetet med Brian Eno och de har snickrat ihop skivan med Hello spaceboy, The hearts filthy lesson, The voyeur of utter destruction, I'm deranged och Stranger when we meet...

Kolla in Shinypodden för alla avsnitt, eller hoppa direkt till avsnitt 20 Utanför.

Labyrinth (1986)

Tänk hur mycket fantasygenren har Sagan om ringen, Harry Potter och Game of Thrones att tacka för. När jag var ung hade det mesta inom fantasy en sunkig skrattretande kvalité. Det enda som helt kunde förflytta mig i tid och rum, till en galax långt långt borta var Star Wars. När Labyrinth kom ut 1986 gav jag den inte ens chansen. Det var och är en barnfilm och den har inte speciellt upphetsande specialeffekter. Vad den istället har är en stor portion charm och humor samt David Bowie. Jag valde att se filmen eftersom Bowie är med och han har en fyra-fem låtar med i filmen.



En femtonårig Jennifer Connelly spelar Sarah, filmens antagonist. Hon råkar uttala de exakta orden i en besvärjelse som triggar goblins-kungen (Bowie) att stjäla hennes lillebror Toby. Sarah ger sig in i labyrinten, goblins-staden och till slut kungens slott för att rädda Toby. Likt en Alice i Underlandet, en Dorothy i OZ eller barnen Pevensie som går genom garderoben och finner Narnia utspelar sig Sarahs äventyr i en annan dimension, en parallell värld eller helt sonika i hennes eget huvud.



Specialeffekterna och hantering av animatroniska dockor i filmen är under all kritik. Ändå har filmen en hel del fans. För många innebär säkert filmen en nostalgisk tripp tillbaka till barndomen. Men det finns faktiskt en hel del humor om man ser på filmen med rätt humör. Den påminner mig en hel del om The princess bride i strukturen men också på grund av fantastiska namn på utmaningar likt "The bog of stench". Det finns en del från Willow med tanke på typen av äventyr och alla korta personer.

Många av figurerna spelas av animatroniska dockor och de påminner mig om mupparna och det är också Jim Henson som regisserat denna film. Jag slås av likheten med Guardians of the Galaxy på grund av den ettrige och snabbtjäftade gnagaren. Till sist påminner den mig om Bilbo-filmerna på grund av alla prutt- och dratta på ändan-skämt. Många av mina jämförelser kommer såklart från saker som kommit ut före Labyrinth, vad som influerat vad låter jag eftervärlden döma. Det är en salig fantasysörja i vilket fall.



Jag ville se filmen för att höra och se Bowie "in action". Han har inte en jättespännande roll att spela här. Goblin-kungen är en ganska grund och enkerlspårig karaktär. Bowie har dock en häftig frisyr, galna kläder och fantasieggande sminkning. Han är kanske inte väldens bästa skådespelare om man ska vara ärlig, men han passar in i denna film, den är så överdriven och "campy". Jag var vagt underhållen mest hela tiden, men jag kommer inte minnas den som en personlig favorit.

Jag ger Labyrinth två Hedwig-ugglor av fem möjliga.

Betyg: 2/5

Trivia: Manus skrivet av Terry Jones och regissören Jim Henson samt Dennis Lee. George Lucas är producent.

Fripp funderar: har skaparna av Guardians of the Galaxy stulit karaktären Rocket rakt av från Didymus i Labyrinth?

Lyssna på oss i Shinypodden när vi pratar om skivan Tonight från 1984 där vi också pratar om denna film.

Absolute Beginners (1986)

Absolute beginners kan konkurrera om utmärkelsen den sämsta film jag någonsin sett. Den enda anledningen till att jag såg den var såklart att David Bowie både skådespelar i filmen och har gjort titellåten. Filmen är regisserad av britten Julien Temple, en regissör Bowie arbetat med redan två år tidigare med musikvideon och kortfilmen för låten Blue Jean. Filmen påminner faktiskt om Blue Jean-filmen så det känn s inte helt orealistiskt att idéer om detta filmprojekt startade redan i deras samarbeta 1984.



Absolute beginners omnämns på wikipedia som en av tre filmer som gjorde så att det stora filmbolaget Goldcrest gick omkull. De övriga två magplasken som drog ner jätten var Revolution (1985) och The mission (1986). Jag har dock svårt att tro att någon av de två filmerna kan vara så dålig som Absolute beginners.

Detta är en musikal som utspelas i London under sent 50-tal. Världen är förvrängd, allt ser syntetiskt eller fejkat ut. Inga karaktärer är det minsta realistiska. Musiken är usel. Bowies låt spelas under eftertexterna och det är svårt att avgöra varför den är så bra där; är det för att den ÄR bra eller för att eftertexterna äntligen startat?



Filmen påminner otroligt mycket om förra årets La la land, men allt är sämre. La la land hade i alla fall en bra låt (som de spelade om och om igen), bättre skådespelarinsatser, en bättre historia, bättre shownummer och foto och miljö och musik och dialog och allt annat man kan tänka sig.

Den enda av skådespelarna jag känner igen är Patsy Kensit i rollen som Suzette, en av två huvudpersonen. Ni kommer väl ihåg Patsy från Dödligt vapen II från 1989? Hon spelade den söta blondinen som arbetade för "Diplomatic immunity"-snubben (den äckliga). Sen ser vi sångerskan Sade på scen med en sång också. Det var en bra scen!!



Bowie då? Jo, men han är ok. Han spelar en anonym affärsman och får inte mycket screen time alls. Svårt att avgöra om han är bra eller inte ens. Om du är nyfiken på honom som skådespelare ska du ta och se The man who fell to Earth (1976) eller varför inte den tjugo minuter långa kortfilmen Jazzin' for Blue Jean?

Jag ger Absolute Beginners en svag nybörjare av fem möjliga!

Betyg: 1/5

Lyssna på oss i Shinypodden när vi pratar om skivan Tonight från 1984 där vi också pratar om denna film.

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)

 

Jag såg om Twin Peaks för två år sedan och tänkte se den efterföljande filmen också, men det blev aldrig av. När jag nu hörde från David och Joanna i deras podacst Peaks TV att Twin Peaks: Fire walk with me var "necessary viewing" inför säsong 3 fick jag ta och slå till. Sagt och gjort, jag har nu sett den 129 minuter långa versionen som fanns på min svenska dvd där hemma i hyllan. Det finns tydligen minst några andra versioner. En är 91 minuer och en annan är 134 minuter "David Lynch approved" eller liknande. Jag hoppas jag fick se det mesta av värde i alla fall.

Detta är en mycket skum film som verkligen är utmanande för mig som tittare. Å ena sidan är den en hyperintressant del av historien med många kopplingar bakåt till S1 och S2 samt enligt podden till S3 också. Men å andra sidan gillar jag inte att den var så hysteriskt deprimerande och mörk. Lauras skrik la en sordin på titten. Serien var som bäst under första säsongen och i inledningen av andra säsongen. När den var som bäst var den cool och "sexig". Filmen har inte alls den stämningen. Det är mer en thriller/drama/skräckis, men inte en cool sådan utan en tämligen dyster historia. Jag antar att David Lynch ville utforksa det monster som kanske lever i amerikanska fädrer i småstäder runt omkring på landsbygden. Ja kanske i andra ställen också för den delen.

Å ena sidan var det otroligt intressant att få lära känna Laura och förstå varför hon var en så splittrad person, allt från Homecoming queen och Meals on wheels till kokain och prostitution. Men å andra sidan var en av de viktigaste elementen i tidiga Twin Peaks mysteriet om vem Laura Palmer var och mystiken förloras lite när vi lär känna Laura i detalj.



Å ena sidan var jag förjust över alla kända ansikten som dök upp i små roller; David Bowie, Harry Dean Stanton, Chris Isaac, Heather Graham, Keifer Sutherland med flera. Men å andra sidan kändes en del av de återkommande ansiktena lite malplacerade som om Lynch tagit med dem enkom som "fan service". Även om jag älskar agent Cooper kändes hans deltagande lite random. Donna som har en viktig roll i filmen och serien spelas nu av en annan skådespelerska. Moira Kelly, känd från tv-serien The West Wing. När hon dök upp med sitt mörka lockiga hår blev jag lite flabebrgasted först men hon funkade helt ok. Undrar om hon dyker upp i S3. Lara Flynn Boyle lär ju inte dyka upp i alla fall. Tyvärr var inte favoriten från S1 Audrey Horne med i filmen. Det var attans!

Som helhet var filmen alldeles för ojämn för att jag skulle bli helt övertygad. Den blev inte en framgång på bio, utbuad i Cannes och allt. Men tydligen anses den på senare tid som ett mästerverk. Jag ser inte det senare i filmen. Den var bra i delar men lämnade mig med en sorgsen och uppriven känsla inombords så jag ger den blygsamma två Bob eller boobs av fem möjliga efter första titten.

Betyg: 2/5