DumpJack, Gar et al. listen to all things Bowie

Dalen · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:17 am

DumpJack Wrote:

Quote:

After summing up his maverick tendencies on Scary Monsters, David Bowie aimed for the mainstream with Let's Dance. Hiring Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers as a co-producer, Bowie created a stylish, synthesized post-disco dance music that was equally informed by classic soul and the emerging new romantic subgenre of new wave, which was ironically heavily inspired by Bowie himself. Let's Dance comes tearing out of the date, propulsed by the skittering "Modern Love," the seductively menacing "China Girl," and the brittle funk of the title track. All three songs became international hits, and for good reason -- they're catchy, accessible pop songs that have just enough of an alien edge to make them distinctive. However, that careful balance is quickly thrown off by a succession of pleasant but unremarkable plastic soul workouts. "Cat People" and a cover of Metro's "Criminal World" are relatively strong songs, but the remainder of the album indicates that Bowie was entering a songwriting slump. However, the three hits were enough to make the album a massive hit, and their power hasn't diminished over the years, even if the rest of the record sounds like an artifact.

Code:

http://tinyurl.com/2a8bcyd

fucking love this. damn good pop record.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:17 am

Yeah, Let's Dance isn't bad at all. The "dated" production sounds just fine - probably one of the better examples of that particular sound - and the songs are all pretty solid. I'll always be kind of partial to M. Ward's cover of the title track, though.

FT · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:40 am

DumpJack Wrote:

Quote:

On the basis of Tonight, it appears that David Bowie didn't have a clear idea of how to follow the platinum success of Let's Dance. Instead of breaking away from the stylized pop of "Let's Dance" and "China Girl," Bowie delivers another record in the same style. Apart from the single "Blue Jean," none of the material equals the songs on Let's Dance, but it's appealing pop-soul and dance stylings helped make Tonight another platinum success.

Code:

http://tinyurl.com/38gpubs

"Blue Jean" is a pretty great song.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:46 am

DumpJack Wrote:

Tonight

Code:

http://tinyurl.com/38gpubs

I downloaded this, and it's fucked. I'm looking for another one, and if I find a good one, I'll post it.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:51 am

OK, well here's an alternative:

Code:

http://www.mediafire.com/?maodttyzwmt

It's 128kbps, but it has all the songs. (The other one is missing "Don't Look Down", and "God Only Knows" seems to be incomplete.)

DumpJack · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:43 am

Thanks Drinky, my bad on not verifying the link.

here's another rapidshare just in case, although it seems like we've done a whole lot of work for a crappy album.

Code:

http://tinyurl.com/35ujgwg

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:36 pm

Yeah, this is bad... worst since the debut. I haven't made it to "Blue Jean" yet, but it's been a chore just getting through the first five songs.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 2:55 pm

God, that was awful. Let's Dance is a masterpiece by comparison.

I think that was actually worse than the debut.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:08 pm

Drinky Wrote:

God, that was awful. Let's Dance is a masterpiece by comparison.

I think that was actually worse than the debut.

They're two different monsters, but yeah definitely the stuff of nightmares.

For some reason the next album is one of my favourites.

toots · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:19 pm

where are we, in the grand scheme of things

i might listen to them all and do one mighty post

DumpJack · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:26 pm

toots Wrote:

where are we, in the grand scheme of things

i might listen to them all and do one mighty post

Getting near the end, around 1986. I'd say about 9 albums left.

Actually really, really stoked to hear Tin Machine.

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:36 pm

DumpJack Wrote:

toots Wrote:

where are we, in the grand scheme of things

i might listen to them all and do one mighty post

Getting near the end, around 1986. I'd say about 9 albums left.

Actually really, really stoked to hear Tin Machine.

We need to choose an artist that either died earlier, or broke up before they hit the 80s/90s....This has become exhausting. I am learning that I like the Bowie I've heard, and a lot of the "deep album cuts" are not really essential.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:39 pm

Lyle Evans LooGAR Wrote:

DumpJack Wrote:

toots Wrote:

where are we, in the grand scheme of things

i might listen to them all and do one mighty post

Getting near the end, around 1986. I'd say about 9 albums left.

Actually really, really stoked to hear Tin Machine.

We need to choose an artist that either died earlier, or broke up before they hit the 80s/90s....This has become exhausting. I am learning that I like the Bowie I've heard, and a lot of the "deep album cuts" are not really essential.

And we haven't even gotten to his NIN phase.

Also in anticipation of tomorrow, this awesome quote from the man who just brought us Tonight.

Quote:

The great public esteem at that time meant absolutely nothing to me. It didn't make me feel good. I felt dissatisfied with everything I was doing, and eventually it started showing in my work. Let's Dance was an excellent album in a certain genre, but the next two albums after that [Tonight and Never Let Me Down] showed that my lack of interest in my own work was really becoming transparent. My nadir was Never Let Me Down. It was such an awful album. I've gotten to a place now where I'm not very judgmental about myself. I put out what I do, whether it's in visual arts or in music, because I know that everything I do is really heartfelt. Even if it's a failure artistically, it doesn't bother me in the same way that Never Let Me Down bothers me. I really shouldn't have even bothered going into the studio to record it. [laughs] In fact, when I play it, I wonder if I did sometimes

tentoze · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:47 pm

If V. Morrison doesn't pop up in the rotation pretty quick (meaning before, say, The Cowsills and Grand Funk), I'm preparing anthrax letters for certain obnish.

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:55 pm

tentoze Wrote:

If V. Morrison doesn't pop up in the rotation pretty quick (meaning before, say, The Cowsills and Grand Funk), I'm preparing anthrax letters for certain obnish.

We talked about Van, The Band, Bowie and Bob Marley and landed on this.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:59 pm

Lyle Evans LooGAR Wrote:

tentoze Wrote:

If V. Morrison doesn't pop up in the rotation pretty quick (meaning before, say, The Cowsills and Grand Funk), I'm preparing anthrax letters for certain obnish.

We talked about Van, The Band, Bowie and Bob Marley and landed on this.

I blame myself.

tentoze · **Posted:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:15 pm

Lyle Evans LooGAR Wrote:

tentoze Wrote:

If V. Morrison doesn't pop up in the rotation pretty quick (meaning before, say, The Cowsills and Grand Funk), I'm preparing anthrax letters for certain obnish.

We talked about Van, The Band, Bowie and Bob Marley and landed on this.

Sooner or later, you're going to have to scrape it off your shoes and make your way to a better place.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Tue Oct 26, 2010 7:45 am

Quote:

David Bowie broke away from the mainstream pop of Tonight with 1987's Never Let Me Down, turning out a jumbled mix of loud guitar rockers and art rock experiments like the failed "Glass Spider." While it's not as consistent as Tonight, it's far more interesting, with the John Lennon homage of the title track being one of his most underrated songs.

Code:

Rapidshare - http://tinyurl.com/2fjxe7c
Hotfile - http://tinyurl.com/236wyh8

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:30 am

tentoze Wrote:

Lyle Evans LooGAR Wrote:

tentoze Wrote:

If V. Morrison doesn't pop up in the rotation pretty quick (meaning before, say, The Cowsills and Grand Funk), I'm preparing anthrax letters for certain obnish.

We talked about Van, The Band, Bowie and Bob Marley and landed on this.

Sooner or later, you're going to have to scrape it off your shoes and make your way to a better place.

Oh come on, we've only just started getting into the bad Bowie stuff.

Of those remaining three, I'd be really interested in trying Bob Marley. I've still never listened to a single Bob Marley album all the way through.

I'd be interested in Van Morrison, but I'm pretty sure I'd drop out as soon as we got to the '70s. Even though there's not nearly as much to hear by The Band, I know from listening to the box set that I get bored with them pretty quickly after the first two albums + Basement Tapes.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:34 am

Drinky Wrote:

Oh come on, we've only just started getting into the bad Bowie stuff.

Of those remaining three, I'd be really interested in trying Bob Marley. I've still never listened to a single Bob Marley album all the way through.

I'd be interested in Van Morrison, but I'm pretty sure I'd drop out as soon as we got to the '70s. Even though there's not nearly as much to hear by The Band, I know from listening to the box set that I get bored with them pretty quickly after the first two albums + Basement Tapes.

We've been batting around Marley for too long so it needs to go up next.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:36 am

Cool.

RE: Van Morrison. I meant to say I'd "drop out once we got to the '80s". Not that I'd drop out 3 albums in.

tentoze · **Posted:** Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:39 am

Drinky Wrote:

Cool.

RE: Van Morrison. I meant to say I'd "drop out once we got to the '80s". Not that I'd drop out 3 albums in.

No sense in risking good taste. Avoid the rush, drop out now.

tentoze · **Posted:** Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:41 am

DumpJack Wrote:

We've been batting around Marley for too long so it needs to go up next.

Lively up YOSEFF.

FT · **Posted:** Tue Oct 26, 2010 11:57 am

we need to do one of these threads on elvis costello

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Tue Oct 26, 2010 12:02 pm

tentoze Wrote:

DumpJack Wrote:

We've been batting around Marley for too long so it needs to go up next.

Lively up YOSEFF.

I think this is different enough, and like Drinky, I don't think I've listened to an actual Marley album.

DumpJack, Gar et al. listen to all things Bowie

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