Reality after 2 years still sounds like a modern day Scary Monsters to me. I just love the sonic soundscapes that meet me when I listen to the record. It seemed to me like Bowie had refound his muse with Heathen and wanted to rediscover his crowded music period (Scary Monsters). I liked the album on release and still do The concert was awesome and the new songs really souned like they were made for live performance. The only downside track is the George Harrison cover...

starbuck said:

no! that's one of my favorites!


okay, so it doesn't really fit here. would sound better on Heathen, but great, great cover.

So weird! When this album came out, I instantly bought it, but really didn't listen to it. I was going through a VERY difficualt time in my personal life, and really didn't want to associate it with what was going on, so I shelved it (and eventually forgot about it). This past weekend I pulled it out to give it a listen! I found that I really enjoyed it quite a bit. Not a perfect disc, but there is some damned good stuff on it! "Bring Me The Disco King" is a classic Bowie song, all the way!

The song has such amazing lyrics. I love the image of him facing himself as a younger person (that's what I think the "disco king" is, right?) and being mad at him because he didn't appreciate life completely when he was young.
I think it's another of Bowie talents that he went from those druged-out apocalypse and loneliness lyrics from back then to such introverted lyrics.

Cheek said:

Huh? What?

stay in school, cuz it's the best.

And now I'm gone!

BTW, is there anything you would want him to do next? I think another really experimental album would be fantastic. Not purely instrumental songs, but quite long songs with instrumental parts.

calldapplwondery83 said:

simple would be nice. i don't know that he's ever done a very simple, stripped down album. i can see him writing some really stark, intense songs with spare instrumentation. that would be hot.

It's taken me two years to finally jump on the wagon, but I am LOVING David Bowie's "Reality" album right now. Don't know why. It seems perfect for this summer - a bit jaunty and as he called it, "thrusty", but at the same time, it's got the perfect bit of melancholy, which goes down nice when I think about how lucky we all were last year to have Bowie AND Prince touring the U.S. extensively. I sure miss that this summer, even with as much fun as I've been having with music festivals this month.

Anyway - while I wait for the anniversary edition of Young Americans to fall my way, "Reality" is giving me quite the needed Bowie fix...even if the reaction has been a bit delayed (I didn't care for it much up until recently).

And yes..."She Drives the Big Cars" is the music he used for the concert intro!

Anyone else having fun with this album lately?

I'm still fighting with myself, trying to like it but it just hasn't clicked with me yet. I'll keep trying for another while but I don't know if it will ever happen. I think I'm comparing it to Heathen too much, which completely overshadows it (IMO).

LolaM said:

yeah, reality's nowhere near the same level as heathen. it's when i quit expecting it to be a brilliant album that i started to really enjoy it.

LolaM said:

yeah, reality's nowhere near the same level as heathen. it's when i quit expecting it to be a brilliant album that i started to really enjoy it.

HEEEEELLLOOOOO???? Bowie will play live again! Anyone excited?

calldapplwondery83 said:

of course! i hope he doesn't just trundle out 'rebel rebel' again, though.

with the 30th anniversary of 'young americans' being this year and a reissue on the way, i bet we'll hear a rousing version of 'fame'.

calldapplwondery83 said:

of course! i hope he doesn't just trundle out 'rebel rebel' again, though.

with the 30th anniversary of 'young americans' being this year and a reissue on the way, i bet we'll hear a rousing version of 'fame'.

Anxiety said:

Which leads me to what I'd like from Bowie's next album. I think since he's back with Visconti, I would love to see another soul record between the 2 of them. He's been tapping back into that vocal style for the last 3 records, now he just needs to take the music there too.