Okay in my opinion this is Bowies best album. Its got influences from the Berlin Trilogy, the songs are catchy, it features Robert Fripp and Every song is great. Its creepy, post-punky, a madness of an album of genius. Justin Thank you for reacting to this!!!
I love Fripp's guitar playing on this album. It sounds like Bowie just allowed him to do whatever he wanted within a dissonant, metallic (not in the Heavy Metal sense) sound pallette.
Teenage Wildlife is the masterpiece on this album IMO. Fantastic singing, highly emotive, unbelievable guitar solo. This song moves me like no other on this album.
I agree. I've never liked the album, but this is one of his best ever songs, although it probably needs a few listens before it can be really appreciated
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), is for me not only part of one of Bowie's best albums but also one of the most important albums for the year 1980 (and god knows there are plenty for this year! Never for Ever by Kate Bush, PG III by Peter Gabriel, Seventeen Seconds by The Cure, Drama by Yes, A by Jethro Tull, Freedom of Choice by Devo, Black Sea by XTC, Crocodiles by Echo & The Bunnymen, Empires And Dance by Simple Minds and many others).
Every time I listened to a new Bowie album (or new to me) I would find it alienating and difficult, or disappointing because it was nothing like the previous album. But within two or three listens it would open up to me and quickly become my new favorite. This was one that took a few more listens for me to latch on to, but for years now it has been the Bowie album that I listen to most often. I wanted to say that this is my favorite Bowie album... but they all cycle through being my favorite.
Scary monsters is wicked and teenage wildlife another great song been a fan since I was a kid in the seventies saw him in 1983 serious moonlight tour for the LET'S DANCE album Awesome
Fun fact: Bowie wrote the banger opener "It's No Game" (originally titled "Tired Of My Life") in _1970._ In 1978-1980, every established artist released a Disco single - "Fashion" is Bowie's "anti-Disco" Disco response to Disco Mania - both, a subversive parody of the craze & a genuine effort that serves as Bowie's own radio dance hit. "There's a brand new dance but I don't know it's name" was Bowie's "Do The Hustle" piss-take. Full album Bowie reviews are the way to go. Keep it up!
Thanks so much for this, love the album. I agree on the song 'Kingdom Come' which was the lone cover song. Originally the last track was going to be the instrumental 'Crystal Japan'. Personally I like the first version of 'It's No Game'. Yes the songs are more traditionally structured like rock songs but often they're off-kilter. For me 'Teenage Wildlife' has the best singing on the album. I enjoyed your delving into the lyrics. As for Gary Numan I like his work, he's very underrated. He started out under the name Tubeway Army so you may want to start with those 2 albums. 'Down in the Park' and 'Are Friends Electric' were hits. His 1st solo single 'Cars' obliterated everything, it's all he's known for in the state but he had several hit singles in the UK.
Great album. I was in a band back in the day and we covered Scary Monsters. I would kind of slap the bass with my fingers instead of picking to get that percussive sound. Flanger for the guitar part.
I always regain hope for mankind when I see intelligence and deep feelings come together in such a nice person you are. Well balanced reaction. I decided to be a Bowie fan in the early 70s (73). I accepted him as a part of my personal education. I din´t like all of his by first listening but the more I heard it the more I liked it. Same thing with Scary Monsters. It has a special tone to it even to this day . Thank you for your reaction.
Keep checking out Bowie albums! I love your analysis, thoughts, and insights. Consider Low, Outside, and Blackstar in the future, they are incredible! Heathen, Reality, Earthling, and Let's Dance are also worth listening to someday.
What a nice surprise, I didn't expect this at all but I was very happy to see the notification! Scary Monster's is one of my favorite albums ever, on my top 5 of Bowie at least, so much energy, so many highlights in all aspects, it's Bowie wrapping up the 70s and making one big grand statement, it's great. Had a ton of fun listening alongside you, it's always like listening to it for the first time all over again. I gotta agree with It's No Game Pt. 1 being a highlight, it's one of those openers that hook you in completely. My personal favorite on the album is Teenage Wildlife, the drama, the performances, how it goes to so many different places, that climax still moves me to tears from emotion, love it, I would make it longer if I could lmaooo, but I completely understand why you'd feel it went on for too long. Also have to agree with Kingdom Come being a low point in the album, it's one those decisions that I don't understand, cause other than it, I don't think there's a single bad or even just decent track, all are really good and strong for me. Hope you can keep making more Bowie stuff, always happy to see you react to him. Although maybe not Halloween related, I would say Outside could be a spooky season album, it's a bizarre murder mystery turned album, very dark, very gritty, so that could be an option for next year's! Thanks for the reaction and happy Halloween!!!
It was such a good album, and I enjoyed your thoughtful review. My expectations were raised so high by his inventiveness within this that I was sadly disappointed by most of his subsequent 1980s output (he came back in the next decades IMO). The "Scary Monsters" track is about the Bowie-Angela relationship - Bowie was the talent and Angela the essential ingredient for career success, but both were absolute scary monsters and super creeps throughout. Good choices to close out your Halloween extravaganza.
Fripp first played on Bowie's 'Heroes' album, but Belew did the tour (as heard on the Stage live album), and then played on the next record, 'Lodger'. Then Fripp returned to play on this record... soon after which Fripp and Belew went on to form the 'new' 80's version of KC.
Awesome album, and a great installment in the Class of '80 albums that included PG III, Fripp's Exposure, Darryl Hall's Sacred Songs and Talking Heads' Remain in Light. BTW, the Dropbox video cuts off after "Teenage Wildlife". Is there a part 2 somewhere?
Very enjoyable reaction Justin. Hope to see the final reaction. I guess Dropbox had a one hour cutoff. Been a while since I listened to the whole album. Great to listen along with you.
I always thought of this album as Bowie's reaction to Reagan and Thatcher coming into power, and all that implied for society at the time. It's telling how well this album stands up today, with the issues repeating themselves (except much more extreme and out in the open). It's Bowie making a plea for compassion. At least, that's how I experience Scary Monsters, which may say more about me than it does about Bowie's intentions. I do remember that the Rolling Stone review of this album was titled "David Bowie Eats His Young", which I still think was one of their better moments. (Rolling Stone was once a really good music magazine...). Scary Monsters sounds like Bowie was making a genuinely personal and heartfelt statement. It's much more raw emotionally than his more affected earlier albums. So glad you gave it a listen!
Gotta love this album. Some of Fripp’s best work on it too. Brilliant ❤ Whole album? What a treat! Clicked thinking it would the the title song. You’re in for a treat. It’s astonishingly good 🎉 Starting it now 🎉🎉 All cut up… Patreon link?
I love listening to you pick apart the instruments on a track! Scary Monsters is my favorite Bowie album. But to offer up a different sound; perhaps try the early albums of The Golden Palominos. “Visions of Excess” and “Blast of Silence” have lots of layers to dig into. Highly recommend!
For an early example of Belew playing on Bowie's music, try "Red Sails" from the Lodger album. (Bowie had "plundered" Belew from Frank Zappa's band.) Read the Wiki on how that album was recorded using Eno strategies. They put Belew in a room, and without letting him hear the songs, or even know what keys they were in before hand, told him to play to a number of tracks. They would later fit what he had played into the final product.
Scary Monsters was Bowie’s last album with the D.A.M. trio that had been his stalwart rhythm section since Young Americans. The brilliant and tight unity of Dennis Davis (drums), Carlos Alomar (rhythm guitar), and George Murray (bass) was the steamingly funky backbone, the heartbeat - the ground control, if you like - during Bowie’s wildest experiments with Eno’s machinery and mad scientist guitarists like Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew. Scary Monsters is my favourite Bowie-album. It perfectly and playfully rounds off the Berlin years, while timelessly pointing forward to something new and grand.
My goodness, I've been waiting this good time for another glorious reaction from you Sir. certainly is a special album in Bowie's creative life as he transitioned from perhaps not what only how the public viewed he as; but rather how he took himself, a transition one can see in his 80's workings, Ill or good. It was a break much needed for Bowie, I do love to hear how some others do preach this is his last Good Album: what I believe is this was the last hoorah for a certain period for Bowie, as aforementioned his 70's period and the nostalgia for the one's of such a time. But I do not believe for one moment this was his last outstanding album. for the period, certainly, but moving onwards to his glorious period in the 90's, Black Tie, Outside and Earthling all are so soluble for Bowie himself at that particular point in one's life as such he was then. Bowie's power unlike a good deal of the Idols and Rock Stars we adore has more than one unique period of fine work's, it's the tracing of one's life thru' the shifting sands of an artistic life, one he clutched to himself right to last breathing moments upon this Earth.
The entire LP is gold. At the time, Bowie was sort of a counter-culture icon with a cult following. I was seriously into his LP's from Changes thru the Berlin Trilogy. The music press had published that Bowie was due to deliver a new LP, so us followers were looking forward to it. I was at the record store the morning that it was released Sept. 1980 and it blew our minds! If you were a Bowie fan, chances are you were familiar with Robert Fripp, so it was a double-win!
That vocal "creep factor" totally reminds me of Peter Murphy of BAUHAUS! They were very into Bowie and they set the foundation of GOTH rock! Please listen to some Bauhaus today?? HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
JP, Adrian Belew plays on Bowie's previous studio album Lodger aswell as the Stage live album. In regards to Gary Numan try M.E. you may recognise the music as it was sampled by Basement Jaxx.
Listen again to Teenage Wildlife. It's impossibile to fully grasp its greatness on first listen, especially all the various vocal techniques. I wishit was two minutes longer!
I went to see the Stranglers play in a small dance club in Houston sometime around 1980 or ‘81. During a break, the club’s DJ played “Fashion.” The band was still on the stage and the drummer obviously was not a fan of that song… he shouted “I didn’t know this was a f**king DISCO!” and kicked the drum kit off the stage onto the dance floor.
"I'm OK, you're so so" probably refers to the late 60's best selling book on transactional analysis called "I'm OK, you're OK". I've heard comedians back then say "I'm OK, you're an A hole".
Love this album so much. I think you’ll find the original demo for It’s No Game particularly interesting. First recorded in 1970 or so. Bowie is famous for even ripping himself off to serve a new song. Enjoy! th-cam.com/video/VDCHqejcOfI/w-d-xo.html
I'm always happy to see a Bowie reaction, it's true, however, aside from the title track, Fashion, Ashes and Scream Like A Baby, I don't care for this album. There are far superior albums to this, not just the earlier work, but many albums after this one. I find it messy and it's not an album I return to when listening to Bowie. From his time in the 60's bands, ie, The King Bees, The Mannish Boys, The Lower Third and his subsequent solo work before the album "Space Oddity" - to the last album "Blackstar", it's agreed that he never repeated himself from album to album, such was the creative genius of the man. There are moments though, that, for me anyway, don't hit the mark, as with this one. This is true of most artists in their career though, to be fair, I absolutely love Bowie and have since 1972 when I first heard him, so it's a minor criticism and just one person's opinion. I'm going to plug for "The Man Who Sold The World" again!. You did mention "Low" earlier in this vid and that [again imo] is a good choice too. Happy Halloween to ya anyway and thanks for the full album reaction, coz, it is Bowie, after all.😊
this album is bowie's way of musically & philosophically doing a sober distillation of his career to this point & showing a more mature inner power & focused drive. hes ready to really pick his spots. the album has some brilliant moments. some of the best of his career. hes not as top to bottom as powerful as 3 to 4 or so of his other best albums, but its an artist in top form & under steely control.
BRIGHT GREEN FIELD by Squid would be a great album to react to and certainly unique and interesting. Proggy, art Rocky, new wavish type sound. I think it was 12th on best albums of 2021 but should’ve been 1st BOY RACER > Thankyou,
Couldn’t hear it all this morning, got to get going but up to Fashion so far. To me, in some songs Fripp seems out of his element, yet, in others seemingly works perfectly. I guess experimenting has the possibility of not in this case, failure but not quite clicking. I love my fripping Fripp so don’t get mad, Fripp off. Yes, I can hear Exposure-like tonality and textures. Great choice of doing the whole dog. Heathen would have worked too based only on titles… just saying (over and over). Be well.
Try something different , take a listen to the Welsh band "Man " try the album " Do you like it here are you settling in now " for starters . The band are still gigging today and have been around since the late 1960s . Something refreshingly different for you , the late Micky Jones and Deke Leonard are superb on guitar whilst drummer Terry Williams also had stints with Rock pile, Meatloaf , and Dire Straights. You won't be disappointed and I'm sure your subs will enjoy as well .
Heathen is a revelation. I also really dig The Next Day. It amazes me that he was making such great albums in the 2000s. What other artists who started in the '60's continued doing great work into the 2000s. @@triscat
What a promising start into the decade - together with PG's 3, XTC and the other remarkable artists A.K. mentioned before. And what a hard and disappointing landing down to earth as the decade continued. The eighties has nearly nothing for me, it all starts again at the end of the decade and the beginning of the nineties, with the exception of a few special artists.
If anyone doubts Bowie's talent, play them "The Laughing Gnome" and then play them "Scary Monsters". The level of progression is out of this world and can perhaps only be compared with that of the Beatles.
@@alanwaine4186 Genesis is my favourite band of all time, but I'm not overly fond of either From Genesis to Revelation or Trespass. They're fine for what they are, but the albums I truly love span from Nursery Cryme all the way up to We Can't Dance.
@@Katehowe3010 All right. What I meant was more that if you don't like an artist on first listen, you need to hear more of what they've done (preferably everything) before you know for sure that there's nothing about them that you like.
It should be noted about "Scream Like a Baby" that Bowie did "mix with other colors" and publicly came out as bisexual only a few years after homosexuality was decriminalized in the UK.
At the beginning too. On Parts 1 and 2, it’s the sounds from Tony Visconti’s Lyrec 24-track tape deck. The first sound heard on the record is Visconti rewinding the deck and pressing “play” and the last is the tape spooling out. The ratchet sound you hear is from a football (soccer) rattle.
Great album. Thanks for all the tricks and treats. Feel free to include Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" and Stan Rogers' cover of "Witch of the Westmorland" on next years list.
It tickles me all this talk of 'halloween SEASON' ??? what is that exactly! Halloween in the UK is about a couple of hours in the evening of the 31st Oct, and generally for little kids! How do you make a 'season' out of that. And i'm throwing this comment in for the stats. Cos seems like only 5 mins since the last bowie album finished... So inspired by VDGG's foray in to reggae the other day, I'm off to listen to 'Hail H.I.M.' by Burning Spear instead.
@UCdmPUWzThkqKcbfF5ZE-orA I do like bowie, but i just wasn't in the mood for him again. Certainly not so soon, so I just dropped my comment and left. Maybe re check your phone. In the mean time i'm going back to finish my Burning Spear album. I was part way through 'African Teacher' when you're message popped up 🙂 Though have to say, 'Road Foggy' was always my fave on this disc :)
@UCdmPUWzThkqKcbfF5ZE-orA is this your phone too! how do my messages look? on sending there seems to be a crazy jumble of stuff right before my text commences...
Kingdom Come had nothing for you, seemed bland and stilted? I take it as a continuation of the story from Scream Like a Baby. His life in prison after re-education. Still being drugged maybe indoctrinated with a "you'll get your reward after you die" religion, and he's bland, stilted, and trapped.
track one is a Blur rip off im listening to a vinyl rip on the computer i haven't heard the album b4 i heard all the singles mind u Can't believe Damon got away with recording Girls & Boys without litigation I liked Shurrup! SHURRUP I saw DB on Sky tv news a day after he died unless it was someone else messin wiv me mind n faculties Are DB's LPs short on melody? WE shall see Wot do u have to say about it JP? Ha u r a trooper with these lyrics Japo Scando Substitute Veal? Silouettes and shadows conveys Theatrical Deception 4 me. Insult by Fascism indeed. Steve Hackett liked Fripp. track 2 reminds me of sumthing like M's Pop Music and Eddie Cochran and the Yeah Yeah reminds me of Damon Albarn again. That isn't Fripp is it? He wouldn't play like like that -doubt it. I 'm tryin to forget it's Bowie and listen to it as if it's a long lost Doll By Doll LP- ironically they 're not too dissimilar. Your thoughts, JP? '7/8 syncopation awkward moments' i know naathing u r quite perceptive but, forgive my cynicism, if it wasn't DB , we'd not be so tolerant. Maybe. Progression of Mankind? Watch the interview with the Newsnight bloke whatsiss name? Jeremy Clarkson No Paxman Man of Peace discussin the Internet It was Fripp Track 3 Fair play to DB , he liked and praised bands like Pixies and appreciated new experimental bands Yet this sounds like a Paul Weller Pub Band tribute act I wish Fripp would shut up!!! I like the acoustic guitar. My hero at the time - Pete Gabriel - was wise enough to keep the real Paul Wella on guitar and his own vocals far from Wide Boy "wanna buy a stereo Matey?" territory! But did u like the song JP Sounded very Whodunnit in vibe 4 me. But i must be positive. Be honest , if this was Genesis Abacab you'd be puttin the knife in by now stating : Treading Water. Maybe. JP , I'm tired. Why don't you be the Boss 4 a while. See ya later. Maybe. Diolch. Great Fun.
Okay in my opinion this is Bowies best album. Its got influences from the Berlin Trilogy, the songs are catchy, it features Robert Fripp and Every song is great. Its creepy, post-punky, a madness of an album of genius. Justin Thank you for reacting to this!!!
Robert Fripp's 'burning guitar' (as Bowie put it) is fully worth the price of admission.
It’s my favorite Bowie album. He’s got multiple great ones, but this is the best.
I love Fripp's guitar playing on this album. It sounds like Bowie just allowed him to do whatever he wanted within a dissonant, metallic (not in the Heavy Metal sense) sound pallette.
Teenage Wildlife is the masterpiece on this album IMO. Fantastic singing, highly emotive, unbelievable guitar solo. This song moves me like no other on this album.
I agree. I've never liked the album, but this is one of his best ever songs, although it probably needs a few listens before it can be really appreciated
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), is for me not only part of one of Bowie's best albums but also one of the most important albums for the year 1980 (and god knows there are plenty for this year! Never for Ever by Kate Bush, PG III by Peter Gabriel, Seventeen Seconds by The Cure, Drama by Yes, A by Jethro Tull, Freedom of Choice by Devo, Black Sea by XTC, Crocodiles by Echo & The Bunnymen, Empires And Dance by Simple Minds and many others).
Every time I listened to a new Bowie album (or new to me) I would find it alienating and difficult, or disappointing because it was nothing like the previous album. But within two or three listens it would open up to me and quickly become my new favorite. This was one that took a few more listens for me to latch on to, but for years now it has been the Bowie album that I listen to most often.
I wanted to say that this is my favorite Bowie album... but they all cycle through being my favorite.
Scary monsters is wicked and teenage wildlife another great song been a fan since I was a kid in the seventies saw him in 1983 serious moonlight tour for the LET'S DANCE album Awesome
Fun fact: Bowie wrote the banger opener "It's No Game" (originally titled "Tired Of My Life") in _1970._
In 1978-1980, every established artist released a Disco single - "Fashion" is Bowie's "anti-Disco" Disco response to Disco Mania - both, a subversive parody of the craze & a genuine effort that serves as Bowie's own radio dance hit. "There's a brand new dance but I don't know it's name" was Bowie's "Do The Hustle" piss-take.
Full album Bowie reviews are the way to go. Keep it up!
The Japanese voice on the opening track is michi hirota. She's the girl on the right holding the fan on sparks kimono my house album cover.
Ohhhhh! What a connection!
Thanks so much for this, love the album. I agree on the song 'Kingdom Come' which was the lone cover song. Originally the last track was going to be the instrumental 'Crystal Japan'. Personally I like the first version of 'It's No Game'. Yes the songs are more traditionally structured like rock songs but often they're off-kilter. For me 'Teenage Wildlife' has the best singing on the album. I enjoyed your delving into the lyrics.
As for Gary Numan I like his work, he's very underrated. He started out under the name Tubeway Army so you may want to start with those 2 albums. 'Down in the Park' and 'Are Friends Electric' were hits. His 1st solo single 'Cars' obliterated everything, it's all he's known for in the state but he had several hit singles in the UK.
Great album. I was in a band back in the day and we covered Scary Monsters. I would kind of slap the bass with my fingers instead of picking to get that percussive sound. Flanger for the guitar part.
I always regain hope for mankind when I see intelligence and deep feelings come together in such a nice person you are. Well balanced reaction. I decided to be a Bowie fan in the early 70s (73). I accepted him as a part of my personal education. I din´t like all of his by first listening but the more I heard it the more I liked it. Same thing with Scary Monsters. It has a special tone to it even to this day . Thank you for your reaction.
Fun fact - this is one of the fav albums of Frank Black of The Pixies (he even did a duet with Bowie on Fashion years later)
Keep checking out Bowie albums! I love your analysis, thoughts, and insights. Consider Low, Outside, and Blackstar in the future, they are incredible! Heathen, Reality, Earthling, and Let's Dance are also worth listening to someday.
This was the album I heard as a kid that made me realise that music could be so much more than the pop on the radio
What a nice surprise, I didn't expect this at all but I was very happy to see the notification!
Scary Monster's is one of my favorite albums ever, on my top 5 of Bowie at least, so much energy, so many highlights in all aspects, it's Bowie wrapping up the 70s and making one big grand statement, it's great.
Had a ton of fun listening alongside you, it's always like listening to it for the first time all over again. I gotta agree with It's No Game Pt. 1 being a highlight, it's one of those openers that hook you in completely. My personal favorite on the album is Teenage Wildlife, the drama, the performances, how it goes to so many different places, that climax still moves me to tears from emotion, love it, I would make it longer if I could lmaooo, but I completely understand why you'd feel it went on for too long.
Also have to agree with Kingdom Come being a low point in the album, it's one those decisions that I don't understand, cause other than it, I don't think there's a single bad or even just decent track, all are really good and strong for me.
Hope you can keep making more Bowie stuff, always happy to see you react to him. Although maybe not Halloween related, I would say Outside could be a spooky season album, it's a bizarre murder mystery turned album, very dark, very gritty, so that could be an option for next year's!
Thanks for the reaction and happy Halloween!!!
Agree. I always skip Kingdom Come when I revisit this great album.
It was such a good album, and I enjoyed your thoughtful review. My expectations were raised so high by his inventiveness within this that I was sadly disappointed by most of his subsequent 1980s output (he came back in the next decades IMO). The "Scary Monsters" track is about the Bowie-Angela relationship - Bowie was the talent and Angela the essential ingredient for career success, but both were absolute scary monsters and super creeps throughout. Good choices to close out your Halloween extravaganza.
Fripp first played on Bowie's 'Heroes' album, but Belew did the tour (as heard on the Stage live album), and then played on the next record, 'Lodger'. Then Fripp returned to play on this record... soon after which Fripp and Belew went on to form the 'new' 80's version of KC.
Awesome album, and a great installment in the Class of '80 albums that included PG III, Fripp's Exposure, Darryl Hall's Sacred Songs and Talking Heads' Remain in Light. BTW, the Dropbox video cuts off after "Teenage Wildlife". Is there a part 2 somewhere?
You need to download it.
Great way Bow-ie, out of October. Nothing more to say the month has me Fripped out and Belew. Peace & Love.
Very enjoyable reaction Justin. Hope to see the final reaction. I guess Dropbox had a one hour cutoff. Been a while since I listened to the whole album. Great to listen along with you.
Thanks Gene! If it cut off, try downloading it (or refreshing the page)
@@JustJP Got it! Watched the whole thing. Awesome. I do like Kingdom Come, but understand where you're coming from. Love your channel.
Check out Bowie's 'Low' LP, recorded in Berlin with Brian Eno. In my opinion, Bowie's greatest LP.
Teenage Wildlife sounds to me like Bowie thought Heroes needed a more complex makeover.
This is consistently one of my favorites. This was a nice surprise.
I always thought of this album as Bowie's reaction to Reagan and Thatcher coming into power, and all that implied for society at the time. It's telling how well this album stands up today, with the issues repeating themselves (except much more extreme and out in the open). It's Bowie making a plea for compassion. At least, that's how I experience Scary Monsters, which may say more about me than it does about Bowie's intentions. I do remember that the Rolling Stone review of this album was titled "David Bowie Eats His Young", which I still think was one of their better moments. (Rolling Stone was once a really good music magazine...). Scary Monsters sounds like Bowie was making a genuinely personal and heartfelt statement. It's much more raw emotionally than his more affected earlier albums. So glad you gave it a listen!
Gotta love this album. Some of Fripp’s best work on it too. Brilliant ❤
Whole album? What a treat! Clicked thinking it would the the title song. You’re in for a treat. It’s astonishingly good 🎉 Starting it now 🎉🎉
All cut up… Patreon link?
I love listening to you pick apart the instruments on a track! Scary Monsters is my favorite Bowie album. But to offer up a different sound; perhaps try the early albums of The Golden Palominos. “Visions of Excess” and “Blast of Silence” have lots of layers to dig into. Highly recommend!
For an early example of Belew playing on Bowie's music, try "Red Sails" from the Lodger album. (Bowie had "plundered" Belew from Frank Zappa's band.) Read the Wiki on how that album was recorded using Eno strategies. They put Belew in a room, and without letting him hear the songs, or even know what keys they were in before hand, told him to play to a number of tracks. They would later fit what he had played into the final product.
Scary Monsters was Bowie’s last album with the D.A.M. trio that had been his stalwart rhythm section since Young Americans. The brilliant and tight unity of Dennis Davis (drums), Carlos Alomar (rhythm guitar), and George Murray (bass) was the steamingly funky backbone, the heartbeat - the ground control, if you like - during Bowie’s wildest experiments with Eno’s machinery and mad scientist guitarists like Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew. Scary Monsters is my favourite Bowie-album. It perfectly and playfully rounds off the Berlin years, while timelessly pointing forward to something new and grand.
My goodness, I've been waiting this good time for another glorious reaction from you Sir. certainly is a special album in Bowie's creative life as he transitioned from perhaps not what only how the public viewed he as; but rather how he took himself, a transition one can see in his 80's workings, Ill or good. It was a break much needed for Bowie, I do love to hear how some others do preach this is his last Good Album: what I believe is this was the last hoorah for a certain period for Bowie, as aforementioned his 70's period and the nostalgia for the one's of such a time. But I do not believe for one moment this was his last outstanding album. for the period, certainly, but moving onwards to his glorious period in the 90's, Black Tie, Outside and Earthling all are so soluble for Bowie himself at that particular point in one's life as such he was then. Bowie's power unlike a good deal of the Idols and Rock Stars we adore has more than one unique period of fine work's, it's the tracing of one's life thru' the shifting sands of an artistic life, one he clutched to himself right to last breathing moments upon this Earth.
I find Reality, Hours, The Next Day, Heathen and Blackstar as powerful as anything he did in the '70s.
@@thecrye6798I wholeheartedly agree with that!
The entire LP is gold. At the time, Bowie was sort of a counter-culture icon with a cult following. I was seriously into his LP's from Changes thru the Berlin Trilogy. The music press had published that Bowie was due to deliver a new LP, so us followers were looking forward to it. I was at the record store the morning that it was released Sept. 1980 and it blew our minds! If you were a Bowie fan, chances are you were familiar with Robert Fripp, so it was a double-win!
That vocal "creep factor" totally reminds me of Peter Murphy of BAUHAUS! They were very into Bowie and they set the foundation of GOTH rock! Please listen to some Bauhaus today?? HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
JP, Adrian Belew plays on Bowie's previous studio album Lodger aswell as the Stage live album.
In regards to Gary Numan try M.E. you may recognise the music as it was sampled by Basement Jaxx.
Listen again to Teenage Wildlife. It's impossibile to fully grasp its greatness on first listen, especially all the various vocal techniques. I wishit was two minutes longer!
Justin, you are the coolest.
Agreed!!!!!
Nah, that'd be Ethyl😅
I went to see the Stranglers play in a small dance club in Houston sometime around 1980 or ‘81. During a break, the club’s DJ played “Fashion.” The band was still on the stage and the drummer obviously was not a fan of that song… he shouted “I didn’t know this was a f**king DISCO!” and kicked the drum kit off the stage onto the dance floor.
Thanks for the review, Justin!
Happy to J3B!
Very influential album for new romantics and new wave! Also one of my Bowie faves - even though it's not always very accessible.
"I'm OK, you're so so" probably refers to the late 60's best selling book on transactional analysis called "I'm OK, you're OK". I've heard comedians back then say "I'm OK, you're an A hole".
FYI - Rundgren and Belew are currently touring with a Biwie tribute group. I like what I've heard so far on YT.
Love this album so much. I think you’ll find the original demo for It’s No Game particularly interesting. First recorded in 1970 or so. Bowie is famous for even ripping himself off to serve a new song. Enjoy! th-cam.com/video/VDCHqejcOfI/w-d-xo.html
Teenage Wildlife, what a great tune, even in my mid sixties it still lifts me. A rare disagreement with you JP.
I'm always happy to see a Bowie reaction, it's true, however, aside from the title track, Fashion, Ashes and Scream Like A Baby, I don't care for this album. There are far superior albums to this, not just the earlier work, but many albums after this one. I find it messy and it's not an album I return to when listening to Bowie. From his time in the 60's bands, ie, The King Bees, The Mannish Boys, The Lower Third and his subsequent solo work before the album "Space Oddity" - to the last album "Blackstar", it's agreed that he never repeated himself from album to album, such was the creative genius of the man. There are moments though, that, for me anyway, don't hit the mark, as with this one. This is true of most artists in their career though, to be fair, I absolutely love Bowie and have since 1972 when I first heard him, so it's a minor criticism and just one person's opinion. I'm going to plug for "The Man Who Sold The World" again!. You did mention "Low" earlier in this vid and that [again imo] is a good choice too. Happy Halloween to ya anyway and thanks for the full album reaction, coz, it is Bowie, after all.😊
Happy Halloween Justin!🦇🐀🐈⬛💀🕷🎃😎
You too!
@@JustJP 🎃😎
this album is bowie's way of musically & philosophically doing a sober distillation of his career to this point & showing a more mature inner power & focused drive. hes ready to really pick his spots. the album has some brilliant moments. some of the best of his career. hes not as top to bottom as powerful as 3 to 4 or so of his other best albums, but its an artist in top form & under steely control.
For a Halloween album how about The Cramps?
Also, Justin, I can't seem to find the other half of this review, directly leading on from Teenage Wildlife. you can't tease one like that!
You should try The Handsome Family singing 'Arlene' -Americana at it's finest!
BRIGHT GREEN FIELD by Squid would be a great album to react to and certainly unique and interesting. Proggy, art Rocky, new wavish type sound. I think it was 12th on best albums of 2021 but should’ve been 1st
BOY RACER >
Thankyou,
Love that album🙃 Narrator is my fave
Couldn’t hear it all this morning, got to get going but up to Fashion so far.
To me, in some songs Fripp seems out of his element, yet, in others seemingly works perfectly. I guess experimenting has the possibility of not in this case, failure but not quite clicking. I love my fripping Fripp so don’t get mad, Fripp off.
Yes, I can hear Exposure-like tonality and textures. Great choice of doing the whole dog.
Heathen would have worked too based only on titles… just saying (over and over).
Be well.
I gotta disagree with you on Teenage Wildlife JP. Perfect Song. Perfect Length. To each their own though. Great Reaction!
Try something different , take a listen to the Welsh band "Man " try the album " Do you like it here are you settling in now " for starters . The band are still gigging today and have been around since the late 1960s . Something refreshingly different for you , the late Micky Jones and Deke Leonard are superb on guitar whilst drummer Terry Williams also had stints with Rock pile, Meatloaf , and Dire Straights. You won't be disappointed and I'm sure your subs will enjoy as well .
The last Bowie lp I have any interest in, also the first lp I was ever given as a present.
Have you tried his album “Heathen” from the turn of the century? It began a Bowie renaissance for me.
@@triscat I haven't yet but maybe I will in the next few days. Ta for the tip.
Heathen is a revelation. I also really dig The Next Day. It amazes me that he was making such great albums in the 2000s. What other artists who started in the '60's continued doing great work into the 2000s. @@triscat
I don't really like the album, but "Teenage Wildlife" is one of his best songs
What a promising start into the decade - together with PG's 3, XTC and the other remarkable artists A.K. mentioned before. And what a hard and disappointing landing down to earth as the decade continued. The eighties has nearly nothing for me, it all starts again at the end of the decade and the beginning of the nineties, with the exception of a few special artists.
Class album. Yeah..Kingdom Come is another cover that is just a filler for me. The rest is so good. Maybe Teenage Wildlife is a verse too long.
If anyone doubts Bowie's talent, play them "The Laughing Gnome" and then play them "Scary Monsters".
The level of progression is out of this world and can perhaps only be compared with that of the Beatles.
@@Katehowe3010 I really wanted to like Talk Talk. Alas, after many many listens, I simply don't. Sorry.
@@Katehowe3010 No no, I mean their full discography. You can't know if you like an artist or not until you've heard everything they've done.
How about Genesis "From Genesis To Revelations" through to "The Lamb" ? Stellar change there !
@@alanwaine4186 Genesis is my favourite band of all time, but I'm not overly fond of either From Genesis to Revelation or Trespass.
They're fine for what they are, but the albums I truly love span from Nursery Cryme all the way up to We Can't Dance.
@@Katehowe3010 All right. What I meant was more that if you don't like an artist on first listen, you need to hear more of what they've done (preferably everything) before you know for sure that there's nothing about them that you like.
It should be noted about "Scream Like a Baby" that Bowie did "mix with other colors" and publicly came out as bisexual only a few years after homosexuality was decriminalized in the UK.
The sound at the end is a tape reel running out.
At the beginning too. On Parts 1 and 2, it’s the sounds from Tony Visconti’s Lyrec 24-track tape deck. The first sound heard on the record is Visconti rewinding the deck and pressing “play” and the last is the tape spooling out. The ratchet sound you hear is from a football (soccer) rattle.
Okay, yeah! Go listen to some Gary Numan!!
Kia ora hello from Aotearoa new zealand how are things going brother
Great Heath, hope youre well 🙏
Great album. Thanks for all the tricks and treats. Feel free to include Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" and Stan Rogers' cover of "Witch of the Westmorland" on next years list.
😉
@@JustJP That was the fastest response ever! 😂😂
pretty damn quick cuts... what is even the point?
It tickles me all this talk of 'halloween SEASON' ??? what is that exactly! Halloween in the UK is about a couple of hours in the evening of the 31st Oct, and generally for little kids! How do you make a 'season' out of that. And i'm throwing this comment in for the stats. Cos seems like only 5 mins since the last bowie album finished... So inspired by VDGG's foray in to reggae the other day, I'm off to listen to 'Hail H.I.M.' by Burning Spear instead.
@UCdmPUWzThkqKcbfF5ZE-orA I do like bowie, but i just wasn't in the mood for him again. Certainly not so soon, so I just dropped my comment and left. Maybe re check your phone. In the mean time i'm going back to finish my Burning Spear album. I was part way through 'African Teacher' when you're message popped up 🙂 Though have to say, 'Road Foggy' was always my fave on this disc :)
@UCdmPUWzThkqKcbfF5ZE-orA testing testing...
@UCdmPUWzThkqKcbfF5ZE-orA is this your phone too! how do my messages look? on sending there seems to be a crazy jumble of stuff right before my text commences...
Yeah, it’s a whole month+ here in the states. What’s worse Christmas pretty much starts now with Thanksgiving thrown in the middle.
Help.
@@Katehowe3010 Yeah, i've never umderstood it either. Apart from the obvious commercial aspects of course
Kingdom Come had nothing for you, seemed bland and stilted? I take it as a continuation of the story from Scream Like a Baby. His life in prison after re-education. Still being drugged maybe indoctrinated with a "you'll get your reward after you die" religion, and he's bland, stilted, and trapped.
track one is a Blur rip off
im listening to a vinyl rip on the computer
i haven't heard the album b4
i heard all the singles mind u
Can't believe Damon got away with recording Girls & Boys without litigation
I liked Shurrup! SHURRUP
I saw DB on Sky tv news a day after he died unless it was someone else
messin wiv me mind n faculties
Are DB's LPs short on melody? WE shall see
Wot do u have to say about it JP?
Ha u r a trooper with these lyrics
Japo Scando Substitute Veal? Silouettes and shadows conveys
Theatrical Deception 4 me. Insult by Fascism indeed.
Steve Hackett liked Fripp.
track 2
reminds me of sumthing like M's Pop Music and Eddie Cochran and the Yeah Yeah reminds me of Damon Albarn again. That isn't Fripp is it? He wouldn't play like like that -doubt it. I 'm tryin to forget it's Bowie and listen to it as if it's a long lost Doll By Doll LP- ironically they 're not too dissimilar. Your thoughts, JP?
'7/8
syncopation
awkward moments'
i know naathing
u r quite perceptive but, forgive my cynicism, if it wasn't DB , we'd not be so tolerant. Maybe.
Progression of Mankind? Watch the interview with the Newsnight bloke whatsiss name? Jeremy Clarkson No Paxman
Man of Peace
discussin the Internet
It was Fripp
Track 3
Fair play to DB , he liked and praised bands like Pixies and appreciated new experimental bands
Yet this sounds like a Paul Weller Pub Band tribute act
I wish Fripp would shut up!!! I like the acoustic guitar. My hero at the time - Pete Gabriel - was wise enough to keep the real Paul Wella on guitar and his own vocals far from Wide Boy "wanna buy a stereo Matey?" territory!
But did u like the song JP
Sounded very Whodunnit in vibe 4 me. But i must be positive.
Be honest , if this was Genesis Abacab you'd be puttin the knife in by now stating : Treading Water.
Maybe.
JP , I'm tired. Why don't you be the Boss 4 a while. See ya later. Maybe.
Diolch. Great Fun.
Can’t play a song everyone else can…what’s your damage.