Opinions on post-1990 Bowie?

[edengowon 9,643]

So, I re-listened to all of Bowie's post 1980 discography yesterday and I realised how much I love Let's Dance and Tonight, yet lack any feelings towards Heathen, Reality, 1. Outside, Earthling or Black Tie White Noise. In my opinion those albums lack the same character or cohesiveness that his previous works have. What do you think about the albums? What're your favourite songs? Mine would be New Killer Star, Sunday and Everybody Says 'Hi', although those are really the only songs I listen to from the albums. 

The albums:

Spoiler

Black Tie White Noise (1993)

1. Outside (1995)

Earthling (1997)

Hours (1999)

Heathen (2002)

Reality (2003)

 

[joanoflark 3,824]

I have never listened to his albums post-Let's Dance besides Blackstar (which I absolutely love) mainly because of the bad reviews. I should get into them. I know that Heathen and Reality were more or less well-received, but to me, I always thought Bowie lost something during that era of his career. 

[JazzGa 14,348]

I agree. My BF and I were talking about Bowie recently and foolishly made the presumption that Black Star was the only album he released in our lifetimes, because I totally forgot about his forgettable early 2000s and late 90s releases   

 

"Earthling" is my favorite of the 90s releases. I absolutely love industrial music and Nine Inch Nails, which were heavy influences on the record. Even though the crunchy guitars, grinding synths, and ticking drum machines might sound dated today, I think it perfectly encapsulates a moment in music history, (a moment which I happened to greatly enjoy!) and that makes "Earthling" more memorable than Bowie's other post-80s albums. (not counting Black Star, which was an opus )  Also I think it's really cool that he recorded the whole album in  2 weeks immediately after he finished the tour for his last album!

 

I just saw the album art for "Reality" and it's hilarous. Check out those 2000s animu-knockoff clip art graphics lol

[edengowon 9,643]

28 minutes ago, Satans Ex Wife said:

I agree. My BF and I were talking about Bowie recently and foolishly made the presumption that Black Star was the only album he released in our lifetimes, because I totally forgot about his forgettable early 2000s and late 90s releases  

I mean, The Next Day (2013) was incredible... and Grammy nominated 

[Ziggy 10,345]

I think that he had other priorities tbh. Before that he used music to exorcise his pain (see Station to Station). He was pretty much sober post 1990 and happy for the most part so I just don’t think his heart was in it. That, and Tin Machine was tragic haha however, I will also add that the generation he came from was not exactly relevant to the trends of the 90s so trying to find himself in what was happening was probably not the easiest. I personally believe that he had the good song here or there but by and large it was an eh period for him and Blackstar was a sensational send off. Bring Me the Disco King, Hallo Spaceboy, and Im Afraid Of Americans come to mind as a handful of great songs from then.

Since I didn’t mention it, I like The Next Day, but felt that it, too, had some good some eh songs. Better than the rest of his 90s and 2000s work, but it could have been streamlined a bit. Love is Lost (and its remix), Stars Are Out Tonight, Dancing Out in Space, and Where Are We Now are my favorites from it.

I think part of what allowed him to flex with Blackstar was that he’d been doing a lot of new things in his well-worn genres of theatrical rock and jazz which had until then always been in his music but never the overriding factor. The experimentation excited him and I think that coupled with finding something in the emerging trends (like Kendrick Lamar and TPAB) that he connected to and working on the Lazarus musical really shook all of the cobwebs out.

[Anderson123 30,923]

Earthling is

 

[Italian 554]

I really love his 90s albums, especially Earthling, I wish he continued with that direction instead of releasing ...hours

 

[Damon 10,895]

the only ones I listened to are Earthling, The Next Day and Black Star, those are really good

[Esteban 2,294]

Earthling is my favorite album, indus, drum'n bass, rock, jazz.. that's sound perfect. My favorite song in this cohesive album is "Seven years in Tibet" 

[Scarlet Bitch 861]

imo heathen is one of his best albums 

[Pluto 776]

It's hit and miss for me. I love Outside, Heathen and Hours but haven't paid much attention to the others even though I own copies. They're not bad by any means and I like some songs but haven't been able to appreciate them as a body of work yet.

[Rio 5,088]

Obviously 'The Next Day' and 'Blackstar'. I have the Blackstar album logo tattooed on my right forearm on my birthday, exactly one year after his death. Yes, my hero died on my birthday in 2016 😞😞😞 He was ignored by the GRAMMYs his entire career, so I'm glad Blackstar won the GRAMMY, even if it was posthumous. 

"Heart's Filthy Lesson" is probably my favourite Bowie song (sure it's from 1995's 'Outside') but gonna be honest, I have really listened to any of his 90s stuff at all. And I really should