The production and mixing can be a bit... iffy at times, but this record has some truly stellar moments.
EDIT: As I said with my WL/WH review, this band, and their albums, grow on you so much. Rating changed from an 81 to a 91.
It's absurd how much better this album is than every other record they've ever put out.
Despite all the memes around it, this truly is one of the best 90s albums. The instrumentation is sublime, and the performances are wonderfully campy.
Probably gonna get killed for this one.
It's noise. This whole 50 minute album is just noise. It occasionally reaches decent territory, with the highlights being Dead Man Walking and I'm Afraid of Americans, both of which being pretty good, but the rest of the album? Noise.
Fun fact: Bowie himself always considered this his worst album.
That should tell you all you need to know.
The title track is the only great song on the album. The rest of it is just 70s funk fluff.
Never really understood why everyone loves this one. There's a couple great tracks but overall I find it a little forgettable.
At worst, this album is kinda boring and drags on. At best, it gives us some of Bowie's best tracks in his entire catalog. Strangers When We Meet has gotta be a top 10 Bowie song.
![David Bowie - David Bowie [Space Oddity]](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/100x0/album/7669-space-oddity_170019.jpg)
Better than most people give it credit for. Space Oddity, Unwashed, Cygnet Committee, Janine, and Memory of a Free Festival are all fantastic songs.
I've always felt like this album is a little overhyped, but I totally understand why many people consider this Bowie's best.
I'm knocking off 1 point for that weird ass cover. Other than that, this is a pretty dope album.
I still can't believe how good this album is, despite its cheesy title, cheesy cover, and cheesy title track. This is probably peak 80s pop.
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Recent Review Comments
On nospaceallowed's review of The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico
"I think the weird album flow was intentional. I personally love how the gorgeous Sunday Morning fades out, before we're blasted in the face by I'm Waiting for the Man. The Juxtaposition is what makes the flow so great for me."
On Goobus's review of The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico
"I would've given you a pass if you said European Son, but Heroin? The most dynamic song on the album? You must have listened to a different album than the rest of us did."
On The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat
"@sanquesoo I've definitely come around to this album a bit more. My thoughts on The Gift and Sister Ray still stand, but I was definitely too dismissive of the other 4 songs, which are pretty great. I've also come around to the production a bit. I do kinda like the gruff sound it gives everything."
On The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico
"@softuber Pretty much any beatles record released post rubber soul, Jimi Hendrix's albums, hell, so many fucking albums. And while they don't sound perfect, especially by today's standards, they sound infinitely more clear than this. Plus, White Light White Heat which was released one year later, sounds even worse. That's what makes me think it's intentional. Again, that doesn't mean I have to like it. I do really like the album, hell, I gave it an 81. I just think the production on some songs could've been less tinny."
On The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico
"@softuber This was made in 1967. There were a ton of crisp, clear sounding records being made around this time. I suppose the compression on the album is purposeful, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."
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