For this week's #threetunetuesday, as inspired by @ablaze, I returned to the vinyl collection for another David Bowie classic. This one, called Low, is honestly my favorite of all the Bowie albums ever released. That's a tall order, sure, but this one has always resonated with me. From it's alien cover to its alien soundscapes, this 1977 release sounds like something from...well... I don't know. I think Pitchfork (I know I know...it's not what it used to be) even named this THE number one album from the 1970's...another tall order for a decade of music, but I buy it. It has inspired everyone from Joy Division to Nine Inch Nails to Blur, with countless more in between. So without more writing more intros, let's dig into three tunes from side one of this classic.
Warning: two of three of these selections are intstrumentals to shake things up for a #TTT.
Speed of Life
You hear the alien in the sound straight out of the gate. My understanding is that Bowie cancelled lyrics and vocals on this one to introduce the album. I kind of like that call. This track sets the tone for what is to come, and it's quite a trip.
Always Crashing in the Same Car
More curious sounds and build ups, with a wonderful chorus thrown in there. I imagine there is a some grander meaning to the lyrics, but I really just dig the alien synths flying around in the background. I mean it's Bowie, yeah? Again, if you transport yourself back to that time period, its hard to put a genre on this. Pink Floyd...maybe? Yet I'd argue this is something quite different from the Floyd.
A New Career in a New Town
This might be my favorite track on the entire album. I remember when I cleaned rental cars to pay for college, I was driving some fellow employees to the hangar to pick up cleaning vehicles and was playing this on CD. Two of the three were like, "what the hell is this?" The other was like, "yeah, what the hell is this, it's fantasic." Yeah, I know...it's Bowie. This song has a great mix of harmonica and piano, with that old school bass driving the track. The ending goes back into that alien synth sound. This reminds me of something very Joe Meek, and I love it.
Bonus from the vinyl: a chance to the join the Internation David Bowie Club for $5 USD!
Thanks for the checking out my #threetunetuesday share! If these resonate, I highly recommend listening to this album in entirety. Let me know what you think below!