How would you rate "Heroes" (1977) by David Bowie?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Haristar, May 22, 2017.

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  1. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    Love the cover art and have it in one of those album frames on the wall. The album though, I probably only listened to it 2-3 times. It didn't hit me back in 77-78. Maybe I'll take it off the wall and give it a spin. Or better yet, pull it up on Tidal for that listen.
     
  2. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Take that vinyl down! The best I've heard "Heroes" sound is on original vinyl.

    I went for 'Pretty great'. I feel that out of all the 70s Bowie albums, this is the only one I don't appreciate as much as I could. I think I need to play it more. Heroes is obviously a stunning track, I also love Beauty and the Beast and Sons of the Silent Age. I like V-2 Schneider too but the rest hasn't grabbed me yet.
     
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  3. JoeF.

    JoeF. Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    And they won't be king....
     
  4. The Bishop

    The Bishop Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dorset, England.
    I like Heroes well enough, but I can't say I play it very often.

    I'm much more likely to be listening to the great run of albums up to and including, Diamond Dogs.
     
  5. Mister President

    Mister President Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    It's one of his best. Also I think his best album cover.
     
  6. PretzelLogic

    PretzelLogic Feeling duped by MoFi? You probably deserve it.

    Location:
    London, England
    Confession: I don't like it.

    Three good songs, and the rest just leaves me scratching my head.
     
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  7. gd0

    gd0 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

    Location:
    Golden Gate
    Only his very best, that's all.

    One word: Fripp.
     
  8. footprintsinthesand

    footprintsinthesand Reasons to be cheerful part 1

    Location:
    Dutch mountains
    Read on the Pushing Ahead ... website that Fripp only took six hours on just one day to provide his guitar contribution to the base tracks (without vocals or words).
     
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  9. There are times I prefer Low, there are times I prefer Heroes. The last years it's been Heroes all the way.

    The input of his musicians can't be underestimated, but it's still very Bowie. The guy had a great gift for guiding his musicians when he was not coming up with all the ideas himself.

    The songs on side A are rock solid and the soundscapes on side B evoke a darkness I want to get lost in. Can't really describe it.
     
  10. nojmplease

    nojmplease Host, You Can't Unhear This

    Location:
    New York, NY
    "Avoid at all costs" - is that option describing the person who would select that response? ;)

    Also, Secret Life of Arabia is a severely under-appreciated, kickass but misplaced track that was probably missed by the folks who didn't make it through the ambient Eno tracks on Side B.
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2017
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  11. fallbreaks

    fallbreaks Forum Resident

    The song Heroes is absolutely a classic, but I find the album as a whole a bit less inspired than Low. And when you're talking about a career with as many highs as Bowie's has, that ranks it a little lower, say in the top 5-10 Bowie albums.
     
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  12. MHP

    MHP Lover of Rock ‘n Roll

    Location:
    DK
    Vive la difference. For me, excactly those tracks are among his artistic high-points. But that's Bowie fans in a nutshell: One man's coffee is another man's cup of tea...
     
  13. sparkmeister

    sparkmeister Forum Resident

    Location:
    Abergavenny UK
    Yup, those 3 tracks are right up there among my favourites and I like all his albums apart from NLMD and his debut.
     
  14. Tsomi

    Tsomi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lille, France
    So-so for me... It's great, but I think he made some greater albums.

    It has many similarities to Low which can't be ignored, but I don't see a lot of differences or added value, here. My first disappointment in his discography: it doesn't surprise me.

    The chords in Joe the Lion just sound too similar to Speed of Life to my ears. This song, and Sons of the Silent Age just bore me, his voice just annoys me there (sounds... drunk), so I almost never listen to them. Sense of Doubt is four gloomy-spooky piano chords played again and again with nothing else... I can understand that it gave ideas to some New Wavers, but I think they went on to do more interesting songs.

    I love all the other songs, though. If Low/"Heroes" was just a double-album with the best parts of each, it'd probably be in my top 5. And I love how The Secret Life of Arabia is announcing Lodger.

    (And I think I'm one of the few who prefer the RCA JPN over the RCA WG for this one... Save for the missing opening sound, I hear the same improvements in the RCA JPN as for Space Oddity... it sounds wider and less grainy...)
     
  15. aerostace

    aerostace Under the stairs, beneath the stars

    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    For me it's not one of his best, but it does have some great tracks on it.

    Agreed. Transcendental when listened to through my Grado SR60 headphones (Source: WG RCA CD)
     
  16. oldturkey

    oldturkey Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gone away.
    The album cover is maybe his best and most iconic imo - anyway - it's up there with Aladdin Sane. The steely look in his eyes is reflected in the music - it's hard, brash and aggressive - a reaction to punk. From the moment the opening howl of Beauty and the Beast starts it is a brash metallic wake-up. Then there's side two, I don't think you can better V-2Schneider, Moss Garden and Neuköln for instrumentals. Better than the Low instrumentals.
    Secret Life of Arabia (for so long dismissed as a poor track) seems to be justifiably getting recognition these days - it's perfection. The shouty bits on Joe The Lion are what transforms it from a good track to a great one. He couldn't give it any more.

    I picked up the 7" picture sleeve of Beauty and the Beast in the bargain bins in 78 and I've loved it ever since. For the same man who recorded Space Oddity to become this is hard to grasp.
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2017
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  17. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    Anyone who says this and Low are Volume One and Volume Two aren't familiar with the effect Robert Fripp can have on your music.

    The songs are more developed this time around although "The Secret Life of Arabia" comes out of left field (in slightly the wrong manner) to close out the album.

    Oh, I should say something about "Heroes"; listen to the full version.
     
  18. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    I just changed my vote, moving up one, because I've been listening to the 2017 remaster on hi-res file. It radically opens up the sound. I still have to delete the song 'Heroes' before I burn it to CDR (as always), but this new remaster almost sounds like a remix. It's much easier to hear what is going on and the amount craft in the soundscape is clearer. It has made me rethink Heroes after all the years.
     
  19. Tsomi

    Tsomi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lille, France
    I'd be extremely curious to see your preferences in my "Heroes" blind-listening test, then:
    Bowie – "Heroes": Blind listening test

    (I'm also doing TMWSTW and Scary Monsters at the moment, and did Young Americans previously as well and I think I remember you participated in this one.)

    Thank you!
     
  20. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    I'll do it. Please see my question about which version of the 2017 you used.

    I ran the TMWSTW Fremer vinyl test and disliked the famous USA pressing! Aside from that I agreed with the other results.
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2017
  21. A true classic. I love it, one of my favourite Bowie albums, it's up there with Hunky Dory and Station To Station in my top 3. Excellent songs and great Robert Fripp guitar on side 1 and some of Bowie and Brian Eno's finest music on side 2. Superb.
     
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  22. BlueSpeedway

    BlueSpeedway Curated Iconic Half-Speed Punk

    Location:
    England
    I'm with Maurice.
     
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  23. DHamilton

    DHamilton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Earth
    you serious?
     
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  24. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    I'm relatively new to the Bowie catalog, and so far, this one has its strengths, but is probably my least favorite from the Trilogy + Scary Monsters (the Tetralogy?). I enjoy the instrumental tracks the most, though probably not more than the similar tracks on Low. Aside from the iconic title track, though, the vocal songs do little for me. I think the problem for me is that my least favorite tracks are "Beauty and the Beast," "Joe the Lion," and "Arabia," which means the album begins and ends on what feel like less than high notes. It's quite possible that my impressions will change over time, though.
     
  25. Frosst

    Frosst Vinyl-obsessive kiddo

    Location:
    Sweden
    Essential. My favourite album post-Ziggy era. The title track is simply marvelous and the rest of side one is also fantastic. Side two may be instruemental only (or so I've heard) but listening to it on vinyl I'm pretty sure those tracks will give a very relaxed feeling. I'm also a big fan of the album that partly inspired Bowie when he made Heroes; Neu! 75.
     
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