How would you rate "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" (1980) by David Bowie?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Haristar, Oct 27, 2017.

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  1. Haristar

    Haristar Apollo C. Vermouth Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    [​IMG]
    Track listing:
    -It's No Game (No. 1)
    -Up the Hill Backwards
    -Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
    -Ashes to Ashes
    -Fashion

    -Teenage Widlilfe
    -Scream Like a Baby
    -Kingdom Come
    -Because You're Young
    -It's No Game (No. 2)
    ------------------------------------
    1. "Hunky Dory" [1971] Rating: 4.79/5
    2. "Station to Station" [1976] Rating: 4.73/5
    3. "Low" [1977] Rating: 4.65/5
    4. "Aladdin Sane" [1973] Rating: 4.58/5
    5. "Heroes" [1977] Rating: 4.28/5
    6. "Diamond Dogs" [1974] Rating: 4.27/5
    7. "Lodger" [1979] Rating: 4.1/5
    8. "Space Oddity" [1969] Rating: 4.03/5
    9. "Outside" [1995] Rating: 3.81/5
    10. "The Next Day" [2013] Rating: 3.71/5
    11. "Let's Dance" [1983] Rating: 3.58/5
    12. "Reality" [2003] Rating: 3.47/5
    13. "Earthling" [1997] Rating: 3.27/5
    14. "Tin Machine" [1989] Rating: 3.21/5
    15. "Tonight" [1984] Rating: 2.39/5
     
    alexpop likes this.
  2. Derek Slazenger

    Derek Slazenger Specs, rugs & rock n roll

    Scary Monsters/Ashes to Ashes/Fashion - One of the best 123s on any album :)
     
    basie-fan, stef1205, Drifter and 3 others like this.
  3. Rne

    Rne weltschmerz

    Location:
    Malaver
    A brilliant album which is among his very best.
     
  4. karmaman

    karmaman Forum Resident

    and indeed one of the best 3,4,5s.

    essential listening, his best since... oh, wait.
     
  5. Somerset Scholar

    Somerset Scholar Ace of Spades

    Location:
    Bath
    Uneven. Middle ranking Bowie at best.
     
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  6. Rne

    Rne weltschmerz

    Location:
    Malaver
    That's what's very impressive about David's career, or at least about the first 15-20 years of his career.
     
  7. BrokenByAudio

    BrokenByAudio Forum Resident

    Side one is one of those sides that never seems to get old.
     
  8. karmaman

    karmaman Forum Resident

    i was making a joke re: the "his best since Scary Monsters" cliché.
     
    mschrist likes this.
  9. Rne

    Rne weltschmerz

    Location:
    Malaver
    Oh, I was not aware of that cliché. But I was seriously thinking about the remarkable consisten high level of his career up to Never Let Me Down, which I consider his first stumble.
     
    warewolf95 likes this.
  10. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Only like the single.
     
  11. karmaman

    karmaman Forum Resident

    that's very generous of you! Tonight was his first dud for me, Let's Dance for others, but... let's not derail the thread.
     
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  12. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Last edited: Oct 27, 2017
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  13. Limopard

    Limopard National Dex #143

    Location:
    Leipzig, Germany
    My favourite Bowie album.
     
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  14. dead of night

    dead of night Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern Va, usa
    There is so much music to listen to and discern on each song. Listen to the guitar on Teenage Wildlife as it struggles free like a dove in the "vast blue sky." Hear the introductory guitar wail like a tortured elephant on Because You're Young.

    Bowie's vocals have never been better, especially when he does his own backing. Listen to his falsetto during "Wild! Life!" on the song, Teenage Wildlife. Listen to the way he sings, "a million dreams, a million scars."

    Some of this album confronts a difficult theme: The struggle to remain clean even though you are a reputed drug addict. Bowie captures and conveys it well.

    A brilliant songwriter and artist and performer, Bowie.
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2017
  15. Rne

    Rne weltschmerz

    Location:
    Malaver
    Of course, part of the brilliance of this album is directly related to Mr. Robert Fripp.
     
  16. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Option two.

    I agree with those that say side one is exceptional. Side two isn't nearly as good. Though of course that's not saying it's bad. It would be the last 'proper' Bowie album for quite some time.

    I have the original LP, the 1999 CD remaster and the SACD. The latter is very good aside from the tape drag at the beginning of Up The Hill Backwards.:mad:

    I actually saw the RCA CD for 99p in a charity shop a few months ago. Stupidly I left it there thinking I didn't need another copy of the album.:)
     
  17. nosliw

    nosliw Delivering parcels throughout Teyvat! Meow~!

    Location:
    Ottawa, ON, Canada
    I don't listen to David Bowie all that much, but that album is probably my favourite out of the ones I listened to.

    I really like his call-back to Major Tom on "Ashes to Ashes."
     
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  18. noahjld

    noahjld Der Wixxer

    As good as (if not better) the holy "Trilogy".
     
  19. Haristar

    Haristar Apollo C. Vermouth Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    Bowie really shouldn't have put all the singles on side one.
     
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  20. Dhreview16

    Dhreview16 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London UK
    Top 10 but not Top 5 Bowie for me (which is pretty good in itself) - highly recommended but not quite a classic, sits alongside Let's Dance as part of a post Berlin Trilogy and others 80s renaissance, rather like the Stones Some Girls/Tattoo You era post the "classic four". Arguably better than Let's Dance though commercially far less successful.
     
  21. tigerzzz

    tigerzzz Forum Resident

    well i loved scary monsters when it first arrived at home 37 years ago and i like everything on it, it just sounded so different to what came out a year before but that's our Bowie i guess,he should have gone on a world tour through 1981 with it, that would have been very cool.
     
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  22. I didn't vote. Ashes to Ashes got tons of airplay and was a real favorite of mine during my last year of High School. I never got the album and the only other song on it I am familiar with is Fashion. I should remedy this gap soon.
     
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  23. Rojo

    Rojo Forum Resident

    It's the only Bowie record I own. I would go with option 2 (worth recommending).

    I love every song on Side One, Side Two is just OK and I could do without the bonus tracks.
     
    Purple Jim likes this.
  24. Sons of Joe Kapp

    Sons of Joe Kapp New Member

    Location:
    Boston
    Can we get some good loudness level analysis to help us decide?
     
    El Rich-o likes this.
  25. Gregster

    Gregster Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    Hello,

    I rate this work very highly, certainly my favorite studio album of Davids & would suggest it as a first choice pick for anyone wanting to discover David Bowie for the first time.

    It sits right where his & his bands creative powers were flowing to perfection on every tune IMO. And you can without doubt hear where he came from, & where he was going with his music & career. All the classic Bowie traits & sounds are to be found here, ( including the re-invention of Major Tom ), so if you like this album, there's every chance you'll love the rest of his discography.

    Ciao,

    Gregster
     
    strummer101 likes this.
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