Anybody else love this 2003 album? I have spent the last week exploring it. How delicious it is! Call out for Bring Me the Disco King (in which Bowie sounds almost like Nina Simone); Pablo Picasso, that I vastly prefer to John Cale's recording. Bowie's arrangement is stunning, album version includes a Spanish guitar sound that suits the namesake brilliantly. Spotify says John Cale wrote Pablo Picasso, when you look up Cale's 1996 recording. But on Bowie's the songwriting credit goes to Jonathan Richman. (Producing credited to Bowie and Tony Visconti. Their production is sumptuous.) --Looks like Pablo Picasso was indeed written by Jonathan Richman; recorded in 1972 by The Modern Lovers, and ultimately released in 1976, as produced by John Cale. Shape-shifting David Bowie as jazz man, crooner, sophisticate, and of course, musician. He even revisits Rebel Rebel and has more to say musically in that song too. Then Queen of All the Tarts (overture) is also a treat. (Stop me from listing every song!) Remarkably good album, don't you think? Though I couldn't find the Spanish guitar version I heard on the album on Spotify, I did find this youtube to rock your Saturday.
Absolutely. One of my favourite Bowie albums. He was on a hot streak following Heathen. The 5.1 SACD mix could be better, but is an interesting listen.
Opinions on this one are all over the place. I think it's good, but the songs somehow sounded way better performed live. Do yourself a favour and listen to the Riverside live disc from the movie theater performance. Maybe someday, hopefully it will be released in full and 5.1 to which Visconti mixed it live to begin with. Plus the Lohner mix of Disco King to top it off.
Its not a top tier Bowie record for me.....but I do like it a lot more than most people seem to (except the first 2 posters at least), 'New Killer Star", "Disco King", "Looking For water" are great imo, cant stand "Never Get Old" though, just very cheesy imo Overall its a 6/10 for me....but maybe a 7/10
A few good things on Reality but it's not among my favourite Bowie albums by any means. From about half-way through it bores the pants off me.
I do like this much maligned album! The brick walled mastering is awful but it does have some great songs. New Killer Star, Pablo Picasso, Loneliest Guy, Bring Me The Disco King (and as someone already mentioned the Loner Mix is very good). Also related is probably the second oddest song, after his Bing duet, that he ever recorded... Love Missile F1-11!
‘Days’ is one of my favourite Bowie tracks. Shame that the whole album is so hideously brickwalled. Let’s hope Bowie Box 6 sorts that out…
I’m a Bowie fan and have all his music. “Reality” is in my opinion not a great album. There is some great and worthwhile songs, but there is also too much run-of-the-mill stuff going on. I think it was clear Bowie just wanted to have a rock album to tour behind at the time. Considering “Disco King” was a re-working of an older song (and with sampled drums from the Heathen outtake When The Boys Come Marching Home), plus 2 covers put on the album, tell books. New Killer Star, She’ll Drive The Big Car, Days, Fall Dog Bombs The Moon & Disco King are all great, though a couple of them seems a bit unfinished. The rest of the album, Pablo Picasso, Never Get Old, The Loneliest Guy, Looking For Water, Try Some Buy Some & Reality is plodding along in an unimaginative way. Compared to the majestic Heathen, Reality dissapointed me at the time.
I think the biggest problem with this album is the sound, and I'm not talking compression. It just doesn't gel, like there's something missing. I find it a rather strark mix. It works for Disco King, but for the other tracks not so much. I mean, the opener is a great song, but it should have had a lot more drive to it, more weight. Same with Looking for Water, it needs to be untethered. I guess they were going for simpler arrangements, less fuss. But it all feels a little brittle and glass like to me. The Surround mix is nothing special, but is my preferred way of hearing it.
Oh, and I'm not crazy about Pablo Picasso. Not because I dislike the song, but because I prefer John Cale's cover from the 70's.
That's true of virtually all Bowie. Very few Bowie songs worked better in their studio incarnations. He almost always improved them live!
I thought he was on a roll from 'hours' on through Black Star. Reality might be my least favorite from that group but is still a good album.