Customer Reviews

All Saints: Collected Instrumentals 1977-1999

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"All Saints" is an excellent collection of innovative instrumental work from the legendary David Bowie. Compiled personally by Bowie and initially given away as a Christmas gift to only his closest and personal friends, "All Saints" was later given an official release as a limited edition. At the time of this writing, the CD is still readily available and is worth picking up.
This collection spans from the years 1977 to 1999. Most of the tracks included here are from the two-thirds of Bowie's "Berlin" album trilogy ("Low" and "Heroes", the third being "Lodger"). Additionally, there are three rare pieces ("Abdulmajid", "Crystal Japan" and the CDs title track) which were only previously available as bonus tracks when the Rykodisc label reissued the entire Bowie catalog in the early 1990s (The Rykodisc reissues are now out-of-print).
This CD as a whole demonstrates David Bowie's pioneering use of synthesizers and ambient soundscapes. A majority of these compositions were made in collaboration with ambient music specialist Brian Eno and display a unique combination of lush beauty, harsh experimentation and cinematic intensity. Any of these compositions could've easily been used as film music for it is highly visual and adventurous. The closing piece ("Some Are" from Philip Glass's "Low Symphony") is particularly cinematic with its use of a full symphonic orchestra creating a dynamic sense of drama.
"All Saints" is not only a must have for David Bowie fans but also for fans of instrumental music as well. Like his collaborator Brian Eno as well as the German-based bands Tangerine Dream, Cluster and Kraftwerk, David Bowie has also garnered himself as an innovator of ambient electronic music. This collection shows Bowie at his instrumental best and reveals the full scope of his serious musical and compositional side.

I wasn't going to buy it, because I was cynically thinking it was just another way for Bowie to cash in on his past without turning out something new and brilliant (which maybe it is!). But for various reasons (and perhaps because I'm just a die-hard fan whatever else my fluctuating opinion may be), I picked it up. What can I say that hasn't been said already? Not a lot: These compositions make a lot of sense together (Brilliant Adventure makes MORE sense to me here than it did on hours...). The whole album is an effective soundscape that sets a unique tone. And because of the all-instrumental context, I find myself paying more attention to the pieces than I do on the original albums.

This collection of David Bowie's instrumental pieces makes a lot more sense than most such compilations. It's good to have them all on one CD, and the tracks go so well together that you could almost imagine it is a 'proper' album in its own right.

While the opening tracks "A New Career in a New Town" and "V-2 Schneider" are relatively up-tempo, some could be called 'ambient', while others are beyond classification. However you describe them, thay are by turns beautiful, exhilarating, meditative, or even, occasionally, slightly disturbing.

"All Saints" is a great chance to own, in one handy package, a body of work by Bowie (not forgetting his collaborations here with Brian Eno) that has been immensly influential and also helped to expand the boundaries of popular music.

I have been listening to this c.d. while working on the computer and catching up on the latest news surrounding the WTC tragedy. This 70+ minute instrumental c.d. could almost be a soundtrack for the week: the jaunty if vaguely disquieting strains of the opening "New Career in Town" are followed by an eclectic group of musically abstract textures that seem foreboding ("Sense of Doubt"), tragic ("Weeping Wall"), and ultimately bold ("Some Are"). Although I don't usually go for compilations, this one is different; it fits together like a beautiful puzzle. I've got a large number of c.d.'s covering all genres -- this one is in the top one percent. Buy one, then buy another for your best friend.

This is Bowie's only instrumental collection and some may argue that there is a reason. However, most of these cuts are from "Low" and "Heroes" with a smattering of new material and some old from Philip Glass. Brian Eno was the main collaborator here, which sums it all up.

It was written that only 1,000 copies were made, but I find that difficult to believe if it's available here at Amazon. It is neither for the completist or occasional fan.

This collection is an oddity that needs careful listening to (best with great headphones). If you're looking for something other than subtlety, you'll not care for this. If you like Eno and layered (if not obtuse) music that's beyond avant-garde, this is a good listen for you.

My first experience w/ David's instrumentals was with "Low" on Rykodisc 10 years ago. I thought those 7 tracks (including 2 previously unreleased tracks) were just wonderful. They used to entertain me endlessly as my CD player would rotate them over and over again. I have always been a big fan of David's music, but those 7 tracks really did something to me the others never did. It was like being lost in a trance. Needless to say, I made a wish at that point that David put out an instrumental album. And more so, I wanted other people to have the opportunity to loose themselves in those glorious creations as I had so many times. I used to make mixed tapes of the instrumentals from 'The Trilogy' for friends. (The Low and Heroes Symphonies by David Glass are also highly recommendable.) As years passed, I had to let my wish slip away, only to be reminded when the CD's were re-issued in the past few years with all the bonus tracks Rykodisc had included, now so shamefully removed. Then alas, the day came when I was perusing a local record store and saw this new thing called "All Saints". I saw 'collection' and '1977-1999' and kept walking figuring it was just another singles compilation. As I was leaving I happened to glance back and the word INSTRUMENTAL, jumped out at me. I snatched a copy and started laughing. 10 years later, here it was in my hand. Not new recordings (unfortunately) but those same wonderful songs David and Brian constructed so beautifully all those years ago.

... it's not for the casual fan, but for more serious fans and for so many others out there. People who don't like David Bowie (shame on you), those who are into Trance, Ambient, Electronica, etc. who would never think to look under David Bowie, I say, don't hesitate. It is a history lesson you never thought you'd hear.

I've been a Bowie fan for a number of years now (since around '03, when I got his latest album), and since then he's been the overlord of my music library. This compilation was actually one of the first DB albums I owned, when I came across it in a pawn shop. Since at the time the only actual instrumental of his I had heard was 'Brilliant Adventure', so I decided this would be a great opportunity to get more involved in his more artistic side.

While most of these tracks can easily be found on his other albums, some are rather obscure, and have found homes only on Ryko editions of his Berlin Trilogy, along with a few selections from 'Buddha of Suburbia' which we all know was, until last year, a very hard album to come by until re-released. While most tracks are from his 'Low' and 'Heroes' albums, there is a great deal of music aside.

As the talented multi-instrumentalist that Bowie is, his non-vocal work expands more heavily on exactly what his music can offer compared to more conventional song writing. In my honest opinion, if Bowie ever created an entirely instrumental album it would be probably the best thing in my collection, but as I doubt that'll happen this compilation will have to serve its place.

As with my disappointments, I was very bewildered that 'South Horizon', a jazzy trip hop piece from 'Buddha', was not featured. I also was not satisfied with the lack of liner notes; the booklets describe all the legal info about each track, who wrote them (mainly Bowie with Eno) and that's about it. A little more personal knowledge on some tracks would've been really great. I'm glad though that they didn't throw in the annoying 'Don't Sit Down' ditty from 'Space Oddity'; that would've destroyed the integrity of the entire compilation.

For the few tracks that are now and still hard to find (Some Are, Crysal Japan, Abdulmajid, and All Saints) are worth getting for the price of this compilation. Or at least purchase the individual tracks you want, considering the booklet doesn't offer much more aside from the interesting photos of late 90's Bowie (I can't deny that Bowie looks great with facial hair).

some of us have been putting on "low","heroes","the lodger",Philip Glass' two symphonic treatments of these three discs, putting our players on five cd shuffle & truly enjoyed the eclectic juxteposition of musical style. This collection brings it all in one package. 76-plus minutes of other-worldly delight. I just wish maybe some of Glass' "Heroes Symphony" could have made the cut. Thank you,La Bowie,& Merry X-mas

A mysteriously good landscape of sound that works interestingly as its own collection. While it seems to be piecing together what you probably already own on the discs, it is wonderful to hear this as one spectrum. It proves that Bowie's vision extends far beyond lyrics and stage presence.

Bowie innovatively used the creative forces of Berlin better than most and many of the fruits of that labor are captured nicely in this work.

It's hard to figure out whom ALL SAINTS is for. Die-hard Bowie fans like me, could easily make a compilation tape of virtually all the tracks. The album is not comprehensive - Bowie has done other instrumentals, including on the neglected BLACK TIE, WHITE NOISE. Casual Bowie fans will either find little here to like, or little here to like for the same reason they may like "Ziggy Stardust" or "Let's Dance." These instrumentals are the chameleon's most unrecognizable colors. Bowie's best assets, his voice and his lyrics, are missing. The tracks are mostly familiar to Bowie fans. The exception is the not-particularly-memorable title track. The other so-called rare tracks, "Crystal Japan" and "Abdulmajid" are common enough bonus tracks on other editions of other albums. "Crystal Japan" will also be familiar to Nine-Inch Nails fans as being the inspiration for "A Warm Place."
Yet ALL SAINTS works. The pieces flow well together and sound like they are in their intended order. It is pleasant background music. Interestingly, the last piece on the album is Philip Glass' variation on one of the songs from LOW, from Glass' LOW SYMPHONY. Perhaps that's who this album is intended for - the crossover audience of Glass fans. Whatever the case, ALL SAINTS is a nice collection to tide us over until Bowie emerges with a genuinely new work. Hopefully that's not too far off.