Customer Reviews

Hours

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(59)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

Bowie seems to still be getting a lot of flak for his eighties slump; most rockers his age can rehash and regurgitate and get rewarded by most critics just for showing up. Bowie, on the other hand, has started to really take some chances again with his music, and only a few critics seem to have noticed. While "Hours..." is (consciously or unconsciously)reminiscient of "Hunky Dory" and then "The Man who Sold the World," he has inserted the lyrics of a fifty-something musician who admittedly feels a bit left behind. Well, this is stuff we (adults) can sink our teeth into! I especially love how the album starts out slow and builds up steam; with each listen this approach seems to make more sense. Those who have listened to him for a long time don't always want the sustained energy of "Earthling." (We can't always take it! Sometimes we just want a nice ride!) And we know this is the real thing; Bowie's been giving us the real thing since "Outside" or even before. I think he knows it; too bad it's taken rock critics a while to be convinced.

Some of the times an album gets drowned out by an artist's former successes. If an album, from such a performer, does not break new ground it somehow gains less attention than the upstart's albums. This, my fellow legion of Bowie fans, is simply a spectacular album. This is David Bowie easing on the cutting edge for a moment to settle into sound song craftsmanship. How many artists out there can lay claim to so many incredible and unique albums. In my opinion, Bowie has had ten albums I would call incredible, and this fits into that groove. Subtlety rules on this album. A deft hand by both Bowie and Reeves Gabrels has been used on this album to at times fill the empty spaces, and at other times let it flow. To say that I am impressed by this album would be a grand understatement. This is a probably not a great starting point for those not initiated into the Bowie craftsmanship, but to those who love him as much as I do...it's great punctuation to the progressive brilliance.

The album feels like Hunky Dory, except it doesn't. Keeping with the theme of alternate, parallel universes it almost feels like 'hours...' harkens back to when "The Man Who Sold the World" was a flop.

If "The Man Who Sold the World" was a flop, this almost feels like it would be the follow up piece to it, instead of "Hunky Dory." This album is far from hunky dory, but is just as great, and is so beautiful and serene. "Something In the Air" is my fave on the album and "New Angels of Promise" is also very great. In fact, all of the songs have a rich and deep feel to it. If you know a little bowie history, you would know that his career in the 60's was a failure.. he was continually frustrated by his inability to make a hit in the field. that all changed with his fantastic single "Space Oddity." So after that his career was sort of on a fork in the road. He could either follow up with a hit or another flop. If "The Man Who Sold The World" failed, who's to say that there would even be a Hunky Dory, or a Ziggy for that matter? 'hours...' feels like it belongs in the past, but not in THIS past.. it belongs in an alternate universe, a world of regret and missed opportunites.

in this world, where he is truly happy, bowie has had a successful and copious life... 'hours...' is an anthem to what might have been and is another fantastic undertaking by db.

This CD takes 4 or more listens to fully appreciate the depth of the music and lyrics. This is the similar to the David Bowie music I grew up with during the 70s, and enjoy the most. His voice is as good as it's ever been. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who is only familiar with his later works. I really like every song on the CD, there doesn't seem to be a bad one in the bunch.

Lets forget the analyitical biography........ok so 'Outside' was intriging and 'Earthling' was just colorful...but 'Hours' just keeps me hanging on! I cannot get a moment to play anything else these days, in fact, I bought Iggy's 'Avenue B' on the same day and I have'nt been able to give it a serious spin as yet, since Dave's 'Hours' just won't let me go!

The lovely 'Thursdays Child' opens up and laments while 'Something in the Air' is an unusual slice of menacing techo/rock, 'Survive' strums along nicely as it exudes melody, 'If I'm Dreaming My Life' is a luxurious whirlpool of ideas in motion,'Seven' is simple and childlike,'What's Really Happenning' is a damn good lyric by a net competition winner with Bowie providing the music and Reeves dishing out a very cool guitar lick, 'The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell' is an out and out rocker type and it wouldn't have been out of place on 'Earthling', its the least likeable track on the album, 'New Angles Of Promise'is 80's reflective harking back to the likeness of The Banshees.....nice, 'Brilliant Adventure' is not quite as good as 'Crystal Japan, but it loops to satisfaction, and finaly, the album closes with 'The Dreamers'(could also be a movie title)providing us with a melodic climber, taking you out of the whole art of Bowie things. He's looking good, playing good live sets and this album will keep you tick tock 'till the next time round.

I must confess that I jumped on the bandwagon when I purchased "Earthling." Electronica was the "new music," and Bowie did an electronic-flavoured record having its roots in Rock. Don't get me wrong; I liked it for what it was - a good record. So now, I purchase "Hours..." for the sake of loyalty - 'cause hey, this man's a legend. Wow. I am awed by the musical and emotional depth that Bowie cooks up here. There aren't many upbeat tunes (save for "The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell") - but the master of rock knows how to craft songs no matter what the speed. Matter of fact, I am deeply moved by "Thursday's Child." In all the years I've been checking out the Thin White Duke (ever since that "Underground" song), I never thought I'd hear such emotional thoughts from Bowie. "Only for you, I don't regret that I was Thursday's child." A life-affirming testament to the power of love. Add to that the wonderful riffs of Reeves Gabrels, and you've got one of the best albums of 1999 - if not the century. Pick this up - preferably the holographic special edition. :-)

First things first there is no point in comparing this to any of Bowie's other works. As every good Bowie fan Knows there are at least six different periods of Bowie's music. '60s folk, pre-Ziggy, Ziggy, post-Ziggy, 80's dance music, and of course his current incarnation which is quite simply one experiment after another. 'hours is quite frankly one of the crowning achievements of this era. With it's soft melodies as well as it's very personal lyrics the album is not nearly as harsh as either 1.Outside or Earthling nor as tripy as Heathen however every bit as much a cornerstone of his current body of work. Bottom line this is an absolutley wonderful album in it's own light and comparing to any other period of Bowie will only degrade the meaning of both pieces as they both were made with an entirely different result in mind. This is simply the music Bowie wants to make. It's an experiment and quite frankly a very sucessful one.

Hours...... "Hmmm..." perhaps that would have been a better title for Bowies' new album. After the initial listen, hmmm... is what springs to mind. You are left with the feeling that, this is really good, could be really good, but some where you missed it, it got lost. It eluded you.

It starts off positively, the initial track being an intriguing number which, sneaks up and subtly hooks you. The next few tracks lose that initial gentle, captivation. The album promises that Bowie predisposition for slipping inside your head but does not quite deliver. It intimates at being really good but when it has finished you are left hanging, waiting for that moment when the songs engulf you. It presents the opportunity for some really fine moments but the man and his machine just don't take them up.

"What's Really Happening" and "All The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell" are faintly reminiscent of Diamond Dogs, Lodger, Scary Monsters and Outside, they would not have been out of place on any of those albums. I am sure Placebo or NIN or such like could do a really grander, darker, heavy version of these songs, as it is they fail to deliver.

"New Angels Of Promise" seems to be a revisit to Lodger. Where is Mr. Eno when you need him most?

The whole album can be frustrating in that it picks you up but then does not take you anywhere.

This is the pattern to the album. It excites, it hints at, but then does not actually provide the goods. It ambles along, serenely, with a passing nod to Bowie's history, here and there.

One of the biggest problems I have with this album is the influence of Mr. Gabrels. If you listen to his album, "The Sacred Squall Of Now" it/he has been hugely influential on "Hours...." Which is not unreasonable as he co-wrote all the songs with Bowie. But refined guitarist that he is, his tone and style, do not match Bowie's. Bowie is the master songwriter; songs, which have an inherent darkness in them. That darkness is not matched by Gabrels high pitched wailing in the background. It needs to be several octaves lower and infinitely less twiddly and a whole lot less intrusive into the songs. Yet just when you think, there is going to be some stonking guitar twanging, none appears.

This whole album is a presentation of ideas, which do not seem to get fulfilled. The heavy songs are not heavy enough, the acoustic songs are not acoustic enough, and the dark vocals are not dark enough. You are left feeling slightly flat and slightly disappointed. All the songs are fine songs in deed but they need enhancing. I am sure Bowie will return to these and rework them. I am sure that others will. Maybe that is what Bowie wanted to achieve.

This could have been one of his great albums; it's in here somewhere.

Having been in the music business for over thirty years. Having come through a failed marriage and drug addiction, having suffered a creative relapse during the eighties, which included the enigmatic "Tin Machine" project, it seems Bowie is back on form and has a few things he would like to say.

For the moment forget the drum 'n' bass of "Earthling"; forget the conceptual gothic drama that was "Outside", with "Hours" Bowie returns to writing straight forward songs, and shows us that he is still pretty darn good at it.

"Hours" is an album that flows with feeling and emotion without being sentimental. "Thursday's Child" is a suitably poignant opener, on this track Bowie confesses, 'All of my life I've tried so hard/Doing my best with what I had'. We soon get a feeling that after all these years Bowie has a few things he would like to get off his chest, and who are to ignore what he has to say?

"Something In The Air", a song about a failed relationship is appropriately delivered with strained emotion. The subject of lost love is touched on again in "Survive" - accompanied by acoustic guitars Bowie confides 'I should have kept you/I should have tried/I should have been a wiser kind of guy/I miss you'. "What's Really Happening" was co-written by the winner of a song writing competition hosted on Bowie's internet company. "The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell" provides a brief change of pace. In this song Bowie alludes to his own past, as if he has a few demons he would like to get rid of thank you very much. "New Angels Of Promise" is somewhat reminiscent of his "Heroes" period. And "Low" territory is revisited briefly for the ethereal "Brilliant Adventure".

Whether it is really Bowie reaching out to us through the songs on this album or yet another contrived persona is not entirely clear. However, one can not ignore the fact that "Hours" is really quite an enjoyable and moving album. Though not a record that is likely to stand the test of time, Bowie has at least shown that he can still croon and rock with equal ease and look cool with it.

Unlike Earthling, Hours is definitely not an album for the young; it brings Bowie to the same point that many of his original fans are reaching in their lives. There is a definite genius in the subtle depth of this album which will be lost on younger, more aggressive listeners seeking only to pair it off with one analog or another of amphetamine and dance to it -- this is simply not that sort of work. This is David Bowie, the man, the musical genius caught in a moment of reflection, the sort of reflection that seems to take place more and more as one ages. This is a question and answer session with himself, something which most young club-hoppers can't begin to understand. My gratitude goes to David here, for finding that bittersweet beauty that hides just under the afternoons of a progressing life, and for preserving that beauty for his audience.