Low by David Bowie

The Era of the Thin White Duke

In 1977, six years and six quality albums after the release of Hunky Dory, Bowie released Low. In those six years, Bowie had retired his Ziggy Stardust persona as he expanded into the US and had quickly transformed into the Thin White Duke, exploring rock with 'plastic soul' and funk. Returning to Europe and recovering from the cocaine addiction his rock stardom had brought him into, he released the first of what has become known as his 'Berlin trilogy.'

On Low, the introduction of synths and bizarre electronics into the Bowie repertoire produces one of his most experimental albums. Collaborating with Brian Eno, Low's cinematic sounds roam from tight, orchestral rock ditties to ambient, electronic soundscapes. The departure of these beautiful compositions from his previous work initially shocked critics and fans alike but has since become a most beloved piece of Bowie's history.

Sad Music Monday

Yesterday the beloved, inimitable man passed away from cancer. After a full day of streaming bittersweet Bowie into my earholes, from Ziggy Stardust to Thin White Duke to Berlin to Tin Machine, I'm achingly eager to share a few odd things: David Bowie.

In a career spanning six decades of constant musical, personal, artistic, and cultural invention and reinvention: David Bowie's impact has long been and continues to be among the most memorable and influential. His thirst and talent for expression engendered the infatuating personae, which became the faces of his exploration as a musician, songwriter, and artist in endless shades of rock, folk, pop, glam, soul, electronic, and dance. Bowie quickly became and remains an icon whose influence spread throughout music, media, fashion, and pop culture.

Bowie's catalog is far too extensive to acceptably explore in a single post. Here I've chosen to share three albums, but please know that three albums aren't nearly enough to begin to grasp all that this wonderful man created. Outside of these three quality albums, there's plenty more Bowie to discover.

Hunky Dory | Low | Blackstar (★)

David Bowie continually drove rock and culture forwards as he voiced and celebrated the new and the strange. His legacy will be lasting and this truly would be a different, far less interesting world without him. I hope you enjoyed my mini-tour and I hope you realize it hardly scratched the surface.