Rating:  -
"Lodger" is the third and final collaboration between David Bowie and Brian Eno in the 1970s. Recorded two years after the landmark "Low" and "Heroes" albums, "Lodger" does not quite live up to the legacy the previous two albums allowed for it, as though taking time out of the studio to tour somehow derailed the Bowie/Eno partnership a bit. Having stated that, had this is a great album.
I think perhaps my reason for feeling this way is that while "Low" and "Heroes" were mapping out new territory, "Lodger" tends to mine on those successes and embraces the burgeoning New Wave sounds that Eno and Bowie previously anticipated. Mind you, when it's good, it's fantastic-- the proto-industrial "African Night Flight" is built around essentially the sound of crickets and electronic noises with Bowie frantically speaking out the lyrics as though there's too many words to get out, "Yaassassin", featuring a superb violin performance by Simon House mixes a Middle Eastern organ line with reggae (or perhaps Police-like?) guitars for an unusually natural sounding blend, "Look Back in Anger" finds Bowie at his most passionate and explosive over a new wave backdrop and a decidingly Enoesque arrangement of frantic rhythms and instruments waxing and waning in prominence and the pounding rhythms of "Boys Keep Swinging" nicely offset the total goofiness of the lyrics (and guitarist Adrian Belew is unbelievable in his solo channeling all sorts of noise). Along the way, Bowie provides a couple features for Belew on guitar, who eats up "Red Sails" and "D.J." with his fierce and highly original guitar lines.
Still, the record has its weak moments-- "African Night Flights" is a bizarrely bright and somewhat dull piece, "Move On" has a fine galloping beat but misses altogether and even Belew's pyrotechnics don't save "Red Sails".
I suppose it's all small complaints though, the good in the album far outweighs the less than good, and I realize my initial assessment was pretty harsh. This is a good album, and for many other artists, it would be the best thing in their catalog.
Rating:  -
Not usually considered to be Bowie's best, 'Lodger' is a jewel waiting to be rediscovered and reconsidered - as one of Bowie's most daring and underrated ventures. I might be out of my mind - but I just love the eno/Bowie collaborations - even when they sound dated (musically speaking) there is an undeniable charm. It is also one of Bowie's most contagious albums - I find I can't get some of the songs out of my head for hours after I have listened to the album!
Rating:  -
It is very hard to sum up Lodger. Most people try and categorize it as part of a `Berlin Trilogy' with Low and "Heroes." The truth is that Lodger is far removed from the brilliance and passion of those two. The creativity that defined the previous three studio albums is sorely missing on Lodger. The main disappointment is that there is so little conviction in the performances. The album just feels totally disjointed. Listening to Lodger today, it has simply not aged well at all.
The songs on the first side (Fantastic Voyage, African Night Flight, Move On, Yassassin and Red Sail) are all yawners with bizarre syncopations that feel depressingly drunk. The second side is only slightly better with D.J. and Look Back in Anger being the only real highlights. On Lodger, Adrian Belew takes over on guitar. He is simply given very little opportunity that Fripp had on "Heroes." The arrangements on most of the songs do little to showcase his talent. A much better representation of his dynamic talent can be found on the live Stage CD.
In summary, Lodger is Bowie's castration album. His gender confusion has never been more extreme. I find the cover and liner fairly sick to look at. Many of the songs sound like falsetto and are simply too high even for his broad range. Boys Keep Swinging is his anthem to the alternative lifestyle that he must have at least toyed with. An interesting side note is the opening to D.J. which sounds strangely like David Byrne. Coming off of the peaks of Low, "Heroes" and Stage, Lodger is such a disappointment. Fortunately, he corrects most of the defects in Lodger on 1980's release of Scary Monsters.
Take Lodger for what it is: Bowie's farewell to the 70's, Brian Eno, Berlin and pretty much his better days as an artist.
Rating: -
1979's Lodger is the album most people tend to forget from David Bowie's career, and it's a real shame because I think this is one of his five best albums
After two avant-garde masterpieces with Brian Eno (Low and Heroes), Lodger ups the ante. Gone are the instrumental pieces, but in it's place is even more attitude and Bowie really cuts loose during this album, pretty much merging the Eno albums along with the more straight-ahead rock which was to follow with next years "Scary Monsters"
"Fantastic Voyage" gets the album off to a great start, a fairly nice and pleasant (and conventional compared to the rest of the album) slower-paced rock track.
"African Night Flight" is where all hell breaks loose, definately one of Bowie's oddest recordings but you cannot get it out of you head, especially Bowie's "raps" and the chanting.
"Move On" is another great and very memorable track.
"Yassassin" is the albums reggaeish track, the type of song you will sing along with.
"Red Sails" is IMO, the weakest track off the album
"DJ" is one of Bowie's more ubiquitious numbers, recently broadcast in XM Satellite Radio numbers that Bowie happens to appear in. Even though Clear Channel didn't exist in 1979, DJ totally puts radio corporations like that in it's place.
"Look Back In Anger" is a somewhat rock-disco number with a somewhat religious message, short but sweet
"Boys Keep Swinging" is the best known track off the album if for nothing more than it's controversial video
"Repetition" is a song about domestic violence that ironically is addictive
"Red Money" is the masterpiece off the album, one of my favorite Bowie tracks ever. The song is a sonic assault and the production is absolutely perfect, and the song itself is fantastic.
Rating: -
Lodger is every bit as good as Low and Heroes. It's different from those two, though. This one doesn't have any soundscapes or instrumentals. Lodger is also a little more experimental. The first time I heard tracks 2 through 5, I was laughing hysterically and rolling around on the floor, because the songs are so messed up and out there. Whenever you're feeling sad, just listen to those and they'll cheer you right up! Man, they're hilarious!!
It seems like there were 3, maybe 4 hits off of this. I think they were "D.J.," "Look Back In Anger," and "Boys Keep Swinging," but I won't swear to it. "Red Sail" might have been too. Somebody else on here has probably said them already, anyway.
Every song on here is great, but the standout tracks would probably be "Fantastic Voyage," "Red Sails," "D.J.," "Look Back In Anger," "Boys Keep Swinging," and "Repetition." Track 4, "Yes, Ass Sin" (Turkish For: Long Live,) is a little bit weaker than the rest of the songs because it's sort of repetative, but it's still far from bad. I highly recommend getting this CD. It might be very experimental, but it's experimental in a good way!
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