Rating:  -
Not necessarily the best of the Bowie albums, but this can easily be the wierdest of the Bowie/Eno albums. (Right up there with the great "Heroes", but "Low" is great as well, so, who can choose?) Numerous unconventional styles-both musical & lyrical-are afoot here like the first two. Lodger starts out with "Fantastic Voyage", which talks little about it's title, more likely about being tired of being unhappy and going on an adventure to get happy. "African Night Flight" is probably the most bizzare, out-there song you will ever here from Bowie's factory- it has him talking uncontrolably fast about a nonstop trek through the mysterious jungles of Africa, featuring authentic drum beat music and irresistible cricket-synth sounds in the background. Here are some of the sampled lyrics from it: 'On a good day, I could fly/Into the eye of God on high/His burning eye will see me through/One of these days, One of these days, Gotta get a word through one of these days'. The song also features some African chanting. "Yassasin" is also one of the particularly more odd numbers, sounding like Arabian Night style music and featuring a chorus that goes like this: 'Yassasin/I'm not a moody guy/Yassasin/I walk without a sound/Yassasin/Just a man, No judge of men'. "Red Sails" sounds like a song you might here on a GET RICH QUiCK infomercial over top of the moronic boat scenery. Nonetheless, it is still an offbeat tale to include in the trilogy. The two singles from Lodger-"D.J." and "Boys Keep Swinging"- are decent, but no where near the best songs on the album. Personally, they seem more 'catchy tune' equipped. DJ has 'I am the DJ/I am what I play' and Boys Keep Swinging has 'Boys/Boys/Boys/Boys Keep Swinging'. "Look Back In Anger" is a great one about a fallen angel who is tired of his words & himself being overlooked by people. 'Repetition' follows no particular beat in it's lyrics about an abused woman. 'Red Money' is a little catchy, and-like other songs-is little about it's title. The lyrics are actually quite miscellaneous: "Can you feel it in the way/That a man is not a man?/Project Canceled/Tumbling Central/Red Money'etc. Because of Lodger's straight-forward bizzareness, I highly recommend it, but only second to 'Heroes',the best of the Bowie/Eno albums.
Rating:  -
My first impression of "Lodger" was that it was a journeyman effort. With time, however, I have come to appreciate it much more. It remains inconsistent, and contains odd barriers, but its heart is strong.
The barriers are the first several elements encountered with the disk, starting with the unattractive cover. The cover, of course, has nothing to do with the music (neither does the name --there is no song called "Lodger"), but it sets the wrong mood. So does the first song, "Fantastic Voyage." Actually, the first several songs are mediocre. If the other albums of the "Berlin Trilogy," "Low" and "'Heroes'" have stronger first halves, "Lodger," has a much stronger second half.
The album picks up with "D.J." "D.J." is one of Bowie's most megalomaniacal hits, and is far more enduring than other frequently heard songs like "Golden Years" and "Let's Dance." "D.J." manages to meld the avant-garde with a popular dance beat and very edgy lyrics.
"D.J." gives way to one of my favorite Bowie songs, "Look Back in Anger." "Look Back" is musically upbeat but lyrically foreboding. I'm not exactly sure what the song is about, but it seems menacing. Oblique Bowie is usually Bowie at his best. The next song is "Boys Keep Swinging," which is fun and also clever. The song's cleverness is that it may not be as straightforward as it seems at first. The title suggests a return to Bowie's earlier homo-erotic toying, but the words don't necessarily convey any such meaning. Instead, the song seems to be an over-the-top joke about life as a male. The humor value would be greater still if Bowie's serious! I can't hear the song without thinking also of Bowie's groundbreaking video for it, in which he convincingly portrays his own (female) backup singers.
"Repetition" is a setback that comes across as preachy. The music is not strong and, while its theme against wife beating is noble, it is also totally unsubtle. But "Lodger" recovers with its original closing song, "Red Money." "Red Money" can best be appreciated after listening to Iggy Pop's "Sister Midnight," which uses the identical music and some of the same words. This is the first and probably best of many Bowie covers of Iggy songs. I'm not sure either what the song is about or what the point is about the different lyrics, but it works.
"Lodger" is possibly the only album re-issued by Rykodisk with "bonus tracks" that work at the end of the album. The second version of "Look Back" is not necessary, but at nearly twice the length of the original it is noticeably different. "I Pray, Ole" is a worthy addition to the album. Unlike many Bowie albums, the last song on "Lodger" is not clearly a "closer," so the extra songs fit reasonably well. But they aren't that important, so the current EMI reissue will suffice.
So, by the end of the album, the first half doesn't seem so bad. Mediocre Bowie is better than most other music, and mediocre Bowie at this stage of his career is better yet. "Lodger" doesn't make it into the top echelon, but it comes close.
Rating: -
My first impression of "Lodger" was that it was a journeyman effort. With time, however, I have come to appreciate it much more. It remains inconsistent, and contains odd barriers, but its heart is strong.
The barriers are the first several elements encountered with the disk, starting with the unattractive cover. The cover, of course, has nothing to do with the music (neither does the name --there is no song called "Lodger"), but it sets the wrong mood. So does the first song, "Fantastic Voyage." Actually, the first several songs are mediocre. If the other albums of the "Berlin Trilogy," "Low" and "'Heroes'" have stronger first halves, "Lodger," has a much stronger second half.
The album picks up with "D.J." "D.J." is one of Bowie's most megalomaniacal hits, and is far more enduring than other frequently heard songs like "Golden Years" and "Let's Dance." "D.J." manages to meld the avant-garde with a popular dance beat and very edgy lyrics.
"D.J." gives way to one of my favorite Bowie songs, "Look Back in Anger." "Look Back" is musically upbeat but lyrically foreboding. I'm not exactly sure what the song is about, but it seems menacing. Oblique Bowie is usually Bowie at his best. The next song is "Boys Keep Swinging," which is fun and also clever. The song's cleverness is that it may not be as straightforward as it seems at first. The title suggests a return to Bowie's earlier homo-erotic toying, but the words don't necessarily convey any such meaning. Instead, the song seems to be an over-the-top joke about life as a male. The humor value would be greater still if Bowie's serious! I can't hear the song without thinking also of Bowie's groundbreaking video for it, in which he convincingly portrays his own (female) backup singers.
"Repetition" is a setback that comes across as preachy. The music is not strong and, while its theme against wife beating is noble, it is also totally unsubtle. But "Lodger" recovers with its original closing song, "Red Money." "Red Money" can best be appreciated after listening to Iggy Pop's "Sister Midnight," which uses the identical music and some of the same words. This is the first and probably best of many Bowie covers of Iggy songs. I'm not sure either what the song is about or what the point is about the different lyrics, but it works.
"Lodger" is possibly the only album re-issued by Rykodisk with "bonus tracks" that work at the end of the album. The second version of "Look Back" is not necessary, but at nearly twice the length of the original it is noticeably different. "I Pray, Ole" is a worthy addition to the album. Unlike many Bowie albums, the last song on "Lodger" is not clearly a "closer," so the extra songs fit reasonably well. But they aren't that important, so the current EMI reissue will suffice.
By the end of the album, the first half doesn't seem so bad. Mediocre Bowie is better than most other music, and mediocre Bowie at this stage of his career is better yet. "Lodger" doesn't make it into the top echelon, but it comes close.
Rating: -
From what I've read, both David Bowie and Brian Eno were disappointed after they made this disk. They wanted something a little more creative and revolutionary. I'm not complaining because this is one of my most-listened to cds. Lodger could've been a bit more Eno-esque, but that really doesn't bother me because it's still good music. "Fantastic Voyage" is one of my favorite songs. "Look Back in Anger" is filled with energy and it's sure to get you in a good mood. "Repetition" is a criminally underrated song about an abusive husband. The music in "Repetition" may sound a bit nauseating, but after a couple listens, you'll realize that it is one of the more brilliant songs that David has written. Lodger isn't a disappointment in any sort. It's music that is a little less creative than other Eno collaborations, but it's still a classic that deserves no less than 5 stars.
Rating: -
So, like every other red blooded little girl who thought people were completely screwed, I was a major Bowie freak in my post formative years. My first boyfriend told me that this IS the Bowie album to have. Of course, I thought he was totally wrong because everyone knew that "Scary Monsters" was IT. I finally bought the cd and I must say, MAN!, was he ever right! "Lodger" leaves no "Bowiesque" musical style unspoken for. My favorite being "Red Sails". The dichotomy of the strength of the lyrics and his gentle, but powerful voice use is Masterful! And ohhhhh (sigh...) "Look Back In Anger": I love how Bowie warped and twisted disco! "Boys..." is so cleverly sarcastic it's almost convincing and "African..." seems pre-rap, except with musical body and substance. (Bowie should have a contest to see who can repeat the chorus to "African..." seven times fast...) This cd covers the array of his many different musical styles and flavors with the grace of a coughing angel and the earnest chords of "such a life I've never known". How is that Bowie has always been (with the exception of "Let's Dance" and "Tonite") and STILL REMAINS such an incredilbe musical visionary? This IS the Bowie album to have. Brilliant.
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