Low (album)
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- For the album by Testament, see Low (Testament album).
| Low | ||
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| Studio album by David Bowie | ||
| Released | January 14, 1977 RCA Reissue 1984-1985 Rykodisc Reissue August 27, 1991 EMI Reissue September 1999 |
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| Recorded | Château d'Hérouville, Pontoise, France Hansa Studio by the Wall, West Berlin, 1976 |
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| Genre | Rock, Art Rock, Krautrock | |
| Length | 38:48 | |
| Label | RCA Records | |
| Producer(s) | David Bowie and Tony Visconti | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| David Bowie chronology | ||
| ChangesOneBowie (1976) |
Low (1977) |
"Heroes" (1977) |
Low is a 1977 album by David Bowie, widely regarded as one of his most influential releases. It was the first of the "Berlin Trilogy", a series of collaborations with Brian Eno. Contrary to the moniker's implication, much of the album was actually recorded in France and only mixed in West Berlin. The experimental, avant-garde style would be further explored on "Heroes" and Lodger. The album's working title was New Music Night and Day.
Following the release of the cocaine-fueled Station to Station, Bowie began to rekindle his interest in art. As a recovering cocaine addict, his songwriting on Low tends to deal with difficult issues; many of the songs concern lethargy, depression, estrangement, or self-destructive behavior. The format of the album was unique for its time: side one contained short, direct song-fragments; side two comprised longer, mostly instrumental tracks. Though some attribute the formation of the instrumental side to Eno[citation needed], he shares songwriting credits only on "Warszawa".
Although the music was influenced by German bands such as Kraftwerk and Neu!, Low has been acclaimed for its originality and considered ahead of its time, not least for its cavernous treated drum sound created by producer Tony Visconti using an Eventide Harmonizer. The album's influence spans many genres that would come to prominence in following years, such as Post-punk, New Wave and Industrial. Not only was it an influence on these styles, but the fact that an artist of Bowie's prominence had experimented with these styles made other proponents of the genres more respectable.
The genesis of the album lies in music Bowie intended for the soundtrack to The Man Who Fell to Earth. Time constraints and stress prevented Bowie from completing the music in time for the film's premiere, so elements from it were incorporated into Low instead. The album's cover is a still photo from the movie: the photographic image, juxtaposed with the album's title, formed a deliberate pun on the phrase "low profile".
Though written off by many mainstream critics at the time, Low has risen to the top of many critics' "best album" lists. It was rated the #1 album of the 1970s by Pitchfork Media.[1] In 2000 Q placed it at number 14 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.[2] In 2003, the album was ranked number 249 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[3]
Philip Glass based his 1992 classical album Low Symphony on Low, with Bowie and Eno both assisting in its creation. "Bowi", an EP by Nick Lowe, was named in response to Low. Trent Reznor would later claim Low to be one of his influences while creating The Downward Spiral.
Low peaked at #2 on the UK charts and #11 in the U.S.. "Sound and Vision" and "Be My Wife" were released as singles; the former reached #3 in the UK.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
All tracks written by David Bowie, except where noted.
- "Speed of Life" – 2:46
- "Breaking Glass" (Bowie, Davis, Murray) – 1:52
- "What in the World" – 2:23
- "Sound and Vision" – 3:05
- "Always Crashing in the Same Car" – 3:33
- "Be My Wife" – 2:58
- "A New Career in a New Town" – 2:53
- "Warszawa" (Bowie, Eno) – 6:23
- "Art Decade" – 3:46
- "Weeping Wall" – 3:28
- "Subterraneans" – 5:39
[edit] Reissues
The album has been released three times on CD, the first between 1984 and 1985 by RCA Records, the second in 1991 by Rykodisc (with three bonus tracks on silver CD and later on AU20 Gold CD), and the third in 1999 by EMI (featuring 24-bit digitally remastered sound and no bonus tracks).
[edit] 1991 reissue bonus tracks
- "Some Are" (previously unreleased) – 3:24
- "All Saints" (previously unreleased) – 3:25
- "Sound and Vision" (1991 remix by David Richards) – 4:43
[edit] Personnel
- David Bowie – vocals, guitar, pump bass, saxophones, xylophones, vibraphones, and harmonica, pre-arranged percussion, keyboards: ARP synthesizer, piano, chamberlin (credited on the album sleeve notes as "tape strings", "tape-cello" & "tape-horns")
- Brian Eno – vocals, splinter minimoog, report ARP, guitar treatments, piano, keyboards, synthetics, chamberlin, other synthesizers
- Carlos Alomar – rhythm guitar
- Dennis Davis – percussion
- George Murray – bass
[edit] Additional personnel
- Ricky Gardiner – guitar
- Peter Himmelman – piano, ARP synthesizer
- Mary Visconti – backing vocals
- Iggy Pop – backing vocals on "What in the World"
- Eduard Meyer – cellos
- Roy Young – piano, Farfisa organ
[edit] Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | UK Albums Chart | 2 |
| 1977 | US Billboard Pop Albums | 11 |
Single
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | "Sound and Vision" | UK Singles Chart | 3 |
| 1977 | "Sound and Vision" | Billboard Pop Singles | 69 |
| David Bowie |
|---|
| Discography |
| Studio albums |
| David Bowie | Space Oddity | The Man Who Sold the World | Hunky Dory | The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars | Aladdin Sane | Pin Ups | Diamond Dogs | Young Americans | Station to Station | Low | "Heroes" | Lodger | Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) | Let's Dance | Tonight | Never Let Me Down | Black Tie White Noise | Outside | Earthling | 'hours...' | Heathen | Reality |
| With Tin Machine |
| Tin Machine | Tin Machine II |
| Live albums |
| David Live | Stage | Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture | Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby | Santa Monica '72 | Bowie at the Beeb | LiveAndWell.com |
| Soundtracks |
| Christiane F. | Labyrinth | The Buddha of Suburbia | Lost Highway | |
| Related articles |
| Tony Visconti | Brian Eno | Mick Ronson | Iggy Pop | Mike Garson | Reeves Gabrels |
