Review Summary: "Low" is Bowie at the top of his game.
David Bowie's influential classic "Low" is best described as two records-in-one. Inspired by European art rock, it is composed of two opposing halves, brief pop songs and lengthy moody instrumentals. Released in 1977 to mixed reviews, "Low" is now considered by many to be Bowie's best album. Of course, that doesn't mean it's his most accessible. As a new fan, I found "Low" to be a challenging work. This 38-minute LP starts off as a conventional pop rock record, only to conclude with the most bizarre ambient music I've ever heard. It is a truly great album, but newbies should stick with "Ziggy Stardust", "Hunky Dory" and "The Man Who Sold The World" first.
Comprised of 11 tracks, "Low" was made by David Bowie during his, well...low point in life. He was a recovering drug addict when he produced this record along with Tony Visconti and Brian Eno. And while "Low" is somewhat autobiographical, it's also a reflection of the Cold War climate in Europe at the time. The instrumental pieces that compose the flip side of the actual record (starting with the haunting "Warszawa") convey the lonely and depressive moods of the European sites Bowie visited. The second sad part of "Low" is a direct contrast to the catchy pop sound of the first half. Still, a theme of the record is that of optimism in the fact of defeat. "Sound and Vision", the most popular single of the record, is a perfect example of this.
David Bowie's discography is filled with both good and great albums. Being a musical chameleon, his music constantly changed. So to pick a record as his best one is to have a personal favorite since his work was so diverse. And while I wouldn't say "Low" is his best (I actually prefer "Heroes"), it certainly is one of the highlights of his career. It is a record that is masterful in its ambitions, while also feeling like two separate works. Paired with its sibling "Heroes", the two could be considered to be a double album, or would that be quadruple album? Either way, "Low" is a true work of art and one of the greatest records of the 1970's
