Supermallet

I think it has a great low end actually, and any distortion in the highs seems intentional, certainly not the result of bad mastering. Although the last few Bowie albums have all run a bit hot, so it's not out of the realm of possibility.

That's my impression listening on Spotify through my Geek Out V2 dac/amp into balanced HE-400S headphones anyway. Tomorrow I'll plug in my Schiit Vali 2 and listen to it in lossless and see if I hear anything more in that regard.

As for the album, it's great! Not as cohesive as The Next Day, not as much of a "statement". It's hard for me not to hear this as a collection of misfit songs from other projects, because that's basically what it is, but the songs are all great. I can't think of any artist from the '60s/'70s putting out records as challenging and relevant as this in the 2010s except for Scott Walker, and it's no surprise that this feels like Bowie's response to Bish Bosch.

CRM114

Amazon seems to be the only online retailer that can manage to get me a new release ON the release day.



Seeing pics to the black vinyl version on Instagram, it appears that cover is die cut to allow the record to show through.

hdnmickey

Both the distortion and lack of low end could be intentional, but short of somebody directly involved stating as much some where, nobody else can really make that call.

Either way, both a easily noticeable.

astrochimp

My initial impressions are very good.

Supermallet

Sorry, I have to disagree with lack of low end. I heard plenty of it, with good slam too.

dave94

Just picked up the CD, about to give it a first listen. The packaging is pretty damned awesome.

stvn1974

If Station To Station made sweet love to "Heat" off of The Next Day they would give birth to Blackstar.

hdnmickey

Gave it another listen focusing on low end. Lazarus and Sue have some low end punch. But the others, including much of the title track, sound to me like they are missing what should be the same kind of punch. Having recently listened to the other newer releases it really stuck out as a difference. YMMV.

sportsfan64

Palladia and VH1-Classic are running the Ziggy Stardust movie at 8PM ET tonight and Bowie-Storytellers at 10PM tonight, 1/8/16.

rexinnih

Ran by Silver Platters and picked up the vinyl on the way home from work. Die cut as shown and (in Spinal Tap voice) it's a very black album cover, inside, etc. Only side A has a label so you can have label or no label showing through the die cut. Oh yeah, and like the music!

dave94

I really like this album. Hard to even explain why but I can't stop listening to it again and again.

Applejack

Does the vinyl come with an MP3 download?

Why So Blu?

The clear version is already on Ebay for $50-$250 according to some folks.

The Antipodean

Really loving this one, even though it feels a bit short to me. It clearly echoes back to "Outside," which IMHO is one of Bowie's most underrated albums. I love the twisted sax-noir feel to the album. The only song I'm not really feeling is "Girl Loves Me," which just seems a bit out of place with the rest of the album.

parrotheads4

I wish I knew what it all means.

rexinnih

Yes it does

Rocketdog2000

Cool idea, if not completely original....

http://modern-vinyl.com/2015/01/08/s...he-first-time/

Throwing Copper

Can't believe the terribly sad news about Bowie. Three days after this album is released.

CRM114

Isn't it funny how there are so many Bowie albums people consider "underrated"?

Earthling, Reality, Outside, Heathen, etc. I think we can all now agree that Bowie's music was all fantastic and there will never be another like him.

(I'm listening to Reality now and it's brilliant. )

Talkin2Phil

Unfortunately, it's so painfully obvious now.

MBoyd

Fixed

slop101

Does this album take on new meaning knowing that Bowie wrote and recorded it with the understanding that it would be his final artistic statement?

CRM114

Yes. My preorder from barnesandnoble.com isn't arriving until today and its going to be a lot different consuming it now.

Why So Blu?

Yeah, seems like the scalpers already bought up the B&N stock. Even for store pick up the nearest location to me would be The Grove.

Just watched the new video for Lazarus. Wow, one does not need to be an expert to catch on the metaphors.

MBoyd

I hope they repress the shit out of it!