#235: David Bowie - "Heroes" (1977)

Zack: For our second Bowie foray, we jumped entirely over the Thin White Duke phase and landed squarely in mid-Berlin. This incarnation of Bowie features some Krautrock flair and a dash or minimalism, both of which really shine through on the second half of the album. Honestly, I wasn’t too impressed with that part, but I quite enjoyed the first half. That said, I do distinctly remember being a bit unappreciative towards Ziggy Stardust when I first heard it, but subsequent listens have made it one of my favorites. I really hope that also happens here, because I want to trust Bowie and not just think that this was merely an okay effort from him. Especially when this same era spawned Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life, which I love so dearly.

Favorite Tracks: “Heroes”; Beauty and the Beast; The Secret of Arabia

Emily: Must be tough to be a Bowie fan. One album you're grooving to space rock on Mars with Ziggy Stardust, and just a few years later you're...cruising down the Autobahn? "Heroes" is part of David Bowie's Berlin period, heavily influenced by German Krautrock and experimental ambient music. Honestly, I wasn't really a fan. I really enjoy Bowie when he sounds like, well Bowie. Without the vocals, without the pop flair, without the storytelling, it just sounds like another synth-driven album of background noise. I did enjoy a few tracks though, and they were the ones where he takes the minimalist influence and turns it on its head through rock and pop. But overall, I'll take Ziggy Stardust any day.
Favorite Tracks: "Heroes"; The Secret of Arabia; Blackout