Low

8/10. Low is such a breath of fresh air after Station to Station. To get away from Los Angeles and get over his drug addictions, Bowie moved to West Berlin, and naturally, worked on some music. The first album he made there is Low. Through his voice, you can hear how much healthier he is. The album feels much more optimistic overall. This album is very much a concatenation of two sides. Side 1 is more traditional pop. It is upbeat and catchy, some of the best pop music of Bowie's career. My personal favorites are Speed of Life, Sound and Vision, and Always Crashing in the Same Car-the latest of which is a harrowing tale of the life he was trying to leave behind. To me, it is a metaphor for what it is like to be in and recover from depression. The second half is the more interesting half for me. It is entirely instrumental. Yet somehow, Bowie still manages to pack it with emotional and introspective music. Subterraneans is a perfect ending. Warszawa is also a highlight for me. Radically different than any side of a Bowie album at this point in his career, and to me, it almost symbolizes a sort of rebirth for him. It almost feels like his sound is healing from the isolated feeling of Station to Station. Especially in subterraneans, which is among Bowie's most beautiful songs.