RishFirst to rec
“8/10. Much like Low, Heroes is an album in two parts: Part one is upbeat and rock-focused, even more so than Low, without losing the experimental edge that makes Bowie so enjoyable. Opener Beauty and the Beast and Joe the Lion feel like a more mature, evolved version of Bowie's early 70s music. Sons of the Silent Age wouldn't be out of place on Station to Station, but it has a little more heart to it; the backing vocals on the chorus are super good. The second half of Heroes, much like Low, is almost completely instrumental (though I found the instrumental parts of Low more enjoyable). However, Bowie brings the vocals back on closer The Secret Life of Arabia, one of my favorite closers from Bowie. Oh yeah, then there's Heroes. I am not being hyperbolic at all when I say this: Heroes might be the finest song of the 20th century. Musically, vocally, and instrumentally, this song delivers on all fronts. The popular interpretation of this song is that it follows two lovers separated by the Berlin Wall, singing to each other about how they can push through those tough times. Personally, my favorite interpretation is that the song follows someone who is at a low point in their life, drunk and talking to a lover late at night, about how their grand ideas and that can be heroes, knowing they will wake up the next day and change absolutely nothing. The song's production is melancholic, but sees Bowie deliver one of his most powerful vocal performances ever. I could go on, but there's really nothing I could say about Heroes that hasn't already been said.”
