Earthling

“5/10. One of my favorite Bowie fun facts happened in the same year this album was released, 1997. David Bowie introduced the Bowie Bond. To consumers, they worked just like regular bonds you would buy from a bank or the government, where they would get a return on their money when the bond matured. However, unlike regular bonds, they were backed by royalties from his pre-1990 albums. Using the money the bonds raised upfront, Bowie bought his master recordings back from his former manager. The bonds matured in 2007, and full ownership of his catalog was reverted to Bowie. It was one of the first examples of artists selling their art as something people could invest in, and many artists, like James Brown and Iron Maiden, would do similar things. This album definitely stands out among all of David Bowie’s as perhaps his most experimental, and some of it really works. Opener Little Wonder and I’m Afraid of Americans are both incredible. The album really embraces electronic music and the new sounds that were available with the turn of the century. Unfortunately, not all of it works for me. I’m sure this is someone’s favorite Bowie album, but some of it is just too much for me haha. It’s certainly got some good songs and is worth a listen, though.”