I own both "Low" and "Heroes". The reason I didn't dish out more dough for "Lodger" is that neither of the first two discs in the trilogy has wowed me all that much. Fairly noodly and new agey for the most part there really aren't that many songs from either disc that are standouts for me. I suppose if I had to pick a few "go to" tracks (other than the two mentioned by Kyle) they would be "Always Crashing in the Same Car", "Warszawa" and "Weeping Wall" from the Low album and "Sons of the Silent Age" from the Heroes record. The first two tracks on Heroes may be the most annoying beginning to a so called classic album that I know of.

They are available to be borrowed for anyone who wishes.

Having just listened to "Exile on Main Street" tonight I know what a truly classic album sounds like and neither of the Bowie discs comes close regardless of how innovative they may have been at the time and I'm not sure I buy that anyway.

i haven't listened to any of those albums. just familiar with a few of those tracks ('heroes', obviously, 'sound & vision'). anybody have these and willing to lend them to me?

For me this gets back to our earlier debate about artists who have a later period of artisitic creativity (ie paul Simon, Robbie Robertson etc...) vs artists who only put out good stuff for a brief period of time when they are young..
I cant really claim to know much of Bowies 90's music and it may be possible that he has some great stuff in there, but there is so much other music that is great during the 90's that it seems a waste of time putting in the effort to find out...If it really was that great my guess is we would know about it....considering that the 6 of us probably spend more time perusing reviews checking stuff out online etc... then say.... most medium sized cities in North America...
PS Anyone who does not own Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust is simply befeft of some of the finest music of the 70's...( not to mention the slightly weaker - diamond dogs...alladin sane...)
Does anyone own any of his Berlin trilogy......I have heard some love those too.....

Orleans, schmorleans. Why no love for Tino?

Back to music, is there any reason at all for a David Bowie box set of his output from the 1990s? Is this being released solely for the purpose of appearing on the Onion's annual least essential list? 'Little Wonder' was a catchy enough, drum-n-bass-like hit, but the rest? Can't think of a potential box set that could rival it for 'inessentiality', other than, say, 'The Paul McCartney Collection (1980-present)'.

I believe that the guys on the Orleans cover really are actually straight, and that that look was to get the girls all hot and bothered... It simply boggles the mind....was this a 70's look for the babes are did these guys completely miss the boat? (or maybe they are gay and they hit their target audience...)

It's true he has great legs just like me......but unfortunately he can't match my gorgeous skin tone.

the resemblance is uncanny. this guy reminds me more of you, brian.

Wow Stuart, I never realized that you were the lead singer for Orleans back in the 70's! (you're so modest). Who are all your nice-looking friends on the album cover?

Kyle i forgot to respond to your post....but you had it wrong, the album I love the most is this one..

You've obviously confused that woman with the one I was clearly smitten with.

sorry Derek i just

dont see how you think she is hot...

You guys are killing me. Stuart, thanks for all of the fascinating questions. Isn't blogging cool?

Scarlett was laughing at Derek's post. Then she wondered if Stuart failed to click on the 'Accept terms of agreement' box required to upload images. Then she went back to thinking about Kyle and pleasuring herself.

I think the problem is somebody gave you access to a computer.

so if I hit the little icon that says upload image, and I browse my directory and select the jpeg file and then hit upload, and it takes a few moments to do the upload, why does the image not show up on the metabeats site...does anyone know what I am doing wrong...

well its better then the stuff you listen too like these...

stuart, i thought you only listened to music like this...
i don't know what it sounds like but i love the cover.

Hi, For those of you who forgot me, I am a music fan who only likes Neil yonge and wussy music...apologies for being so absent of late, life is very busy...
1) Although I still buy cds, i agree with Brians summary exactly, ths classical and jazz cds I also still reread the liner notes regularly re who plays whatetc... whereas w pop I a) can remember or b) dont care ie...who the drummer of the clientelle is for example...
2) I have never done the great ep game, but I have often done the weak double record that could have been a great single disc...ie Fleetwood Mac Tusk, Smashing Pumpkins -mellon choly...., springsteen - the river.....Electric ladyland zeppelin-physical grafitti, u2 -rattle and hum
some of you will wrongly say some of these are great albums, but my point is that most are arguably just good albums, maybe even very good, but most of these would have been great single albums ranking alongside the best of there recorded output..

Hey I kind of like that game. Good not just for holly Mondays, but for a man-the-Leafs-suck-and-I'm-too-sleepy-to-read Thursday too. I could probably think of a whack of good 'uns with a bit of time, but what immediately comes to mind are The Clash's Sandanista, which may win the award for the most music you have to cut to create a decent record, if pared down to Hitsville, Somebody Got Murdered, Police on My Back, and the Call Up, is a pretty bitching EP (and a travesty really in its natural state); secondly, The Breeders Last Splash - with Cannonball, Invisible Man, Divine Hammer, and Saints definitely takes it from good (and era-defining) album to great great EP.

Beck's Odelay is a great example of that too. One of the best. And I would argue that (since you bring up Pavement) Wowee Zowee is a strong candidate as well - very good in its full form, but man, if it had been released as a five-songer with We Dance, Rattled, Grounded, Father to a Sister, and Kennel District, how amazing is that.

You could probably make a good case for the White Album - even if you just eliminated Revolution #9.

I could do this all night. But I'm tired. Good night, sweet blog.

An interesting exercise for a dreary, rainy, Monday afternoon. Come up with your own 'good album that could have made great EPs' a la this article.

I'd go with...

Beck's 'Odelay'. The EP becomes: 1. Devil's Haircut 2. Hotwax 3. The New Pollution 4. Novacane 5. Where it's At
I always end up skipping to these tracks whenever I listen to this album, finding the rest either too abrasive, silly or both.

Stereolab's 'Mars Audiac Quintet', which becomes: 1. Wow and Flutter 2. Ping Pong 3. International Colouring Contest 4. Three Longers Later 5. Fiery Yellow
Really love this album but the sound can get a little repetitive. These five tracks are not only the best of the bunch but a nice representation of the band's range, from the shoe-gazer-like drone featured on 'Wow..' and 'Three Longers' to the 60s space lounge of 'International Colouring Contest' to 'Ping Pong', an improbably dancable socialist critique of the foundations of capitalism.

Pavement's 'Terror Twilight', which becomes: 1. Spit on a Stranger 2. Cream of Gold 3. You are the Light 4. Major Leagues 5. Speak, See Remember 6. The Hexx

Am I missing some obvious choices?