Lodger

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Reissue of Bowie's 1979 album, complete with the two bonus tracks from Ryko's 1991 edition included, 'I Pray, Ole' (Previously Unreleased Track Recorded 1979) & 'Look Back In Anger' (New Version Recorded 1988). 12 tracks total, all digitally remastered & also including the classic hits 'D.J.', 'Boys Keep Swinging' & 'Look Back In Anger'. 1999 release. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Fantastic Voyage
African Night Flight
Move On
Yassassin (Turkish For: Long Live)
Red Sails
D.J.
Look Back In Anger
Boys Keep Swinging
Repetition
Red Money

Customer Reviews:

experimental masterpiece.......2007-02-16

This is the last of 3 albums Bowie did with Eno (his "Berlin" period, although this one was not recorded in Berlin. This is my favorite one of the three, and possibly my favorite Bowie album period. This one has no instrumental pieces, like on "Low" and "Heroes". The first half of the album has a vague "travel" theme to it. In several songs Bowie mixes in bits of African drumming or arabesque sounding string synthesizer sounds. These are all rock or pop songs, but they are all "deconstructed" pop songs, because everything from the instrument sounds to the songs' construction is turned on its head, at least that's how it seemed in 1979. This album features Adrian Belew on guitar making sounds that were basically unheard of at the time. "DJ" and "Boys.." are highlights - absolutely brilliant, and Belew truly uses his guitar like a weapon on his solos. The only really weak song is "Red Money", which is the music from Iggy Pop's "Sister Midnight" set to different (inferior) lyrics. Fortunately it's at the end, so it's easy to skip that tune, but the rest is highly recommended.

Bowie's Most Underrated Album.......2006-10-18

It's hard to pinpoint which of Bowie's albums deserves the title "greatest"...there was a period from 1970 to 1980 where pretty much everything he released was an instant classic. From the timespan between "The Man Who Sold the World" and "Scary Monsters", the man could do no wrong.

"Lodger", the last piece in Bowie's Berlin Triology(following "Low" and "Heroes")is probably Bowie's most overlooked album, which is a shame as it's one of his best. Beautiful compositions such as "African Nightflight" and "Move On" easily stand alongside the more sonically groundbreaking tracks of "Low" and "Heroes", while more straightfoward numbers such as hits "D.J." and "Boys Keep Swinging" lend a pop aspect to "Lodger" that the previous Berlin trilogy albums lacked at times. Just as it is more accessible than the previous Berlin albums, it is also much darker in its subject matter(Just take a glance at the cover art, where Bowie appears to be lying dead/incapacitated on the sterile floor of a morgue).

Another plus: "Lodger" lacks the meandering instrumentals that, in my opinion, weighed down "Low" and "Heroes" at times. It's not that those instrumentals were bad...just that they sound REALLY dated nowadays, and distracted from the otherwise solid cohesiveness of those two albums. "Lodger" wisely skips out on the instrumentals in order to make room for another batch of great songs.

Bottom Line: Just as arty as "Low" and "Heroes", but with more pop appeal relevant to more casual fans. Probably a good starting point for those wanting to get into Bowie's music.

The weakest of the Bowie/Eno collaboration, but still superb........2006-03-11

"Lodger" is the third and final collaboration between David Bowie and Brian Eno in the 1970s. Recorded two years after the landmark "Low" and "Heroes" albums, "Lodger" does not quite live up to the legacy the previous two albums allowed for it, as though taking time out of the studio to tour somehow derailed the Bowie/Eno partnership a bit. Having stated that, had this is a great album.

I think perhaps my reason for feeling this way is that while "Low" and "Heroes" were mapping out new territory, "Lodger" tends to mine on those successes and embraces the burgeoning New Wave sounds that Eno and Bowie previously anticipated. Mind you, when it's good, it's fantastic-- the proto-industrial "African Night Flight" is built around essentially the sound of crickets and electronic noises with Bowie frantically speaking out the lyrics as though there's too many words to get out, "Yaassassin", featuring a superb violin performance by Simon House mixes a Middle Eastern organ line with reggae (or perhaps Police-like?) guitars for an unusually natural sounding blend, "Look Back in Anger" finds Bowie at his most passionate and explosive over a new wave backdrop and a decidingly Enoesque arrangement of frantic rhythms and instruments waxing and waning in prominence and the pounding rhythms of "Boys Keep Swinging" nicely offset the total goofiness of the lyrics (and guitarist Adrian Belew is unbelievable in his solo channeling all sorts of noise). Along the way, Bowie provides a couple features for Belew on guitar, who eats up "Red Sails" and "D.J." with his fierce and highly original guitar lines.

Still, the record has its weak moments-- "African Night Flights" is a bizarrely bright and somewhat dull piece, "Move On" has a fine galloping beat but misses altogether and even Belew's pyrotechnics don't save "Red Sails".

I suppose it's all small complaints though, the good in the album far outweighs the less than good, and I realize my initial assessment was pretty harsh. This is a good album, and for many other artists, it would be the best thing in their catalog.

This just gets better and better with repeated listenings.......2006-03-09

Not usually considered to be Bowie's best, 'Lodger' is a jewel waiting to be rediscovered and reconsidered - as one of Bowie's most daring and underrated ventures. I might be out of my mind - but I just love the eno/Bowie collaborations - even when they sound dated (musically speaking) there is an undeniable charm. It is also one of Bowie's most contagious albums - I find I can't get some of the songs out of my head for hours after I have listened to the album!

Not Bowie's best by any stretch.......2006-03-09

It is very hard to sum up Lodger. Most people try and categorize it as part of a `Berlin Trilogy' with Low and "Heroes." The truth is that Lodger is far removed from the brilliance and passion of those two. The creativity that defined the previous three studio albums is sorely missing on Lodger. The main disappointment is that there is so little conviction in the performances. The album just feels totally disjointed. Listening to Lodger today, it has simply not aged well at all.

The songs on the first side (Fantastic Voyage, African Night Flight, Move On, Yassassin and Red Sail) are all yawners with bizarre syncopations that feel depressingly drunk. The second side is only slightly better with D.J. and Look Back in Anger being the only real highlights. On Lodger, Adrian Belew takes over on guitar. He is simply given very little opportunity that Fripp had on "Heroes." The arrangements on most of the songs do little to showcase his talent. A much better representation of his dynamic talent can be found on the live Stage CD.

In summary, Lodger is Bowie's castration album. His gender confusion has never been more extreme. I find the cover and liner fairly sick to look at. Many of the songs sound like falsetto and are simply too high even for his broad range. Boys Keep Swinging is his anthem to the alternative lifestyle that he must have at least toyed with. An interesting side note is the opening to D.J. which sounds strangely like David Byrne. Coming off of the peaks of Low, "Heroes" and Stage, Lodger is such a disappointment. Fortunately, he corrects most of the defects in Lodger on 1980's release of Scary Monsters.

Take Lodger for what it is: Bowie's farewell to the 70's, Brian Eno, Berlin and pretty much his better days as an artist.

Average customer rating:

Grown-Ups
The Lodger
Manufacturer: Slumberland Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Album Description

On the heels of the successes of bands like The Kaiser Chiefs and The Arctic Monkeys, the north of England is fairly bursting with exciting guitar pop bands, and The Lodger are amongst the brightest hopes. Taking their cues from fellow northerners The Smiths and The Wedding Present, The Lodger's music is classic melodic pop, fueled by sparkling hooks and plangent lyrics. The tunes are sharp and timeless, a thoroughly modern distillation of great Britpop from the 60s right up to today. "Grown-Ups" is a perfect introduction to the thrilling pop charms of The Lodger.

Average customer rating:

Hi-fi High Lights Down Low
Lodger
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ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Having already created a sizable buzz online, Lodger's debut, Hi-Fi High Lights Down Low, showcases this mysterious Finnish band's unabashed dedication to themes of love, death, crime and sex! Luckily, Lodger's pop smarts are up to the task of contrasting their twisted observations on society and everyday life with immediately arresting hooks and a variety of sonic strategies that create tightly focused songs and one truly original band.

Friedhofer: The adventures of Marco Polo/The Lodger/The Rains of Ranchipur/Seven Cities of Gold

Average customer rating:

Limelight for Hugo...
Friedhofer: a good sampling

Friedhofer: The adventures of Marco Polo/The Lodger/The Rains of Ranchipur/Seven Cities of Gold

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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000465E
Release Date: 1997-08-05

Tracks:

The Adventures of Marco Polo (Suite)
The Lodger: Fox trade mark fanfare
The Lodger: Prologue
The Lodger: Murder
The Lodger: Mr. Slade moves in
The Lodger: Mr. Slade explains
The Lodger: Mr. Slade has nerves
The Lodger: The ripper
The Lodger: Alarms and excursions
The Lodger: A note for Mr. Slade
The Lodger: Mr. Slade is cornered
The Lodger: Epilogue
The Rains of Ranchipur: Main title
The Rains of Ranchipur: Allan and Edwina
The Rains of Ranchipur: Love theme
The Rains of Ranchipur: Safti and Edwina
The Rains of Ranchipur: Storm and flood
The Rains of Ranchipur: Crisis past
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Seven Cities of Gold: Fox fanfare
Seven Cities of Gold: Main title
Seven Cities of Gold: The coach
Seven Cities of Gold: Expedition
Seven Cities of Gold: Encounter
Seven Cities of Gold: Jose and Serra
Seven Cities of Gold: Sand storm
Seven Cities of Gold: The miracle
Seven Cities of Gold: At the mission
Seven Cities of Gold: Jose and Ula
Seven Cities of Gold: Departure
Seven Cities of Gold: Seven Cities of Gold - End title

Customer Reviews:

Limelight for Hugo..........2005-04-05

The modest skillful orchestrator Hugo Friedhofer spent most of his career in the shadows of his friends, film score icons Steiner and Korngold. In fact, during interviews he prefered to discuss their achievements rather than his own. John Morgan that master film score reconstructor has given us here a generous sampling of this talented neglected film composer/orchestrator. The selections span the "Golden Era", from the 1930's to mid fifties. None of this is great music, but other than the "Lodger" we're treated to some exotic instrumentation and melodic themes typical of the fables told and the locals filmed. The "Lodger" uses somber and sad elements and modern techniques to illustrate the demented Jack the Ripper. I prefer when Morgan strings together themes as in "Marco Polo", rather than the seemingly endless track by track divisions nearly always implemented not just with this composer. "Marco Polo" comes off more like an exotic tone poem. All in all, this is another well recorded project of one more valued film composer that if not undertaken would have gone down in obscurity.

Friedhofer: a good sampling.......2000-06-16

The "golden era" of Hollywood had film scores written by the likes of Rozsa, Steiner, Newman, Herrmann, and Friedhofer. Hugo Friedhofer is primarily remembered for his Academy Award winning music to THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES. Most of his scores are rich orchestral masterpieces but he is not as well known as well as some of his contemporaries. Still, his music is worth a listen today.

Marco Polo continues recording music from "forgotten" film classics with commendable performances by the Moscow Symphony Orchestra. This CD contains superb music from four of his earlier works: ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO -- 1937, 13 min.; THE LODGER -- 1944, 20 min.; RAINS OF RANCHIPUR -- 1955, 15 min.; SEVEN CITIES OF GOLD -- 1955, 25 min.