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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Good article Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Use British English Шаблон:Infobox album

Hours (stylised as 'hours...' ) is the 22nd studio album by the English musician David Bowie. It was originally released on 21 September 1999 through the Internet on the artist's website BowieNet, followed by a physical CD release on 4 October through Virgin Records. It was one of the first albums by a major artist available to download over the Internet. Originating as a soundtrack to the video game Omikron: The Nomad Soul (1999), Hours was the final collaboration between Bowie and guitarist Reeves Gabrels, with whom he had worked since 1988. The album was recorded in mid-1999 between studios in Bermuda and New York City. A song contest conducted on BowieNet in late 1998 resulted in a fan contributing lyrics and backing vocals to one of the tracks.

In contrast to the experimental nature of Bowie's other works throughout the decade, Hours presents a pop rock and art pop style reminiscent of Hunky Dory (1971), further evoking styles and ideals previously explored on Bowie's past works. The lyrics are introspective, detailing topics such as the collapse of relationships and subjects of angst. Also present are overtly Christian themes, which is reflected in the cover artwork. Inspired by the Pietà, it depicts the short-haired Bowie persona from the Earthling era, resting in the arms of a long-haired, more youthful version of Bowie. The title, originally The Dreamers, is a play on "ours".

Accompanied by multiple UK top 40 singles, Hours peaked at number five on the UK Albums Chart but was Bowie's first album to miss the US Billboard 200 top 40 since 1972. It also received mixed reviews from music critics, many of whom praised individual tracks but criticised the album as a whole, sentiments echoed by later reviewers. Bowie promoted the album through the Hours Tour and various television appearances. Retrospective lists ranking all of Bowie's studio albums have placed Hours among Bowie's weaker efforts. The album was reissued with bonus tracks in 2004 and remastered in 2021 for inclusion on the box set Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001).

Background and writing

Шаблон:See also

An older man with a gray beard playing a red guitar against a green backlight
Hours marked the final collaboration between Bowie and guitarist Reeves Gabrels (pictured in 2012), who departed following its release.

After maintaining a relatively large media profile throughout 1997, David Bowie retreated from the limelight in 1998, primarily devoting his time to ventures outside of music, such as establishing his website BowieNet, but nevertheless continued making film appearances.Шаблон:Sfn He mixed a potential live album from the Earthling Tour, later released in 1999 as LiveAndWell.com, but was mostly inactive in the studio throughout 1998; his sole recording from the year was a cover of George and Ira Gershwin's "A Foggy Day in London Town", which appeared on the Red Hot + Rhapsody: The Gershwin Groove compilation.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn He also reconciled with his former collaborator and producer Tony Visconti.Шаблон:EfnШаблон:Sfn

In late 1998, Bowie composed the soundtrack for the upcoming video game Omikron: The Nomad Soul, developed by Quantic Dream and published by Eidos Interactive.Шаблон:Sfn Writer and director David Cage chose him over a list of applicants including Björk, Massive Attack and Archive.[1] Biographer Nicholas Pegg contends that Bowie was drawn to the game due to its Buddhist overtones, noting that when a character died, he or she was reincarnated.Шаблон:Sfn Along with composing the music, Bowie appeared in the game, along with guitarist Reeves Gabrels and bassist Gail Ann Dorsey, as the singer of an in-game band performing gigs in the bars of Omikron City.[1][2][3]

The Omikron project was the springboard for Bowie's next studio album. Between late 1998 and early 1999, he and Gabrels amassed a large number of songs, some of which were written for Omikron and others for a Gabrels solo album, including "Survive", "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell" and the B-side "We All Go Through".Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Unlike the experimental cut-up nature of Bowie's other 1990s recordings, the tracks were written in a more conventional style reminiscent of his mid-1980s works. He explained: "There was very little experimentation in the studio. A lot of it was just straightforward songwriting."Шаблон:Sfn As a result, the demos were primarily written on guitar, while "Thursday's Child" and "The Dreamers" were written on keyboards. Gabrels stated that Omikron provided the musical direction for the songs, elaborating:Шаблон:Sfn

Шаблон:Blockquote

At an E3 press conference in 1999, Bowie said that his main priority was to imbue Omikron with "emotional subtext" and regarded this as a success.[3] In the end, the game featured variants of most Hours tracks except "If I'm Dreaming My Life", "Brilliant Adventure" and "What's Really Happening?", along with "We All Go Through". Various instrumentals also appeared in the game, some of which were further developed for release as B-sides.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

Recording

After Bowie completed collaborations with the band Placebo in February and March 1999, he and Gabrels entered Seaview Studios in BermudaШаблон:Sfn—his new residence after he sold his home in SwitzerlandШаблон:Sfn—the following month to commence recording.Шаблон:Sfn Bowie and Gabrels completed most of the work by themselves,Шаблон:Sfn although musician Mark Plati and drummer Sterling Campbell, who played on Earthling (1997) and Outside (1995), respectively, returned to contribute. Other musicians Bowie hired included Mike Levesque on drums and percussion, Everett Bradley on percussion ("Seven"), Chris Haskett on rhythm guitar ("If I'm Dreaming My Life") and Marcus Salisbury on electric bass ("New Angels of Promise").Шаблон:Sfn[4] Bowie initially wanted R&B trio TLC to perform backing vocals for "Thursday's Child", but the idea was vetoed by Gabrels, who instead hired his friend Holly Palmer; she later joined Bowie's touring band.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

In late 1998, Bowie launched a songwriting competition on BowieNet where the winner earned a chance to complete the lyrics for "What's Really Happening?". He or she would also earn the chance to be flown to New York to observe the recording session.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Ohio native Alex Grant was revealed as the winner in January 1999 and was flown to New York for the vocal and overdub session on 24Шаблон:NbspMay, which was broadcast live on BowieNet. Grant also contributed backing vocals. On the experience, Bowie stated: "The most gratifying part of the evening for me was being able to encourage Alex and his pal Larry to sing on the song that he had written."Шаблон:Sfn Plati later commended the idea to biographer Marc Spitz, saying that "it was a new way to reach out to his fans".Шаблон:Sfn

Unlike the quick rush of the Earthling sessions, the sessions for Hours were more relaxed and Bowie himself was calmer. When speaking with biographer David Buckley, Plati described having leisurely conversations with Bowie and Gabrels about the Internet and contemporary topics of the time.Шаблон:Sfn Nevertheless, disagreements arose between Bowie and Gabrels regarding the musical direction. The latter wanted to do an Earthling follow-up in a manner similar to Ziggy Stardust (1972) and Aladdin Sane (1973).Шаблон:Sfn Later on, he revealed that Hours initially sounded like Diamond Dogs (1974).[5] He was also frustrated at the hiring of Plati and the demotion of "We All Go Through" and "1917" to B-side status.Шаблон:Sfn According to O'Leary, the finished album was mixed and mastered by June.Шаблон:Sfn

Music and lyrics

Шаблон:Quote box Hours marks a major departure from the experimental nature of its two predecessors.Шаблон:Sfn Deduced by Plati as "the anti-Earthling",Шаблон:Sfn it represents a style more akin to the acoustic and conventional textures of 1971's Hunky Dory.Шаблон:Sfn Author James E. Perone writes that the record evokes folk rock, 1960s soul and rock,Шаблон:Sfn while retrospective commentators have categorised it as pop rock and art pop.[6][7]

Several themes pervade Hours. Surmised by Perone as "Bowie's angels album",Шаблон:Sfn Hours encompasses overtly Christian themes last seen on the Station to Station track "Word on a Wing" (1976); it contains paraphrases from the Bible and the poetry of John Donne, along with numerous references to life and death, heaven and hell, "gods", "hymns" and "angels".Шаблон:Sfn Some analysed the tracks as Bowie looking at his own mortality.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Additionally, the use of the number seven on "Thursday's Child" and "Seven" led Perone to deduce: "The number that governs the passing of days into words appears in several guises. The listener is left with the feeling that not only is the passage of time controlled by some indefinable supreme power, but possibly are the events of one's life."Шаблон:Sfn

With an overall ideal of introspection, "Something in the Air" and "Survive" examine the downfall of relationships,Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn "If I'm Dreaming My Life" and "Seven" question the reliability of memory,Шаблон:Sfn while "What's Really Happening?", "The Dreamers" and "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell" reflect the helplessness of age felt when meditating on life.Шаблон:Sfn Bowie explained that "I wanted to capture a kind of universal angst felt by many people of my age. You could say that I am attempting to write some songs for my generation.Шаблон:Sfn Due to the retrospection of the material, some commentators wondered if Hours was autobiographical, to which Bowie refuted, telling Uncut:Шаблон:Sfn[8]

Шаблон:Blockquote

Songs

Album opener "Thursday's Child" establishes the introspective mood of the album,Шаблон:Sfn reflecting a theme of optimism.Шаблон:Sfn Its title comes from Eartha Kitt's autobiography.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Using an R&B style, the song follows a "born out of [his] time" character who sees hope for the future.Шаблон:Sfn "Something in the Air" contains numerous musical and lyrical references to Bowie's past work, from "All the Young Dudes" (1972) to "Seven Years in Tibet" (1997).Шаблон:Sfn It dissects the collapse of a relationship and was examined by Bowie as "probably the most tragic song on the album".Шаблон:Sfn "Survive" was reportedly Bowie's favourite song on the album. Musically, it is highly reminiscent of Hunky Dory while lyrically, it is, in Spitz's words, "haunted by regret".Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The female character is abstract; in O'Leary's words, "a place-filler used by a sad man to stand for his loss of potential."Шаблон:Sfn Pegg deems the longest track on the album, "If I'm Dreaming My Life", as a "turgid interlude" between "Survive" and "Seven".Шаблон:Sfn Similar to other tracks, the lyrics concern a relationship.Шаблон:Sfn Containing a "sprawling" musical structure,Шаблон:Sfn Spitz finds it "musically indecisive" but thematically fits the overall album.Шаблон:Sfn

Described by Bowie as "a song of nowness",Шаблон:Sfn "Seven" uses the days of the week as "an index of time", similar to "Thursday's Child".Шаблон:Sfn On the appearance of a mother, father and brother in the lyrics, Bowie denied allegations that the track was autobiographical, telling Q magazine's David Quantick: "They're not necessarily my mother, father and brother, it was the nuclear unit thing."[9] "What's Really Happening?" is the first of two harder rocking songs on the album compared to the sombre quality of the previous tracks. The title asserts the theme of "mistrust of reality and memory", while Grant's lyrics fit the overall "chronometric" concept.Шаблон:Sfn According to O'Leary, it was originally planned as a BowieNet-exclusive track before being placed on Hours.Шаблон:Sfn "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell" is "the rockiest piece" on Hours.Шаблон:Sfn Buckley and Dave Thompson believe that it harkens back to Bowie's glam rock period of the early 1970s.Шаблон:Sfn[10] Incidentally, the title recalls material from that era, particularly Hunky Dory, Pin Ups and the Stooges' Raw Power, which Bowie mixed.Шаблон:Sfn[9] The lyrics recall themes previously showcased in "Changes" (1971) and the Scary Monsters tracks "Teenage Wildlife" and "Fashion" (1980).Шаблон:Sfn Perone finds that it presents a counterbalance to the positivism of "Thursday's Child".Шаблон:Sfn The song was first released in remixed form in the film Stigmata (1999) and its accompanying soundtrack; this version also appeared in Omikron.Шаблон:Sfn

"New Angels of Promise" musically and lyrically revisits Bowie's late 1970s Berlin Trilogy, particularly "Sons of the Silent Age" (1977). The concept reflects the Christian themes throughout the album, as an "angel of promise" is an angel who, in O'Leary's words, "heralds a covenant with God". Originally titled "Omikron", it featured heavily in the Omikron game.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn "Brilliant Adventure" is a short Japanese-influenced instrumental that harkens back to "Heroes" (1977), particularly the instrumentals "Sense of Doubt" and "Moss Garden";Шаблон:Sfn like the former, the track uses the Japanese koto.Шаблон:Sfn Perone believes it does not fit the album concept or theme,Шаблон:Sfn while O'Leary states that it links the two tracks it is sequenced between.Шаблон:Sfn The lyrics of "The Dreamers" dissect a traveller who is past his prime. Like other tracks on the album, it musically recalls Bowie's past works. An "easy-listening" version appeared in Omikron.Шаблон:Sfn O'Leary finds a demo-like quality to the recording, noting its "acerbic chord structure, shifting rhythms [and] lengthy coda".Шаблон:Sfn

Artwork and title

A sculpture of a woman cradling a dead man
The artwork was inspired by the Pietà, which depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus.Шаблон:Sfn

The cover artwork for Hours depicts the short-haired Bowie persona from the intensely energetic Earthling exhausted, resting in the arms of a long-haired, more youthful version of Bowie. The artwork reflects the Christian themes of the tracks and was inspired by the Pietà, which depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus.Шаблон:Sfn Bowie acknowledged the inspiration, further explaining, "since I didn't want to wear a dress anymore, we made it a man. It can be visualised as life and death, past and present".Шаблон:Sfn Pegg interpreted the artwork as the closing of a career phase and the beginning of a new one. The back cover depicts a serpent alongside three versions of Bowie that Pegg states represent "the Fall of Man: Adam, Eve and the central figure of God", forming a theme of "Fall and Redemption".Шаблон:Sfn For the album's initial release, a number of copies featured a lenticular version of the cover, lending a three-dimensional effect to the image.[11]

The artwork was taken by photographer Tim Bret Day at Big Sky Studios in Ladbroke Grove, West London. An outtake from the session depicted Bowie burning on a crucifix; this shot was included in the Hours CD booklet. Bret Day explained: "We shot Bowie and then made a dummy of him and set the whole thing alightШаблон:Nbsp...Шаблон:NbspLee Stewart did the rest in post-production," intending to represent the "burning [of] the old". Graphic designer Rex Ray created the typography for the cover, which featured letters and numerals swapped around overlaying a barcode design.Шаблон:Sfn The cover has received negative responses, with Trynka panning it as "a hammy mix of designer clutter and mawkishness".Шаблон:Sfn Consequence of SoundШаблон:'s David Sackllah agreed, stating: "This is the most '90s cover made by an artist who was over 50 at the time, and its embarrassing sprawl is a bit of juxtaposition to the actual songs on the record."[7]

Bowie stated that the title was intended as a play on "ours", or in Buckley's words, "an album of songs for his own generation".Шаблон:Sfn The album's initial title was The Dreamers,[8] which was changed after Gabrels stated it made him think of a Mariah Carey or Celine Dion album,Шаблон:Sfn as well as its resemblance to Freddie and the Dreamers. Further explaining the title, Bowie stated: "[It's] about reflecting back on the time that one's lived...how long one has left to live [and] shared experience."Шаблон:Sfn Pegg makes comparisons to the Book of hours, a medieval book that separates the day into canonical hours one must use for prayer.Шаблон:Sfn

Release

Шаблон:Quote box On 6Шаблон:NbspAugust 1999, Bowie began releasing 45-second snippets of each song on BowieNet and gave track-by-track descriptions, which was followed by a square-by-square reveal of the album cover during the ensuing month. On 21Шаблон:NbspSeptember, Hours appeared in its entirety on BowieNet available for download, making Bowie the first major artist to release a complete album for download through the Internet.Шаблон:Sfn[12] Bowie stated: "I am hopeful that this small step will lead to greater steps by myself and others, ultimately giving consumers greater choices and easier access to the music they enjoy."Шаблон:Sfn However, some music retailers were critical of the move. British-based retailer HMV announced: "If artists release albums on the Net before other people can buy them in the shops, it's not a level playing field. Records should be available to everyone at the same time, and not everyone has access to the Internet," and "It's unlikely that we would stock the artist in question. Retailers are not going to stand for it."Шаблон:Sfn Nevertheless, with the internet release, Buckley states that "Bowie had accurately foreseen the revolution in the music industry that would be brought about by the download generation."Шаблон:Sfn

"Thursday's Child" was released as the lead single from the album on 20Шаблон:NbspSeptember 1999,Шаблон:Sfn backed by "We All Go Through" and "No One Calls".Шаблон:Sfn Various remixes were also issued, including a 'Rock Mix'. It reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.Шаблон:Sfn The song's music video, shot in August and directed by Walter Stern, reflects the introspective mood of the song, depicting Bowie gazing at a younger version of himself through a mirror.Шаблон:Sfn "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell" first appeared as an A-side in Australia and Japan in September 1999,Шаблон:Sfn[13] replacing "Thursday's Child" as the first single from the album. The video was directed by Dom and Nic and shot in New York on 7Шаблон:NbspSeptember. It depicts Bowie rehearsing the song on stage while being confronted by various characters of his past, reflecting the theme of wanting to avoid being confronted by his own past.Шаблон:Sfn

Hours received an official CD release on 4Шаблон:NbspOctober 1999 through Virgin Records.Шаблон:Sfn In Japan, "We All Go Through" appeared as a bonus track.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn It was a commercial success in the UK, peaking at number five on the UK Albums Chart, becoming Bowie's highest chart placement there since Black Tie White Noise (1993),Шаблон:Sfn but dropped off soon after.Шаблон:Sfn In the US however, it peaked at number 47 on the Billboard 200, becoming Bowie's first studio album since Ziggy Stardust to miss the top 40.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Elsewhere, Hours reached the top ten in France, Germany and Italy, and the top 20 in Japan.Шаблон:Sfn

"Survive" was released as the third single from the album on 17Шаблон:NbspJanuary 2000 in a new remix by English producer Marius de Vries. It reached number 28 in the UK.Шаблон:Sfn[13] The music video, directed by Walter Stern, features Bowie sitting alone at a table waiting for an egg to boil before he and the egg start to float; it reflects the reflective quality of the recording.Шаблон:Sfn For its release as the fourth and final single on 17Шаблон:NbspJuly 2000, "Seven" appeared in its original demo form along with remixes by de Vries and Beck. This release reached number 32 in the UK.Шаблон:Sfn[13]

Critical reception

Шаблон:Music ratings Hours received mixed reviews from critics on release. Among positive reviews, MojoШаблон:'s Mark Paytress announced that the album was "no masterpiece" but nonetheless "crowns a trilogy that represents significantly more than a mere coda to a once-unimpeachable career."[14] Q considered it "a richly textured and emotionally vivid set", adding that "This time around, Bowie sounds influenced by nobody except himself, and he couldn't have picked a better role model."[15] Rolling Stone critic Greg Tate analysed the record as "an album that improves with each new hearing" and "further confirmation of Richard Pryor's observation that they call them old wise men because all them young wise men are dead".[16] Similarly impressed, Alternative Press described Hours as "a masterpiece", adding that it "finds Bowie returning to basics he never should have left behind".[17] Keith Philips of The A.V. Club found that the album "hits the mark more often than it misses it," highlighting "Survive", "Seven" and "What's Really Happening?".[18]

Other reviewers gave more negative assessments. Besides "Thursday's Child", The GuardianШаблон:'s Adam Sweeting found the album "sludgy and laborious".[19] Chris Willman agreed in Entertainment Weekly, praising "Thursday's Child" as "the loveliest ballad Bowie's written in an aeon", but felt the rest of the album was subpar.[20] Both The Independent and The Observer unfavourably compared Hours to Hunky Dory, with the former calling it "fairly traditional" and "not one of his best"; the latter criticised the songs as unremarkable.[21][22] Additionally, Time Out magazine dismissed the album as "Bowie's most pointless and desultory record since Tin Machine II."Шаблон:Sfn SpinШаблон:'s Barry Walters praised "Thursday's Child" but felt that throughout its runtime, the album goes from a "promising disclosure" but sinks into "another mediocre, not-quite-modern rock posture", giving the album a six out of ten.[23]

Ryan Schreiber of Pitchfork criticised the album, saying: "Hours opts for a spacy, but nonetheless adult-contemporary sound that comes across with all the vitality and energy of a rotting log." He further stated: "No, it's not a new low, but that doesn't mean it's not embarrassing."[24] PopMatters writer Sarah Zupko found many of the tracks have poor pacing, leading to "a frankly uncomfortable state of boredom". She ultimately scored the album a four out of ten and concluded: "David Bowie is much too good for this."[25] Writing for Select, John Mullen recognised the album as an improvement over Earthling, but likened Bowie to a "more high-brow" version of Sting and concluded: "Even on the personal exorcism of 'Seven' there's a lack of urgency that suggests that the 'confessional' is just another style Bowie's trying out for size."[26] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice dismissed the album as a "dud."[27]

Promotion

Шаблон:Main Bowie promoted the album on the Hours Tour, which ran eight shows from 23 August 1999 to 12 December. The first date of the tour—Bowie's first live set since the end of the Earthling Tour—was a performance at Manhattan Center Studios for VH1's Storytellers series.Шаблон:Sfn Of his appearance, VH1 executive producer Bill Flanagan stated: "This is going to be the best thing that VH1 has ever shown. Scratch that, this is probably the best thing you're going to see on TV this year."Шаблон:Sfn Broadcast in edited form on 18 October,Шаблон:Sfn the full performance was later released in 2009 as VH1 Storytellers.[28] The Storytellers performance was also Bowie's final work with Gabrels,Шаблон:Sfn one of his regular collaborators since the formation of Tin Machine in 1988;Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Plati took over as bandleader.Шаблон:Sfn After Bowie's death in 2016, Gabrels said of his departure:[29]

Шаблон:Blockquote

Personnel-wise, the tour consisted of returning members from the Earthling Tour, although drummer Zack Alford was replaced with Campbell. Starting in late September, Bowie made numerous television appearances to promote Hours, including on The Howard Stern Show, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Chris Evans' TFI Friday and Saturday Night Live.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn[30] During the tour he primarily played in small venues, save for one appearance at the NetAid benefit concert at Wembley Stadium in late October.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Performances from the tour were later released on Something in the Air (Live Paris 99) and David Bowie at the Kit Kat Klub (Live New York 99),[31][32] as part of the Brilliant Live Adventures series (2020–2021).[33]

Songs played during the tour included Hours material, various hits such as "Life on Mars?" (1971) and "Rebel Rebel" (1974), as well as tracks Bowie had not played in decades, such as "Drive-In Saturday" (1973) and "Word on a Wing".Шаблон:Sfn Returning pianist Mike Garson found the Hours material was better live, telling Buckley he thought the studio recordings were "underdeveloped".Шаблон:Sfn This sentiment was echoed by Pegg, who viewed the Hours tracks as the highlights of the shows.Шаблон:Sfn Additionally, Bowie revived his 1966 single "Can't Help Thinking About Me", marking the first time since 1970 Bowie had performed any of his pre-Space Oddity material.Шаблон:Sfn Bowie re-recorded the song in the studio a year later for the Toy project.Шаблон:Sfn

Legacy

Шаблон:Music ratings Hours continues to be viewed with varying reactions. On the positive side, AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "It may not be one of Bowie's classics, but it's the work of a masterful musician who has begun to enjoy his craft again and isn't afraid to let things develop naturally."[34] Following its 2004 reissue, a writer for PopMatters considered the trilogy of Hours, Heathen (2002) and Reality (2003) Bowie's finest works since Scary Monsters, arguing that whereas Outside and Earthling saw Bowie experiment with genres already viewed as outdated at the time, Hours saw him embrace a "hip and modern" sound that provided a "welcome" on release.[35] Perone, who criticises the non-linear track sequencing, finds that the album works in expressing a message of hope to the listener and commends the growing maturity of both the music and lyrics as well as the overt spirituality throughout.Шаблон:Sfn Meanwhile, Spitz considers much of Hours as "strong" as its three predecessors. Observing it as "easy listening for uneasy people", he summarises: "Hours is a good record to put on the morning after you did something regrettable."Шаблон:Sfn Thompson hails Hours as Bowie's "latter-day masterpiece", recognising a "sense of self-contained innocence" that exemplified Hunky Dory. Besides a few tracks, he further praises the production as timeless, "an attribute that few other David Bowie albums can claim".Шаблон:Sfn

On the more negative side, critics praise individual tracks, from "Seven", "Thursday's Child" and "The Dreamers",[36]Шаблон:Sfn[37] to "Survive" and "Something in the Air"Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn but find the album as a whole lackluster. In his book Starman, Trynka summarises: "Like Space Oddity [1969], Hours, for all its finely crafted moments, end[s] up being less than the sum of its parts."Шаблон:Sfn Calling it the "most neglected" of Bowie's later records, O'Leary describes Hours as "an unsettled, moody, lovely, sketchy, washed-out collection of unreconciled songs" and "a lesser work that knows it's lesser and takes modest pride in it. A finer album lies within it, just out of reach."Шаблон:Sfn Additionally, biographers have criticised the production as "thin", "underdeveloped" and "cluttered", and find the overall mood "sad", "bitter" and "refreshingly unadorned".Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn In The Complete David Bowie, Pegg writes that the album overall "lack[s] the focus and attack of the best Bowie albums and betraying unwelcome signs of padding". Nevertheless, he concludes:Шаблон:Sfn

Шаблон:Blockquote

In lists ranking Bowie's studio albums from worst to best, Hours has placed in the low tier. Stereogum placed it at number 22 (out of 25 at the time) in 2013. Michael Nelson stated that the "results range from decent to dull, maybe occasionally irritating".[6] Three years later, Bryan Wawzenek of Ultimate Classic Rock placed Hours at number 22 out of 26, primarily criticising Bowie's vocal performances as sounding "tired" and the music mostly boring except for the occasional interesting melody.[37] Sackllah ranked Hours Bowie's worst album in a 2018 Consequence of Sound list, finding it "dull and uninspired".[7]

Reissues

An expanded edition of the album with additional tracks was released in 2004 by Columbia Records.Шаблон:Sfn[35] In January 2005, Bowie's new label ISO Records reissued Hours as a double CD set with the second CD comprising remixes, alternate versions, and single B-sides.Шаблон:Sfn It received its first official vinyl release in 2015.Шаблон:Sfn In 2021, a remastered version of the album was released on both vinyl and CD as part of the box set Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001).[38][39]

Track listing

Шаблон:Track listing Шаблон:Track listing

Personnel

According to the liner notes and biographer Nicholas Pegg.Шаблон:Sfn[4]

Technical

  • David Bowie – producer
  • Reeves Gabrels – producer
  • Ryoji Hata – assistant engineer
  • Jay Nicholas – assistant engineer
  • Kevin Paul – engineer
  • Andy VanDette – mastering

Charts

Шаблон:Col-begin Шаблон:Col-2

Weekly charts

Шаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chartШаблон:Album chart
1999 weekly chart performance for Hours
Chart (1999) Peak
position
Canadian Albums (RPM)[40] 21
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[41] 7
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[42] 14

Шаблон:Col-2

Certifications

Шаблон:Certification Table Top Шаблон:Certification Table Entry Шаблон:Certification Table Entry Шаблон:Certification Table Bottom Шаблон:Col-end

Notes

Шаблон:Notelist

References

Шаблон:Reflist

Sources

Шаблон:Refbegin

Шаблон:Refend

External links

Шаблон:David Bowie

Шаблон:Authority control

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Криптовалюты
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Разное

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