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Reality
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  • Record Label:
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Reality Image
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 63 Ratings

  • Summary: 'Reality' finds a now 56-year-old David Bowie working once again with longtime producer Tony Visconti. Included among the 11 tracks is a cover of Jonathan Richman's "Pablo Picasso."

Top Track

Pablo Picasso
- Lyrics and music by Jonathan Richman Swinging on the back poarch Jumping off a big wall Pablo's feeling better now Hanging by his... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Launch.com
    80
    Reality is easily one of his most emotionally transparent albums.
  2. The A.V. Club
    80
    Neither a calculated trip to Bowie's past nor a wagon-hitching ride to current pop trends, the album has an energy all its own.
  3. ShakingThrough.net
    80
    While it might not push the experimental envelope as forcefully as some critics or fans would like, it nonetheless sounds as vital and vibrant as any pop-rock record released this year.
  4. Rolling Stone
    70
    Bowie toughens up his sound, sawing at the edges of Jonathan Richman's "Pablo Picasso" and, on "New Killer Star," reclaiming the insinuating guitar propulsion he'd loaned to Lou Reed when he produced Transformer.
  5. Dot Music
    70
    It's the sound of a man who's worked out how to be good again, who finally understands his own strengths and limitations.
  6. E! Online
    67
    The album quickly reveals itself to be a muddled effort of overproduction and drab lyrics.
  7. Austin Chronicle
    40
    While Reality isn't a failure by anyone's standards, there's precious few moments that you can recall, much less hum, an hour after listening to it.

See all 18 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 31
  3. Negative: 1 out of 31
  1. clinteastwoo
    May 11, 2016
    10
    ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................These two reviews are trash… Expand
  2. KylarL
    Oct 27, 2006
    10
    Finally a return. This most definitely is his best work since Let's Dance. Let's hope for more along this quality.
  4. sicrano
    Jul 20, 2015
    10
    Obra-Prima!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Incluindo a Bonus Track "Fly".......... Super Álbum mas é um exagero dizerem que é o melhor álbumObra-Prima!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Incluindo a Bonus Track "Fly".......... Super Álbum mas é um exagero dizerem que é o melhor álbum desde o Scary Monsters 1980.........
    Sendo que Let's Dance (1983),Never Let Me Down (1987),Earthling (1997) e principalmente 'Hours...' 1999 é obras-primas de Bowie    … Expand
  5. MarcP
    Sep 17, 2003
    9
    awesome again... different from heathen in a very nice way... buy it now
  6. HowardP
    Sep 24, 2003
    9
    Terrific! Brought the album with me on a trip to Middle East and have been humming songs from it for past 2 weeks. I haven't done that Terrific! Brought the album with me on a trip to Middle East and have been humming songs from it for past 2 weeks. I haven't done that to Bowie for a few years! Can't wait for the SACD surround version in October! WooHoo!… Expand
  7. Jules
    Sep 21, 2003
    9
    Great stuff - finally the duke stops trying so hard. His nineties albums had their moments, after all the man's a genius, but it was Great stuff - finally the duke stops trying so hard. His nineties albums had their moments, after all the man's a genius, but it was painful to hear these often labored works, all running too hard from the terrible ghosts of his eighties albums. Every song here is spanking fresh - back in the groove at 56!… Expand
  8. zokip
    Sep 17, 2003
    1
    shit.the worse b album after heathen

See all 31 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Most Discussed Album of 2003
24
#24 Most Shared Album of 2003

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