Young Americans

I prefer other Bowie albums but I enjoyed this in the end. “Right” is very good and should get some more recognition radio play.

Great Album, lots of jazz influences. Very soft and easy to listen to. 8/10

You can't go wrong with Bowie 4/5.

Timeless classic, my favourite is “Fame”!

win would be so good while dissociating at the ceiling/ stars in bed

Love it

Really enjoyed listening to this. The band and singing are excellent. Saw him live years ago, surprised how much ass he kicked. Should have listened to this sooner than now.

Not my fave but there's so many hits

7/10 solid album not really a particular song that sticks but solid album

8/10

Fame made the album

Better than heroes, a bit short

nice cool 4

Ziggy Stardust and glam rock was out and 'plastic soul' was in by the time David Bowie emerged with 'Young Americans' in 1975, an album that would prove to be his first hit in the US and his second major stylistic shift. 'Young Americans' sees Bowie delve deeply into the R&B/soul sounds inspired by his ventures through Philadelphia and New York, and the result is a funky, often stylish set of material with plenty of danceable groove. The best tunes on this record are the two that bookend it: 'Young Americans' and 'Fame'. The former is a cynical dissection of the American dream, the latter expressing the isolating nature of stardom. 'Fame' ended up becoming Bowie's first number one hit in the US, and was co-written with John Lennon, who befriended Bowie around this time. The pair also collaborated on a cover of the Lennon-penned Beatles track 'Across the Universe'. What's noticeable about 'Young Americans' is the raft of talented new musicians who joined Bowie for this dramatic change in his career, including guitarists Carlos Alomar and Earl Slick (who'd continue with Bowie on and off into the 2000s), a large raft of backing vocalists led by Luther Vandross, Ava Cherry and Robin Clark, and the impressive saxophonist David Sanborn. These new musicians helped Bowie fully realise his attempt at soul music, and while there's moments where he doesn't sound entirely comfortable in the genre, he performs admirably as always. It's hard to think of 'Young Americans' as anything more than a transitional record for Bowie. He was done with glam rock and wanted to reinvent himself for different audiences. Given the success of this record in the US, the rebrand as a soul singer did work for him, but Bowie's personal struggles and growing reliance on cocaine would ensure he wouldn't get too comfortable with soul. Best songs: Young Americans, Fascination, Fame

imma be rlly honest David was a fantastic artist and a visionary but I never was a big fan of his voice. I do recognize a master at his work when I see one

Great album

Kinda forgot that Young Americans was such a good song. Not my favorite Bowie album but still really good

Solid

A completely different side of David Bowie from Ziggy Stardust. Much bigger fan of David Bowie’s weirder songs, but the ones on this album are still great.

Does 70s soul beautifully 4.3

What happens when you mix Bowie with funk, soul, and disco? You get this album. Pretty enjoyable all around. Young Americans and Fame stand out here.

The typical David bowie, exactly what you'd expect. Still solid.

Funkified Bowie slaps pretty good. The music on this album is a little all over the place and the songs are pretty diverse, but the influence of black musical styles is a unifying theme that ties it together. Special mention for the sax throughout the album.

Глянцевый постмодернизм, будто произведенный на Фабрике Энди Уорхола Кайфовый кавер на Across the Universe, прелестные кривляния, идеальная адаптация под более циничные и беспринципные времена, когда nothing’s gonna change my world начинает звучать мрачно и безвыходно

Думала, что после очередного пика снова станут персохейтером Боуи. Утомило. Но норм.

кавер на битлз немного отдавал пыткой, а так fame - одна из любимейших песен боуи, альбом по большей части приятный

За несколько месяцев челленджа я уже прослушала в разы больше треков Боуи, чем за всю остальную жизнь. Если от Hunky Dory мне было физически плохо, а Low и Station to Station показались нормиком, то этот альбом пока самый любимый. В очередной раз удивляюсь, какой большой простор для творчества был у исполнителей минувших лет, что можно было вот так запросто решить записать альбом в несвойственном стиле соула и даже не попасть в Khia Asylum после смешанных отзывов (возможно, спас прорыв на американском рынке)

Some great moments.

Young Americans is the seventh David Bowie album to pop up on this 1001 list—seven, which already feels excessive. Even more unbelievable, there are still two more waiting in the wings, bringing the total to nine. But I didn’t sit down this morning just to complain (well, not only to complain). I get it—Bowie is revered. He’s just usually not my thing. I respect what he’s done, and I like enough to own a greatest hits album, but let’s not go overboard. That said, Young Americans is probably his most accessible record for a non-devotee, which makes sense given the stylistic pivot. Instead of glam rock, Bowie leans hard into soul and R&B—an unexpected move for a very white, very odd British rock star. Interestingly, that shift is also why many Bowie diehards seem lukewarm on it. The songs are largely easy to digest, with the exception of the odd "Across the Universe" cover, which doesn’t quite land—at least for me. Still, anchored by the standout singles "Young Americans" and "Fame," the album works better than expected—and might be the first Bowie record here to earn a 3.5 from me. Whether it pushes to a 4 when I make it official tomorrow… we’ll see.

I guess I don't know David Bowie music. This was much different than I imagined.

Goofy rocky cool creative mess

Buen disco! Ideal para los usuarios de la discografía de Stevie Wonder

By the end of 1974, David Bowie had grown tired of the Ziggy Stardust image he'd created (knowing the artist's love of change, he held on for a long time), and then, during a US tour, a fortunate stop in Philadelphia, where soul music reigned supreme, came up. "This is what I'll make my next album like," the maestro decided. He did. My feelings after listening to it are mixed. I'm not really into soul music in general, and this one feels strange somehow; even Bowie himself called it "plastic." The Beatles cover here is perhaps one of the most disgusting I've heard. Half the album is practically filler (though that's often the case with Bowie). On the other hand, it's not bad as a backdrop to a party, and there are a couple of strong hits. And it turns out that a three is not enough, and a four is too much... But for the smart move to put the two best songs first and last, so that the album starts off strong and leaves a good aftertaste, I give it a higher mark!

I am a Bowie hater but I’m also a fair reviewer, and I thought this particular style was much more enjoyable than the glam stuff.

In retrospect, Young Americans was something of a way station for David Bowie between his Ziggy Stardust persona and Thin White Duke/Berlin era. So the “plastic soul” on offer here is kind of an oddity in his catalog. I don’t rank it among my favorite Bowie albums, but it certainly has its high points, including the title cut, the astral funk of “Fame” and “Fascination,” co-written by Luther Vandross. As usual, Bowie surrounds himself with incredible musical talent.

The most saxophone-forward of all the Bowie records? I feel like this is the least "Bowie persona" record, and sometimes that makes it harder to get into, but when it clicks, its pretty great.

Good but not all songs are great.

Great David Bowie album. Love his blend of funk and rock and great supporting instruments as well

Good album but I prefer other albums.

David bowie. This is actually my first time listening to a david bowie album! This album was generally very nice to listen to. As ive been listening to albums, ive discovered a greater appreciation for blues and this feels like Bowies blue hour. my only gripe is that it feels like an ode to the genre rather than trying to make a more unqiue experience, which I may be wrong about, since im . Which is overall, not bad, but make it a tad shallow at times for my taste, there are alot of moments where it feels like im listening to the intro to a 90s show. But for someone who is a fan of bowie, i can see how theyd be a big fan

Decent album bookended by a couple amazing songs. The middle songs sorta just pass me by though. I think I still like the album, but it's by no means in the running for best Bowie. 3.5/5

Dig the “Plastic Soul!” You were truly one of a kind Mr. David Robert Jones!

hat schon bangers

Do I not like Bowie’s voice? Is that it? Other than some hits, I have not dug deep into Bowie. Most of these songs started with a decent groove and some sax too…Bowie’s voice didn’t make them better. (Although Fame is an absolute banggggger). 3.6

Beatles remake and Fame - love it David Sanborn on sax

Very cool. First introduced to this album with Somebody Out There on GTA San Andreas and when I was a little bit older, I ventured to hear the rest and it's pretty strong. The saxophone feels stylish over superfluous and it has a great feel.

god

Great music, but wasn't as memorable as the first album of his I listened to.

Not my favourite Bowie album, but still great

(V) I mean, it’s Bowie. Great record

Love it

Is it a very white man singing soul? yes, but it's Bowie. Bowie wins.

I never listened to much Bowie. This is the second or third album I've listened to of his thanks to this website. I'm always so impressed and intrigued by his work. What an artist. You can see his impact on contemporary artists who are so thoughtful with each album release and how they plan the aesthetic of each project.

Great tunes and lyrics thx !

Bookends were shoe ins, I wanted to like the middle ones more- esp the someone up there likes me, but as someone down here- I didn’t like it darn

Hard to believe this was not an 80’s album.

Great gospel backing vocals

Bowie's jump towards soul is sometimes met with derision or muted disinterest, but I find it fascinating and refreshing. Maybe it's my hometown love of Philly soul, but the title track that kicks this thing off is so vibrant, smoky and smooth that I can't help but love it to death.

Love Bowie, own this album, it's not my favorite of his. Young Americans and Fame are both phenomenal. Yeah

Such a great listen beginning to end with a number of classics.

Hell yeah! Had fun with this one

el saxo me enloqueció en cada canción pero bajon las letras no me terminaron de enganchar~

muy bueno

Znowu Bowie. Z tych płyt, które już tu spotkałam ta jest gdzieś w środku. Dość zachowawcza, krótsza chyba, miejscami wręcz popowa. Nie ma specjalnego miejsca w moim sercu, nie zabrała mnie w inne stany świadomości, ale zasługuje na naciągane 7/10

Wunbdervolle Mujsik, habe nicht mal bemerkt das es BNowie ist

I like 'Right'. Never heard this album fully through - even though I've been a fan of Fame and John I'm Only Dancing. Funky Bowie!

Im a fan of all things Bowie, obviously considering this project, so this being the first album given on this project is fantastic. Never heard the album in full before, feel like I missed out

Love David as always

Creatieve genie

Solid David Bowie album. 4/5

Bowie is always a banger. This isn't my favorite album ever but it's definitely fantastic.

I LOVE DAVID BOWIE

Very enjoyable funky vibes

Probably guilty of initially overlooking this album with it not being one of his classics, but this is another side to Bowie and an enjoyable take on funky soul.

3,5

While this is not really a top tier Bowie album and not very representative of his sound, it's still a pretty great one. It predates my favorite Bowie album (Station to Station) by a year and it's in a way a prelude to that record. With it's massive soul and funk vibes it feels like a gateway to that record, not as polished and strong on the songwriting but still really good. Fascination and Fame are total bangers that are really on par with Station to Station. The opener title track is also a classic and I love the ballad Win, always been underrated to me. The album is not flawless, I think he overdoes it a bit vocally on Across the Universe and a few others are a little bland, but it remains a respectable and underrated Bowie record.

Much better album than I expected a 3 matter 4 his disco album but he carries it off.

Really good David Bowie album. My favourite song is Fame

Not his best but enjoyable, pretty good soul record

++*: Fame ++: Young Americans, Fascination, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Across the Universe +: Win, Right, Can You Hear Me? 8,2/10

A song or two I had heard parts of before but did not realize was Bowie. Liked it more than I expected to having very little knowledge of his work, much more Rock than the Pop I expected. A lot of sounds I recognize from Killers songs and I have to imagine this is an influence on them.

#2/1089 ------ Favorites: Young Americans, Fame Least favorites: Across The Universe, Right Rating (out of 10): 8/10

This is one of the few Bowie albums I’d never sat down and listened to in its entirety and I’m so glad I did. A favourite would be the cover of Across the Universe especially as it led me to discover John Lennon did the backing vocals for Fame! Definitely a fun listen.

A great album if only didn’t had the worst cover of across the universe I ever heard, like man how could yo go wrong with that song? He really try so hard to the point that sounded like the song was about to explote in a bad way, other than that I love the rest of the songs and the concept of being a plastic soul album

I don't hate it

It's whimsical and creative in every way, because David is an artist in the first place. Always love his manneurism and text delivery, he would convince me in anything if he wanted to. The gospel elements are the perfect component of the songs. Overall funky impression, especially in "Fascination". This version of "Across the Universe" has so much determination and positivity compared to the Beatles original and I think it's a very Bowie thing to do. "Fame" is a timeless hit!

Good album. Love Bowie

Fantastic album, has some great jazzy elements

Young Americans is a great combination of Soul and Rock classic David Bowie Win is much slower but still such a soulful piece the backup singers are just amazing Fascination is another great jam not as strong as the first two but it still has that groove so far so good Right is a perfect blend of the slower pace Bowie established earlier and transforming it further that saxophone is just amazing Somebody up there likes me is not as strong as the songs before it for me but it still keep the motif Bowie is going for very strongly the last 1:30 is my favorite A great cover of a already great song. If I never heard the beatles version I'd assume this was an original Bowie song just by how much he imports his own essence into it. Can you hear me is exactly why I love David Bowie he just know how every note is supposed to hit its not my favorite song but it's classic David Bowie magic Fame is the only song I've heard before listening to this album and I can say for sure I see it much more positively now as a closer to the album. Its such a good jam and I could imagine so much when listening to it. 1. Right 2. Young Americans 3. Win 4. Across the Universe 5.Fame 6. Fascination 7. Can you hear me 8. Somebody Up there likes me

The B in R&B stands for Bowie ----------------------------------------- Wasn't too sure about this one at first but it's really grown on me. I'm not too well acquainted with David Bowie's work generally, but this was shockingly unlike the music of his that I did know. The schmoozing blues-y/souls-y sound is kind of infectious. The interpolation of A Day In The Life on the title track was stuck in my head all day, and those first three tracks in general are really great Fav Track 1 - Young Americans Best Three Track Run 1, 2, 3

If this album consisted of just the title track alone repeated 8 times it would still stand as an almighty pop music masterpiece. 'Young Americans' (the song) is as close to a perfect song as I have heard, each tiny element tuned to absolute perfection, the track unfurls over 5 something minutes of scintilating, luxuriating, envigorating bliss. The rest of the album does a gallant if not entirely as captivating job of following such a peerless opening act. Rich, textural production, smooth rhythms and harmonies, ineffeble sex appeal and sophistication. A sleek, stylish and satisfying cocktail shaken and served by the master Himself.

Classic Bowie. All the sounds. One of his many great records.

More 3.5 but I actually enjoyed

Not a Bowie record I had even heard of before, but thoroughly enjoyed! A very cohesive album and sounds so sure of itself despite being a diversion from the usual Bowie sound. Good fun

Another great album from David Bowie

¡Me encantó! Es un disco buenísimo (ya tenía algunos temas conocidos) la experiencia de escucharlos todos juntos te pone en contexto de como trabajo el ritmo y te invita a bailar con casi todas las canciones. ¡Muy Bueno para subir la energía!

Not his best, but very good album. Best Song: Fame.

Álbum soul e rnb do Bowie. Não curto tanto soul mas é Bowie.

Not my fav David Bowie but a great one nonetheless. Kept listening out for Luther

Bowie goes funky soul. A couple clunkers on this one, but the good ones sound SO GOOD and more than make up for it. I was head-bobbin hard. YA and Fame are all-timers.

Not as well written as diamond dogs….not as fascist as station to station. Still pretty damn good. Fascination is a truly great track

This one was always a "lesser" Bowie album for me growing up but I appreciate it more now. Yes, he does "appropriate" the Philly soul sound ...but he does it so damn well and with the right backing singers and players. There are some great songs on here like the title track, "Fascination," "Right," and "Fame." Also like the cover of "Across the Universe." It may have been "plastic soul," as he put it, but, for a shape-shifting rocker who loved to change genres, he nailed this transition.

Was there anything this guy couldn't do? From reading a bit about it, Bowie was uncharacteristically self conscious about this one, calling it plastic soul, but at least this pasty brit went to the source. The backing band sounds terrific, and Luther Vandross and the other vocalists bolster a lot of tracks here. For me, the deeper cuts aren't as memorable as deeper cuts on his other classics, but I do love Fascination, giving it his best James Brown. And this record is bookended by two fantastic singles, especially the title track - one of my favorite Bowie songs, so much fun

I’ve never been the biggest Bowie fan and the last album which came up here left me feeling as though I didn’t know what all the fuss was. Turns out you just needed the right album. I wasn’t at all familiar with this one (aside from “Fame”), but when the title track began, and it oozed that mid-70s soul vibe, I was hooked. It only got better as the tracks continued and I’d realised I could hear the might of the fabulous Luther Vandross on backing vocals - it’s not a surprise that my favourite track, “Fascination”, also has a Vandross writing credit, I suppose. Surprisingly (or not, as I’ve come to find with my Bowie relationship), “Fame” was a bit of a let down compared to the rest of the album - and I thought that prior to learning that it was a John Lennon co-write. I wasn’t really fussed on the penultimate track either. But the first 6 tracks getting a rare repeated play from me is what earns this album its 4*. My dad always said I’d get the Bowie thing - turns out he was right.

3.5/5

pretty good his vocals are pretty good especially with the effect

I love Bowie still, wonder how many times he will pop up

Love some Bowie

Soort Funkadelic Bowie, heel nice gitaren

Hadn't ever listened to this album all the way through!! Brilliant stuff- Fascination is a new find, and the album is very aptly named, I can feel the different observations of American culture in every song

This is one of Bowie's better album. The title track is a classic and one of my favorites.

Here’s an artist with a deep discography that I’ve barely touched but I have heard this one many times and it’s a good one! Surprisingly very funky but in a psychedelic way. His vocals are sometimes a bit unhinged which gives it a sort of avant-garde edge but you can tell he’s really trying to channel some sort of soul here. There’s a lot of great moments here. It was great to listen to this again and I know that there will be some more spins in the future.

Very good, but not his best

It's really worth noting that I got an album that Bowie himself describes as "Plastic Soul" on MLK Day after getting a much more fitting for the album for the holiday literally yesterday. That being said, Bowie is surprisingly good at making Soul music, but being a sax player makes you innately soulful, so he only gets half-points. He still gets the full share of saxophone bonus points, though. I read another review on this album that brought up a good point, that this album, quote, "[shined] a light on music that hadn't reached white suburbanites before - at least not in a way that could have been considered acceptable at the time." With that kind of frame of mind, it's a pretty good album, especially for what it does, although I'm glad he moved on to the Berlin Trilogy immediately after this album. I see this as more of a love letter to Soul than something he could've made a career continuing.

Alright - listened to this for the first time. Beginning to end. First time through thought it sounded super jazzy. The second time funky. Better the second time

Legend

This album is smooth. From the guitar, vocals, and the saxophone, this album gives you a little bit of everything. I enjoyed a lot of the background vocals that brought an inviting presence to Bowie’s sharp tone. It does have a touch of a gospel in the way that it can be repetitive with the background singers and it has a big band feel. You still feel the funk of the 70’s but elevated into something bigger. The big hit songs Young Americans and Fame make this shorter album a good listen and make you want some more. Short but sweet listen.

Great album. I haven’t listened to much Bowie but I think I will be now

A very decent album with a consistent sound

something gay!! yes!! really good sounds and messaging. strong

3.8

Liked this more than i thought i would. Some good songs that i wasn't really familiar with

It's a solid, albeit it not my favorite, entry in Bowie's catalogue. I understand it's historical and contextual importance, but I think it's more interesting the way that he embraces 70s funk/R&B pastiche in a high camp way while celebrating it, similar to Todd Haynes movies.

Ei parast Mut Bowie...

8/10

David Chad

Start of soul phase. 2 huge songs, a couple weak ones. Across the Universe is a bad cover.

EXCELLENT album. Just superb. Bowie at his most-Bowie. The mix of soul and funk really set this album apart. I love his use of a gospel choir, really paying homage to African-American influence in western music. There's a great use of jazz style guitar, bass, and horns, too. Really makes for great listening. While I love the title hit "Young Americans," my favorite track by far is "Somebody up There Likes Me." Essential listening for any Bowie fan.

Good album, not too familiar with his records tbh so had to do a bit of research here. "Fame" on this album was apparently his 1st US number on, it is a great song. Rest of the album is good too, quite easy listening

Some Funky Bowie. Young Americans is great and there’s some other cool stuff in there too.

#5/1001 🇬🇧👨‍🎤 Bowie's Soul album. A re-invention coming off the back of his Glam rock phase. The beauty of this album is mostly in the band and singers assembled. I love that a young Luther Vandross is one of the backing singers. The breathless title track and Fame are brilliant. Track 2 - Win is a standout for me too, but i'm not so keen on the cover of Across the Universe. It's not my favourite Bowie album by a long stretch but there is a lot to love about it.

Very nice soundscape

I thought this album was outstanding. My first Bowie album. Bowie's vocals are very unique and my kind of campy. I enjoyed the soul/R&B vibe. I know this album is a style outlier, though I haven't heard his other works yet. I'm still trying to take it at face value. I really enjoyed the moments in this album that leaned more towards rock, and I thought his voice with the backing vocals was really brilliant and just sounded really good. The songs are long, but the album is paced very well. I think the first half is a weaker than the second half. Win, Fascination, and Right are somewhat forgettable, but still enjoyable. The final four songs are a powerful journey. There is so much love and light in these songs and they almost tell a story together. Lyricism is outstanding. As a person who has discovered joy, I always get really excited when I find someone who has also figured it out. Really, really beautiful messages throughout this album. 5+ stars for that. Overall, 4.4/5, rounded down for the first half.

3.9

Young Americans, Across the Universe and Fame. 4/5

yurp

4.5 classic with some less known gems

4.5

this is very jazzy and dare i say funky for a 70’s david bowie album.. which is why i liked it. it had almost no skips, maybe a few but the rest is immaculate. the first four songs are a blast to hear and every one of them highers the expectation for the next. peak songwriting, great flutes, great job bowie!

This was my first Bowie album. I recognized a few of the songs.

Album #20: Young Americans - David Bowie Genre (according to Wikipedia): Blue-eyed soul, R&B, funk Singles: Title track, Fame I have not listened to this album before, but I know the song “Fame”. Thoughts?: I love the fact that David Bowie was willing to be so risky with his discography. Even if it may have been hit-or-miss, his willingness should be commended. I think Young Americans is unfairly judged with other Bowie albums, because I truly love the R&B influences! Favorite songs: Side One, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Across the Universe, Fame Writer’s landscape: A groovy cityscape. Honking cars, flashing lights, and an overall cacophonous yet Vegas-like party atmosphere! File correlations: File #005: Red X

What a joyous listen! Bowie looking and sounding fit, great songwriting, a little help from Lennon, and smooth as a lake on a wind-free day.

More soul than expected! Can’t go wrong with any amount of saxophone

can clearly feel the soul and r&b influence, two genres that i love, and bowie did it so well that it's hard not to like it.. LOVE

Any album that can have hits from Young Americans and Fame sure covers lots of ground

1st time listening to this album, Fame is the only song I knew for sure going in. It’s funky, has that soul that Bowie was able to throw down. I’m not Ieducated much in his discography, it was fun but I don’t think I’d visit a whole album listen again? 3.5/5

A solid post-Ziggy Stardust record.

Enjoyable and early Bowie is always worth a listen.

Over his career Bowie created some truly amazing music, especially in the 70s. I have copies of Space Oddity, Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Pinups, Diamond Dogs, Low & Scary Monsters, all of which I would score 5 out of 5., Young Americans though, with Bowie trying to be a soul artist, doesn't work for me. If it wasn't for Fame, I might well have gone with a 3!

My favourite Bowie album. Love the soul elements on the album. Favourite Track - Young Americans 9/10

Solid album. Really enjoyed it

Love Fame and the title track!

Obviously have heard of Bowie but haven’t listened to any albums. Young American is a classic. Not the best of all time tho. Great trumpet. Win is fine. Not my style. Fascination is pretty catchy, but definitely dated. Cool guitar for sure. Production as a whole is really good, again it’s just a little dated. Right is also a bit dated but the music is so good. I love the layers of instruments used on all of the songs so far. Somebody up there is good not great. Very well written, cool sax. This is just not the Bowie I’m used too, incredible range which hands to add points. Ending is really good. Not really a fan of across the universe, it’s fine but don’t need to hear it again. It did not ch age my world. Can you hear me is so good. Not my style at all but it just makes me feel something. Guitar and bass are so good. Ending with fame (a classic) is such a good way to close this album. I immediately want to listen again, it just kept getting better as it goes. Do yourself a favor and listen. 3.6 stars on the first listen.

Enjoyed this more than some other Bowie albums. Production is tight, songs are great and interestingly quite long. Fame is such a great song.

Even if not groundbreaking, could be most artists' best album. But as this is David Bowie, then it's four stars only.

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Fascination, Across The Universe, Fame There are some catchy pop tunes on this album, and Across the Universe is an interesting cover. Fame in particular has a really good funky beat going on, right out of the gate.

hey, I’m one of those!!!

(78/100)

Bowie jak to Bowie. Genialny jak zawsze. Znałam wcześniej tylko jedną piosenkę ale pokochałam tytułową. Naprawdę dobry album chociaż Bowiego nie można za długo na raz słuchać

I do like it! the instrumental is interesting, should listen again

Too much sax, oh my god

85/100

4.5/5 - Soulish bowie. It’s an great album and the cover of across the universe is very good

A little hit or miss but Win, Fascination and Fame among my favorite Bowie songs. Fascination probably #1

Shorter than I thought, full of classics tho

Recognise young american song (1), good song, slightly repetitive, can tell its early bowie. verse 2 good lyrics. not the biggest win fan but the psychadelicy bits are fun (bridge) fascination is groovy across the universe bangsssss like a 7/10

Bring the funk

David Bowie is one of those artists who defies description. That's why I think it makes the most sense to consider his albums in this list separately from the others. In that sense, “Young Americans” is a good, but not outstanding, R&B album. The fact is, however, that this is not the music for which David Bowie was primarily known. Of course, “Young Americans” is therefore also an experimental excursion by a singer who simply likes to try things out. According to Wikipedia, this album represents something of a commercial breakthrough for him in the US. That surprised me, but it highlights its historical significance. As I mentioned at the beginning, I don't yet have a complete overview of Bowie's work. But I hope to gain one in the course of this challenge and that this isn't the peak yet.

Well, even on albums like this which are not my favorite ("Across the Universe" - Yuck!), it's still David Freaking Bowie and makes others sound like amateur hour. This is most definitely not a soul album- may be "soul-ish" at best. "Fame" is the obvious stand out track for me, with "Young Americans" next. Other songs are ok - nothing to write home about, but also nothing to make me want to switch to the next song...well, apart from "Across the Universe." *shiver*

Bowie is great. ★★★★

Bookended by Young Americans and Fame is sort of crazy?? I liked Win, but some things felt like filler (like I don’t need a cover of Across the Universe). I think I like his theatrical work better

As I would expect with Bowie: some greats, some strange, and some OK, but well done.

Good stuff.

Not my favourite Bowie but shit this is funky. Fav tracks: Young Americans, Fame Saved a song: Y RYM: N

Featuring Fame and Young Americans, I expected more tracks of this standard. Perhaps if I listened again they would grow on me but they felt like fillers. The production sound didn't do much for me either. Over produced on most tracks I thought but the the title track and Fame are simply perfection.

Very Soul. Very Funk. Very Bowie. And with John Lennon appearing on multiple tracks for backing vocals and backing guitar, what more could you ask for?

great Across the Universe cover, young Americans and Fame hold up

I quite liked it. It was very mellow and yet upbeat in some of its melodies. It was also so refreshingly new to my palette.

Faves: Young Americans

7/10 This marks the point when Bowie cast off his glam shackles for good and stepped into the world of ‘plastic soul’, as he would dub it. For an album that completed that full transition, this is stylistically a very consistent record. It slides its way competently and smoothly between more laid back sleazy soul and more funky up-beat grooves, never losing touch with the fun, pop music edge that would typically keep Bowie connected to the mainstream for most phases of his career. The songwriting is solid, if a little plain in places. There are moments when hooks come and go with regularity, and others where, despite a solid groove and vibe to the track, he never stumbles upon anything particularly memorable. That being said, there was rarely a point (except for the cover track) where he lost me. It was almost like it was wavering between being really good background music and something that was able to grab and engage my ear in a more substantial way. I never felt bored or uninterested, just didn’t always keep focus on it and found myself bopping along, my attention drifting elsewhere. From a production point of view, it is really well put together. There's quite a lot going on, particularly with the sharp staccato rhythms that built into those all encompassing grooves, but nothing ever felt crowded out or lost in the mix. The musicianship was excellent throughout. With this kind of music, staying in that pocket is crucial, and they tackled it with a tight swagger that kept the groove of the album pulsing along nicely. The backing vocals are great and work as a smoother contrast to Bowie’s more edgy delivery, and the man himself just has this vocal charisma that, despite him not being the world’s greatest singer, is endlessly engaging. This is a funny album where I think no real part of it (Beatles cover excepted) was anything less than solid, but it only really rose above that a few times. And despite that, I'm quite looking forward to having it on again in the future and it may end up growing on me. Young Americans - A smooth and groovy start. It’s got a nice, easy style about it and it's got some great hooks. There’s some really nice rhythmic blends across the different instruments. It’s got a pretty cheesy edge to it, but that’s part of the charm, I think. Bowie’s got that cool swagger about him that just makes it easy to buy into a song like this. Win - A laid back vibe. It paints a warm picture, but it’s perhaps a little unfocused in places. The first part of the chorus doesn’t quite connect for me, but the second half, from “all you’ve got to do is win”, is super smooth and works really well. The backing vocals are quality in particular here. It’s sleazy, no doubt, but with an edge of cool. Fascination - Ooh, funky. Co-written with Luther Vandross. It’s got a great groove and some really nice staccato rhythms across the different parts. The call and response between Bowie and the backing vocals is super cool. It’s a fun little song and it’s really well produced. There’s a lot going on in there, but it doesn’t feel crowded and it all comes together to create a really bouncy vibe. Like it. Right - Another solid, if unspectacular track. He’s got some really good grooves going on and the vibe and style is great, but I don’t feel it necessarily elevates above being a good slice of r&b to being something really standout. It’s good, and I again enjoy the interplay between the different vocalists, the groove also keeps me moving along with it, but I’m not sure it’s a massively memorable song. Somebody Up There Likes Me - This one kind of drifts a little further into the world of incredibly competent, well produced music that doesn’t do much to elevate itself above being really good background music. I like it, and I’m enjoying listening to it, but I can’t find myself being fully absorbed by it. That being said, there’s some great vocal work again, and Bowie’s throwing some nice bits of grit and swagger into his delivery, and some of the sax work is solid. Across The Universe - An unnecessary Beatles cover? Why not? Bowie got chummy with Lennon at this time and they did this one and Fame together. It’s just not a particularly good cover and doesn’t hold a candle to the original. It seems all together a bit too fierce and overdone to my ear. Lennon said this was better than the Beatles version. He was wrong. Can You Hear Me - This builds quite nicely and I like the string arrangements. There’s a nice flow to the composition and it’s another really easy listen. There’s a nice dynamic range across the track and Bowie really hams it up in a great way. There’s a nice bit of grit and drive to it towards the end, and the band do a great job with it all. Fame - Bookended by the hits. It’s undeniably funky, but in an oddly thin way, but I think that does emphasise the groove really well. There’s not a lot of low end drive to it, and everything is very staccato, but the hooks are really good. There’s some really great guitar work across this and the second half starts to have a bit of fun with the established groove, which is fun. It’s a bit weird to chuck this right at the tail end, but it certainly ends the album on a high.

I usually dislike "blue-eyed soul", often finding it artificial and derivative, and I was kind of ready to bash this album from the get-go... However, Bowie proved me wrong, showing me once again that preconceptions should never get in the way of good music. Sure, it did at first sound a bit like a bored artist toying with a musical genre he doesn’t even like that much. But it quickly became obvious that Bowie approached the source material with genuine respect, and he clearly had fun doing it. He also didn’t pretend to advance or better the genre – as he said himself, it’s just “plastic soul”, which means he was very aware of the artificial nature of his endeavor. I wasn’t sure Bowie could pull it, since his voice kind of lacks the power or raw emotion that defines soul music. But he made a real effort in this regard, using his own strengths (like his Curtis Mayfield-like falsetto) to give a convincing performance. What really got me on board, however, were the brilliant instrumentation and backing vocals. Despite a few weaker tracks, I find the end result really convincing, especially with brilliant songs like Right or Fascination. Overall, it’s really good soul music with an interesting art rock twist ; it manages to pay tribute to the genre while at the same time creating something truly Bowiesque. A nice discovery for me ! 7/10

Funk. Soul. Grooves. Horns! Sax! Highly danceable. Despite being a decent Bowie fan and knowing a few songs from this album, I’m not sure I’d ever listened to the whole thing. What a mistake! This is incredible. Also I do miss true covers being parts of major artists albums. Adele did a few! Sturgill Simpson too. But it’s rare. I was almost surprised when this was THE “across the universe.”

Not his best but still has amazing songs on it

jävligt bra! så najs att han bara kan trolla ur sig ett otroligt fett soulalbum mitt i allt. somebody up ther likes me är en otroligt bra låt som bara pågår.

Can the imitation be more real than the thing itself? Bowie’s “plastic soul” has the touch and taste of flesh and blood. 4.25/5

More Bowie is always welcome Fave track: Young American

Some recognizable songs on here for sure. Bowie is one of those artists I want to like so much more than I do. He’s the coolest, but after listening to this album I was struggling with anything to say about it. I’m chalking that up as it’s a fine album, but nothing really pulled me one way or the other. Will need to revisit this one again. * I revisted the album, it's better than I remembered. Changing my rating from 3 to 4.

It's Bowie it was always gonna be good

Yes yes yes

Un très bon album. Mais si celui-ci fait la liste, je calcule qu'il y a au moins 8 autres albums de Bowie qui devraient figurer dans la liste.

Cool album. I dig

Very nice, but Bowie is always nice

There are some great Bowie songs on this album that get a huge amount of radio exposure, but I don’t think this album is representative of Bowie at his best or most creative as an original artist. 3.5⭐️

Enjoyed, of course

All very good except the title track which is near perfection and the god awful “Across the Universe” cover

I don't think David Bowie had the right kind of voice for soul music... Or else I just don't like his voice very much. In any case, I think this is a good album, but I didn't enjoy the vocals enough to give it five stars, or to want it in my collection.

Not that familiar with David Bowie beyond his most popular; I didn’t know he could chill like that. Vibes, relaxing.

Famw

Classic Bowie

7/10 Favorite: Across the Universe

Even with my Bowie bias this can only get a 4. Young Americans is great and win is excellent. Other songs on the album are good but more sorta middling with a few highlights

Really good Bowie Album. It's short and to the point. Very enjoyable!

Great, funky, fun to listen to.

Har lyssnat på den redan :3

Soulful

Elsker alle Beatles referencerne!!!

dosta dobar. premda su mi središnje pjesme malo predugo vukle i iako mi se neki momenti kao npr. prateći vokali i nisu toliko svidjeli, prva i zadnja stvar su jednostavno predobre

Not my favourite but it's Bowie so....

ohh han de bowie glaub chli lieber, s glam rock züg hetmer nöd immer gfalle young americans coole ahfang zum album de hindergrundgsang isch sehr effektiv (falls das sinn macht) ihgsetzt win isch ultra schön mite blöser fascination hetmi jz gad chli an manfred mann erinneret hahah, isch das s clavinet? hmm die letschte paar lieder findi zwar immerno schön warm aber gönd chli ah mier verbii FAQAAAAAME

I really loved this album. It's a cool mix of funky pop and dreamy R&B. The Beatles cover was also a fun surprise!

I struggle with Bowie. This is pretty easily accessible though. It's not gonna be a frequent replay from me, but I genuinely enjoyed it.

david bowie can GROOVE and its pretty awesome, i liked this one alot. also unexpected across the universe cover which he does really well. 8/10

Bowie's venture into soul and calling it "plastic soul" shows that he was very well aware of how hard it was to navigate this genre with all its forms. I think he did a good job by giving it the right edge. "Win" is my favourite track. I do enjoy other albums by him more, but you can't go wrong here. It's easily one of his most danceable albums.

David in his coked out soul brother era. You can hear a young Luther Vandross on some of these tracks. Another solid album from one of the greats.

BANGER INTRO

Lush and swishy dreamboat. Loses it a bit towards the end with the flimsy Beatles cover, but I really enjoyed it.

Pretty good, I enjoyed the funk sort of style of this album.

Smiled all the way during my short errand run

7.94 - fine album. Nothing spectacular, but I liked his voice. Best: Young Americans (8.4). Worst: Somebody Up There Likes Me, Across the Universe (7.8)

Smooth and soulful, not my favorite Bowie album, but another good entry to his amazing discography.

Very interesting album. I didn't expect it to be this way. Very jazzy, sometimes disco, different genres, and very entertaining. I wouldn't mind listening to it again. 3,75/5.

Rann ljúflega í gegn, að fíla fönksándið

It was really easy to enjoy this album. It’s a near 5, but I still wanted more from it because it really flew by. The first and last songs are so good, but the rest don’t match as much. Though, the album as a whole is solid. I like the more soulful energy, and it makes for some nice soundscapes.

Butt his best but still good

A low 4 for me, which makes it mid table Bowie

fabulous

Highlight Song/s: Young Americans and Somebody up There Likes Me This is a album that I always meant to listen to at least once and I hadn't done that until this point in time. Bowie completely shifting from guitar-based rock music to soul and funk music just cause he can and proving in the process he isn't a one-trick pony! This album has quite luscious arrangements. I particularly like the backing vocals as my favourite 'THING,' this album gives you. A fair chunk of all the songs are anthemic starting with the explosive intro of the song Young Americans. And it seems once the chorus hits in any of the songs, it tends to be extremely long. Which I'm ambivalent about. I think the cover of the Beatles song Across The Universe is pretty cool, both of the versions are good in their own way; also Lennon plays guitar on that track, which is cool! This album is pretty good, definitely not as good as Station to Station (the next and similar-styled album.) I believe the opener and closer songs on the album are quite strong, it helps pull the album together and make it feel cohesive.

Not usually a Bowie fan. This album was surprising and hella groovy. Best: Fascination.

Cover ? Interesting

David Bowie was so entranced by American soul and R&B music that he was inspired to write and record Young American. Bowie's "plastic soul" is a delight. Young American is a fun and freewheeling ride. I could've done without the "Across the Universe" cover, but this album still ranks among Bowie's best work.

It's Bowie.

Bowie's take on soul and R&B, it may not be his best work but its interesting and important in the sense that it kickstarted the best run of albums Bowie would ever release in the next 5 years, powered by experimentation, cocaine and further rehabilitation. "Fame" is an absolute banger

Good album but not my favourite

Pretty fucking good although a little repetitive in some parts. It was not a very long album? 4/5 because it's Bowie.

Not Bowie's best but still fantastic. Love that it was inspired by soul music and it really shows. Pretty great from front to back.

Some of the production on this is a little dated-sounding. "Fame" is a five-star song, and the rest is good, but later Bowie albums are better.

In this album Bowie makes a u-turn from Glam Rock and experiments if you like into Blue-Eyed Soul that it is called nowadays.He tries to blend ''black'' music with white and because it is said that he was the first,this album is considered as a very influential one and is the reason why it's on the list.It is though a very hard task almost impossible back in the days so i can say it was a fair try and a very courageous and brave thing to do as an artist.As this was my first ever listen to this album excerpt the Fame song i will break down the songs one by one: Young Americans reminded me a bit of Grace Jones's La Vie En Rose,the vocals though really downgrades the song here,the line''i heard the news today oh boy'' is a node to Lennon i hope, Win has a seductive lush sax intro,sexy vocals,quite sensual song,the distant sax sounds here really made the difference to me,great song,really impressed me, I think i got some Jimi Hedrix vibes as well, Fascination funky wah wah guitars are amazing,groovy bass as well,i absolutely love the soul vibes and the warmth i get from this one, Right gave me strong Stevie Wonder vibes from the beginning,Bowie is trying very hard to sound ''black'' at times,maybe a bit,too much, Somebody Up There Likes Me starts off beautifully (although the sax starts to hit on my nerves when it hits higher notes-thank god it is mixed low here),quite good song,quite soulful, Across The Universe is a Beatles cover and I think John Lennon plays the guitar here,it's a historical moment,a Bowie's admiration i know, but still the vocals just doesn't feels right to me,Lennon though praised Bowie's version by saying that he liked better this than the original, Can You Hear Me is a beautiful soul song with soft bongos and some orchestral carpeting,low sax playing for sexiness,and dreamy guitar, Fame is the star here,the lyrics and the irony,the most Bowiest song of all in this album and maybe the only one that actually makes Bowie successful at what he wanted to prove,groovy and funky as hell,i remember Eurythmic's take on this one which was actually quite good! Overall it's a good album but i think Bowie didn't quite accomplished what he was trying to show us here,i mean i've read that even he wasn't quite pleased with this album.

Ekki uppáhalds Bávíinn minn en þetta er nú samt hann. Titillagið er all time classic. Margt ekki jafn gott þarna. Dabbi var alltaf að athuga nýja hluti og finna sig. Þarna fann hann smá hliðarspor.

Bowie er alltaf góður. Fín plata og alltaf til í að prófa eitthvað nýtt. Og af hverju þá ekki að prófa smá plastsoul.

Probably the best Bowie album I've gotten since Ziggy Stardust (also got Heroes and Low). Easily the catchiest of them with the exception of Ziggy. Pretty good crack at R&B, soul, and funk and just more proof that Bowie is a chameleon who can adapt to anything. Of course, Young Americans and Fame are great, but songs like Fascination and Right are great as well.

Total departure for Bowie in 1974, embraces the Philly-soul sound w complete devotion, helping define it in the process. Sound is fun, unserious, party-ready. Bookended by two of Bowie’s best-ever tracks and pretty strong throughout. These high points offset only by unnecessary length of some of the album tracks.

This is great. Of this album, I had only really heard Fame, which honestly was one of my least favorite on the album. I love the Beatles remixes on here and will definitely come back to it. The compositions are cool and it definitely feels like a late 60s early 70s vibe

Quite interesting to get this one on the back of Aladdin Sane (how random is this really?!) but almost a 180 in tone for a guy who was known for constant reinvention. Completely left the glam rock behind and went almost yacht rock in parts, in a good way? Another album where I knew a few songs (the bookend tracks, which are the "hits" and probably still the best songs) but hadn't listened to the rest. Some great grooves throughout (Fame being my favorite), funky instrumentation, but the backing vocals are what really stand out. I read that this was a then-unknown Luther Vandross which is a fun bit of trivia. Nice take on Across the Universe. Overall quite good, don't think this is a genius-level work but solid.

è un album veramente strano per essere di Bowie. è un mix di rock, soul, funk e chissà cos'altro, e nonostante alcune canzoni la tirino per le lunghe, a me è piaciuto tanto. good job Dave

Cool soul genre exercise

Solid album. Some standouts but others I wouldn't reach out for

David Bowie’s Young Americans. The Thin White Duke went full soul. Lennon dropped in, Luther Vandross sang backup, and Bowie called it “plastic soul.” Fake? Na. Brilliant? Absolutely.

Fame pushed this one to a 4, quintessential Bowie

Listened to Bowie quite a bit over the years but never really return to this album much. It's interesting enough in its/his change to blue eyed soul, but the songs don't really land often enough for me, from the great the title track and fame to well bad, whatever it is he does to across the universe, and I like soul, but this is just interesting but middling for me regarding Bowie. And it wasn't the 1st blue eyed soul so it doesn't carry that distinction. It was an important change in Bowies career and middling Bowie is better than lots, but thats not necessarily justification for this list. 3.5 Stars

Good album, very telaxed and chill for Bowie. It has moments of brilliance and some let downs (Accross the Universe obvi) but overall I enjoyed hearing bowie in this vein. I did not know this one beforehand, (aside from Fame) though I love Bowie, which made that listen very enjoyable for me. Though the simplicity kinda shocked me at first, it is only after a couple of listen that I got the vision. It is a good hommage to a different sound, one he seems to claim as a parent to his own sound. Is it as iconic as the rest? No, and it doesn't have a smash like sime of his other record. But mellow Bowie is still great, still a legend and the Lenon influence is interesting.

Not the best Bowie album I’ve had so far but still bloody good. Very different from anything I’ve heard of his before, on that point the title track used to play at my old job all the time and it was years until I realised it was Bowie. Not a bad song on here and I even enjoyed The Beatles cover which I am sometimes picky about, hard to improve on perfection lol. Top Track - Fame

Love Dave

i did not expect to like this as much as i did. bowie was one of those unique artists that could sing pretty much any genre. with this album, he experimented in “blue eyes soul”, and he crushed it, as the kids say. highlights: “young americans” “fascination” “fame”

It's good but I'm sure it's not his best.

Pretty great

I'm just glad that whichever record exec gave Bowie a chance had the guts to do it. This album is all over the place with style and genre and Bowie eats it up. He'll do what he wants, when he wants and some great sound came from it.

A complete dance party. I loved every second of it.

Great album!! Love Bowie and most of his work. Haven't listened to this particular album that much, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, as usual. 4/5 for my pook🎉

Fame deserves 5+ stars on its own but the singles pull a lot of weight on this album so 4 overall

Loved it!

its David Bowie. We are saved. Not his peak but is still a good album. I like the title track and the cover of Across The Universe. 3.5/5

Heard it before. A sax heavy funky album which I love. And somehow The Beatles are involved too 4/5

Really liked this Bowie album, short but well composed. Had a solid 70s feel to it with the horn section.

Честно говоря, Heroes мне показался поинтереснее. Не, вы не подумайте. Это хороший рок/соул альбом, с классным звучанием. Но как-то не хватило той экспериментальщины, которую я слышал на Heroes. Завершающий трек Fame - легендарный на все 100%. А больше особенно и нечего сказать.

Not a particular Bowie favorite and it feels like something about the production or something in the first few songs isn't striking, I dunno, but it is also an album full of David Bowie songs and they all feel like part of the exciting experience, on any of his many albums on this list he's still going to be special

Some excellent tracks here. But a little too much sax (yes, I said it!) on some keep me from rounding up.

Bowie really challenges me with the songs between the mega hit bookends of this album, begging the question of why he chose to do certain things on each song. It’s a rollercoaster, but it rounds upwards.

Digging the 70's vibe on this album. Enjoyable.

PLEASE I NEED A BAD ALBUM

So smooth and dramatic

super

3.5 stars. David Bowie's foray into soul/R&B. Instrumental in "Win" and "Across the Universe" is good but lyrics and vocals detract from it. Standout is the funky "Fame".

really nice

Bien. Un disco de Bowie.

Not my favourite by Bowie but good.

Young American Fame

Are the Bowie albums I'm getting acutally getting better, or is he just growing on me? So far I've had Heroes, Ziggy Stardust, and Aladdin Sane. I gave them all 3s, but I liked each one slightly more than the previous. Young Americans bounces around between ratings, just like the other ones. Starts out with the title track, which is a total banger. Then it kind of sinks for a few tracks. Somebody Up There Likes Me brings it back up with some killer saxophone. Accross The Universe was good, relaxing with some nice guitar. It was fairly repetitive, which normally turns me off, but I enjoyed this one. Can You Hear Me was chill and fun. Fame kicks off with a great beat, and keeps that energy going throughout. The weaker tracks would bring the average down to, once again, a 3. But I think I overall enjoyed this one enough to push it up to a 4. Best song: Young Americans

Hearing Bowie return to his gospel roots to tell the story of a dying American dream is a magical experience that makes the album a clear vessel to deliver the title track. That being said, the rest of the album still holds water with gospel/soul/pop blended together in a very grounded version of David Bowie.

Fame is an all timer, over all a really solid listen

Not my favorite Bowie, but still a lot of good stuff here.

Young Americans is Bowie at his boldest, diving headfirst into “plastic soul.” The production is stellar, the sax and background vocals elevate every track, and Bowie himself performs admirably in this new lane. Still, for all his charisma, he’s not a true soul singer, and the album can’t quite match the depth of the real legends he was emulating. A fascinating experiment and a strong listen, but not full marks.

excellent

Bowie's hat tip to soul. He described it not as a soul album but an ode to soul (or something), and if you judge it based on that, I think it holds up. That it was such an abrupt but quality pivot from Ziggy Stardust is impressive. Proves that Bowie was master of several genres. End of day, though, it's not his best work. But Bowie deserves more than one album here, and I'm happy with the inclusion of this one.

Great album didn’t own this one -so I only ever heard “Young Americans” and “Fame” but the whole album is great! I can hear David Sanborn all over this album! Great bass also 4 stars!!!

3.5/5

A couple of classic Bowie tracks - Young Americans and Fame - and a perfect representation of Bowie as a chameleon. It is a bit weird having a white British man sing soul music and this isn't as good as music from actual soul artists, but it's still very good overall.

One what I wouldn’t describe as a monumental album David Bowie managed to produce of the all time genre defining songs, Young Americans and Fame. Two songs people would kill to have in a career, he had on one record!

Rock

bowie at his funkiest - also sees him explore soul music, thus perfectly showcasing his incredible versatility. not one of my favourite bowie albums but definitely an important one in terms of shaping his creative direction. the two singles really stood out for me (the first and last track) and the beatles cover was pretty cool too.

Fun listen - 3.5/5

Ah back in the day where you had a chance to release a classic album every year. “What’s it going to be this time?” “Well, there are these great backup singers in town and uhmmm some fuckin’ saxophone?” “It’s a hit!”

Funky and fun!

Despite my brother having played me his vinyl years ago and trying it myself more recently through streaming, this album hadn't connected with me beyond the great title song and Fame. Today listening to it on a journey home from long weekend away in Scarborough for my 50th birthday I enjoyed it more, even if still have some reservations on the qualify of a few songs and his singing on them, they're a little loose and lacking in his normal precision and form. Still further to go with this one I think!

Is it any wonder?

4.1

I’m not a huge fan of David Bowie, but I liked this album. My only annoyance was the huge amount of saxophone throughout the album. Truly an awful instrument.

I always wondered why people thought this guy was so good. Now I know.

A few lassic tracks. Funky, soul vibe. Great vocals and lyrics, interesting features.

Du haut de mon ignorance totale de David Bowie, je peux comprendre sa popularité.

Plastic soul power. Strong