release date: Jun. 6, 1972
format: vinyl (1983 reissue - NL 83843) / cd (2002 remaster)
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,84]
producer: David Bowie, Ken Scott
label: RCA International - nationality: England, UK
Tracklist: A) 1. "Five Years" - 2. "Soul Love" - 3. "Moonage Daydream" - 4. "Starman" (5 / 5) - 5. "It Ain't Easy" - - B) 1. "Lady Stardust" - 2. "Star" (5 / 5) - 3. "Hang on to Yourself" - 4. "Ziggy Stardust" (5 / 5) - 5. "Suffragette City" (5 / 5) - 6. "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide"
5th studio album by David Bowie originally released on RCA Victor is co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott, and it's simply one of the most acclaimed rock albums ever.
Compared to Hunky Dory it's a tighter glam rock album than the predominantly art rock style of Hunky Dory, although, half of the album apparently was written before the '71 album. The style and sound, would probably not have been the same - having released the songs earlier. The album sort of combines everything good about art rock - The Velvet Underground / Lou Reed inspiration ("Suffragette City", "Star"), ballad blues rock Led Zeppelin ("Moonage Daydream"), glam rock tightness of T. Rex ("Soul Love", "Hang on to Yourself"), and Bowie's ability to write great pop songs using what's needed.
Yes, the album is one of rock's greatest and most lauded albums, and needless to say, it figures on various best of-lists encompassing the best of the best of modern music. Among these it's included on Time Magazine's "All-Time 100 Albums", it's number #35 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" and naturally, it's included in "1001 Album You Must Hear Before You Die".
Back then, it fared quite well - although, it didn't go as high as its predecessor - making it to number #5 on the national chart list. Elsewhere around the world, including The US, the album was Bowie's commercially best performing album. Although, only 12 years of age, I knew of the album around '77 because of my older brother who had bought the vinyl album. I just don't recall him playing it that much, but I have always loved it, and I have always considered it Bowie's best - also in retrospect.
In 2002, EMI released the "30th Anniversary 2CD Edition" consisting of a new remaster of the original album and a bonus disc of 12 tracks with demos, alternate versions and outtakes.
The album has been analysed and commented a thousand times over, and it's one of those albums you can always put on to make people listen in awe.
This album is a must.
[ allmusic.com, Pitchfork 5 / 5, PopMatters 4,5 / 5 stars ]
1972 Favourite releases: 1. David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - 2. Lou Reed Transformer - 3. Jethro Tull Thick as a Brick
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| "30th Anniversary 2CD Edition" 2002 remaster |
