Young Americans [Remastered] - David Bowie > Reviews > Lush

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Slick sweet polished
Disadvantages:	The production

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

After relocating to the USA after the dark glam of "Diamond Dogs" The Man ditched his rock and roll sound of the early 70's and moved to a slicker more mature sound, personified in this classy looking and sounding album, recorded for the most part in Philadelhia, the city where Gamble and Huff were producing classic soul music updated a little with better recording equipment. The catchline at the time was supposed to be Bowie making a "photograph of the folk music of the inner cities" but how much of this is just PR rubbish or his actual intention is open to question. It's still a classy album to listen to, though let down a little by a rather claustrophobic production. The cover is even lusher, showing a beautifully coiffered Bowie in moody 1950's film star mode. This album is perhaps the finest vocal performance of his career.

The two singles, the title track and Fame, get most of the attention. DB's pop at the disgraced Richard Nixon in the former is one of my favourite lines on a record ever, "do you remember (voice drops two octaves) your President Nixon?" "ooh ooh ooh ooh" return the backing singers. I recall reading a review of this album that says Bowie was singing with the hurridness of a man trying to catch a bus, and it seems very appropriate. It's a summing up of the lost American dream I guess. Fame was the big hit single a US number one, with its wah-wah guitar and and jerky beat all about the subject of well, Fame "where your life is the limo".
Win slows things down but could have had a massive sound behind it - especially the bit where it slows almost to a halt in the middle and a huge descending guitar leads into another chorus. Another hilarious DB lyric - "all you've got to do is win.......that's all you gotta do.....it ain't over."

The late Luther Vandross collaborated with Bowie for the outstanding Fascination (probably with the offer of a free lunch thrown in), what a great number this is, big, boldy and bursting to get out of its vinyl straightjacket...sho'nuff!! There's a bit where Bowie almost yelps like a dog in heat as he sings about a hearbeat in my heart. Down dirty and funky as hell, this great song remains one of my DB favourites to this day.

A minimalist Right closes side one, all call-and response vocals, with a repeated guitar line that todays R&B merchants would give their gold teeth for. Nice echoing vocals at the end as the song fades out too.

Somebody Up There, a rambling, thoughtful lyric with a restrained backing, a long six minute saxaphone workout this is, with Bowie singing and vocal phrasing his heart out, on one of his finest moments at the mic before the the Bowie/Lennon collaboration Across The Universe - "nothing's gonna change my world", snarls DB, and you could easily believe him.

Can You Hear Me, sees DB leave his normal baritone in the mixing desk as he turns to a soprano vocal finishing with a superb "taaaaking it right, taaaaaaking it right" leaving s only the great Fame to finish off the proceedings.

Lush, beautifully arranged, tastefully but edgily produced, although as I say a little cramped on the production, an oversight that would be addressed on his next album the superb StationToStation, which put together with this album saw The Man at his absolute creative and artistic peak. Excellent album.