The Speaker Was An Angel – he coughed and shook his crumpled wings. (Lodger - David Bowie)

Member Name: Nephillim

Product:	Lodger - David Bowie
Date:	01/07/00 (46 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It is a great album

Disadvantages: None

Ah Mr. Eno I presume. He really does bring some interesting things out of our David. Leaving behind hippy, glam rock, apocalyptic, alien, thin white duke, industrial music we slip neatly into this. I have no idea how to define this, except to say it is jolly good. Again we have the experimental sounds, instruments and lyrics which all fit together into one marvellous package. The first track sets the scene nicely, with David singing of “learning to live with somebody’s depression” with proud hooky vocals over an interesting arrangement. The second track changes completely from the first. With all manner of interesting noises and frenzied guitar combining into a stonker of a record: it has a very similar feel to Talking Heads “Remain In Light” (That’d be Mr. Eno) which is in no way a criticism cause that is a great album as well. The rest of the album skips along with a variety of influences being evident. Bowie has taken the richly textured sound of “Diamond Dogs”, the haunting presence of “Aladdin Sane” and the screaming guitars of “Ziggy Stardust” and mixed them all up with the more abrupt, catchy (Heroic) stuff not to mention the industrial zing of “Low” into one mother of a record. It is difficult to pick the outstanding tracks because they are all mesmerising. Suffice to say the weakest is probably “Yassassin”. “Lodger” seems to be forgotten at times when recounting Bowie’s finest moments and it shouldn’t be. Every tack on the album (maybe bar one) is excellent. All stand on their own, with their own unique sound and expression, yet the whole package sits together tightly – it still sounds fresh even 20 years later, particularly the single “Boys Keep Swinging”. In a world full of bland mediocrity, this is album makes a wonderful anti-dote and may lead you onto more interesting paths.

Summary: