Do I want a Young American? Well, I wouldn't mind one... (Young Americans - David Bowie)

Member Name: DanielKemp

Product:	Young Americans - David Bowie
Date:	27/05/09 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A successful transformation into a crooner from Davey B

Disadvantages: The middle of the album has a couple of stinkers on it!

David Bowie - Young Americans (1975)

Producer: Tony Visconti, David Bowie, Harry Maslin

Young Americans
Win
Fascination
Right
Somebody up There Likes Me
Across the Universe
Can You Hear me Call?
Fame

The story usually goes that in a galaxy far, far away, everybody was surprised when David Bowie changed from glam-rock icon into a star studded Philadelphia crooner, often marking this as one of the more important metamorphoses in his career.

The truth is that you'd have to have been an idiot not to have seen it coming. If we rewind to his previous studio album, Diamond Dogs, David was already basking in a number of influences, primarily those of soul and R 'n' B. Rock 'n' Roll with Me was probably the greatest indicator on Diamond Dogs as to what was to be expected.

If more proof was needed, during his gigantic Diamond Dogs tour he released David Live, which was an album for the wannabe crooner if ever there was one, featuring a cover of Eddie Floyd's Knock on Wood. Seriously, have you seen the LP sleeve? It's one of the most repulsive things in the entire music industry!

So how does the "new" David Bowie sound? Well, surprisingly decent actually!

The title track is the first taste we get of this new musical direction and it is a fine, if somewhat saccharine ode to all things American. Hard living and begging off the bathroom floor are but two of the topics covered here. It is easy to see why Bowie dubs Young Americans as his Plastic Soul recording, because everything sounds ridiculously over arranged and carefully structured. This isn't automatically a negative thing though, as it has a tacky charm which I find very appealing. The screaming saxophones and luxurious backing vocals are to be expected and add a great deal to the song.

Bowie's new favourite guitarist Carlos Alomar comes up smelling of roses on the second song, Win. Bowie reeks of seediness as he relays the verse, "Someone like you should not be aloud, to start any fires..." During which time Alomar's hanging notes break through and deliver on more fronts than any of the other instruments do.

Fascination is my favourite track from the first side of the LP. It was a co-write with the late Luther Vandross and was derived from his song Funky Music. The wah-wah guitar effects are in full force here and the backing vocals are very pleasant indeed. It has a touch of the psychedelic about it and the moment when Bowie sings, "I think I like fascination... still, tick", is so very, very cool.

I have no time for the 6 minutes and 30 seconds bore-fest that is Somebody up There Likes Me. There is an obvious line which you don't cross, whereby your imitation of a genre becomes offensively incompetent, and well, Bowie just crossed that line and fell down the gaping ravine. It even has a painfully tiresome introduction which is the equivalent to having a wisdom tooth removed without anaesthetic.

The cover of The Beatles' Across the Universe doesn't really do much for me either. Bowie seems to mimic John Lennon's vocal style to a tee, and therefore doesn't really add anything remotely original to his version. Let us call it a failed experiment and leave it at that!

Can You Hear Me is a grand ballad and the most emotional song on Young Americans. Bowie's vocals sound fantastic, they really do. The tempo is slow and gentle, barely creeping along at a snail's pace; things reach an emotional peak by the time the chorus has come around.

If you haven't really enjoyed the album up to now, then your patience is about to be richly rewarded. The undeniably cool funk stomp of Fame is the definitive highlight of Young Americans and one of the best songs from Bowie's career. Co-written with Carlos Alomar and John Lennon, it is everything it should be - enjoyable, credible and down right addictive. Lennon's backing vocals can be heard in places and Bowie gives one of his more pleasingly deranged vocal performances.

There are a lot of great things about Young Americans; things that could cause me to declare it a classic Bowie album - produced by the mastermind Tony Visconti, featuring the provocative guitar work of Carlos Alomar and a co-write with an ex-Beatle.

But where there is good, there will also be bad. I think the greatest criticism which can be fairly levelled at the album is that Bowie's attempts to mimic Philadelphia Soul, and even himself touting this as his Plastic Soul recording, has caused the Bowie we hear on Young Americans to appear somewhat less than genuine. The lack of authenticity causes a number of the tracks, particularly those in the middle section of the album, to leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

Thankfully, when Bowie is good he is mighty fine, so I can afford to overlook the odd misstep and honestly tell you that the majority of songs on offer here are of great quality, ultimately making the album a worthy purchase.

7.5/10

Daniel Kemp

Read more of my reviews at www.danielkempreviews.co.uk

Summary: Not his finest soul moment, but nevertheless, well worth picking up!