The full title of the album is The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. Originally released on vinyl in 1972, this album contained only 11 songs. The version I'm reviewing is the 1990 CD re-issue that contains five bonus tracks.Let me start with I don't care what you say about David Bowie. I don't care if during the 70's he was enjoying being gangraped by all of The Rolling Stones at one time. He was making amazing music, that timelessly transcends so many boundries.
However, he was an ever changing face in music. More so, and with much more class, than Madonna. He went through so many phases, right up until the early days of main stream Goth/Industrial. Like many though, my favourite was the Spaceman/Ziggy Stardust period.
The album opens up with Five Years. It set's the mood, and gives a great opening. It's very strong and passionate, like the rest of the album.
Soul Love is very nice but doesn't do much for me. It's the only real filler to me, and I'm happy it's over and done with so early on the album.
Moonage Daydream is a fantastic song. The beauty of Bowie is his ability to perform as a true character. This song get's so crazy Sci-Fi, that you can't help but feel like you are following this beyond-gendered spaceman to the furthest reaches of the cosmos.
The song is only 4:37, but the epicness of it makes a person with eyes closed, and imaginations opened, travel for millions of light years. To quote a favourite movie of mine, "Lost in time, lost in space, and meaning." That sums up the feeling conveyed by the song, not my feelings toward it. There's a whole bunch of meaning in it.
Starman is a fun poppy tune. I like to sing along especially in the chorus "There's a starman waiting in the sky /He'd like to come and meet us / But he thinks he'd blow our minds / There's a starman waiting in the sky / He's told us not to blow it / Cause he knows it's all worthwhile", evertime I hear it. I never feel a need to skip, or turn it off. In fact I'd smack the hands of someone that tried. I wouldn't put it on my Mp3 player, though. Not the type of Pop Rock I enjoy listening to. It sounds too distant and orchestrated.
Now it should be said that this is a concept album. The trials and tribulations of the rise to stardom, and the inevitable crash that always follows. It Ain't Easy would be a fantastic song, although a bit of a filler, if it weren't for the fact that it's essential to the story of the album. The story of how hard it is to be a struggling up and coming band, because it ain't easy. That makes the song even better.
I'm not sure what to make of Lady Stardust. It's a great, smokey frontier bar, kind of song. In the idea and vain of Let It Be or more recently Lady Gaga's Speechless. Other than that it's like other songs from here. I wouldn't skip it, and I enjoy it, but wouldn't Mp3 it.
I feel the exact same way about Star as well. However, this song is more of a rockin' old school Rock & Roll song.
Hang Onto Yourself is a great ruckus of a song, in the classic whirlwind style of A Hard Days Night. Which at the time wasn't that classic, less than a decade old in fact.
My favourite Bowie song is Ziggy Stardust. It's my goto Karaoke song when in doubt. It's the one Bowie song I would have wanted to include in a set list with any band, no matter how Metal. I love this song. If I were to put together one mix tape that I could only listen to for the rest of my life, this would be on it.
Suffragette City taught me the expression "Wham, bam, thank-you ma'am." For that reason and that reason alone this song is totally cool to the thirteen year old boy in me. This song is just pure dirty, down on your luck sex, in a way that only a good upbeat Soul song can do. I have to say that David Bowie, especially in the 1970's, really knew how to use and exploit that Big Band, Soul, Stokes, Beatles Pop, combination that I've never heard done the same since.
The original vinyl ends with Rock 'N' Roll Suicide. This is in my top ten of Bowie songs. It starts so simple, with Bowie saying/singing "Time takes a cigarette, puts it in your mouth / You pull on your finger, then another finger, then your cigarette / The wall-to-wall is calling, it lingers, then you forget / Ohhh how how how, you're a rock 'n' roll suicide", and builds up in a way that is so gradual that you barely notice it. By 1:20 it's clear that this song is going to get big. By the time you hit 2:12 the song has hit what could be considered arena status. It is the big closing number.
The bonus tracks begin with a previously unreleased mix of John, I'm Only Dancing. I'm not sure how the mix is that much different, but it doesn't matter because it's the same fun danceable song as always.
Originally an out-take that became a B-side from the Ziggy Stardust recording sessions, Velvet Goldmine, is a great song. It's so good that it's not only a song I enjoy on this re-issue, but it's become a fan favourite over the decades. To the point where it's included on most compliations that reflect that time period.
Sweet Head is another previously unreleased track and it's very easy to figure out why. I think the censors of that day would have gone ballistic about listening to Bowie singing/shouting "Give you sweet head." Especially considering he's clearly singing about another dude. The early 70's weren't that progressive. That aside, this is actually a good song.
The last two tracks are unreleased demo versions of Lady Stardust and Ziggy Stardust, except they appear in the opposite order. However, the Lady Stardust demo only deserves the mention of, it's a nice bonus for the fans that want it. The Ziggy Stardust demo is fucking fanstastic, if you want to listen to Bowie perform an accoustic version of the song. I do. I don't put it on my Mp3 player, but I do like cranking it up at home. I would put this on a mixed tape of various accoustic songs.
This album is considered one of the greats for a good reason. My main argument for that is, it's a fully functioning concept album, where each song works perfectly in an individual manner. Very few artists know how to do that as well as Bowie does on this album.
I wouldn't call every song a masterpiece, but they don't need to be. The beauty is in the rough edges, and off colour sounds, that have been polished to a spectacular shine, without over production. Were it not for my personal bias towards certain songs this would be a perfect album, without the CD's bonus tracks for extra points.
10/10 - content
10/10 - production
8/10 - personal bias
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