DAVID BOWIE - DIAMOND
DOGS "This ain't rock and roll. This is genocide", David Bowie proclaims in his Edgar Allan Poe style 'Future Legend' poem, amidst strains of the Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers standard, 'Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered'. Not quite genocide, but 'Diamond Dogs' is one of Bowie's more interesting albums. 'Diamond Dogs' is the first song, and is typical of Bowie's a little bit old, a little bit new, rock songs of the period. Likewise, 'Sweet Thing'/'Candidate', which really merge into one song, are typical of some of the delicate power ballads Bowie was producing at this time, and David does a more than passable impersonation of Mick Ronson on guitar here. Yes, Bowie played all the guitars on this album, though Alan Parker helped out on '1984'. 'Rebel Rebel' has one of the most distinctive intros of any David Bowie song, and a tune that sears into the brain. Intriguing lyrics, too, which marks most of the album. It's curious stuff - even by Bowie standards. The Warren Peace/Bowie collaboration, 'Rock 'n' Roll With Me', has a memorable singalong chorus, and is a bit untypical of a Bowie song. 'We Are The Dead' doesn't quite hit the mark, with explicit lyrics and dreary chorus. '1984' begins like a funky take on the 'Shaft' theme ('Young Americans' already taking shape in David's mind, perhaps!), though a tad disappointing, but it leads into the wonderful 'Big Brother' and its catchy chorus, and the last track, the eccentric 'Chant Of The Ever Circling Skeletal Family'. 'Diamond Dogs' sees Bowie in experimental mood, and his spikey guitar playing is at the forefront. It's an entertaining 36 minutes or so. - Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.
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