I've been working my way through the Bowie back catalogue album by album recently. It's a catalogue that I was already intimately familiar with but sometimes returning to records that you haven't heard for awhile gives you a new sense of perspective and a chance to re-evaluate. The following observations were made. Firstly his 60's period is far more varied and interesting than I thought ("The Laughing Gnome" being the obvious exception) whilst the 70's stuff confirms what an astonishingly innovative and accomplished songwriter he was. And then there's the 80's and consequently this album. I remember thinking when I first heard it that it was easily the worst record that he had made. And you know what? I haven't changed my mind. This album is STILL a piece of crap and there are several reasons why this is the case. In 1983, Bowie decides that he wants commercial success. So instead of sticking with the hugely versatile Tony Visconti as producer he hires a couple of "young guns" - namely Nile Rodgers and Derek Bramble, both of whom use 80's production techniques that make Bowie's records sound just like any other from that period. Bowie decides not to play on either album and exists as a vocalist only. This not only gives the producer greater control over the musical direction but it also significantly limits Bowie's input. With the hugely successful "Let's Dance" shifting zillions of units, for the first time on "Tonight", instead of being one step ahead of the game, Bowie treads water by following the formula of the previous album. Meanwhile the lack of decent new material on this record suggests that either Bowie had lost interest in songwriting or that his creative well had dried up, though the inclusion of no less than 5 Iggy Pop songs leads some people to think that the record is a deliberate attempt to line Mr.Pop's pockets as Ig had recently fallen on hard times.
O.K. So what do we get for our money? The singles - "Blue Jean" and "Loving The Alien" are good but elsewhere there are 2 vastly inferior re-treads of songs that Bowie and Iggy had already perfected on "Lust For Life", one of which, the title track - is given an awful cod-reggae arrangement that takes away the humour and the vitality of the original. Iggy's "Don't Look Down" is also afflicted by another reggae make-over whilst the 2 new Pop/Bowie songs are so-so but are swamped by a production that is so shiny that the material struggles through a blinding flash of drum booms and saxophone squeals - an aberration that not only effects the entire album but afflicted the entire decade. As for the remaining cover versions - Leiber and Stoller's "I Keep Forgettin" is an abomination whilst no disrespect to the reviewer who suggested that Bowie's turgid "God Only Knows" is better than the Beach Boys original but it's like comparing Michelangelo to Paint By Numbers.
It took a while for Bowie to come to his senses but rest assured it never got as bad as this again. If you want good Bowie I would suggest everything from Hunky Dory to Heroes, a good 60's compilation and a close look at his last 4 or 5 records - all of which confirm that David is back on the ball and making great records again. Meanwhile, if it's the 80's you're after - buy Haircut 100.