Young Americans (2016 Remaster)

This album has been added to 2 public lists:

• 

  David Bowie

  Neil Hopkins

  Even in 1975, America wasn’t quite ready for an androgynous alien with wonky teeth, so Bowie transformed again into a matinee idol and took his love of American soul music into the studio with Luther Vandross and Carlos Alomar to produce this great album. We also get a great cover of Across the Universe and a sharply observed collaboration with John Lennon on the final track that once more points to where we are heading next, warning about the poisonous effects of fame and celebrity.

• 

  1001Albums

  Neil Hopkins

  This is an album that I’ve previously skipped on Bowie’s journey from Aladdin Sane to the Thin White Duke. It’s R&B/funk aimed with laser sharp cynical precision at the American market, and on reflection it’s pretty darned good and sounds better than the R&B that Bowie released in the 80s. The highlight is probably a spectacular cover of Across the Universe but the bitter and angry Fame written with John Lennon is good too, and also foreshadows 80s Bowie too