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David Bowie: "Hunky Dory"
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David Bowie: "Hunky Dory"
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It was only within the last 3 years that I discovered the diverse panorama of Bowie's work and surely Hunky Dory has got to be the pinnacle of his Folk Rock period. Everyone of course knows the opener, but Changes only hints at the haunting beauty of whats to come, between the quirkie humour of Pretty Things, Kooks and Andy Warhol we find the astonishing Life On Mars which has got to be one of the greatest things he ever wrote. But by far the most impressive moment on the album is Quicksand, which is overflowing with poetic imagery and of course that very distinctive Acoustic guitar sound (also very pervelent on Andy Warhol). If you managed to get the CD reissue of this album you'll be lucky enough to have an earlier version of Quicksand - the solo acoustic version and its truly spine tingling stuff. I remember reading once that "David Bowie did for acoustic guitars what the Velvet Underground did for electric" and I tend to agree, this album along with Space Oddity are surely evidence enough.
Queen Bitch again shows that Bowie has a sense of humour and in some sense is a taster for the Glam Rock grandeur of Ziggy Stardust which was to follow. Ending the show with Bewly Brothers, the meaning of which may be sordid may be not, but again has the poetic lyrical style that really only appears on this LP and Space Oddity. Its almost as if it were a Stream of Consciousness of both writing and singing. Whatever it may be, this is truly a Classic album in ever sense of the word.
To avoid my total bias on such matters of music, here is another review of Hunky Dory by Philip Drenth. If you like his review perhaps you should check out his David Bowie homepage Stardust, its got covers, reviews, tabs and a whole lot more. But if you want it straight from the horses mouth, the man himself can be found at the official David Bowie homepage.
