Piss Me Off

This isn't rock 'n' roll, this is genocide!

Diamond Dogs is one of the many albums finding Bowie in a transitional period, this time torn between the glam rock of Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane and the soul influences which were present with Young Americans. Perhaps coming only a year after Aladdin Sane affects it because the album isn't nearly the classic that Sane is. It is clearly unfocused, despite the concept (living in a Orwellian Big Brother society and the turmoils that come from it) being strong throughout.

The album starts off strong enough, the title track is a slow burning glam rock number harking back to his earlier albums just as much as Ziggy and Sane, recalling that classic strut with Bowie's distinctive saxophone. This classic sound is soon taken over with the low tempo ballad Sweet Thing, a gorgeous piano/acoustic driven number punctuated by some beautiful echoey guitar effects. Definitely downbeat but a highlight nonetheless.
The song drifts into Candidate, a song that certainly has its own groove but i feel is far too short to create a lasting appeal, the song builds and seems as if its going to blast into another Bowie glam classic but instead retreats back into a reprise of Sweet Thing. Perhaps if it had decided to stick around the song would be better, I can't help but feel Bowie had a few too many ideas here, shown by the messy guitar breakdown at the end of the reprise.

I'm sure i don't have to say anything about Rebel Rebel, the obvious album highight and evidence that Mick Ronson's presence isn't completely missed. One of Bowie's finest singles overall, i pity anyone who rejects this song as being anything less than superb.

I have to admit i have a huge soft spot for the enormously cheesy Rock 'n' Roll With Me. It's completely horrific with that bloody organ and overblown chorus but i can't help but like it. The perfect drunken singalong for a world gone mad!

With a bit more polish We Are The Dead would be a superb song, with a fine refrain harking back to his best glam moments. That said the guitar plays around aimlessly and much in the same way as Candidate nothing really kicks off, the entire thing sounds a little half baked. 1984 follows and is certainly the black sheep of the album, introducing the soul and disco infused style that Bowie would dabble with more in later albums. It's catchy no doubt and props to him for having the balls to do it but i can't help but feel it's out of place here. I'm sure i'd accept it on a later album but i feel he's punching above his weight here.

Big Brother is more like it, what starts as a desolate song in the vein of the soundscapes to come on albums like Low bursts into a fine chorus. The synths fit the hopeless subject matter well without compromising Bowie's traditional glam feel. One of my personal highlights. The song slides into Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family which serves as a pleasant enough but miles from classic ending, should have really been tacked onto the end of Big Brother as a short refrain at the end (The Bewlay Brothers style) and for god sakes get rid of that stupid skipping thing at the end.




Diamond Dogs is far from a terrible album. Spare some terrific highlights though the album feels lacklustre, perhaps even unfinished, especially after a run of such fantastic albums. Whether this can be blamed on the lack of the creative force of Mick Ronson or simply the chameleon being caught between colours and punching above his weight is open to debate, but throughout it feels like pieces are missing. Any Bowie fan should definitely have it in their collections but sadly Diamond Dogs is a slip up after a run of some blinding albums.

Highlights: Diamond Dogs, Rebel Rebel, Big Brother

6/10

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