It's not the side effects of the cocaine,
I'm thinking that it must be love!
Station to Station (1976)
1. Station to Station
2. Golden Years
3. World on a Wing
4. TVC15
5. Stay
6. Wild is the Wind
Bill Hicks once said that those against drugs should take a step back and look at their record collections, all that brilliant music was most likely very much made under the influence. One of the finest examples of this might be Bowie, and he was surely at his most coked up here. Funnily enough Station to Station is one of his best albums as well, and bitterly under-represented in the music world as a whole. Pretty impressive since he can't even remember recording it!
The album couldn't kick off better. The title track harks back to Width of a Circle with it's two part design, and manages to exhibit most likely all of the styles that Bowie had tried before now, along with some clear krautrock influences. Whats starts as an eery Kraftwerk influnced crooner, complete with
'darts in lovers eyes' evolves over 10 minutes into a full blown piano driven rocker which never fails to get me moving. A superb opener and without a doubt one of Bowie's finest overall.
Remember how i said i didn't care for 1984? If it had turned out like the dance masterpiece that is Golden Years i'd have been a lot kinder. The album's classic single is an intricate piece of disco infused soul, apart from perhaps Fashion it may well be my favourite of his in that vein.
Ballad time, World on a Wing is the big love song here and the finest soul moment here too. Bowie is fine voice here and it's the first instance of a more passionate delivery after the more lighthearted songs that preceded it. A fine way to end the first half.
Back to more of a groove with TVC15 kicking in, another great single and another highlight of mine. I don't know what i love more, the funky verses or the infectious as hell chorus, complete with the meaty guitar kicking in. One of his more underated singles. Stay continues on with the funky s
hit, complete with some fine layered disco guitars and great solos. The low point of the album if i had to pick one as it doesn't stand out quite as much as the other tracks, but given the circumstances it's hardly a massive crime.
Wild is the Wind is a fan favourite and rightly so, another beautiful ballad that reminds me of a Smiths song (or i guess vice-versa) so obviously i love it , the way it drifts on but doesn't outstay its welcome at all. The
'don't you know you're life itself' with the music stopping is one of my favourite moments in the album (after the obvious title track transition).
Most people would probably favour the Berlin era albums that followed rather than this album but i'm not sure, as good as Low is Station to Station gives it a run for it's money. At only 6 tracks the album is concise and doesn't waste a moment, with a fine design (2 upbeat songs then a ballad each side) which i think rivals Low's two halved affair. Competing or not, Station to Station is a brilliant album which is testiment to Bowie's performance, if he really was as out of it as is claimed. Easily has a place in my top 5.
Highlights: Station to Station, TVC15, Wild is the Wind
9/10