Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch ...

Overall Album Score: 9.0 out of 10

Fortunately for everyone, Bowie totally abandon that tripe he was trifling with in The Man Who Sold the World and took on a new direction: Theater rock! And, as it turns out, Hunky Dory is one of the finest and most beloved albums the man ever released ... and that's saying a lot.

As it is with nearly every David Bowie album ever released in his entire career, this album is only slightly reminiscent of the albums he's done before and slightly reminiscent of the album he would do after this. (Although, this album is more closely tied with Space Oddity than The Man Who Sold the World. This furthers my developing theory that The Man Who Sold the World is the black sheep of Bowie's catalogue that deserves to be outcast ... but some people really like that album ... go figure.)

Anyway, this the first David Bowie album really to make much of an impact as an overall product. Space Oddity was the only Bowie album to come close to being excellent, but there were just too many dull spots in it. Hunky Dory only has one wasted track in it, and that's decidedly "Eight Line Poem."

Let's talk about the 10 good songs, though. The album starts out with with the phenomenally catchy theater-rock ditty "Changes." This song requires no introduction! The major highlight of the album is unquestionably "Life on Mars?," however, because it is so strong and soaring! That song will actually uplify your spirits to Mars ... it doesn't just say it will.

This album also contains a hard rock song that blows all his attempts from The Man Who Sold the World out of the water: "Queen Bitch." Not only is that song appropriately hard-edged (in a way that's actually conducive to Bowie's singing voice), but it's as catchy as hell. The riff is not only fantastic but the melody is, too.

There are other really fantastic songs in here, but they don't manage to sound better than the songs I already highlighted. "Quicksand" is a particular favorite of mine, however, because that song has some really fantastic build-up. "Song for Bob Dylan" has a really catchy melody, and so does "Kooks." ... Eh, I'm not going to mention every song up here. That's why I write track reviews, dang it.

Overall Album Score: 9.0 out of 10 (A classic album. It's not the *best* album in the world, but there's plenty of fantastic moments in here to keep you plenty entertained.)

Average Song Score: 9.0 (There are a lot of fantastic songs in here! There are a handful of classics and most of the supporting material is great as well.)

Album Tilt: 9.0 (This album is pretty much solid all the way through.)

Artist Tilt: 9.0 (Bowie's not the most original man on the planet, but this is a nice, significant effort, and it's the first essential album of his catalogue.)

Track Reviews

Changes 10/10

Everybody loves this song! Even people who don't particularly like David Bowie like this song. Why do you ask? Because this is the song that goes: "Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-CHANGESSSSSSSS!!!!!" Anyway, I agree with the mass populace when I say that this is a perfectly great poppy, piano-based, art song that's perfect for anyone who likes fruity art-rock songs. The melody is incredibly catchy and the rather simplistic instrumentation fits the song just perfectly.

Oh! You Pretty Things 8.5/10

This track is another piano-based pop track, and it does seem spiritually related to "Changes." Likewise, the choruses in both songs pop up (like an explosion) quite similarly. This song pales greatly, in my opinion, in comparison to "Changes," but the melody (mostly the chorus) is so well written that it's hard not to enjoy it.

Eight Line Poem 7/10

Oh... Bowie loses me with this song, unfortunately. Whersas "Changes" and "Oh! You Pretty Things" both have major chorus explosions appear in their songs, there is no such explosion in "Eight Line Poem." This is just a boring old song that isn't necessarily difficult to listen to, but ... there's really no point to it. Brugh.

Life on Mars? 10/10

Now, this song is definitely where Bowie gets his STUFF together and delivers. Another piece of Bowie's pop-rock for sci-fi nerds, this song not only has lyrical matter about Mars, but the instrumentation is so grand that it launches us into outerspace! This is one of Bowie's most inspired and 'out there' songs ... it's really amazing. (And good old Wes Anderson featured this song in his fourth film, The Life Aquatic and nearly deafened me with this! ... I wouldn't mind this being the last thing I ever heard, though.)

Kooks 9/10

This is a childish song, but that's because Bowie wrote this for his young son, Zowie. He really has a nice and sweet little melody here. This thing sounds so insignificant being sandwiched between songs such as "Life on Mars?" and "Quicksand," but it's important not to pass this little piece of pleasantry by. ... Yayyyyyyy ...

Quicksand 9.5/10

This is a really excellently written song that starts out quietly, and it slowly escalates to gargantuan heights! The melody is quite catchy and the instrumentation is well done and engaging. This might even be one of the most poignant sounding songs on here ... but I'm not going to analyze that point so much! This is kind of related to "Life on Mars," but it's just a bit of a lesser effort.

Fill Your Heart 8.5/10

This song is more spiritually related to "Kooks." It's a very lighthearted and upbeat theater tune. The melody is pretty nice even if it might not have too many compelling hooks in it. The instrumentation consists of a happy piano and the occasional fake violin and horn for good measure.

Andy Warhol 9/10

Andy Warhol ... as in "holes" ... Man, David Bowie can crack me up when he puts his mind to it! Anyway, this is a nice musical tribute to our favorite mop-topped weirdo (whom Bowie would later portray in the film Basquiat, which I haven't seen, but I heard he's excellent in it). This song is an interesting art rock tune ... that is sort of out of its element, because it's hardly theater rock. However, it does have a pretty catchy melody and the instrumentation, which consists of a solid Spanish guitar, and a strange drum sound, is compelling. I like the instrumental interlude, too.

Song For Bob Dylan 9.5/10

Well, apparently Bowie's Dylan impersonation in Space Oddity via "God Knows I'm Good" wasn't getting through. So, Bowie decided to write a tribute to him! He also tries to mimick Dylan's vocal style again ... and it's a bit more convincing than it was in "God Knows I'm Good," but ... um ... Bowie can't sing like Dylan. He probably wished he could, though! Anyway, this is another highly well-written song that not only features a fantastic melody but some lovely instrumentation, which adds to the song's value. The chorus rules.

Queen Bitch 10/10

SEE WHAT I MEAN? IF BOWIE REALLY WANTED TO BE THE HARD ROCK GUY THAT HE WAS TRYING FOR IN THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD, HE SHOULD HAVE MADE ALL THIS SONGS SOUND LIKE THIS!!!!!!! Okay, I'm finished yelling. This is decidedly a riff-based rock song, except this rules mercilessly over the hard songs in his previous album, because he actually took the time to write a great song. The riff is absolutely marvellous and the song is so catchy that it's immediately treasurable. Everyone loves this song. Everybody. Even Wes Anderson. (This is the one that closes The Life Aquatic ... that might not have been such a great film, but at least it had a bunch of fantastic David Bowie songs in it.)

Bewlay Brothers 8.5/10

Some Bowie fans consider this the unsung Bowie classic, but I prefer to give that honor to songs such as "Scary Monster (Super Creeps)" or "The Secret Life of Arabia." No matter. This is a fantastic song, anyway! It's a very thoughtful sounding song that goes back and forth between a quiet, slow part and a more uplifting bit. Otherwise, I think this song is a bit long and ... I don't get *that* caught up in it. So sorry.

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