The Best Of David Bowie 1974/1979

David Bowie

Virgin, 1998

http://www.davidbowie.com

REVIEW BY: Benjamin Ray

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 04/29/2013

Although the single-disc Changesbowie and the double-disc Best Of Bowie remain the best introductions for casual fans or newcomers to the wonders of David Bowie's music, this set – the second of three covering Bowie's career throgh 1987 – is still worth considering as a point of entry.

Unlike those compilations, this one has room to stretch out with the time period it covers. The hits are all here, of course, along with key album tracks and a few non-album rarities that every Bowie fan should either own or be familiar with, as they are important to the story.

The period covered by this disc marks a stunning development in Bowie's music, covering in five years the tail end of his Ziggy Stardust glam rock phase, the brief "plastic soul" era, and the cold, avant garde Euro-pop soundscapes and songs of his "Berlin trilogy." Each album from this era has a unique sound and is fascinating in its own right, but the best of each is captured on this disc, and the casual fan doesn't need to dig deeper unless they really like the songs from that particular album.

Only one song from 1974 is here, the paranoid sci-fi rock of "1984" from Diamond Dogs, perhaps to act as a transition between musical stages. The brief stop in Philadelphia comes by way of "Young Americans" and "Fame," the only two essential songs off the my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 Young Americans LP ("Can You Hear Me" is also here), and then it's on to the danceable "Golden Years" and the cold yet goofy "TVC15" off Station To Station. Also present from that album is the heartbreaking "Wild Is The Wind," which showcases Bowie's entire vocal register and singing skill.

Although not arranged chronologically, most of the second half of this set is focused on the three albums recorded in Berlin, a time where Bowie hung out with Iggy Pop, attempted to clear his system of drugs, and collaborate on something completely different with Brian Eno. These remain fascinating albums, not necessarily easy ones even for Bowie fans to understand, much less embrace, and the snippets provided here are the most accessible and best.

Among those songs are the angular, deliberately off-kilter "Breaking Glass," the Euro-dance "Sound and Vision," the driving "Look Back In Anger" and the Talking Heads-esque "D.J.," as well as an updated take on "All The Young Dudes" called "Boys Keep Swinging." Of course, the majestic, timeless "Heroes" closes the set, although it is presented in its three-minute single form, not the full album version. It should be noted that "Young Americans" also is presented in its three-minute form, robbing the piece of its drama and import.

That six minutes could have been saved by cutting the overlong disco remix of "John, I'm Only Dancing," which is only good as a curiosity once or twice. Far better is Bowie's version of Springsteen's "It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City;" the man does Bruce almost as well as the Boss, and the uptempo track does justice to the original. The song never appeared until the Sound + Vision box set in 1989, and its presence here is welcome.

For fans wanting to grab the big hits and explore a little deeper into this interesting phase of Bowie's career, the phase between Ziggy and the pop years of "Let's Dance," this is the perfect collection, with nothing missing or underrepresented. The lack of an order to the songs makes the listen a bit jarring at times – it's almost better to arrange the CD chronologically in iTunes before listening to it – but this only serves to reinforce the depth and variety of Bowie's catalog. The songs also work as a snapshot of their respective albums, and listeners who enjoy the songs from Heroes or Station To Station are advised to check out the entire release. This overview is an outstanding summary of Bowie's best work of the period.

Rating: A-

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