David Bowie (1975) Win - LOST 70s GEMS

An album full of Philly soul' s diverse arrangements, whilst also signposting the future in disco with the sweeping phased, funk guitar of the track Fascination with it's chanting chorus and waka waka swagger. Haunted flutterings of saxophones echo into oblivion, these ghostly lines fit with the hollow desperation of the track, a deep sensual album full of existential thoughts rather than romance/breakup material of most Philly soul. Though it must be said Bowie's limited rasp could sound a little too ill fitting with the funkier looser grooves and far more soulful backing singers, sometimes English rockers can't do everything and sounds strained on a lot of the work here. Still its all well written and arranged but if lacking some rock n roll punch and more differentiation of the gloomy Prog vision of most of the tracks, not enough bright, upbeat soul to balance it out and no real concept behind the album's songs but it is a unique collection of murky, mystifying urban soul that reminds me of the Todd Rundgren produced Hall and Oates album War Babies of 1974 with its Dystopian funk, and wacked out Progressive Pop.