Despite David Bowie's biggest singles playing a part in my childhood and me utterly adoring them, I have always been quite intimidated by his studio album discography and so before now I just never listened to any of his records. It is such a monolithic body of work, with so many eras and characters and stylistic shifts that I never knew where to start. There doesn't even seem to be a uniform consensus on 'the best Bowie album' as an easy jumping off point. So I'm pretty glad that my '100 albums to listen to' poster decided where to start for me.
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is Bowie's 5th studio album release, where he assumes the character of Ziggy Stardust, an alien rockstar who has arrived on Earth to save humanity with peace and love and rock'n'roll. Across the 11 tracks he goes from mysterious figure the people on Earth are weary of, to a superstar hero, to a tragic saviour who sacrifices himself for the Humanity's survival. On first listen, I didn't quite get it. I really enjoyed the record, but I was expecting something more profound from what is considered one of the greatest albums of all time with a "big, rock opera story". But after a few listens I realised that it isn't supposed to be profound, it's just a fun story about a space alien rockstar who's come to earth to play some jamming tunes.
And damn it is fun. The record goes at breakneck pace, with riffs and hooks galore, and with such a charming personality. Five Years sets the scene, dramatically building up Earth pre-Ziggy's arrival. Swooning strings and Bowie's strained vocals sell the idea that this a world on the bring of the end, with only five years left. Ziggy is introduced on Moonage Daydream, with such a attention grabbing vocal performance from Bowie. You can tell the Ziggy really means business by the way Bowie performs the character. I really like the way the piano and drums build up to the chorus in a heavy, important way; and the guitar solo at the end of the track that is so very 70s in the best way. Following this is Starman, one of Bowie's most iconic tracks, and in the context of the album develops his relationship with the people of Earth, showing their various reactions to him.
The rest of the record continues in this fun, dramatic, but elegantly arranged fashion. It Ain't Easy has a stomping blues rock chorus and restrained verses to compliment the massiveness of the hook. Lady Stardust is a simple piano ballad about Ziggy finding love with a singalong chorus. Star, Hang on to Yourself and Suffragette City have an energetic straight-forwardness to them in a proto-punk sort of way. The guitars roar and the songs are short and sweet. Ziggy Stardust is a semi-hard rock tune with that iconic riff and a more retrospective tone, looking back on Ziggy's blaze into the spotlight and the ensuing rock'n'roll life. The Closer, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide continues this theme, as now Ziggy has died to save the world, and the track is a slow, acoustic one to accompany the more morbid subject. Triumphant horns and soaring strings come in as Bowie's vocals become more pained and dramatic. He is basically shouting at the end of the song.
This record is simply a blast. It's short, fast-paced and bursting with catchy riffs and singalong hooks. While it's been deified to the point that you'd might expect it to be profoundly about something, it isn't. So go in expecting it to be a rocking good 38 minutes about a space rockstar and his escapades and you wont be dissapointed.
Top Tracks: Five Years, Moonage Daydream, Starman, It Ain't Easy, Lady Stardust, Star, Hang on to Yourself, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide
9/10
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