Space Oddity

Depending on which version you're familiar with, Bowie's major label debut album celebrates 55 years of being in the universe today. I embarked upon doing a blog for each of Bowie's albums in 2021, but got to November and crashed. Thankfully, I only have three records to go, including Blackstar, which I'll blog about in January next year, finally finishing my blog-about-Bowie project. 

Getting back to Space Oddity or David Bowie or Man of Music/Man of Words, Bowie's second album is a far departure from the twee 1967 self-titled album released through Deram Records. Two years is a long time in music, and the growth in Bowie's songwriting and vocal delivery had shifted up a gear. The stunning opening track (and depending on the album release, eponymous as well) remains a marvel fifty odd years on. It is arguably the highlight of the record, and while this album fails to meet the lofty heights of Bowie's later releases like Hunky Dory or the Ziggy Stardust record, there are some other great tracks here. 

As it isn't as focused as his later albums, there are many shades of colour and feel throughout. Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed is a bit folk-rock, and the epic nine and a half minute long (yes, that's right!) Cygnet Committee is feels like an early attempt at prog rock. He would explore that vein again on The Width of the Circle, which appeared on the follow-up album The Man Who Sold the World. Janine is a fairly straightforward pop/rocker and Letter to Hermione is firmly planted in the soil of the ballad. None of these tracks are that spectacular, but they are very listenable.

For me, the album ends better than it starts. Once you're wowed by Space Oddity, nothing immediately after it hold your interest as well. The forty second throwaway (Don't Sit Down) only serves to show a little of Bowie's humorous side, I'm guessing. My next major highlight of the album is the eighth track Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud which is full of stirring orchestrations and an engaging fantasy narrative. This gives way to God Knows I'm Good, which could have sat at home on Hunky Dory, feeling very similar that album's Andy Warhol. The mostly acoustic tale of morality centres on a shoplifter who asks to be ignored by God, and then saved by Him. Interesting song idea.

The closing track is my favourite song here, apart from Space Oddity, of course. Memory of a Free Festival is another long number, breaching the seven minute mark, but's quite an entrancing one. Starting with only Bowie's vocal and his playing of a child's Rosedale Electric Chord Organ, we are told of the happenings of the eponymous festival held in Beckenham earlier in August 1969. Some of my favourite Bowie lyrics ever are in this song, like:

"Oh, to capture just one drop of all the ecstasy that swept that afternoon/

To paint that love upon a white balloon..."

After a few minutes, the rest of the band arrives noisily as the refrain 'the sun machine is coming down and we're gonna have a party' is sung over and over again. The band eventually fades out, and we're left with Bowie singing the line on his with the organ as the song began. It's just terrific, and I love it. 

This album was produced by Tony Visconti, who would go on to produce many of Bowie's future releases. He also contributes bass, as does legendary session bassist Herbie Flowers. Rick Wakeman plays mellotron and harpsichord, and would find himself appearing on more Bowie albums as well, before declining Bowie's offer to be in The Spiders from Mars and joining Yes. 

While it's not very cohesive, the seeds of greatness are definitely planted here. I give it 3/5, after a damn good listening-to yesterday. 

NEXT UP: Hunky Dory - 17th Dec