I don't any problem at all with cover songs or cover albums. I could even mention some really good cover albums. I find it interesting to hear songs transformed by the sensibilities of another artist than who originally played them. If anything, I'd wish artists made cover albums in between their "regular" albums more often. It's easy, since the songs are already written, and it allows you to fill the empty spaces between albums of original tracks with something other than silence.
The problems I have with PinUps turn out to be problems I have with David Bowie. The songs he covers here are well written songs by artists who all do basic pop rock songs better than Bowie is able to yet himself. Several songs on this album are performed with bad guitar tones, odd effects and frankly ridiculous vocal performances.
He's taking a page from Warhol's playbook, where it's cool to regurgitate popular culture with an ironic attitude and a newly added emphasis on kitch. Some of the songs on this album simply performed in bad taste and it's like hearing Bowie mock songwriters who could teach him a thing or two about writing a rock'n'roll tune.
It's a pretty unlikeable album, apart from the fact that the musicians generally do a really good job of bringing these songs to life (apart from said occasional bad guitar tones (See "I Wish You Would" for the worst example on the album)), so I don't really want to say that the album is bad. There's a high level of energy across the album and it generally flies by. I just can't shake the feeling that I'd rather listen to a compilation of the originals, rather than listen to Bowie prance around and make a fool of himself with his corny ass singing.
2/5
_Previous ratings:__________________
David Bowie: 1/5
Space Oddity: 2/5
The Man Who Sold The World 4/5
Hunky Dory 3/5
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust 3/5
Aladdin Sane 3/5
PinUps 2/5
Diamond Dogs
Young Americans
Station to Station
Low
Heroes
Lodger
Scary Monsters
Let's Dance
Tonight
Never Let Me Down
Black Tie White Noise
1. Outside
Earthling
Hours
Heathen
Reality
The Next Day
Blackstar
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