MB Bowie Classics: "Pin Ups"
 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped.../be/PinUps.jpg

Why no Bowie album yesterday? Because **** off, that's why! :D
Since I doubt too many people will be enthusing about this (though I may be wrong), here's the first of two for today.

As far as an album of cover songs goes, it's better than most but it's still just an album of cover songs. Good but not essential listening from Bowie.
I'll give it a 3.

Like many cover albums, the problem for me isn't necessarily the covers but the fact that there are many I don't know. Yardbirds, Pretty Things, Mojos ... there are bands here I know but don't know these songs from, and also bands I don't even know. There is some mild interest for me in that the song "Sorrow", which would become one of his hits, is here a cover version, and to be honest I didn't know that. I assumed he had written all his hits. Good song. I bet the original sounds nothing like his, now, definitive version though.

I can't give this more than 2 really. Sorry, Mr. B. Just doesn't do anything for me.

It's just average with a couple of songs I like.

Not much more to say.

Decent for fans at the time I guess, as long as you weren't expecting original material.

Voted 3.

Been meaning to say, interesting semi-return to your old name. But you should really accompany it with a change of avvy. Everyone associates that one with your Monkey name.

This is what I associate his new name with...

https://image.ibb.co/k3c5vo/F.jpg

Potential new avi.

Loving the new avi.

Cool. Checks all the boxes.
:thumb:

:cool:

There was a better one of a fluffy monkey but I couldn't find it without a watermark.

I was looking more back to his second name, Fluffy Kittens. But that works really well. If the monkey were covered in smegma, it'd be perfect. :laughing: Although highly disturbing and disgusting of course.

When I changed my name from Smegma covered bellend to Fluffy Kittens I got a PM from Frown asking if there was another meaning to Fluffy Kittens.

"Your username is still a bit rude is it not? Your previous username makes me think there could be another meaning to Fluffy Kittens."

Camouflaged beef sandwich

:D

I would have kept it if Violet didn't change his.

Didn't want two monkeys on the forum. So went back to an old name.

I think this is reasonable.

Broken promises break my heart.:(

:laughing:

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

Yeah, this is kind of a let down after three incredible albums. Some people can do covers quite well, but I don't think Bowie is one of them. About the only song I like even remotely is the Easybeats' cover, Friday On My Mind.

And yes, Troll, the original Sorrow (the Merseybeats) is a lot different from the Bowie version. It's a bit more energetic though not especially heavy, a pop song essentially. Anyhow, I have to give this a 2 and....


3/10 (The Word has spoken :yikes: