After the experimental Berlin albums, David Bowie welcomed in the 1980s with Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps). Continuing to work with Tony Visconti, the album is bookended with “It’s No Game (No.1)” and “(No. 2)”. The first is more dissonant, partly sung in Japanese by Michi Hirota, it recalls John Lennon/Yoko Ono collaborations. “Draw the blinds on yesterday/And it’s all so much scarier”. The second is calmer, less intense, choosing bass over guitar and where there are “no more free steps to heaven”. Reportedly, Bowie spent more time on his lyrics than the previous albums.
“Up The Hill Backwards” features group vocals, including Visconti. Carlos Alomar is still lead guitarist along with Robert Fripp who joins for a few tracks including the “Heroes” sound alike, “Teenage Wildlife” that takes swipes at Gary Numan and the new wave boys trying to follow in his Bowie’s footsteps. Dennis Davis’ drums drive the title track, Bowie’s vocals get pushed into distortion on the chorus.
Two singles dominate the album. The first being the politically charged but dancefloor ready, “Fashion”. Mention of the goon squad and a plea to “listen to me – don’t listen to me”. #1 UK single “Ashes to Ashes” is the centrepiece of the album. Revisiting Major Tom from “Space Oddity”, we find out that “Ashes to ash and funk to funky/We know Major Tom’s a junkie” as Bowie deadpan sings, “I’m happy, hope you’re happy too”. The extraordinary track cuts through post punk, funk, rock and disco. The album as a whole brings Bowie once again front and centre of the cutting edge of music, ready for the new decade.
9/10
The Light Appears 