LET'S DANCE

This is the saddest David Bowie album ever. As soon as this appeared we all knew his career as a trend-setting artist was over. There are those who believe the 21st century has helped him recover a little, but he is now just one rapidly ageing singer among many, and I don't think he'll ever again make albums that will excite and inspire dozens (thousands, even!) of other artists.

What have we here? Oh, the title track may have been a worldwide hit, but it was also the least meaningful Bowie single that had ever appeared (apart from, perhaps, "The Laughing Gnome") and it fully deserved to be mercilessly lampooned, as Frank Zappa would do with "Be In My Video".

"China Girl" is a not too uncharming cover of a superb song; problem is that Iggy Pop's original recording sounds at least thirty times more powerful. I'm by no means an uncritical admirer of Iggy's oeuvre, but his "China Girl" makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, whenever I hear it, while Bowie's version merely tickles.

That leaves us with "Modern Love" (since all the rest of this album is sleek but utter tripe). Well, the best I can say is that it's a fun little ditty. The great David Bowie refashioning himself as Wham.

Oh David, how could you?