Pin Ups

Pin Ups is a quickly recorded album of cover songs made to cash in on the Ziggy mania that was apparently sweeping the nation in 1973. So it should be rubbish, right? A big bloated cash cow, like that Robbie Williams swing album. Let's have a listen shall we...

What's good?
It sounds like Bowie is having fun with this record. There are lots of comical production tricks like the vary speed backing vocals on Floyd cover ‘See Emily Play’. After the fake laughter on ‘Love you till Tuesday’, the long haired pseudo hippy stuff in 1969 and the rock posturing of the Ziggy era, it’s nice to hear what sounds like people mucking about with different arrangements just for a laugh. Mick Ronson earns his keep yet again, and it’s a great shame that this was his last Bowie album.
‘The Shape of things to come’ is a strong favourite with me. It’s a good song, a hilariously stereo typical Bowie vocal performance and a nice early use of the reverse echo studio effect made infamous by Stephen Street with the Smiths on ‘How Soon is Now’ and 'Meat is Murder’.
‘Friday on my mind’ is another belter, again it's good song made better because the band sound like they are having fun.

What’s bad?
I had high expectations for this album because Rueben and my Dad really like it. But for me some of the songs are a bit boring, particularly ‘Rosalyn’. After hearing my mother in law singing away to this album whilst decorating I’ve come to the conclusion that if you know the original versions of these songs (which I don’t) it must be a more interesting and arresting listening experience. But Pin Ups is unlikely to make my top 5 Bowie albums.

How many good songs?
A very respectable 8 out of 12

Bowie-o-meter: 70 Ziggys

There’s a lot of good stuff on Pin Ups. The best songs are the ones that sounds like grown up pop fans piddling around in a recording studio. But for me the track listing isn’t consistent enough to make this an out and out Bowie classic.