David Bowie
fired
the Spiders from Mars
shortly after the release of
Pin Ups
, but he didn't completely leave the Ziggy Stardust persona behind.
Diamond Dogs
suffers precisely because of this -- he doesn't know how to move forward. Originally conceived as a concept album based on
George Orwell
's 1984,
evolved into another one of
Bowie
's paranoid future nightmares. Throughout the album, there are hints that he's tired of the Ziggy formula, particularly in the disco underpinning of "Candidate" and his cut-and-paste lyrics. However, it's not enough to make
a step forward, and without
Mick Ronson
to lead the band, the rockers are too stiff to make an impact. Ironically, the one exception is one of
's very best songs -- the tight, sexy "Rebel Rebel." The song doesn't have much to do with the theme, and the ones he does throw in to further the story usually fall flat.
isn't a total waste, with "1984," "Candidate," and "Diamond Dogs" all offering some sort of pleasure, but it is the first record since
Space Oddity
where
's reach exceeds his grasp. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine