Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)

10/10. Absolute masterpiece. This was his first album recorded in the U.S. since Station to Station, and a lot in Bowie's life had changed since that recording: Most notably, Bowie had all but kicked his addiction to hard drugs (though notably, he was still addicted to alcohol and cigarettes). Musically, Scary Monsters sees a return to the more commercial, art-pop sounds of Diamond Dogs. Opener It's No Game (No. 1) features a great vocal performance and is one of his best openers. Up the Hill Backwards is a song about struggling to face challenges, most likely referencing his recent divorce. The title song is about a woman's descent into insanity. These feelings are amplified by the super cool vocal effects on Bowie's voice in the chorus. My other favorites are Fashion, Teenage Wildlife, and the closer, It's No Game (No. 2). Then there's Ashes to Ashes. Ashes to Ashes is among the greatest David Bowie songs. It is a follow-up to 1969's Space Oddity, revealing that Major Tom fell into drug abuse, drifting through space alone. The song also sees Bowie adopt a new character, Pierrot, to represent the flawed humanity underneath Bowie's stardom. The song also has undertones of overcoming addiction, especially with lines such as "Time and time, I tell myself/I'll stay clean tonight." In the outro of the song, cocaine almost seems to be metaphorized in the character of Major Tom, an interesting comparison. Ultimately, Ashes to Ashes serves as a symbolic end to Bowie's 1980s. Vowing to leave his drug addiction in the past, and aiming to make more commercial, accessible music in the future. Scary Monsters is the last album of an era for Bowie, the last album he would release before he became a global superstar, and the last time he would adopt a persona for 35 years.