David Bowie 16: Lodger

While the first two albums of the so-called Berlin Trilogy were merely influenced by Eno, Lodger was the most collaborative with the domed one. It’s also the weakest of the three, and the lack of instrumentals further sets it apart from the more groundbreaking Low and “Heroes”. (Moreover, it was recorded in Switzerland, not Germany, if that means anything.)

That’s not to say it’s a failure, as there are some truly standout tracks. “Fantastic Voyage” is a pleasant intro, giving no hint of the twisted journey ahead. The song was notoriously turned upside down into “Boys Keep Swinging”, complete with swapped instruments among the rhythm section, for another iconic tune. “D.J.” has that pounding piano for a nasty riff and a garish arrangement to match its video. “Look Back In Anger” also had a vivid video and a great singalong chorus despite itself, while “Red Sails” packs several hooks into the same crowded space. “Red Money” takes the backing track for “Sister Midnight” from Iggy Pop’s The Idiot and adds new lyrics. Throughout, the wild guitar of Adrian Belew adds weird color, sometimes sounding like Simon House’s violin, which also snakes its way through the songs. (The album’s highlight, by the way, is the part-solo-part-riff by Carlos Alomar in the middle of “Look Back In Anger”.)

But that leaves the remainder, which are more experimental than enjoyable. “African Night Flight” spits out the words too fast for comfort, and there may be a melody buried under the pounding drums and chanting of “Move On”, but we don’t feel like waiting around for it. “Yassassin” (which is Turkish for “long live”, as the lyric sheet helpfully points out) wants to strive for something bigger but misses by dragging the Mideastern motif too long. “Repetition”, about spousal abuse, is as ugly as its theme.

Coming on the cusp of the punk era, Lodger didn’t sound like anything else Bowie had done before, nor did it sound like much else out at the same time. As an album, it gets lots of accolades, but it’s kinda noisy, leaving one feeling much like the broken and bent figure on the cover. Still, because over half of the songs are very, very good, it’s worth revisiting. (Acknowledging the pesky sound issues, Tony Visconti would remix the album in time for 2017’s A New Career In A New Town box set, where it appears alongside the original for contrasting and comparing; neither the decent outtake “I Pray, Olé” nor the lengthy 1988 rerecording of “Look Back In Anger” with Reeves Gabrels, both bonus tracks to the Ryko reissue, were included.)

David Bowie Lodger (1979)—3
1991 Rykodisc: same as 1979, plus 2 extra tracks