Space Oddity

01/01/1969 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Dave DiMartino

Originally released in the U.S. as Man Of Words, Man Of Music, this album often gets overlooked as not-as-good, pre-Ziggy meanderings. Big mistake. This is one of the few tastes we have of Bowie in the late '60s Britpop mode, attempting to blend folk, pop and psychedelia into one unique whole. He does it superbly. His science-fiction themes drive the hit "Space Oddity," "The Cygnet Committee"--a great track--and the completely nutty "Memory Of A Free Festival," and his folk-poppish inclinations inspire wonderful tracks like "Letter From Hermione" and "An Occasional Dream." Schmaltz and fluff this isn't. Cool and undervalued.