Tin Machine II Marquette MI

Tin Machine II

Tin Machine

Victory Records Music, 1991

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_Machine

REVIEW BY: Roland Fratzl

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 05/25/2008

I am truly flabbergasted. Against all odds, the second Tin Machine album (or, essentially David Bowie in disguise), creatively titled Tin Machine II, is an improvement over the solid, if unspectacular, debut. All of the subtle, quirky arrangements are left intact, but this time, they are bolstered by a significantly improved vocal performance from Bowie himself.

For the first time since Let’s Dance, his melodies don't make me collapse and snore, and he doesn't even do his frequent aimless singing thing. He doesn't over-sing either, but rather finds a rare, enjoyable balance for a change. Throughout the entire album, he stays within a natural range and has never sounded better. If only he always sang this way, many of his albums would have been so much better.

I suspect that if Tin Machine II had been released as a David Bowie solo album instead, it would have been hailed as one of the best things he'd ever done – instead, it cruelly sank without a trace, forever relegated to the distinctly unceremonious status of being a used-bin all-star.

There is not a single bad song to be found, and Bowie even sounds completely comfortable immersed in this alt-art rock world, created once again with the notable talents of guitarist Reeves Gabrels, bassist Tony Sales, and drummer Hunt Sales.