Album of the Day

While always artistically adventurous, David Bowie's reputation as a musical chameleon began with YOUNG AMERICANS, which marked a break with the glam rock style that had made him a star. With sessions beginning at Gamble & Huff stronghold Sigma Sound in Philadelphia, the collection is steeped in funk and blue-eyed soul (or as Bowie would call it, “plastic soul”), most evident in the title track. Producer Tony Visconti was back behind the boards, and when sessions continued in New York, a new collaborator had joined the Thin White Duke: John Lennon, who can be heard on a cover of “Across the Universe” and “Fame.” Released on this day in 1975, YOUNG AMERICANS was a milestone in David Bowie's career and would soon leave its mark on a legion of soulful U.K. bands including Spandau Ballet, Simply Red and ABC.