February 24, 2023
Parlophone
1xLP
A Divine Symmetry is, for all intents and purposes, an alternative listening experience of Hunky Dory, which is a clear upper-echelon Bowie album. It's the first masterpiece of his illustrious career, and amongst some of the most glamorous, ritzy records of the 70s and 80s, the fundamentally sound rock comprising its still human (read: earthling) vibes feel suitably understated. So it's not an album that screams ALTERNATIVE TAKE on first glance, but considering the transition Bowie was undergoing at the time of its release/recording, it feels due that it's receiving some extra attention. "Changes," Oh! You Pretty Thing," and "Life On Mars" rank right up there with the best songs Bowie ever wrote, and between the straightforward (but still excellent) rock, the groundwork to his later, less terrestrial opuses can be felt.