484: Mott The Hoople — All The Young Dudes (CBS/Columbia, 1972)

Overall rating: 3

Level of prior familiarity: 1

How I Listened: Spotify, headphones, then several times on Echo and at my computer

To say I was familiar with this album would be a complete lie. I really hadn’t listened to this album at all until now. I’ve heard the title track a zillion times, and honestly had some dumb notion that David Bowie was actually in the band.

But I think this is actually my main problem with Mott The Hoople: I’d rather just listen to Bowie.

The album is quite good. The opener, Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane,” is actually one of the better renditions I’ve heard, and maybe the first that helped me understand the cryptic lyrics, the glam-rock attitude putting a very different spin on The Velvet Underground’s subdued gender commentary. There’s some generous swagger on this album, tracks like “Jerkin’ Crocus” or “Sucker” defying you to not swing your hips. It’s fun, and a little weird, but rarely innovative. I can’t help but feel this album follows in the footsteps of the other glam superstars of the time, rather than being a contemporary.