David Bowie

David Bowie

David Bowie’s 1967 debut album foreshadowed in many ways how he’d later dramatically shape pop culture. Musically, it’s wildly ambitious—from the horn-led theatrical pop of “Rubber Band” to the string-swirling, Syd Barrett-influenced “I Love You Till Tuesday” to the androgyny-themed popper “She’s Got Medals.” While there’s a novel jauntiness to “The Laughing Gnome,” other tracks are detailed observations of daily life, like “Join the Gang,” which mocks herd mentalities with a sitar and bouncing piano. This album showcases Bowie in all his youth, and that’s no slight.