The Deram Anthology is the latest compilation to collect recordings a young David Bowie cut for Decca Records between 1966 and 1968. When Bowie became a superstar, Decca began licensing the songs to various labels, leading to a glut of compilations appearing throughout the years. At 27 tracks and 77 minute, the Deram Anthology is by far the most comprehensive account of Bowie's Decca tenure and may easily be the last word on the subject.

Even though Bowie is an artist known for reinventing his musical persona, these songs will surprise listeners only familiar with his more popular glam rock, Thin White Duke and Let's Dance phases. The Bowie of this era was an Anthony Newley-ish, music hall crooner, miles away from Ziggy Stardust.

"There's a rubber band that plays tunes out of tune/In the library garden Sunday afternoon/While a little chappie waves a golden wand," this strange quasi-Bowie sings on the opening "Rubber Band." Campy, childlike and distinctly British lyrics like these, along with backing from unobtrusive string quartets and horn-sections, define the singer circa 1966. Many songs, such as the jubilant "Uncle Arthur;" the R&B-tinted "Gospel According to Tony Day;" and the unbelievably catchy "Love You Till Tuesday" have enough genuine cleverness and charm to override their campiness. Others, such as the manic "Come and Boy Me Toys," the fairy tale cliché-filled "When I Live My Dream" and the Disney-ish "The Laughing Gnome," which popped-up during Bowie's Ziggy Stardust phase and inexplicably became a small hit, are just too ingenuous and whimsical for most modern listeners to tolerate.

The most enjoyable moments of the Deram Anthology are the ones from the latter months of his Decca tenure, which point to latter day Bowie. "We Are Hungry Men," which sounds as if it were inspired by The Wanting Seed, the classic dystopian novel by Bowie's countryman, Anthony Burgess, foretells the sci-fi rock of 1974's Diamond Dogs. Other songs such as "Join the Gang," about the burgeoning London Underground; "The Little Bombardier," starring a disgruntled WWII vet and "Silly Boy Blue," a well-constructed Willy Wonka-ish micro-epic, begin the trend of bizarre character sketches that has lasted throughout Bowie's career.

With its uber-cheerfulness and its utter lack of coolness by modern standards (heck, even by 1966 standards), the Deram Anthology could be written off as the artistic equivalent of an embarrassing year book picture. Even Bowie's most adoring fans will laugh at some point. Yet, it is evident that this is a singer with grace, charm, talent and, of coarse, potential. Beneath the fluff, the Bowie we all know and love is mushrooming.

This album has been in my ears now for three days straight, and i have foregone sleep just to listen to it. This is Bowie as a young man. As a legend to be. I love the thin white duke and ziggy stardust, but this album has so much subtle power that it takes your breath away. Tracks like Sell Me A Coat and Love You Till Tuesday makes one want to cry, and Let Me Sleep Beside You is so subtle with an amazing guitar and lyrics, "Wear the dress your mother wore...Let me sleep beside you" I have heard often people knocking this older stuff for the glam Bowie or the Rock Bowie, but they don't understand that this album is vital to making him who he is. It is not "crappy Beatles" but brilliant work from one of the true geniuses of Rock as we love it.

On first or second listen, you might be tempted to dismiss this record as silly, campy showbiz, or in any other number of ways. Bowie himself might be tempted to dismiss these old tunes as if they were old garments he's already worn out, but he's entitled. I mean, he's David Bowie, isn't he? But these songs are so damned charming that it's almost impossible for anyone else to dismiss them, for any reason. Maybe it's because it sounds so unlike the David Bowie we've come to know. With 20/20 hindsight, the astoundingly creative theatrics of this `spent-too-much-time-in-Art-School' lad now sounds like a collection of some really entertaining and professional work. Within the space of these twenty songs, he touches on cannibalism ("We Are Hungry Men"), an idiot uncle ("Uncle Arthur"), a laughing gnome, (yes it's called "The Laughing Gnome", in which Bowie plays himself and the sped-up gnome voice), a drugged up Mod, ("London Boys"), murder ("Please Mr. Gravedigger), and a transvestite soldier ("She's Got Medals"). C'mon, you gotta admit, that's quite a variety. . The arrangements are, shall we say, eclectic, also, but I haven't even mentioned his strangest (and perhaps best - certainly the funniest, anyway) character. He calls him (this is hysterical, really) "The Little Bombardier". The song is a waltz, driven by a robust tuba arrangement (!!), about an army/airforce vet who returns home and befriends children, only to be chased out of town by the authorities ("Leave them alone or we'll get sore, we've had blokes like you in the station before"). As Bowie sings it, it's pretty funny stuff. "Join the Gang" is hilarious, too, as Bowie casts an amused eye at the self-appointed `In' crowd (sung to a spy-type rhythm, he sings "This club's called The Web, it's this months pick. Next month we shall find a place where prices ain't so stiff...")

Veering between the silly and the profound, often within the same song, David Bowie creates varied, vivid and amusing theatrics all over this collection of songs. Throughout, he takes an amusedly twisted look at the English `music hall' tradition, filtering his impressions through the eyes of an ambitiously creative teenager during `the summer of love'. Some of these songs could have been used twenty years ago on the Vaudeville circuit ("RubberBand", "Did You Ever Have a Dream?"). Others glimpse toward the future ("Karma Man" is a brilliant pop tune, especially considering how early it was conceived). In 1966 and 1967, David Bowie was doing some remarkably eccentric (and inspired) work. Utilizing all sorts of studio musicians, he practically ignored `guitar rock', psychedelic, or any other kind of rock, for that matter. He was off in his own world, and not many people were listening yet.

The songs that I talk about in this review are available in practically dozens of ways, since they've been repackaged so many times. The copy I'm reviewing is a 12" vinyl double album on London (BP 628/9), with the wonderful cartoon covers, front and back, which animate the song titles. I bet that if he reflects on it, Bowie still holds a place in his heart for some of these tunes after all. I sure do.

A Tom Ryan

I purchased "Images" by Bowie over twenty years ago and can tell you this album will stay with you forever. This is bowie at his best.

I got this used, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of Bowie's very early tracks. I had expected them to be poor quality, teaming with good reaons that Bowie was not a hit until "Space Oddity" (an early version of which is the final song on this album), but no: this disc made me think it was actually more the case was that the world wasn't ready for David Bowie, or at least Deram didn't see it. Quality stuff, this. Not superior to his later work (which is why it's not 4 stars . . . EVERYONE doesn't need this one) but quality none the less.