Various: Bowiemania (Naive)

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Yann Tierson and the Divine Comedy: Life on Mars
Various: Bowiemania (Naive)

Compiled by the French arranger/sound artist Beatrice Ardisson, this wayward collection of people covering Bowie songs is as enjoyable as it is uneven: but even the weaker moments hold considerable appeal.

They are hardly household names here (Microsillion, Rhonda Harris, Los Chicros) but some are so engaging you might want to hear more from them (Medi and the Medicine Show's take on Rebel Rebel is a gem, Yann Tiersen and the Divine Comedy do lovely Antony-type things to Life on Mars).

A few play a pretty straight bat but the best versions are by those who take a few liberties, like the Belgian Arno who delivers a version of Jean Genie as if he's crawled from the gutter after a three day drunk and is mad as hell about something.

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