Sorry I'm late. Been catching up on Word podcasts. Currently enjoying Number 123. However, I had to pull the emergency cord on the train this morning when I heard the casual belittling of David Bowie's Young Americans LP. Apparently it's worse than Tonight and Never Let Me Down or something ... Mr Hepworth announced it only had two good tracks on it, Fame and the title track (which, on a eight-track album is a quarter of its tracks but that's by the by).

When was the last time you listened to Bowie's "Philly soul" album? As it happens, I listened to it at the weekend, by lucky chance, and was enthralled by ... to name but, well, all of the rest of the songs on it: Win, Fascination, Right, Somebody Up There Likes Me and Can You Hear Me. Even the cover of Across The Universe has its charm. (Not quite up there with Fiona Apple's version, but not at all bad.) Win is one of the great underrated Bowie songs.

Certainly, the album is a sore thumb between the Orwellian glam of Diamond Dogs and the Euro-rattle of Station To Station. But those albums are so familiar, and Young Americans still feels so fresh and courageous. The fact that I listen to it less probably gives it that freshness, but there's some amazing playing on it too, from the likes of Dennis Davis, Mike Garson, Andy Newmark and Carlos Alomar. Not to mention Luther Vandross on vocals.

Am I out on a limb here?