The critics were wrong about this stunning album - it sounds better to me now than all those years ago. From the dramatic howling dogs introduction, through the gripping title track, Sweet Thing, Candidate, Sweet Thing Reprise and into the catchy Rebel Rebel it's a marvelous tour de force, comparable to the best work on his classic albums. I love the innovative piano rolls on Sweet Thing, and as another reviewer has observed, the bridge between the Reprise and Rebel Rebel is absolutely brilliant. Rock `n Roll with me is another powerful song while Big Brother/Chant impresses with its complex arrangement. Perhaps this album need to be assessed on its own terms, not in context of what went before or after. As such, it's a solid album with melodic songs and interesting ideas.