David Bowie, in his never-ending quest for the spectacular and grandiose, has produced some truly awe-inspiring music. He has also produced some incredibly disgusting tracks. Never, until Diamond Dogs, however, has he succeeded in producing an LP that wasn't a mixture of both. From the first cut to the last, this LP stands out as a total travesty. Bowie has tried to portray in music the death of over-mechanized civilization. In this, he has succeeded, since Diamond Dogs is dull and lifeless. The production is dull, the musicianship is uninspired, and the lyrics are overblown. The only good thing about the album is Bowie's ever-impressive voice, but that is not enough to salvage this disaster.

David F. Fandray, "Record Reviews: 'Diamond Dogs'," in Popular Music & Society (copyright © 1974 by R. Serge Denisoff), Vol. III, No. 4, 1974, p. 345.