Aladdin Sane

Ziggy Stardust wrote the blueprint for David Bowie's hard-rocking glam, and Aladdin Sane essentially follows the pattern, for both better and worse. A lighter affair than Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane is actually a stranger album than its predecessor, buoyed by bizarre lounge-jazz flourishes from pianist Mick Garson and a handful of winding, vaguely experimental songs. Bowie abandons his futuristic obsessions to concentrate on the detached cool of New York and London hipsters, as on the compressed rockers "Watch That Man," "Cracked Actor," and "The Jean Genie." Bowie follows the hard stuff with the jazzy, dissonant sprawls of "Lady Grinning Soul," "Aladdin Sane," and "Time," all of which manage to be both campy and avant-garde simultaneously, while the sweepingly cinematic "Drive-In Saturday" is a soaring fusion of sci-fi doo wop and melodramatic teenage glam. He lets his paranoia slip through in the clenched rhythms of "Panic in Detroit," as well as on his oddly clueless cover of "Let's Spend the Night Together." For all the pleasures on Aladdin Sane, there's no distinctive sound or theme to make the album cohesive; it's Bowie riding the wake of Ziggy Stardust, which means there's a wealth of classic material here, but not enough focus to make the album itself a classic.

This list wants me to be a Bowie fan so badly and it’s just not happening.

Elton John if he were edgy.

This album completely misses for me, I feel like nothing that made Hunky Dory or Ziggy Stardust special was here. I had never heard this album, just Jean Genie which was always an ok song. I think the title of the album is not good either, it’s not clever. However, the strange thing about this album is the iconic image that will live on forever. The album cover is what I think of most when I hear David Bowie and yet I had never heard the album. It got me thinking about the importance of album art. A picture is worth a thousands words and bands need to convey the album and their music by one picture. It used to be more important when we didn’t have access to the music until we brought the album and sometimes all we had was the cover. Going forward I’m going to try to give my brief thoughts on the album covers. This one is an A and is iconic David Bowie an artist who is split in half by a bolt of lightning but also maybe he is electric. It’s a beautiful image. I wish I enjoyed the album more.

This album sounds like a forced attempt to be considered on a plane above the rest. It’s a concept album for which I don’t understand the concept. The overwhelming thought I’m left with is the improvisational jazz piece, Alladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?), was awful. I could not wait for it to be over. And back to my first thought, the date sequence in parentheses of the track name is a prime example of the over indulgent pretentious feel of the whole album.

I hated this album. One of the David Bowie Albums I haven’t listened to. After this it makes sense why he had to go to Berlin and reinvent himself steeped in minimalism. Compared to the previous 3 albums this is trash, those albums had beautiful melodies, construction, lyrics. Later albums had more edge and minimalism. This album is just a mess. It’s decadent. Too much is going on, he’s trying to do too much and sounds confused, congas, brass, backup sinners, bad jazz piano solos. He says “qualudes and red wine” in one song and I’m guessing he was on a steady diet of both when he made this album. Oddly, the face paint on this album is the iconic image everyone thinks of when they think of Bowie. This sounds like a rock opera, like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Everything Roxy Music got right around the same tone, this album gets wrong. The cover of “Let’s Spend the Night Together” which is much worse than the original points a spotlight at the shittiness of this album. Jean Genie stands out as the only thing good in this. There were some ballady piano songs that start pretty but get fucked during the chorus by his dissonant maximalism. I love Bowie, but hate this album.

Yeah, by the end of the second track I’d decided this is probably one of the greats. Were I less uptight, I’d use that corny rolling-eyes emoji alongside the admission I’d never heard this before. Rockist teenager decided Bowie isn’t for him, takes near thirty years to start listening beyond the hipster Berlin-era albums, ouch. The title song, built around a spannered piano improv on four note bass line, is just my kind of jam. Love it. He’s one of the few English-singing artists who has taken in that Brel-like chanson mode, singing narrative, and still make the songs hook, rather than chatter. ‘Panic in Detroit’ is fantastic. Surprised by how Stooges-esque the guitars sound - the teenage rockist in me approves. Didn’t spend as much time with this over the weekend as it warrants, but easily five stars.

It would be hard for me to give anything but a 5 to the original material put out by Bowie between 72 & 77. I didn't like this so much when I first heard it back in the day, but I started listening to it again in the last year. The title track and erie ballads really stand out with the crazy piano playing. The glam rockers sound greasy & unpolished compared to those on Ziggy but the fact that he was listening to alot of the Stones when he was writing these songs could explain that - they have an Exile on Main Street feel. I'm disappointed that such a prolific writer would do a top 40 cover, but that's only one song, and it's a pretty good cover.

Laughed out loud at the off-key piano solo on the title track. Bowie truly is a lad insane. "We told David to lay on the keys and he actually did it, the absolute mad man!" Alex made the observation on Station to Station that the vocals were mixed lower than the instruments, and I think the same is true here, especially on the opener. Sometimes I can barely make out the lyrics, and as a result, I find myself paying less attention to what Bowie has to say. But that doesn't get in the way of enjoyment for me because the music is really good! Just like Station to Station, a good bit of variety here. "Jean Genie" sounds like it could've been on the Rolling Stones album we just reviewed. Like that album, this one didn't blow me away or move me too much, but it's a solid effort from the Starman. Favorite tracks: Aladdin Sane, Panic in Detroit, The Jean Genie. Album art: Definitely iconic. That lightning bolt makeup look is one of the most easily recognizable symbols in rock culture. I'm not up to speed on my Bowie lore but I thought this was Ziggy Stardust. Apparently this is a character called Aladdin Sane, who Bowie described as "Ziggy Stardust goes to America." You think it's insane to visit the Land of the Free, Mister Brit? 3.5/5

1/10 songs added to playlist Best song: Drive-In Saturday

Yay! A great one for the weekend. Sometimes my favorite Bowie album (although you'll probably read that again), just a collection of great-sounding and perfectly-constructed songs. Loud, sharp and virtuoso band keep it tight and, frankly, thrilling with Mike Garson's work on here just incredible (check out King Crimson's Cat Food for something in the same ballpark). Drive-in Saturday could be my favorite tune if you had a gun to my head, and even the Rolling Stones cover deserves its place. Love it love it love it! Best album cover ever also to boot? PS nerd observation: this was the only RYKO remaster in the '90s not to include any bonus tracks, I think. Perhaps they couldn't find anything to add to the perfection already present

the epitome of glam rock. it made me desperately want to watch him perform this live. the keys! the sax! his vocals! he's just oozing charisma that's funky, ostentatious, and wild, making you feel like if you had a night out on the town with him it would be the craziest and most fun night. some may say it's unfocused, but I think the disparate stories under this funky glam rock persona cater to Aladan Sane - he's dynamic, chromatic, fluid, and a bit mad.

Whenever I listen to Bowie that age old question pops into my head…how many dicks do you have to suck before you’re gay? I guess the answer is if you do it under aliases and alter-egos…A LOT! Musically I really like some Bowie songs and have actual physical adverse reactions to others (hives, rash, hemorrhoids). All the songs on this album fall somewhere in the middle. “Time” is definitely the high point on this one. Solid 3.

Brilliant. Up there with the best Bowie albums. He is a machine and the piano playing is otherworldly.

Classic. Not a bad track, although of course there are some good and some great. Drive in Saturday, let's spend the night night together, jean genie and the title track the best known, and most immediate for me because of that. Look forward to hearing plenty more from one of the best artists there ever was. 5 🌟

I listened Aladdin Sane before, but this time i’ve got a chill. Thank u, David Bowie

You can’t really say that any Bowie albums were transitional records, you know what I mean? He was constantly evolving, his records would always foreshadow what he was going to do next, constantly moving forward….the past is the past, *this* is what next. Every record was a transitional record, because he wasn’t going to the same thing on the next record. I fucking love that about him.

Proper start to finish excellent. Songs like Cracked Actor, The Prettiest Star, The Jean Genie, in fact the whole lot, just sound amazing. An album to be played LOUD and fill the house. Delighted this was a full weekender

Big fan of Bowie’s Rolling Stones abum. Or his Ziggy in America album. Whatever its inspiration, Bowie’s venture into blues rock for Aladdin Sane is a far stranger affair than even expected. I love, love Mike Garson’s piano work. And I’ll never forget the first time my dad played Mick Ronson’s riff from “Panic in Detroit” for me. I think Aladdin Sane is often overlooked in Bowie’s ouevre (album art aside), but to me it is one of his most fun, rockingest, and essential albums.

This queer, weird eyed lesbian punk really turns my stomach, but what a joyful record this is. I can feel myself turning for him and it's only compounded by the knowledge that he's dead and I'm a prolific necrophile.

One of the pillars of Bowie's loft discography and possibly his most iconic album cover. All the songs here are noticeable in their own unique way.

So my first COVID mask (other than plain coloured Costco specials) had  Bowie sporting his Aladdin Sane lightning bolt makeup. Guess you know where this rating is heading. This one of four Bowie albums that I claim is my all time favourite whenever I play it.  Mike Garson's piano playing is nothing short of amazing. Highlights are the title track as well as Time and Lady Grinning Soul. I also think Mick Ronson delivers some of his strongest playing as his playing style is perfect for the raw glam sound of this album. His solo to start Prettiest Star as well as his solos on Cracked Actor and Time are quintessential Mick Ronson. His acoustic playing on Lady Grinning Soul is also impressive. Drive-in Saturday is my favourite song on the album. But like my favourite Bowie LP claims, take it with a grain of salt since it's playing as I write this. How can you not love a song that has the words like  "it's a crash course for the ravers" ? Also, I  have a painting of Twiggy in my living room so the words " she sighed like Twig the wonderkid" seal the deal. I also like how he sucks up to Mick Jagger in this song by referring to Mick as the sex symbol who the futuristic sexless society is trying to emulate. As is typical with great albums, it's hard to say whether side 1 or 2 is better.  Side 2 starts w Time.  It's pure genius how the words "sniper in the brain, regurgitating drain" capture the horror of an early demise by overdose. I suppose in another decade, the words "goddamn you're getting old; you'll sneeze and catch a cold cause you left your coat behind" will resonate more with me.  I would have bet lots of money that Let's Spend the Night Together was on Pinups. Hmm. I guess its being on this album is consistent with the "sucking up to Mick J'' theme on Aladdin Sane.  As is the case with all my four favourite Bowie albums, this one also ends with a ballad, Lady Grinning Soul, the beautifully haunting song about the hauntingly beautiful Claudia Lennear. It's also another connection to Mick J since he was another of this lady's  grinning souls and he also wrote a song about her, although his name for her - Brown Sugar - made his song  just a wee bit less romantic.  

One of my all time favorites! I discovered Bowie in like 8th grade with Ziggy Stardust. I think I first heard Aladdin in college. Watch That Man - A driving rock opener. Simple, but gets your grooving. Shades of Rebel Rebel Aladdin Sane - Just perfection. Bowie essentially has a seizure on a piano during what is ostensibly a pop rock album. Love the screaming squeaky sax and the bass line that just repeats forever. Drive In Saturday - Bowie does Motown. This feels like it would be appropriate at a high school type dance or in a movie about a high school type dance. Sax areas the show again. Panic in Detroit - I’ll never forgive him for pronouncing Detroit wrong. But he does good guitars and bass so it’s okay. Cracked Actor - This song is filthy. Five stars. Time - Second best track. Haunting. Carnivals! Fun! Imagine what it would look like for time to “fall wanking to the floor”. It’s important to remember that Dave was surviving on a diet of milk, bell peppers, and cocaine at this time. The Prettiest Star - the only forgettable track I think. Nice. Doo-wop vibe. Let’s Spend the Night Together - The crazy piano comes back! A driving desperation throughout. Jean Genie - Bluesy as heck. Harmonica and all. I don’t know what a jean genie is but maybe you meet one after you’ve had enough milk and cocaine. Lady Grinning Soul - The piano on this and Bowie’s vocals are breathtaking. Tender and sad. Most underrated track. John I’m Only Dancing - Dumb and Fun. I like both versions, but this one is better because of the sax. All the Young Dudes - I know he wrote this for Mott the Hoople, but it’s always been Bowie’s song. This version is so much better than theirs.

Ziggy goes to America. I love this album, I think it's my 4th favourite Bowie. A great chaotic follow-up to Spiders. The piano work is incredible.

What David Bowie sounds like in front of a great rock band, The Spiders from Mars. Particularly enjoy Mick Robson’s guitar and Mike Garson’s barking mad piano on the title track .

The Midas touch. This is Bowie in his absolute pomp… what an album!

Well, it was a matter of time before I started getting David Bowie's albums out of chronological order. After my run through Young Americans, Station to Station, and Low, I get to go back and check out Aladdin Sane. After the success of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Bowie was able to write and record one more album with the Spiders album under a different persona from Ziggy. This time he was Aladdin Sane, a rather witty-punned name for a man who embodied what Ziggy would have been like if he went to America and embraced the glam rock and urban decay rampant at the time. As a result, the album of his namesake becomes a good, sometimes great, schizophrenic experience. Continuing from where Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust left off, there are a fair amount of delectable rockers here such as opener "Watch That Man", "Drive-In Saturday", "Panic in Detroit" and "The Jean Genie" which share Bowie's knack for writing songs with strong hooks in observance of the surrounding culture. In addition, there are some songs such as the title track, "Cracked Actor", "Time", and "The Prettiest Star" that show cracks in the foundation, where the sprawling madness takes over as Aladdin is found struggling with the glitz, glamour and the death and destruction of oneself in dealing with vanity, violence, and anxiety. That said, as much as I enjoy Aladdin Sane in its insanity, it's also a double-edged sword in that the overall album feels less cohesive. Between the maddening deep cuts and the more straightforward hits, not to mention the cover of the Rolling Stones' "Let's Spend the Night Together" that's not doesn't capture the same highs as the original, there isn't much in the way of tying it all together. This is certainly the point if you think about the Aladdin Sane persona and what it represents, but the tracks don't coalesce as well as they should. I still enjoyed Aladdin Sane for what it is as a Bowie fan, and highly recommend it. Even if the album is a mess, it is still iconic in its insanity.

This isn't Bowie's greatest work, but it's still solid. From the guy who more or less invented glam rock, he showed us different ways to do it on this album than on Ziggy Stardust. It's got a little more rock edge than you might think from listening to some of the tracks - Aladdin Sane (but what a cool piano solo), Drive-In Saturday (nice sax though). Time has more of that typical glam feel, combining a more pounding piano from Garson (at least in the chorus) with big guitar riffs from Ronson. Songs like Watch That Man, Panic in Detroit, and especially Cracked Actor are more guitar heavy glam rockers. So is his remake of the Stones' Let's Spend the Night Together (though Garson's piano still rocks in it). I've got to say I don't know many of the songs on this album - I guess they don't have radio appeal. The lone exception is The Jean Genie and yeah that is a rocking beauty. I feel like more of these songs should be notable. But ah well. Don't overlook this album just because it only has one notable single. Especially if you love glam rock. Again, it is a solid album.

This album feels like a dream on the edge of a breakdown. It's both glam and gritty, playful yet chaotic. The piano work is sharp, reminding me of something Elton John might do but with more danger in the notes. There's a tension here, a sense that it's all about to unravel, yet it holds. The saxophone adds an unpredictable flavor, almost like it’s clashing but fitting all at once.

Van dit album vind ik “Time” het beste nummer. Heb die dit jaar relatief grijs gedraaid.

No one captured lightning in a bottle with more flair, nor more frequently, than Bowie.

No. 251/1001 Watch That Man 3/5 Aladdin Sane 3/5 Drive-In Saturday 4/5 Panic in Detroit 3/5 Cracked Actor 4/5 Time 3/5 The Prettiest Star 3/5 Let's Spend The Night Together 3/5 The Jean Genie 3/5 Lady Grinning Soul 3/5 Average: 3,2 Album was alright, but nothing too exciting on here.

This may be blasphemous but is Bowie just a more boring Elton John? This album felt very similar to Yellow Brick Road to me, but the songs never managed to hit the same highs. None of them really swept me away. I'm not a fan of the kind of talk singing he does, it's similar to Nick Cave but Bowie does squeeze some singing in there. I don't think I'll be adding any of these songs to my playlists. 5/10

Not my favorite Bowie Album, but definitely iconic.

Aladdin Sane oder A Lad Insane…? - Bowie hat das Album als "Ziggy goes to America" beschrieben, das trifft den Nagel auf den Kopf -> viele amerikanische Einflüsse (v.a. Jazz, Blues, Rock'n'Roll) gepaart mit dem für ihn typischen Prog-/Artrock - spannende Produktion -> es passiert viel in den Songs - Der athmosphärische, fast musicalartige Stil ist wie bei jedem Album der Kustfigur Ziggy Stardust stark vorhanden. - Nicht mein favourite Bowie Album, dafür fehlen die Hits. Aber grundsolides Konzeptalbum, das den Hörer auf eine Reise schickt. - 3,5/5

Very bowie. Some weird shit in there.

Not sure what to think but full respect to a legend

No this was not sensational nor did it particularly stick out. But that doesn't mean I was bored and that I didn't come away without any highlights. I explicitly refer to 'The Prettiest Star' and 'Lady Grinning Soul'. 3.5, I liked it a lot, but at least I possess a greater confidence in my ratings for Bowie's better albums. God the anticipation for 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' is just so palpable.

Not his best work, still some very good tracks on here, would give it a 3.5/5 if I could

Not Bowie at his best but enjoyable. Some parts felt too generic instead of that Bowie style of crazy expression that I like, but nothing bad.

Aujourd'hui, j'ai décidé de prendre tout le monde à contre-pied et de m'adresser directement à David Bowie. David, tu fais partie du cercle très fermé des plus grands escrocs de la musique mondiale, dirigé je le rapelle par Frank Zappa. Ton album est une mixture dégueulasse de sonorités ratées, que tu tentes de porter avec une voix des plus banales et insignifiantes. La présence d'un guitariste correct te permet de sauver un 3/5 inespéré au vu de l'entame d'album expérimentale nauséabonde. Maintenant, je vais m'adresser a toi robtenaillère. ça fait maintenant plusieurs jours qu'aucune review n'a été postée de ta part, ce qui met Robert dans une colère noire. Dans cette colère, par ta faute, Robert a décidé d'aller porter quelques coups de fouets à Ray Charles afin de se calmer. Ce dernier est maintenant encore un peu plus recroquevillé dans sa celulle mitoyenne aux New York Dolls, qui ne cessent de le pointer du doigt en gloussant et poussant des cris aigus. Je te suggère, au nom de Robert, de rapidement te reprendre en main, sans quoi tu sais à quelles sanctions tu t'exposes...

Struggled with this one. Don't usually mind Bowie, but there was nothing on this album to grip my attention.

Fantastic album. Love the raw guitar and bass on "Cracked Actor" and the chaotic piano on the title track.

Wonderful

Garaon’s piano takes this album to the next level.

First album post Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust so first album recorded post becoming a star and Bowie immediately starts experimenting more and more. This is a Top Bowie album and that is really saying something.

I haven’t heard every Bowie album, but this is near the top three of the list. Sidenote- it’s wild how some artists are so overrepresented on this list that you can create ranked sublists of just their albums.

5 out of 5. Another album where I can't say anything that hasn't been said already.

Amazing time in Bowie’s career

Positively surprised. An artist I thought I didn't like without good reason. But the album was quite easy to listen to

Can’t go wrong with a bit of Bowie :)

Classic!

I really enjoyed the diversity in the tracks on this album. A lot of these songs I was not familiar with and Bowie's creative and eclectic vocal prowess is on full display in every track. Listening to this album was a very enjoyable experience for me.

As far as Bowie goes this was really good. Maybe my favorite Bowie yet. Great album

Fiiiire in contention for fav bowie album wow fuhhh

Great album. Love Bowie

Amazing

One of my all-time favourites. The guitars are so chunky. The ballads are graceful and elegant. This might be my favourite Bowie album. Lady Grinning Soul is too good.

Is it pronounced “Bowie” or “Bowie”?

He went on bit of an unbroken run of genius albums, didn't he?

One of his best. 5/5

Bowie Banger (10) ★★★★★

Excellent follow-up to The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Bowie gets a little less glammy and a little more rockin'. Highlights include "Panic in Detroit", "Cracked Actor", "The Jean Genie", "Drive-In Saturday" and a rockin' cover of "Let's Spend the Night Together". 5 stars.

Bowie… nuff said

Yes

Rounding a 9 up to a 10, honestly really good and consistent album, no issues at all, Bowie being good what he's good at

Y'know, I can't say I really dug this album the first couple of times I heard it. I'unno, putting in contrast against the two Bowie had released before this—HUNKY DORY and gawddam **ZIGGY STARDUST**—mixed with the fact that, for some reason, I just couldn't get a handle on it... That's why, at the same time, I was both looking forward to giving this thing a second chance and worrying I still wouldn't find anything to speak about. So, I wanna thank this four-star review of the album I found on this website that said, simply, "Elton John if he was edgy." And it all clicked. Like, this is glam. This is heavy glam rock—why didn't I hear that before? Holy shit, it's heavy glam, and it's **so good**. All the heavy guitars and the melodies and the horns and the background singers and... Well, the everything. And there's so much everything, goodness. And I wanted to say it didn't have the same sense of theatrical greatness that the last two albums had, but then "Time" happened and shut me right up. If I can reference another review, a negative one this time: it **does** sound like a rock opera. And that, on top of the glam, is why I feel so happy giving this thing a complete 5/5. Which kind of feels strange? I mean, check my history; I didn't even give HUNKY DORY a 5, and I said that was my favorite Bowie album. So, is this my favorite now? I mean, for as great as I've found ALADDIN SANE to be, it doesn't have "Changes", "Oh! You Pretty Things", "Queen Bitch", or "Life On Mars?". I'm not sure if any individual song on here quite matches up, so for that reason alone, I'll keep saying HUNKY DORY's my favorite Bowie album. But as a complete album experience, until I get to hear ZIGGY STARDUST again, ALADDIN SANE will hafta be happy with second place.

Just some absolutely exceptional tunes, which just goes to show how much Bowie was on a roll with the writing during his Golden Years (ba dum tss). A very solid 5, maybe even a low 5.5 if that was possible.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll generously bump up to a 5 – this is the second time I’ve given a 5 to a David Bowie album. I was sort of wavering between a 4 and a 5, but I just enjoyed this enough to give it a bump – I do think it doesn’t quite get to a 5, but it’s certainly higher than a 4. This is David Bowie’s “American” album, and it’s rather obvious in the instrumental influence – gone are the days of ch-ch-ch-changes and all that. I’m exaggerating a bit, but this is really unlike his other albums we’ve gotten so far; we’re talking about watching porn at drive-in theaters, doing coke, and getting head in Hollywood. This guy’s a rockstar now, or at least Aladdin Sane is. I think the piano really stands out on this album – I’m a sucker for a good piano, but I can’t say I’ve ever really heard it used as a storytelling device for a sort of insanity meter. It’s present throughout almost every track, and it really decides the tone that Bowie just sort of follows. Obviously, there’s guitar, horns, some great percussion throughout, but the piano just cuts through like a knife on all of them. Aladdin Sane is the standout example of this – the smashing of the damn keyboard makes for a rather visceral tone rarely expressed around this time. Ultimately, I think whatever he was going for here, he completely succeeded – if this is his “American” album like I think it is, then it’s rocking, it’s gritty, and it’s more American than Young Americans was. It’s a super fun listen, that does dive a bit into what I suspect is a genuine growing insanity from Bowie at the time, but he channels that energy into a really fun rock album. I do kinda wish there was a more bombastic Life on Mars-esque track here (unless you count "Time"), but regardless, I liked it. Totally fine with bumping it up to a 5.

Absolutely golden.

Amazing. Every track a banger. All the opulence and excess I want from glam rock. I'm glad this came up pretty early in my 1001 Albums journey because it made me recalibrate my stars.

We’re all Aladdin Sane. Nearly every Bowie album is five stars for me dawg.

I’ve heard the name of this album for years and only once I actually listened to it did I understand the pun in the title. Go me. This is the third Bowie album I’ve had, and I think I like it the best. It starts off hot, cools a little with the title track, but man does it stay hot after that. It never really lets up. “Watch That Man” is such a stellar opener. It’s what I want in an opener. Couldn’t get better. The emphasis on heavy guitar throughout is wonderful and really brings in a hard rock sound I’d been wanting from Bowie in both “Heroes” and “Station to Station.” This felt more like “Ziggy,” which I appreciated. I’ve always loved hard rock Bowie and it was great to have him back. Please give me more Bowie like this. This felt like exactly what I’d expect one of his albums to sound like and I loved it. A surprising five stars from me. Excellent stuff. Standout Tracks: Watch That Man, Drive-In-Saturday, Panic in Detroit, Cracked Actor, Time, The Prettiest Star

Bowie is an artist that I've taken too long to get into, but I've grown to appreciate in the last year. The weirdness (Time or some of the jazzy piano parts in other songs) is part of the draw and appeal, but he can also put out a straight forward rocker like Cracked Actor that sounds like it belongs with any of the hard rockers of the era. The narrative carries you, or pushes you, through the adventure that Bowie was on. He's the chameleon, and is made up of characters, but none of it feels inauthentic. It's like he's embraced the excess, the madness, the wilderness of the city and magnified it.

It's a sunny September Friday here in my hometown, Lviv, signaling the first Indian, or, old women's summer, as we call it in Ukrainian, which also marks #day43 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge. I’m revisiting what I believe is the first of many David Bowie albums on this list. It’s hard to say anything new about Aladdin Sane (I mean, it's iconic no matter what angle you look at it. For example, I could only stare at that album cover forever), so I’ll share a couple of personal Bowie moments instead. If memory serves me right, this was the first album of his I was introduced to (the year was 2008, I believe), thanks to Anton Corbijn's film Control, which I mentioned in my Unknown Pleasures review. Remember the scene where Ian Curtis dresses up in front of the mirror and applies eyeliner while “The Jean Genie” plays? You bet. I must admit I haven’t yet listened to Bowie’s entire discography (though I consider myself a fan), but I find myself drawn most to his experimental period—the Berlin years. Let’s face it, though: Bowie was all about experimentation, and that’s the beauty of his music. Each era offers something unique for different ears. Even my wife, who isn't a Bowie fan at all, has a song she loves (The Heart's Filthy Lesson). As a vinyl collector, I’m lucky to own an NM copy of the first UK pressing of this album, complete with an insert and an "I Love You David" postcard. Listening to the title track and “Lady Grinning Soul” on vinyl (actually, the whole album) is mesmerizing. Those Mike Garson piano solos chill me to the bone—I can see how the avant-garde jazziness of Blackstar might have its roots here. Each song is a jewel on its own, contributing to the crown of one of Bowie’s countless masterpieces. This album earns a solid 5 out of 5 from me. Looking forward to #day44.

This is a perfect rock album. It’s rock at its best. Electrifying guitar, iconic drum beats, perfect mixing of instruments. It just all comes together SO well. There’s songs that bring a nostalgic, 70’s rock feel with groovy tunes, and songs with some truly instrumentally dense, more funky and morose music. I don't understand how this isn’t considered one of Bowies best. Obviously it’s no Ziggy Stardust, but cmon you can’t compare anything to that masterpiece. I love this record and… I’ll say it. This is right up there with any of Hendrix’s albums. It’s that good.

¡Qué bueno!

if the ending of ziggy stardust is orpheus getting torn up by wild animals (fans of rockstars) then this is orpheus's head wandering the underworld and screaming (america). i'm probably in the minority since I like this better than ziggy stardust, but i don't think it's terribly useful to reduce bowie's shit to rankings like that - it all works together too much

Ziggy Stardust Pt II hits fast and hits hard.

As a fan of David Bowie, I have to say that this is one of his albums that has slipped under my radar. I am, of course, familiar with the tracks with the most radio play but I don't think I ever listened to this album from start to finish. I find that it is not as strong as "Ziggy" and is less cohesive but several of the tracks here are very strong and show a diverse range of influences. The influence of The Rolling Stones is evident even aside from the cover song which is pretty good, but little more than filler. The other songs on this record are well worth the price of admission, and Mick Ronson's guitar work and Mike Garson's piano are sublime. "Panic in Detroit", is one of my favorite Bowie tracks.

Pretty wonderful throughout. Mike Garson's bonkers discordant keys. The sax. Mick Ronson. The glam rock, the Motown, the bum note Stones cover we have to mention, the actual record cover. It's a crash course for the ravers. Time, he flexes like a whore, falls wanking to the floor, his trick is you and me, boy. Jean Genie is massively overplayed, but I won't let that spoil it, and finishing the album eerily with Lady Grinning Soul is genius.

Amazing album. Thebobly thing I really didnt like was the title song. Skipped it as a kid and didnt like it at 48 either. Still the music and the uniqueness of Bowie makes this album one of my favorites of him. The aura of the crescendo on the songs make it seems like the world is going to end and all songs are like a victory party. This may have been by the fact that hos previous album made him famous amd rich and this album is much heavier and you can hear deeper influences by english rock bands including a rolling stones cover and by the american music of the time. Its a great fussion of to worlds that melted perfectly.

This might be my new favorite Bowie album. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to it all the way through, but wow. I loved every song, but “Watch That Man,” “Drive-In Saturday,” “Panic In Detroit,” and “The Jean Genie” are the standouts. I also love the concept of this being about him traveling through America during his tour. You can actually hear the inspiration in a lot of the songs. This is going to be on constant rotation for me.

Ich finde andere Bowie-Platten zugänglicher. Nichtsdestotrotz ein tolles Stück Rockmusik.

Bowie nunca falla. Sorprendente y adelantadísimo. Qué arreglos, qué música, qué voz, qué presencia. Terminó y enseguida lo volví a escuchar. Joya.

Great album, a worthy successor to Ziggy Stardust. Bowie evolved the glam rock sound that is probably his signature style, if he has one at all. Some elements of experimentation but nothing that prevented Aladdin Sane being a huge hit, I like pretty much every song on this. The title track breaks down into something slightly avant garde, but this is mostly accessible while also inventive. Also I don't really take the cover art into account for my scores normally but this is one of the most iconic of all time

It's weird to me that people were disappointed in this after Ziggy. The piano takes it somewhere just slightly different but it is still full of songs that grab you immediately. Even the filler of doing a Stones cover is elevated by that ending.

In between a 4 and a 5, but let’s just say 5 and all be friends.

You can never say anything bad about David Bowie

I'm a sucker for early 70s Bowie. The music, the lyrics, the tempo, the themes and the persona constantly change throughout, but the chaos of it all works together as a musical masterclass in edgy glamrock diversity.

Peak Bowie, maybe not my favorite, but still essential. A-… fuck it, 5 stars

One of the best by one of the best. I don’t know how you rate any of Bowie’s albums from the 70s and 80s as anything other than five stars.

Classic david Bowie album.

Five Stars.

Ziggy goes to America and gets weird. Bowie begins truly collaborating and experimental.

Sublime - classic - what more needs to be said

8 / 10 La portada es un icono de la cultura Pop, solo por eso tiene un punto más. Con Bowie me pasa una cosa, entiendo la calidad que tiene, lo que representó durante muchos años para la música y para la cultura en general, pero al final sus discos no acaban de atraparme pese a ser muy buenos.

One of my favorite Bowie albums. Nothing but a rating of 10/10 on every track.

Not done but rocking

Every time I listen to this I hear something new. THIS TIME, I heard a running theme, both romanticizing and eulogizing someone's gauzy, distant view of a pop culture that never was. Like all the Glam was just for show, and underneath was something less appealing, strangeness that is no longer interesting and exciting but bitter, ungrounded, untethered. Often the lyrics go off the rails of saliency, and this state of mind is further illustrated by Mike Garson's solo at the end of the title track. Like a stage set that we get glimpses of an unkempt chaos behind it. But just glimpses. Things are starting to fall apart. Or maybe just change into something else.