Aladdin Sane

rock, ahead of his time

In theory I should like David Bowie. He's just a bit out there for me I guess. It was an ok, not spectacular album for me.

I might warm up to a 4 star with a few more listens.

Listening to Rick Wakeman and his perfectly unique - from Gershwin to Prog - piano playing on the title track you wonder just where careers would have gone if Bowie hadn’t recommended Wakeman take the job offer from Yes because he couldn’t offer him the same stability. And, as we know, of course Yes wasn’t stable but their revolving doors were not quite as dramatic as Bowie’s as he never stayed anywhere for longer than an album. I need to ‘fess up. When I put this on I thought I was about to listen to Hunky Dory and the smorgasbord of sprightly pop classics that is. I’d mixed up the albums either side of Ziggy of which “Aladdin Sane” I now recall is my least favourite. The title track is exquisite and there are well know hits and classics scattered throughout. But it doesn’t hit the melodic heights of its two predecessors. It’s a romp, but just within the speed limit.

5.5/10

As iconic as the album cover may be, the album itself was almost entirely unknown to me. I guess my main hang-up is that many tracks feel like they tried to shove a few more ideas in, than were really necessary. The gems that are 'Time', 'Cracked Actor', and 'The Jean Genie' strike the balance of glam and rock perfectly, though.

A couple of great tracks in Drive In Saturday, and Jean Genie. But not my fave Bowie. The experimental piano playing gets a bit too heavy handed, and the arty side of Bowie is not my fave.

Mick Jagger: “Wait is this fucking play about us?”

Was fine

Now this is what I’m talking about! Listen, this isn’t my favorite music in the world. But I just love and appreciate his exuberance. It’s a lot of queer energy and I can feel it. I’m giving this one a 3.5⭐️.

David Bowie was an icon, no discussion in that, but for what reasons? His approach to life? His audacity? Or his music? I'm not the biggest fan of his music, just some songs that I think combine beauty with elegance, sound with love and so on. This album had some songs that were very different but you can also tell its bowie, never to far from himself. Nonetheless, I found it to hectic, even for David, it's a good album, with good combinations and story telling, but the songs are all over the place

1. Nossa, a diferença de vir de bandas um pouco mais desconhecidas pra alguém foda, dá uma outra energia. Musiquinha estilo rock clássico, back vocals da hora, som foda. 2. Loucuragem o solo de teclado tenso. Parece uma fase de chefão do Mario (conhecem?) 3~6. Som legal, nada marcante, só legalzinho de ouvir. 7. Curti essa "Time", tem uns acordes e sons tensos bem característicos dele. 8~10. Mesmo esquema, músicas boas, legais de ouvir, mas nada marcante. Mesmo que a música mais tocada do álbum esteja aqui, não me chamou atenção. To indo mais por sentimento nesses reviews do que técnico, indo no feeling, ver se os bardos me tocam, e esse álbum tocou de maneira suave (ain). Interessante, pela capa do álbum eu achei que seria uma coisa épica, marcante, fudido. Não sei se ele se pinta assim em outros álbums, mas eu esperava mais dessa imagem icônica. O álbum é bem gostosinho de ouvir, curti, só esperava mais.

Sempre quis conhecer mais David Bowie, nunca dei a devida atenção que acredito que ele merece. Altas expectativas pra esse álbum. 1. Watch That Man: Já comecei curtindo bastante. Música animada, guitarra bem presente, refrão pra cima, com instrumentos de sopro e backing vocals dando um brilho a mais. 2. Aladdin Sane: Essa aqui eu tava tentando gostar no início, mas no meio da música, por algum motivo que eu não entendi, entra aquele solo de piano bizarríssimo. Ficou claro que foi feito intencionalmente todo torto, errado e desafinado, mas não entendi o propósito.. Achei bem zoado. 4, 5 e 6 foram ficando melhorzinhas, mas nada muito surpreendente. 6. Time dá um diminuída do ritmo do álbum, muda um pouco a pegada. 7. The Prettiest Star acho que tem o primeiro solo bonito do álbum. Os solos das músicas até aqui geralmente são barulhentos, meio bagunçados, não to curtindo muito eles, nem como as músicas estão terminando. 8. Let's Spend the Night Together começa naquela doidera lá da segunda.. pra que isso cara? Pior que gostei da música, só fiquei cabreiro com esse início zoado. 9. The Jean Genie parece que dá aquela puxada pro Blues, tanto pela guitarra, quanto pela gaita de boca. Essa já curti mais, boa música. 10. Lady Grinning Soul fecha o álbum de forma mais sossegada, bem focada no piano. Admito que minhas expectativas estavam um pouco altas, então acabei me frustrando um pouco. Não achei um álbum ruim, até gostei bastante de algumas músicas, mas sinto que não entendi direito o álbum talvez. Algumas músicas fiquei meio confuso, meio bagunçadas, esquisitas, muita coisa acontecendo junto. Rolou um mixed feelings nesse álbum. Acho que um 3 é justo.

ok

Controversial but Def not a fave Had to skip title track as it was UNBEARABLE

I’ve never really been able to get into this version of Bowie. The Heroes-Let’s Dance version I tend to prefer. Maybe it’s me, maybe I’ll come back to this album in 5 years and be blown away. Maybe that’s my issue with Bowie’s earlier stuff with Mick Robson, maybe his guitar sound is too challenging for me right now. Tracks of Note: -Time -The Prettiest Star -The Jean Genie -Drive in Saturday

The first couple songs of the album were really bad but it picked up in the second half and was enjoyable. I have no idea what they were thinking with the random piano banging in the song Aladdin Sane. It was awful. The piano in the rest of the album was really enjoyable. I like rock music with piano accompaniment. This is hard for me to rate. Ill give it 3 stars but it really should be closer to 2.5 because the early songs were so bad.

First Song sounds exactly like start me up by the rolling stones but it came out 10 years before that! Pretty meh, other than that first song I didn't find a lot to be excited about here

If you asked ChatGPT to write a Ziggy Stardust album it would sound like this.

Discordant sounds, some interesting lyrics but jarring melodies and rhythms makes it hard for me to like it

not bad but i just can't vibe with it since it's too influential

Not what I expected a David Bowie album to sound like. I can have it in the background if I'm not really paying attention to it. Not for me.

Heel veel hetzelfde

weird and discordant and nothing is sticking but i just like bowie

3.5

nothing spectacular:/

Good but not my thing

Not a Bowie fan :(

Not my fave, but Cracked Actor is pretty great.

I like Bowie a lot but this has record has never really stood out to me much in his discography.

First time listening to a Bowie album fully. I found it pretty enjoyable. 3.5/5

Беше ми много джазов, вероятно просто не много добър момент да го слушам

tracks: cracked actor time the prettiest star lady grinning soul there's better but after a few listens it gets better too

Very "boogie woogie" album overall. Interesting - unique from Bowie's other stuff. He seems to be taking influence from everywhere - country, piano man, The Who. Time is excellent - certainly the standout track on this album for me. Shades of Ziggy Stardust, but with a bouncy piano and some more connective tissue to Bowie's later, 80s stuff. The wailing, weeping guitar sounds great. The dissonance is fantastic. Lady Grinning Soul is great too. Overall, a well-realized and unique project, though it can be a bit busy at times. Worth a listen!

Only liked Gene Jeanie

Said this before. Never been a big Bowie fan. I think I appreciate his cultural influence more than his music. This album is fine. I think Mick Ronson's guitar parts are very good. Not sure why he included a bad cover of the Rolling Stones here.

Kind of noisy, didnt enjoy much. 3/5 Too much instruments etc.

Enjoyed 3.5/5

Not my favorite Bowie album but still not too bad

I've never connected with this one. I dig it in theory. He could have turned in Ziggy Stardust part two, but he went stranger. So I respect the artistic choices he made. I just don't love the songs. Lady Grinning Soul was new to me as I don't think I'd ever made it to the end before, and I liked that one. Panic in Detroit is still great. Cracked Actor is cool enough. And I dig how weird the title track is. Never cared for The Jean Genie. Why he felt the need to include a cover of Let's Spend the Night Together is beyond me. The rest of the album just seems kind of unmemorable. That cover is a 5, though.

I really enjoyed this. It really seemed to have a soulful undertone in a lot of songs that I really dug. It's the kind of album I could leave on in the background all day.

I've always feel like I've been left out and missing something when it comes to the universal love of David Bowie. And that makes me a tiny bit sad. I want to hear it. I want to love it. BUT this album was my favorite Bowie album to date. So, progress.

Just an incredibly Bowie this.

I've become s fan of Bowie in the past few years. This album didn't contain many of my favourites but it's Bowie so it's no lower than a 3

typowy Bowie do posłuchania w tle

ganska rockigt, många bangers men också några sämre låtar

Thank you Bowie very cool!

Enjoyable.

Stones cover is much better than the original. The rest is just ok. There’s so much better in his catalog!

A good David Bowie album but definitely not the best. The album cover is iconic though.

Good, but not my favorite Bowie by any stretch.

Solid glam rock album from the early 70s from the legendary Bowie. Good vibe, original music, with plenty of Bowieisms in the guitar chords, would happily listen to this album. The only problem is, that it isn't one of Bowies memorable albums, not in the same way that preceding and following albums had.

I didn't listen to this in the right conditions! It was on a laptop while working so not very loud and it mostly faded into the background. It's not my favourite Bowie album but it does have some good moments like Jean Genie and more towards the end of the album.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. This is one of Bowie’s glam period records, after he had his first hit record in the UK. I like the gritty sound, and phenomenal guitar and piano playing. Very theatrical as well.

I don't want to say this is by the numbers rock, because by no means was it by the numbers when it came out, but it's been so influential since it came out that it has become by the numbers. Overall this is pretty good, but other than the first track on the album most of the songs don't do much for me. It is still a really good album, just not really something I could see myself playing more than this one time. A solid 3/5

Though I do not dig Bowie at all, and songwriting is mediocre in my opinion, it contains a couple of decent tracks. But the main thing that keeps from skipping it front to back is the sound, which I like times more than other Bowie stuff.

Ziggy is better. 6/10

A bluesy effort from Bowie that works to mixed effects.

Your average bowie

If it looks like Bowie. If it sounds like Bowie. If it swims like Bowie, then it’s probably Bowie. No stand out singles so it gets a 3

Listened Before? No Amazing I haven't listened to this one before given how prolific the album art is. Two songs in, this is not my favorite Bowie vibe. That said, Aladdin Sane is a pretty cool song; very jazzy with the Gershwin-esq piano solo interlude that dominates the midsection. Reminds somewhat of Bathtub Gin by Phish. Kinda zoned out for the next couple of songs. Cracked Actor is a cool song. I mean, doesn't sound nearly as revolutionary as some of Bowie's other work, but it has a nice progression. Also Bowie just has a certain confidence about his delivery that he can just own anything he puts on record. Hard to quantify, but it is a certain X-factor that he has as a musician. I can safely say that Time caught me completely off guard with the aggressive progression at 45 seconds. Lady Grinning Soul is another cool one. Really dig the sprinkling keys. Okay, after conclusion, this is not the David Bowie that I prefer. It is still good music, but there isn't much here to pull me back in for another listen like something like Hunky Dory has. I'm a 3 / 5. Added to Library? No Songs Added To Playlists:

Enjoyed it. No standout hits for me.

Yea not bad

Solid Bowie album all around. He really lunched me out with the pianos on Aladdin Sane

1 - not a big rock fan :( great backing vocals tho 2 - great atmosphere; why the vocals so distant?; genius word play; funky piano 3 - sax goes crazy; energetic vocals 4 - bass!!! 5 - short and sweet; so american; is he gay? 6 - omg the breathing 7! - so elegant; gorgeous 8 - scared 9 - why is it so american 10 - okaayyy piano

E mt bom, o unico bgl e que o bowie nao canta mt no ritmo, e alguns instrumentais sao entranhos pra nao dizer ruim, mas de resto e otimo. 7.5/10

More Bowie - yes please, i am slowly listening to all of the older Bowie Albums and am not disappointed....

I understand the gravity of this album on the zeitgeist at the time and thereon, and the songs are perfectly well constructed and executed. I think I just don't 'get' Bowie, there's little that excites me about the music here

He’s just a bit odd, isn’t he? David Bowie. I have my favourite songs of his but none are on this album. It’s just kind of ok. 2.5 stars, I reckon.

Not my favorite Bowie. Some bangers and some duds

Sounds gorgeous and so very Bowie. Just not one I go back to often. It’s like the building blocks of what makes him such an incredible artist but in itself, I don’t fancy it

Never got through this because it always felt like a bit of a chore, so I don't think I found it amazing. Giving it 3* and moving on.

I feel I'm being generous giving this a 3/5 considering I really dislike Bowie's vocals. They just annoys me. I can take a song here and there, but a whole album is too much. The non-vocal parts of the album are good though. My favorite track is the Rolling Stones cover, "Let's Spend the Night Together."

I love Bowie starting in 1983 with the Let's Dance Album. I could hear hints of China Doll on this album. I enjoyed it bit not sure I'd seek it out.

Won't make my list of great albums. I think his other albums are better, but I've never sat down and listened to them.

Classic Bowie. That’s it, that’s the review.

This is a good album. I liked Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars a lot. This is good, but not as good. This is a solid album, but there's little that stands out. There's nothing that grabs you and makes you say, "This is a great song!" I'm on the fence, and if I could give it 3 1/2 stars, I would. It has its moments, but there's not a single great song on here. I'm going to round down and give it a 3. It's better than that, but it's not a 4. [Trivial note, but I was just recommended an album by David Bowie two days ago. It would be nice if the recommendation algorithm spaced things out better.]

A fun listen with an edgy sound, but not Bowie’s best of the decade.

Some good songs but not my favorite Bowie album.

An very solid record all the way through. David Bowie's got a unique style that makes this album easy to listen to but surprisingly deep and complex while remaining varied.

Solid kolme hyvä vähä näyttää ETTEI TÖITÄ OLE TEHTY heh coverista siis päätellen

I expected to love it, but only the piano break down really stood out. I was disappointed. Three stars

Like several Bowie albums of this post-Ziggy period, it's got one great, classic song and a lot of interesting experiments.

Watch That Man - first listen: 1.6/3 Aladdin Sane - fl: 1.9/3 Drive-In Saturday - fl: 1.5/3 Panic in Detroit - fl: 1.3/3 Cracked Actor - fl: 1.4/3 Time - fl: 1.4/3 Prettiest Star - fl: 1.6/3 Let's Spend the Night Together - fl: 1.4/3 The Jean Genie - fl: 1.7/3 Lady Grinning Soul - fl: 1.5/3 Final Verdict: Aladdin Sane goes harddddddd damn. Consistent album, may come back to it. Should had gotten rid of Panic in Detroit to make it a great album

Cute. No standouts.

Good! Didn't impress me as other Bowie albums I've heard, but I'll listen more closely later

Buena voz, buenas canciones, buenas melodías, pero no es mi estilo definitivo. Pensaba que era más pop, pero tiene algo más de fuerza. Ideal para muchos momentos del día

Mid for Bowie, last track was epic tho

Not my favorite Bowie album

This is fine. Cracked actor is probably the best track. Most of it exists between "fine" and "good." For Bowie it's about as good as it gets. Supposedly this is influenced by the stones, which I do not see at all (aside from the cover song...don't be lazy Dave...write another song). Stones swing and have a groove. This is pretty sterile.

Not really my cup of tea.

Первый альбом, на котором у меня предварительно были какие-то ожидания (слушал доселе только Cracked Actor), и пианинка (меня разочаровала пионинка, прикиньте!) буквально на первых же песнях решила выкинуть эти ожидания напрочь. Оч зашла идея убрать вокал "под" остальные дорожки, учитывая то, что боуи будто "сказать" ничего не хотел, хз, но текстуально прям мимо, так что пытался кайфануть от музыки, вроде получилось, но все таки 3,5 Любимые песени: Panic in Detroit, Cracked Actor, Drive in Saturday, The Jean Genie Обложка кайф, грим "молнии" у меня прям вызывает ассоциацию с Боуи и роком в целом Пы.Сы. Давно хотел послушать, никак не добирался, так что идея с 1001 альбомом уже не зря. Пы.Пы.Сы. Надеюсь (знаю), что у Боуи другіе альбомы лучше

Bowie hat damals einiges neu gemacht. Für meinen Geschmack nicht gut gealtert.

cool idk no me mato

Great defining album.

aladdin sane is my third bowie album as part of this project, with lots more sure to come, and i immediately find myself admiring how different his music was throughout the decades. the biggest component of aladdin sane is definitely the piano provided by mike garson. the piano is on every track and drives the music often. i’m not so sure how glam this album was, in the long run. it’s a toned down version of other glam rock in the eighties, but you do have to walk before you can crawl.

Bowie called this album his take on "rock and roll in America", and I feel like he more or less nailed that, for better or worse. The use of the Aladdin Sane/A Lad Insane persona was perfectly fit for this era. While I can't pinpoint why, this album just sounds very much like what was going on in the rock and roll scene during the early 70s in America, but still with that iconic David Bowie twist. The album is fine, but lacks any great songs or singles to glue the album together; everything is just kind of "okay". The song "The Jean Genie" was probably my favorite on the album, but still not really all that standout...I did enjoy how it tied back to the album title theme, though. "Lady Grinning Soul", the closing track, sounded the most glam to me, and the most like David Bowie as I know and appreciate him. I couldn't help but wonder if this was on purpose. What really shines about this album is the cover art: this Bowie look is absolutely iconic, and may be the look that is most associated with him, even still today. This look alone eclipses anything musical that came out of this album. While "Hunky Dory" didn't blow me away, I liked it better than this album. If "Hunky Dory" was a 3.5 for me, "Aladdin Sane" would be around a 3.

One great hit does not a great album make…

Aye it's a goodun like but besides the hits it ain't my favourite

I think this is the 3rd or 4th Bowie album that I've gotten. I can truly appreciate his music and artistry, however its not something that I enjoy. I can listen to a song or two before I start zoning out.

3.6

it wasn't what it was cracked up to be. 3.

Enjoyed the album, but wasn’t as big of a fan of it as Ziggy stardust. It might take some time and more listens, but right now it’s good. I enjoyed the hectic title track, and the intro felt like a powerful start to the album. The album fell off for me when it hit “the prettiest star”. But the album came back at the last track, and ended on a high note. Good album, will revisit 7/10 Fav tracks: watch that man, Aladdin sane, panic in Detroit, time Least fav: the Jean genie

этот альбом я знаю, но меня он не вдохновляет)

There are better Bowie albums to come.

Not favourite Bowie album

Bowie is greatness but I didn’t like a lot of the discordant out there parts of the album

3/10, 30%

Långt från hans bästa men helt bra ändå

Preferred Ziggy Stardust. Favorite song: “Time”.

Not as good as his previous two, but still pretty good

I liked the weird piano parts on this album a lot.

I think I've come to the conclusion that I like Bowie songs, but don't like Bowie albums to the same extent. This is OK, but never quite works for me - there are a few tracks on it that are good (and it does sound very modern for the early seventies) but also a lot that I don't like. Drive-In Saturday is good, Jean Genie is Bowie at his glammiest, but I don't particularly want to listen to this again. Just scrapes a 3 because I'm feeling generous, and Drive In Saturday is great. 3/5.

ziggy stardust ✨

bowie is iconic but I feel like most of his music isnt for me

I started off liking it, towards the beginning/middle I got upset because some of the songs just made noises? Which i’m not a fan of. But again towards the end, it started getting to true rock which I liked.

Without looking, I'd bet I could copy/paste my review from Ziggy Stardust. It's a catchy-at-first early 70s rock album that I slowly get tired of because I'm just not able to really be moved by Bowie's music. It's fine - starting with "Watch That Man" is easy-entry rock (although there's a little bit of Lou Reed sound to this which puts me off - am not a fan of LR). And the title cut "Aladdin Sane" is a nice diversion from the initial cut - but then it just gets...Bowie-ish. And if you're a Bowie fan I can see how you'd like this but his voice is always a little distracting for me. On a positive note, aside from "Low" which feels to me like an Eno record that Bowie happens to sing on, this is probably one of the more-enjoyable or perhaps immediately-accessible records of his but I'll never voluntarily put it on. It feels like I always use his voice as a cop-out because there are plenty of artists who I listen to that I don't necessarily like the singer's voice and I like the music. It's as simple as this even if I can't articulate it well: I don't connect with his music on any emotional level - can just appreciate it from a distance. 5/10 3 stars.

Is ok, but no real highlights

Never listened to this one before. It feels like a nice template for a Bowie album. No huge highs, no huge lows, just the nice Bowie sound :)

3/5

Fairly broad sounds here. The Jean Genie feels buried on the album.

I'll admit that Bowie is maybe starting to grow on me. I also enjoyed this album more than the others I've listened to on this list - some pretty obvious Rolling Stones influence on this one. Still, enough of these albums. Thank you.

David Bowie ganz nice aber das Album ist nicht ganz meins

3.5

Bit out there for me

Solid Bowie album

3, mais pas le même 3 que pour Neil Young y'a R

it's 𝓓𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓭 𝓑𝓸𝔀𝓲𝓮 time

Very bowie very interesting

Not bad!

Eh

love Bowie but thought this was weak enough

Very different to what I’m used to that being said surprisingly good. TIME is one of my favs

I wanted to like it more, but it fell wanking to the floor.

ziggy sold out to break america

Still not a Bowie music fan, but this is my favorite so far.

Eclectic, eccentric, what I thought a full Bowie album would sound like I guess. Not for me

Never listened to this one before. Thought it was pretty enjoyable throughout. Favorite: Panic in Detroit

Overall good album, classic David Bowie. The cover of Let's spend the night together was good.

Never got into this one. Bowie has a lot better in him before and after this.

I like Bowie, but would have preferred Ziggy or let's dance.

Leroy Sane is better.

Enjoyed it, although it didn’t blow my mind or anything

Müsste ich noch häufiger hören, hat potential.

This is probably my favorite Bowie. I know this is sacrilege but I find Bowie’s schtick wears thin, but this one has some serious bangers, especially the title track, Jeane Genie and Drive-In Saturday.

Really like the album. Haven't heard a lot of David Bowie albums yet except for the big ones. So I still have much to discover about him. So far I like the different use of instruments, especially the piano pieces. (That title track :D) 3.5/5

3/5 not enough

Not bad, which is a complement from a Bowie non-fan

Liked the experimental edge but didn't always land for me

Iconic artwork! As I find with most of Bowie's albums, there are a couple of outstanding songs, and the rest are, well, aren't. 2.5

Not the best Bowie album I've listened to but some strong Glam Bowie hits in there. Enjoyed

David Bowie's songwriting paired with Mick Ronson's musical and orchestration genius make for a great listen. Not my bag, but a good spin. 3.5/5.

Solid Bowie music

As much as I like Bowie (he already got a couple of 5 starts from me over here), I was never able to gravitate towards Aladdin Sane. I wouldn't say it's a bad album, but I will claim it's not a particularly good album, in the sense that it leaves me with nothing to cling to in the uplifting department that makes an album great. Hope I'm making sense... Bring back Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust, I say!

not his best work but what you expect

I was excited to check this out as I'm not super familiar with Bowie, but I like most of what I heard. I didn't really love this, though

I generally like Bowie a lot, but this album didn’t do it for me.

Pretty good while lacking any of his big numbers, but some of the purposefully out of time piano parts sanded a nail down a chalkboard.

very interesting and experimental, but I don't vibe that much

The cult of Bowie says I should learn to love this album, but I've listened to this more than I care to admit and came away from this with less than I imagined. A Lad Insane... Alladin Sane / The Jean Jeanie... My understanding of this album is that it's about the wish, hope and struggle for fame and what comes afterward. Panic in Detroit is the pinnacle of fame. If you find it, you flex like a whore and fall wanking to the floor. Cracked actor says Suck, baby, suck, give me your head, Before you start professing that you're knocking me dead as if to say Fame is all elusive, unbearable and boring. Truth be told, this album isn't unbearable and boring. Aladdin Sane is super campy and on par with the soundtrack to the Rocky Horror Picture show. The saxophone truly blows. The songs, aside from Panic in Detroit and The Jean Genie are mostly forgettable. This is one of those albums that is on this list because it fits well within a certain timeframe but that period is far gone and all but forgotten. I'd go as far to say that if this album art hadn't been so iconic Aladdin Sane most likely would've slipped away with the rest of history.

The avant-garde jazz vibes (looking at you title track) almost downgraded this for me, but this is better than some of the other Bowie on the list.

Mystery but he just can't get to me....

One of Bowie's best guitar-wise – Lots of fun tones and tricks on here that pull standard guitar cliches of the time into fun, transgressive statements in the way only Bowie could. Doesn't settle wholly into a cohesive LP as some of the more experimental tracks are a bit hit-and-miss, but a fun listen per usual from Dave's discography.

Not his best

Simpatico

4/07/2022 REVIEW #69 Today's Album: "Aladdin Sane" by David Bowie - As with any Bowie record, there is a ton of stuff on here that is so unique to him and that no one else has done better. His occasional off-key singing and strange instrumental choices coupled with his knowledge of making an absolute pop BANGER leads to a lot of moments where he toes the line of what is listenable music, like on the title track Aladdin Sane with it's almost terrible piano solo but great backing instrumental. That being said, there aren't really any "hits" on this album in comparison to Ziggy Stardust or Hunky Dory. It feels like Bowie is really taking some time to experiment with different sounds after the success of Ziggy and it is turning out on this record in some parts and just kind of falling flat in others. I am not the hugest Bowie fan and really only love his music when he has a very solid and condensed song structure and doesn't go too into the weeds, but I will say this is a nice example of him going off the rails occasionally and in a artistic manor, but also playing it straight sometimes. Overall, I like this record, but honestly won't really be coming back to it except for the few songs I decided to add to my playlist. There isn't really a consistency or theme to the songs and it leaves it just feeling like it has no identity, which is unusual for a Bowie release. Listen to it if you reaaaallly like Bowie, but otherwise just pick out the hits and leave the rest. Score: 6.5/10 good but just isn't really pulling me in. Highlights: Watch That Man, Aladdin Sane, Drive-In Saturday, Cracked Actor, Time, The Prettiest Star, Lady Grinning Soul

Slightly weird in places

Not my favourite Bowie ‘set’ but so much to love about this. The cover, Panic In Detroit, Drive-In Saturday, Jean Genie. Enjoyed playing this again very much, especially as a whole set of songs. Never been a Mike Garson fan (the piano dominates too much in places) but other than that I love it.

3.6 + Despite some moments of brilliance, this record mostly feels like a hodgepodge. Bowie can be a questionable lyricist, and songs like "Drive-In Saturday" epitomize his penchant for mealy-mouthed asides. I always found the opening track "Watch that Man" annoying because the vocals are so low in the mix. "Let's Spend the Night Together" is a throwaway cover. And I never really connected with "The Jean Genie" even though it is one of his bigger glam hits. Still, Mike Garson sounds incredible on piano, particularly on "Aladdin Sane." And "Lady Grinning Soul" is one of the strongest closers for any Bowie album.

David Bowie I Did not know that all your Songs sounded like that

Vintage Bowie. Weird, different, on the edge, yet delightfully poppy. I own this on vinyl so it was nice to spin it while I work. This is a good listen and worthy of being on this list. While Bowie is know for a plethora of hits, all of his albums really only seem to have one or two on each. The rest of the tracks could stand alone as well, but Aladdin Sane is pretty solid from top to bottom.

Bowie never sounds the same, but he always sounds like Bowie. I don't like everything on this album, but I love that he was never willing to stand pat with his music.

No vote

I need to admit to myself that I love David Bowie's fashion sense but am mostly indifferent to his music. This album is fine but not exceptional.

I loooove the Prettiest Star. And love the piano in Lady Grinning Soul. I think I should relisten. For now I’m gonna have to give it a 3. Great musical choices and definitely more interesting than most of the boring dad rock music we’ve gotten recently.

Feels more gritty than glam. Some solid hooks throughout but nothing real special here. Certainly no transcendence for me. My problem with Bowie has always been the incessant posturing/posing. That approach makes for some interesting (and even several memorable) moments or songs, but harder for the work to sustain itself or stay in the mind. “Jean Genie” is not a good song.

Я думал что будет лучше.

I never found Bowie to be that convincing as a straightahead rock and roller. He was a great synthesist, artist, explorer - but not a rocker. For me the sonic highlights here are all Mike Garson's piano and how they work collectively to integrate new weird sounds.

im not getting bowie. Good vocals, but its not rocking my world.

Bowie pose avec cet album les fondations du mouvement androgyne-rock qui subsiste encore aujourd'hui, notamment au travers du groupe Måneskin que je m'évertue à critiquer tout en refusant catégoriquement d'écouter le moindre de leurs morceaux.

Ok album

I really don't like Bowie's voice, but I think his music is starting to grow on me more. There's some good songs here. The worst one for me is definitely the title track - that's a headache and a half. Nothing caught my attention though like "Heroes" did and I imagine this won't be the last Bowie album on here. Man's considered one of rock's greatest after all. Still trying to see why that is though. (Not bad, good even, but not even close to being on the same level as The Beatles or Pink Floyd from what I've heard).

Well, well, well it’s Bowie! I enjoyed this album but I feel like it needs me to listen to it more before I judge it. Some parts I really grooved to and some were not my favorite. His voice is truly special, though. Added to Library? N Songs Added to Playlist: Drive in Saturday, Cracked Actor

I struggle with Bowie's music. I like some of it but it often seems experimental and ahead of it's time, in a way. I thought this album was alright. 6/10.

Best Song: Cracked Actor. Fun rhythm, song didn't take itself as seriously as the rest of the album does. Worst Song: Aladdin Sane. Really didn't like the piano solo. Overall: Had some vocally interesting tracks, but mostly the instrumentals felt overly theatrical. I cannot doubt that there are other (better) Bowie albums on this list, so I have to wonder why this one also needed to be included.

enough with the fricking bowie. 7 albums???

Pleasant enough to listen to, sounds very 70s. I think it's just not for me. I definitely prefer the first four songs over the rest.

Good album, but I liked Hunky Dory better.

Good Bowie album. No tracks personally memorable after the first listen.

Middle of the road Bowie for me. No big hits, but not quite the disappointing follow-up to Ziggy that some make it out to be.

Es la primera vez que escucho la música de David Bowie y debo decir que fue interesante. No sé si es el mejor álbum de su carrera porque es el primero que escucho, pero es un muy buen trabajo. Aladdin Sane, la title track es mi canción favorita hasta el momento

It's fine... a little bit middle of the road alt-rock. Jean Genie is the best, but I liked the dirty guitar of Cracked Actor

2.8 - decent Bowie album, but nothing seemed especially remarkable to me.

mediocre, not the "101th" best album ever

Interesting album. Liked it, didn’t love it.

6.5/10 I like the general vibe of this album, but nothing stuck out to me in particular. It was difficult to hear the lyrics so I didn't really know what the songs were about. Not a fan of the track "Aladdin Sane"--I recognize what he was doing with the piano riffs, but I personally didn't like the way it sounded.

Best cuts are All the Young Dudes, Time and The Jean Genie. The Prettiest Star has a completely different sound. More of a 50s doo-wop.

I'll admit that I have a soft spot in my heart for this, the ramshackle, obtuse, rushed follow up to its monumental predecessor. I have every expectation that another round or two of edits would have tightened up the lyrics in places, and a little more time in the studio may have yielded something (anything?) better than the embarrassing cover of Let's Spend the Night Together, but the band remains dangerous and the attitude is sharp, cutting, and intact. It sounds so much like a man lost in excess that he's lost his articulateness too, and from that point of view I'll celebrate the album's mostly-finished nature. There are some terrific tracks on here, perhaps chief among them the title track, where the narrator's broken mind is perfectly reflected in the stark, sharded piano solo. An inevitable let down from Ziggy Stardust, but what wouldn't be? Realistically, when I pick Bowie to listen to it's almost never this, but I was glad to hear it again today.

Pretty fun

Ok but not as amazing as everyone says IMO. I find his voice quite irritating.

Stones cover is much better than the original. The rest is just ok. There’s so much better in his catalog!

Good rock album.

Great album

Kolejny raz generatorowy matriks sie pokazuje, zaraz po spektaklu lazarusa losuje albumik Bowiego, przpadek, nie sadze, jest sluchane bylo drugi albumik z ery ziggiowej, mocno hamerykanski, bo pisany w trasie koncertowej po hameryce, muzycznie slychac glam rocka przeplatanego z jazzowimi influencjami granymi przez spidery z marsa, wiec znany sklad z poprzednich nagran bowiego, traki na plejke the jean genie i watch that man

6,5/10: alcune canzoni belle ma non mi è entrato nelle corde, altre canzoni mi sembravano solo un riempitivo. De gustibus

A ratos bien, a ratos equis. No me encantó. Hay canciones muy grandilocuentes, otras más bien estridentes y no logré conectar en general con todo el disco. Lady Grinning Soul creo que fue mi favorita.

Creo que de lo (poco) que he escuchado hasta ahora de Bowie, este es el disco que me ha gustado más. Me agrada que varias de las canciones son más tipo blues, y me recuerdan algo a los Beatles (Got to get you into my life / Back in the USSR), aunque un par de canciones son más experimentales, como precisamente Aladdin Sane. A este disco le pondría 3.5 de calificación, pero en esta ocasión bajará.

I really like David Bowie but I didn’t love this album.

Glam-era Bowie - succinct and "fun", albeit dark lyrically - very listenable, but a little short of 4 stars. Iconic cover photo. Amongst the songs I wasn't already so familiar with, Panic in Detroit, Cracked Actor and Lady Grinning Soul are highlights. Mike Garson's famous dissonant avant garde piano solo in Aladdin Sane doesn't work for me. Jean Genie and Saturday Night Drive-in are rightly Bowie classics.

The piano on the title track is wild! Really cool. Overall very solid album, some interesting rock that definitely has the David Bowie vibe and flair. Very theatric at times; some moments so much so that I could've been told I'm listening to the soundtrack from an edgy Broadway musical and I would believe it. Some tracks get a little frenetic and busy for me, but I think that's quite intentional. Bowie is still very cool.

A nice sound, but only a couple of tracks stood out.

Just doesn't stand up to the glory of previous albums, sort of feels like he's riding the wave of Ziggy Stardust. A couple hits, definitely a solid album, but lacking some of Bowie's previous genius.

Good listen. I can appreciate the music but it's all pretty similar. Makes more sense if it's considered a concept album but would have still liked more variety. A 3.5 because I don't feel like I need to listen to it again. But the piano solo on the title track made me want to drive off of a cliff, and the disappointing "let's spend the night together" cover have me leaning down to a 3.

Good. Ok.

I see the appeal, but this wasn't necessarily for me! The wild piano strokes came off as melodically (is that a word?) a bit weird, but I see how they contribute to the sound/genre!

I like Bowie a lot. He’s a friggin chameleon, musically and physically. We’re still in the heyday of glam rock with this. Panic in Detroit. Jean Genie. Watch that Man. This is a good. Yeah, there’s things I’m going to skip. But its Bowie. A SOLID three stars.

I had no idea. I think I'll be listening to more Bowie.

A little conflicted. I think Bowie was a genius and his musical spectrum is wide and varied. Even though I hadn’t listed to this album before, I have to say I struggled with it a bit.

3 stars

Not what I expected. Wasn't that impressed

Not bad. Not the best Bowie.

Ok, but I didn’t think it was as good as ziggy stardust

this is a solid album, but there are other bowie albums I enjoy a lot more.

Jean Genie is a good listen, other tracks were less memorable but enjoyable overall.

A few great songs, including my favourite from Bowie, the album's closer. Bought this one rather than it's predecessor on the strength of the two singles.

I enjoyed the album, not my normal thing to listen to, but it's got some good tracks.

false

I had always heard that Bowie was amazing, but I was kind of disappointed with this project. It was okay, not bad, but nothing special.

bof on se fait chier

David Bowie had completely begun to embody Ziggy Stardust at this point and the confidence shows. While the highs aren’t quite as high as other efforts it is still solid.

Great album.

I'm a fairly big Bowie fan, but imho this is among his most boring albums. Not technically his weakest or his most inconsistent... just quite a boring follow-up to Ziggy Stardust. I don't what it means to "sigh like Twig the wonderkid", but that's a top contender for Bowie's most irritating lyric. Bowie on a bad day is still worth hearing, but this is 3* or 3.5* to me, and definitely shouldn't be on this list.

Wekte weinig emotie op

Ok, aversge

Bowie! Tja, het zou briljant moeten zijn en ik hoor ook wel dat het goed is, maar ik vind er toch geen reet aan...

I love Bowie. Never paid much attention to this album though, for some reason. It's ok, but I liked the Ziggy album better.

Had er toch wel iets meer van verwacht.

Interesting that the album/image I most associate with DB but I dont recognize any of the songs on the album at first glance. For someone that has 8-9 albums on this list I have high expectations for them all and this fell short. It was fine? Enjoyed it a bit more on the second listen through. Watch That Man was a solid track and gave me hope for the rest of the album, and I did recognize the Jean Genie once it came on, but once again if you are David Bowie, you have to impress me more than this

The day before Yesterday I randomly said to a co-worker: “I’ve never really liked David Bowie - I just don’t get it”. He agreed, and then of course we get this today. Not awful, but not my favorite. It was cutting edge in the day, so I give credit for that, and Jean Genie is a good pop song. I did like the guitar intro to “cracked Actor”. The rest of the album forgettable, and a weak effort covering The Rolling Stones = 2.5 stars. Rounding up for reputation and funky makeup.

Some good stuff that I hadn't heard before

Fine.

5

Pretty good! Idk I think I need it to grow on me but reminds me a lot of Queen and I like them. IDK if I like the keys too much but again I think it'll grow on me

After the relative softer edge of Ziggy Stardust Bowie really rocks out with this album. I don't think it achieves the same heights as Ziggy, but it has some great tracks including Jean Genie and Panic in Detroit. I prefer Bowie's other phases: Mod/ Space oddity, and his experimental Berlin stage but this is still a pretty solid effort.

Classic bowie

I am pretty sure I’m pro-Bowie..I am not anti-Bowie or Bowie-neutral. I am however still seeking the album that REALLY gets me into Bowie. I believe I am someone who can and should be really into Bowie. Aladdin Sane is coming across my musical path I think at the right time for me to discover MY Bowie album. Is this it? Time will tell - but I am inspired now to dig back into this catalogue.

I know the cover art for this is pretty famous but it's not my favorite Bowie album.

Not my favorite Bowie, but Panic in Detroit is a great song. Good listen.

I’ll be honest, I was expecting this to be better. It was very commercial rock, still Bowie and still well done. But didn’t feel as fun or creative as hunky dory in my opinion. Enjoyable romp, cool to read about the influence of American Touring on Bowie, but not my favorite. 3.5, rounding down because I had high expectations.

Always enjoy a Bowie record. Never listened to this one though, somehow. It was fine. My favorite track was "Panic in Detroit," which was funnily enough the least-streamed track of the record, on Spotify.

bat gene genie ,not a fan

3 - näher an der 2 als an der 3

Keine objektive Meinung möglich. Listened to it several times. Könnte aufgrund der Musik sein, könnte meine würde Schwäche für Androgynität sein? Warte, objektifiziere ich gerade David Bowie? David, we love you! You are the prettiest star! Aber lowkey Album leider nicht so geil.

Good not great. The song I was most excited about was a suggested song after this album from a later Bowie album.

Pretty good.

Fav: Time, Lady Grinning Soul

Prima wegluister album met rock plaatjes

Nice album.

A solid Bowie album, but not one of his best.

I thought I would like David Bowie more, but I was kinda disappointed. expected some grungy experimental feel, but instead just got old school rock and roll feel. kinda elvis-y which makes sense considering the time era. some songs were not bad though.

noice old popish

Some classics, and Bowie wierd stuff, I'll stick more to his hits.

It's got that make up that everyone does for Halloween on the cover lmao

70’er rock, nyskabende, splittet, dystopisk, velproduceret,

Solid Bowie but doesn’t hit as many peaks as his top work

1973. Key Songs: The Jean Genie, Panic in Detroit

Meh

time got my attention, it sounds like a villain song

It's not a bad album - tbh I thought it was pretty good - but again, there is too much Bowie going on here. 3/5.

This is a distillation of everything I dislike about David Bowie.

Barely listened enjoy the pianos in the 3rd/2nd track would definitely give a listen sometime in the future

I didn't have to skip many songs, but overall not quite for me, there was one i liked more than the rest but i didn't even bother to write it down

favs: panic in detroit time the prettiest star let’s spend the night together rating 2/5

Eventually, I will find some 70s albums that I like, but this wasn't one of them. The maximalist rock opera thing isn't for me. I didn't care for the rock piano stuff and guitar tones that were going on for most of the album. I do think the title track hit the theme for the album the best and most interestingly.

Third Bowie album in first 20.

Not my fave, but love the Thelonious Monk impression

Dream Jeannie was the only song I knew prior to this but that doesn't even crack my top Bowie songs. This album was just ok for me. Iconic album cover though.

Yep, I still dislike piano rock.

Way too much Bowie. This one was such a snore it was hard to get through. Took me a couple sittings.

I can see how people really like his music just not for me unfortunately

2.3/5 some ok songs and some that weren't to my liking

That's more like it, first fast(er) paced album of the week. I used to listen a little bit of Bowie but I have never fully got into his music. This album did not have the songs that I know but very much has distinguished Bowie sound.

Still trying to figure out why people worship this guy.

2 - I still haven't found a David Bowie album to get excited about.

I don’t need to listen to NINE! Bowie albums to be reminded that I don’t like Bowie. Nine! Utterly ridiculous!

4/10

What an iconic album cover, sadly that is where to good ends. I think people are just in love with the cover and not really the songs on the album. I think this has to be his weakest outing from this era.

The song Alladdin Sane was really bad

Definitely my least favourite of the Bowie albums we've heard. Expected so much, intense album design, but delivered so little. Wilting voice. I was driving, so perhaps I didn't listen to it closely enough, but I was severely disappointed, especially compared with Blackstar or Low. Nothing of substance. Perhaps I had too high expectations here.

I want to like this more than I do

Surprised to not enjoy this one very much. I do like a good bit of Bowie but this album didn't hit me the way I was going it would. I feel like I should apologise to someone.

Not my favourite.

Good album, just not a big Bowie fan

This was very disappointing- I love labyrinth and doggy stardust and this fell flat. No hate and probably should be a three, but the let down of not one new song that moved me gives her a two. Not sir bowie’s best

I was trying to listen to the first couple songs in the album while I was working and it was way too much for that. It turned me off so much that I had to just put this one down until the end of the day. When I came back, the first tracks still annoyed me, but the later half of the album got much more tolerable. So I’m going to say not even a gentle derision, but no derision at all.

beh

**An ok album

Interesante, pero no va conmigo en este momento

Would listen to 3/10 songs again shockingly giving this album a 3/10 for me. We rock w the OG twink tho do not get it twisted

As much as I still think Bowie was a genius, this one just wasn't for me. The janky pianos combined with the glam rock guitar riffs felt a little distracting, the lyrics got a little over-prosaic in places, and there isn't much that stuck with me afterwards aside from The Jean Genie. For such an iconic album cover, this was a disappointment. Much prefer the Berlin trilogy. Favourite track: The Jean Genie Least favourite track: Let's Spend The Night Together