Aladdin Sane

I like this album I mean its David Bowie. I think I just am not as into this genre but I still love this. The piano in the songs is my favorite its so beautiful. Time is definitely my favorite song.

It’s not quite as consistent as I was hoping (e.g. Let’s spend the Night, Jean Genie) but Time, Lady Grinning Soul and Aladdin Sane are top tier Bowie

Decent. Some of the songs weren’t as memorable, but still enjoyed.

liked all the songs, one of the better Bowie albums

goat

conventionally good music, but nothing i see myself returning too.

Enjoyed this, included some new to me tracks.

Not my favourite Bowie but Time and Let's Spend The Night Together are highlights

some bonkers stuff going on in the bg, enjoyed but didn’t hit

Yep it’s another Bowie album

Great.

really enjoyed this, admittedly haven't listened to much of bowie so excited to hear the other albums on this list

4/5

6/10

I thought I was a bigger Bowie fan than I apparently am. There’s nothing bad about this album, but there’s also nothing great about it either.

another fire one from the man himself

There were some catchy tunes, and it was more guitar heavy than I anticipated. Enjoyable, but more of a 3.5 star for me.

For an artist with the reputation of Bowie, and an album cover so iconic, I was expecting big things. Unfortunately, I was mildly disappointed. It was, in glam rock fashion, dramatic. Yet none of the tunes really caught my ear. Although some were at times interesting, such as the soaring end to Lady Grinning Soul or the bluesy opening track, it was slightly underwhelming.

Aladdin Sane didn't do it for me. It wasn't outright terrible, but it felt generic/mediocre at best and got pretty bad at points (that one piano solo was terrible). The jazz elements also felt haphazardly thrown in and didn't fit well. Overall, it leaves me very disappointed. Favorite Song: "The Jean Genie"

Back to back Bowie! Young Americans yesterday and this one today, two completely different sounding albums two years apart. This one is early ‘70s rock mode and surprisingly heavy at times along with the regular tropes of the day of groove and grandeur. Great to finally hear this album and would definitely play this again.

Ok, we get it. You like 70's-era David Bowie albums. You like them A LOT. But, let's face it. This is getting ridiculous. This isn't supposed to be "1001 David Bowie Albums You Must Hear Before You Die."

Not essential, but not bad enough to warrent 2 stars.

Не люблю гитару. Не люблю, когда гитара на переднем плане, а голос за ней. Не люблю, когда человек без голоса пытается петь. НЕ ЛЮБЛЮ ТАКИЕ АЛЬБОМЫ

parts were way better than I expected and parts were worse ? also didn't expect some of the songs to be as graphic as there were.. not quite pos or neg thing just an observation I suppose

I think I’m just salty because Bowie is SOOOOO over represented on this list. This album is fine. Well produced, solid music. But nothing spectacular for me, and the closer I listened the less I liked it.

Was ok. Tapered off in the middle.

All I'm hearing is Rolling Stones outtakes and weirdness for weirdness' sake. It's alright. Favorites: Panic in Detroit, The Jean Genie Would I listen to it again: Probably not

3 gta

Style over substance, mostly.

Loved the complexities in the music

Not my favorite side of Bowie, but can't deny that he delivers

Bowie wrote this album based on his impressions of America. At the same time Hunter S. Thompson was writing Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail. Both accounts dive into the entry into America's decline and malaise. From the hints of "Rhapsody in Blue" on the piano solo in the title track, to futuristic nostalgia of Drive-In Saturday Night, Bowie calls out the country for what it is. Lonely. As he peeks around more he sees dying cities in Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York. But as he calls out the dying country, there is an underlying angst building. Bowie seems to be declaring that if America is dying, then I'm going to get a last lick, much like Thompson wanted a parting shot at a country he didn't recognize anymore. I don't think anyone could do this again because America isn't anything. The malaise has completed.

Pretty good - cant beat a bit of Bowie

Aladdin Sane is Bowie right on top of his game—glam, weirdness, and big ideas all hitting at once. Mick Ronson’s guitar is a huge part of why it works so well, slicing through the chaos and giving the whole thing real bite. The album’s packed with great moments, especially “Panic in Detroit” and “Lady Grinning Soul.” Only downside? The cover of “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” Could’ve happily skipped that. Otherwise, one of his best.

Eh? I feel like I’m missing something. Just.. forgettable. Except the cover. Two!

Amo esta esencia de Jazz de Bowie, el piano increíble.

....

I'd not listen to this all the time but I could drop it on once in a while when I'm in the right mood. It's a good album; his encapsulated vision of life in America is really the main tarnish on this album, that and some of the more cacophonic bits. I'd rate it a 3.5+, so we'll round it up to 4.

Even though this album is an undeniable classic, every time I try to listen to it, I don't understand why it's so popular. Not mine

The best Bowie album I’ve been assigned so far. I really like the piano work on this album.

Controversial, but I’ve grown to dislike Bowie more with adulthood. Pretty sure my teen admiration was performative due to his cultural impact!

Watch That Man - 7/10: I really like the beat/music/instruments and the chorus. Aladdin Sane - 6/10: I like the beat. Drive-In Saturday - 5/10: I like his vocals. Panic in Detroit - 5/10: Just wasn't super memorable for me. Cracked Actor - 6/10: I like the beat and vocals. Time - 5/10: I like the intro. The Prettiest Star - 5/10: Again, wasn't super memorable. Let's Spend the Night Together - 5/10: I like the intro. The Jean Genie - 6/10: I like the guitar. Lady Grinning Soul - 6/10: I like the intro. Overall Score: 56/100 Overall Rating: 6/10 - Bowie is a classic artist that everyone loves. I don't know many songs by him, but I admire him and his work. I did enjoy this album, but not as much as I thought I would. It was a great album though.

LOVE

Highlights: - Watch That Man - Aladdin Sane - Drive-In Saturday - Cracked Actor - … Time - The Jean Genie - Lady Grinning Soul

It’s just Bowie ! I will always give him a 5 / - not my favourite Bowie album but still amazing

Chad Sane

what the hell nobody ever told me david bowie sounded like lynyrd skynyrd got rocky horror picture showified..soooo turned gay (only at first song on album 'watch that man'). this shit is so chaotic, remind me not to listen to it while tripping unless i'm super zen (i'm usually not). picking flights while listening to this and it's stressing me tf out but I love it. fantastic fever dream I love it.

I feel like I need to learn more Bowie, and this is a perfect example. Seems like a great record.

helt ok, aldri helt kommet inn i

I’m not a big Bowie fan to begin with, and this didn’t change that. I enjoyed the band’s playing, but I couldn’t get into the vocals at all. I found myself listening to a song, going and listening to something else, and then going back and listening to one more and then repeating that process. This was a tougher one for me to get through.

Absolutely love the title, some of the songs are amazing but others are so experimental that it doesn’t always leave it to easy listening

Solid album, if you like Bowie, you'll find a lot to like here, but if you've bounced off his music before, I don't think there's anything here that will convert you.

Not really my style

Decent albumpje. Kon het wel waarderen, maar zou er niet veel vaker naar luisteren. Chaotisch, jazzy, en rocky. Iconische stem, lekkere tunes. Ik heb even wat lore gelezen, en de chaotische vibe van het album geeft ons een kijkje in het titulaire karakter "A lad insane", en Bowie's ervaringen tijdens zijn eerste US tour na het behalen van stardom. Hoewel dit karakter minder scherp gedefiniëerd is dan Ziggy Stardust, kwam de vibe duidelijk over. Bowie beschreef "I was trying to move into the next area – but using a rather pale imitation of Ziggy as a secondary device. In my mind, it was Ziggy Goes to Washington: Ziggy under the influence of America." Ik kijk ernaar uit om Ziggy Stardust te ontmoeten wanneer "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" aan de beurt is in de generator. (mogen we valsspelen en vooruit luisteren? :P) Ik ga niet teveel tijd besteden aan het reviewen van individuele tracks, maar ik wil wel noemen dat: - Aladdin Sane een groovy vibe is, minus de chaotische piano breakdown. De breakdown is wat jarring, maar draagt sterk bij aan de karakterschets en atmosfeer. Vooral de donkere tonen op het einde zetten - by lack of a better word - de toon voor het album, zoals een title track het betaamt. - Ik Time een leuke rock opera vond. Added to Liked songs: Drive-In Saturday, Cracked Actor, Time, Lady Grinning Soul

Title track te chaotisch overall best enjoyable Mis een beetje structuur Cracked actor is een banger Prittiest star is lit Had graag meer samenhang tusssen nummers of echt een consistent story gehad

Beetje verbaasd over het aantal plays op spotify ik had puur op basis van David Bowie meer plays verwacht. Voor mij geen bekende nummers en een tamelijk stroeve zit. Bij de langere nummers voelde ik sterk de neiging door te spoelen of te skippen, maar heb me ingehouden. The Prettiest Star was te doen met 3:31 en Let's Spend the Night Together ook met 3:10, laatst genoemde had ook wel wat naar mijn mening. Lady Grinning Soul was ook leuk. 2.5/5 - zou niet flippen als iemand het draait als achtergrondmuziek maar zou er nooit zelf naar luisteren uit vrije wil. Slechts een handjevol nummers echt leuk. PS. hadden van mij nog wel meer random instrument geluiden gemogen in Aladdin Sane. Misschien nog één valse piano erbij.

Nice album

Not a fan 2/10

Bowie’s third-best album and his best cover art.

Makes so much music I heard but never know was them

A big, booming glam album. Lots of loud music being played throughout: sax, pianos, big guitar riffs. I’m not the biggest Bowie fan, though, so it’s a pretty uninspiring album for me.

Enjoyed two songs, didn't care for the rest of the album.

The type of rotten sugar tooth glam rock only Bowie could deliver. Fun album but it does feel like B side of Ziggy Stardust. Worst Track: Prettiest Star Favorite Track: Lady Grinning Soul

Great album

Incredible range for an album with only 10 songs. I guess albums used to be that length but now they're all 13 tracks minimum for some reason. Favorite songs: Cracked Actor; Lady Grinning Soul. Real rock and roll.

Way behind but will catch up. Listened to this several times and a bit gun shy. I can’t stop thinking “Ziggy Stardust B-Sides”. I hear the more raw American influence, some hints of what’s to come in Young Americans, and overall great songs, but not near his best. I may give this several more listens and change my mind. Just realized Bowie looks a lot like Chris Martin.

A few steps down from Iggy and the spiders from mars but a few steps down from the top of Everest is still pretty damn high.

Big fan of this! Its necessary for me to say again that Bowie's stuff is super new to me (especially the glam era). I know it came immediately after Ziggy, but I feel like this album had a distinctly darker and more twisted vibe. Made it through a few times and have really enjoyed it. Loved Jean Genie, Watch That Man and the jazzy Aladdin Sane.

Amazing - could probably grow to top album over time, but feels a little less consistent than Ziggy. Loved Watch that Man and Aladdin Sane the most - but also really liked Cracked Actor, Time, Jean Genie. That piano solo in Aladdin Sane sounds alot like the solo on Bathtub Gin - has to be an influence in some way. Bowie as a lyricist stood out here - so dense, imaginative, descriptive, unique.

Imitating other (mainly black) artists makes this sound possible. I appreciate the art but ultimately this is/was parroting and performance art. I do not like the banging pianos.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I enjoyed the piano playing in particular. Wouldn't rush to listen to again, but a decent album

5/10 Best songs: Panic in Detroit, Cracked Actor Creative, experimental, but like, not really my style of music. I think I like later David Bowie a lot better.

Weakest of the 'classic' Bowie albums so far. Jean Genie is still an absolute banger.

I thought I might be on David Bowie overload after getting Low so recently before this and being kind of "okay" on that one. Nope! Really liked this one a lot. Straight up classic rock. A 4.5

It’s not my favorite Bowie but he still rocks

Not bad! The standout song for me is the titular Aladdin Sane. Overall 5/10 not for me personally.

I understand why people love him, he is good, just not my style

Great album a classic. Album started off strong but wained as it kept on. Never have been a huge Bowie head tho.

Drive-In Saturday, Time, and Lady Grinning Soul were the highlights for me. Although I’m not a big Bowie guy. The guitar in Time was transformative.

Favourite Songs: The Jean Genie

Ξεκίνησε μέτρια με κέρδισε μετα κιθαρα φωτια αγαπημένο τρακ Time Cracked actor Lady grinning soul

I liked this! Very theatrical!

I feel like I really need a better understanding of the context to get why Bowie is so important. I feel like I’m missing something. Also the production from this era sounds hollow and tinny to me, as if there are elements missing, so this is a pass for me. I just don’t get it as much as I want to.

Good glam rock feel, with glorious melodies and solos played on the piano. Other than that, nothing truly notable.

You just don't hear piano solos like this anymore! Watch that Man, We should spend the night together, and lady grinning soul were stand out hits. While this was definitely a fun listen, and he is extremely talented, the intentional dissonance and "avant-garde"-ness was sometimes a bit much for me. 7/10

Just hit after hit. Entire album slaps (apart from Aladdin Sane). Can’t believe I haven’t listened to it before - makes me glad I am doing this !!

That iconic album cover. You can't talk about Aladdin Sane without starting with the photo that represents it. Bowie never looked more like a being from outer space than here: eyes closed, pale silver and white skin, red hair, the lightning bolt going through one eye. I'm convinced that this was Bowie's true form, and he'd cover the lightning bolt with makeup to appear more human. It's the most iconic image in a string of iconic images that represent Bowie over time, and potentially one of the best album covers of all time. This album finds Bowie in a transitional period, with Ziggy's era coming to an end. And that's what makes everything so interesting. There's a schizoid feel to the songs here: glam rock meets avant-garde jazz. Bowie brings in elements of experimentation to deliberately derail rock 'n' roll standards. It kicks off in proper glam rock territory with "Watch That Man" making it obvious that Bowie was listening to a LOT of Rolling Stones at the time. Tracks like "Panic in Detroit" and "The Prettiest Star" keep that glam rock swagger going, before "The Jean Genie" arrives and completely steals the show. Bowie starts to mess with things early. Even by today's standards, the title track is quite out there, and Mike Garson's famous piano solo shows that Bowie was already leaning fully into freeform jazz. "Drive-In Saturday" is a proper Bowie classic. Blending sci-fi noises, doo-wop, jazzy brass, and retro futurism, it sounds nostalgic and alien at the same time. "Cracked Actor" is massively underrated. The chord progressions feel strange and slightly wrong, giving the song an uneasy sharpened edge under all the bluesy swagger. You never see this listed in "best of Bowie" compilations, which is a serious crime. And then there's "Time", which might be the album's weirdest and best moment. Full-on piano cabaret, slowly building until Mick Ronson's guitar comes crashing in. That guitar sound is amazing: a sinister sound that mimics laughing, almost feeling like it's mocking us. Only Bowie could turn a madcap song like this into one of the highlights of the album. It all adds up to something far more interesting than a simple glam rock record. Bowie invites chaos into rock by incorporating elements of the world of avant-garde and jazz directly into the core of these songs. The image on the cover tells you what you're getting into. Glam rock on the surface, something stranger and much more interesting underneath.

. What I consider Bowie's weakest album of the 1970s is still a very solid 4/5 album that's kept from being another 5/5 album by the Elton John sounding opener, 'Watch That Man' and the very competent but very unnecessary cover of The Rolling Stones' 'Let's Spend the Night Together' a cover that simply never comes all together and has a demo-ish feel that breaks the flaw of the album. Minor mishaps but mishaps none the less. Released less than a year after 'Ziggy Stardust' 'Aladdin Sane' has an overall rushed, scattered feel about it and Bowie at times sounds overworked that said there are plenty of songs great enough that they could have been 'Ziggy Stardust' outtakes - here's my ratings breakdown of each track on Aladdin Sane: Watch That Man - 3/5 Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) 5/5 Drive-In Saturday 4/5 Panic In Detroit 5/5 Cracked Actor 4/5 Time 5/5 The Prettiest Star 5/5 Let's Spend the Night Together 3/5 The Jean Genie 5/5 Lady Grinning Soul 5/5 All in all, Aladdin Sane is a fine album that deserves a place in your collection & WOW that album cover is one of the greatest album covers in rock history and really in album cover history in general.

Bowie at his best ❤️

Heard a couple songs on it before. Somewhat experimental, but it’s Bowie, so… Not my favorite album by him. Some good songs, though!

Buen álbum, pero no deja de ser uno en el que solo trascienden 2 canciones.

Jag är fortsatt "besviken" på David Bowie. Jag såg fram emot att lyssna på DB på denna lista. Hade verkligen hoppats att det skulle vara bra. Men fan, det är fortsatt mediokert. Tycker inte nån låt drar iväg och är särskilt speciell. 9 skivor har grabben på listan. Otroligt.

Genomgående stabil och bra skiva utan att innehålla några riktiga superfullträffar. Tycker första halvan är en trea och andra halvan en fyra, så avrundar uppåt. Bästa låt: Time

I like it a lot

4 stars Trying to get into David Bowie in a few months as a 14 year old was tough. I first got Best of Bowie CD. Then stated with Ziggy Stardust, a perfect album. Then Hunky Dory, beautiful stuff. I went to Aladdin Sane next and I was … disappointed. I felt like the soft beauty was gone and I didn’t like it. I thought it was too slapdash. For the last 20 years I’ve mostly shrugged off the album as famous for the cover but otherwise mediocre. But my listen today was a revelation. It reminded me of how exciting this album is. I appreciated the variety, the theatrical aspects, the rawness of the banging piano. I always hated the cover of “Let’s Spend the night together” but I can now appreciate the way it exemplifies how quickly culture changed from the need for innuendo to full on sexual content in music. It’s not perfect, it has draggy moments. But I really love it all. No song is a 100% skip. Bowie in the 70s was on fire.

Very glam rock, feels like Bowie doing the Rolling Stones at some points, but that's obviously not a bad thing. There are fewer of his more heartfelt tracks in this one compared to his previous albums and more experimentation with jazz and experimental concepts. To me this feels like a bit of a transition album between his early stuff and his later 70s work like station to station. However, that doesn't mean this album is not one of his most seminal.

Not Bowie’s best period.

Bueno

It's just a great record. It was a sign of more greatness to come from him.

Loveeee david, also cracked actor sooo good !!!! No skip album

A new album added to my favourites! I absolutely love David Bowie but I haven’t listened to this album much so I’m glad I took the time to deeply listen to it

Ohh "A Lad Insane." Pretty clever

I like David Bowie.

Not really my style of music, but still really good

No my taste in music

amazing

Not my vibe but I respect Bowie.

Well, It's David Bowie. It is not my style of music but I appreciated much of it. He's just so iconic.

I liked “Lady Grinning Soul“

It's hard to evaluate Bowie when even his half efforts are so much better than most of the junk on this list. I guess the only thing I can fairly compare him to, then, is himself. And by that measure, this is good but not quite his best.

Upon first listen as a whole this album is rather mid. There are moments where you can hear Bowie’s brilliance. Replays might be needed to get a higher score. This just didn’t draw enough of my focus for that to happen

Худший из лучших альбомов любимого автора. Лучшая песня - Lady Grinning Soul.

I’ve loved this album for the longest time, I feel like I’d appreciate it more after a few gummies though

It was ok easy listening

Between Ziggy Stardust, the Berlin Trilogy, Station to Station, and Hunky Dory, I kind of forgot this album exists. The first half is I think on par with some of his best 70s records. The second half, though, is somewhat hit-or-miss. Favorite song: Panic in Detroit.

wsm spoko taki rockowy nie do konca moje klimaty znaczy poza moja strefa komfortu dodalam pare co mi sie podobalo do playlisty szczerze nw co mige powiedziec na poczatku byly jakby historie opowiadane i w srodku bylo rzeczywiscie z perspektywy bowiego pozniej na koncu o jakiejs laseczce piosenka musialabym drugi raz przesluchac chyba generalnie cool chill

David Bowie I was familiar with your game but damn

83/1001 First listen. In yesterday’s review I said AC/DC sounds like one of those bands that would have a greatest hits that that was bigger than any of their other albums like the Eagles. I would add Steve Miller, ABBA, E.L.O. and David Bowie to that list as well. Currently Changesbowie is enough Bowie for me. This album didn’t make me want to hear more. 4/10

Did not fully listen

it would be hard for me to give david bowie anything but 5-stars, especially aladdin sane

love

Funky and fun

didn't really love 2 stars

did not like not my vibe

Can never go wrong with Bowie. Not his absolute best but still an enjoyable listen and is well known for good reason. Not to mention the iconic cover.

i feel like this album feels different from bowie's other albums in a bad way. it's not outstanding or special in anyway but it also isn't terrible

Too long to feature majority bangers

Weirdly enough I wasn't big on this one. 2.75

Its good not my cup of tee

Not his best but still good

The song Aladdin Sane made me insane. With such an iconic album cover, the music doesn’t live up to the hype.

This is one of the first Bowie albums I’ve listened to and I enjoyed it. I can see why this wasn’t a classic when it came to his records. I could be wrong about this, but I feel like it lack some of the star power that maybe Ziggy Stardust from what I’ve heard I haven’t experienced that album full, but this one fell a bit unsure of itself. I read that he wrote this from a place of stardom, which I feel like I can understand it’s almost as if he’s trying to upkeep his identity, but also present something unique and outside the box with some of his production choices and composition choices. I feel like some of them are unnecessary and a little pretentious maybe even just feeling like he wanted to alienate some of his listeners or present himself as still like a forward, thinking artist while still being very popular. I’m not sure if this is accurate but some of the songs feel that way I’m not sure it’s it’s interesting. I don’t think it’s that interesting and I also don’t think it’s that catchy either so I don’t feel that there is any really remarkable songs on this album it’s kind of just feels like it just feels like an album that slightly forgettable while you know being good quality, it just doesn’t stick out in any particular way while trying to stick out that makes sense so yeah it’s a bit performative. I think he was playing to the audience in a way. I think he probably looks back on this project with a bit of contempt you know as you’re navigating that new position as an artist I think that can inform some interesting choices in the studio and I think that maybe got him slightly cause I know there’s projects after this that are a lot more groundbreaking for thinking from his perspective.

Harrison Ford Bro goin crazy on da pianer Bro goin nuts on der saxerfone

Enjoyable, but I can't see me going back to it.

Was a bit too jazzy for me, the piano in one song was very all over the place

7/10 I’m a massive fan of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust... It will always be my go to Bowie album. It feels so coherent, concise and considered, and really tells a great musical story. But I’ve oddly not spent too much time with his subsequent album, so this was an interesting listen for me. It kicks off where Ziggy left off in a lot of ways. The tone and direction of travel feels very Ziggy, but it doesn’t manage to launch with the same standard of hook or consistency that the previous album had. Fortunately, things do move and evolve from that point on, delving into more jazzy and bluesy moments across the record, while also dipping here and there into some slightly more avant garde indulgences. While I did enjoy some of those moments, they’re not ones that, after 3-4 listens have really demanded my attention any further, which is a bit of a shame. I did feel the record started to get moving towards half way, Panic In Detroit onwards, and by then it felt like Bowie had transitioned further from the core of what he was doing on Ziggy. There were some really heavy and beefy elements, and you could really pick up some of the influence of Iggy and the Stooges in there on those more gritty cuts, which was enjoyable to hear. There were also some really outstanding vocals on this album. When Bowie gets into full swagger, there’s not many that beat him. He’s not the most technically gifted necessarily, but the emphasis and attitude that he imparts into his delivery is so uniquely his that has the ability to really elevate a song. With that being said, I did find that his lead vocal was occasionally just a bit too quiet in the mix, which was an odd choice. As an overall experience, I did enjoy this record, despite it not being quite as consistent as his previous effort, but I do appreciate the evolution that he made to the sound rather than delivering the same thing again. Is it an essential album? Probably not, but it had enough moments of quality to make me tempted to revisit it again in future. Watch That Man - It feels like Bowie is picking up where he left off on Ziggy here. It’s got a swinging glam rock drive to it, but it never quite clicks into gear to the same level as the previous album. There are places when it feels a little rhythmically cluttered, but when it comes together it’s decent. Some of the piano playing later on really adds a nice bit of high end prettiness to it. It’s good, but not excellent. Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) - And we’ve moved nicely away from the rockier tone to something that’s more jazz influenced. It’s got some really nice elements, but does get a bit self indulgent during the dissonant piano solo section. I don’t mind it actually, and it does fit with the general disquiet of the song’s tonality and intent. I can see why it would turn people off, but I do feel it’s a core part of his storytelling here. Drive-In Saturday - The focus is pulled into more clarity again here, and there are more Ziggy echoes, but with an edge of swing. I feel like the chorus in particular is a little meandering, but I did enjoy the vibe of the track. The lead vocal is oddly low in the mix, and this is another good but not great one. Panic In Detroit - I like the lilt of the rhythm on this. There’s a really good sense of movement to it, yet it feels like all of that movement is circling well around the central thrust of the track. This is the kind of Bowie that really works for me. Less obvious phrasings in the vocal, a central thread to things, but enough weirdness and edge to it to make it interesting. Cracked Actor - That’s a beefy intro. In fact, it’s pretty a pretty weighty song in general, and Bowie’s vocal is delivered with a brilliantly gritty swagger. It’s rhythmically solid and pulses nicely. There’s a lot of interesting variation in emphasis between the parts, particularly the guitars, but there's enough of a solid backbone that it keeps everything in touch. Time - This is a pretty quintessential example of a David Bowie vocal delivery. Strong, delivered with swagger and drama, doesn’t always take the obvious direction, not tonally perfect, but that only adds to the character. This is a really, really good track that kind of sucked me in. It feels like there is plenty of range and variety to the composition and it felt really engaging. The Prettiest Star - We’re on to something a bit more plodding here. It’s still reasonably good, but it is perhaps a little odd to be throwing in an updated version of a single he’d released three years earlier. A well written and executed song that stylistically feels a little at odds with music that has had a slightly more driven or experimental edge on the album thus far. Let's Spend The Night Together - And now a Stones cover. It’s pretty good actually, has a lot of pace and drive to it. I think I might like Bowie doing the Stones more than the actual Stones. Again, it has that swagger and drive to it. The guitar work is really good and Bowie’s addition of bits and pieces of synth work add an extra dimension. The collapse before the final chorus is great too. The Jean Genie - The biggest song on the album. It’s a great little bluesy number through the verses, with a nice bit of grit and grime over a pulsing beat. Just the kind of dirty blues I like. And then it breaks into that iconic chorus. It doesn’t deviate too far from the blues backbone, but it’s such a great pop hook. So much swagger and feel to this. Lady Grinning Soul - The piano here is so good. It has a swirling quality that has some brilliant rhythmic punctuations. As a track it’s quite a drifty little number that perhaps never really finds its centre. There are some really nice moments from the guitar and vocal in a call and response section. It’s perhaps a little muddled, but it was still an enjoyable enough listening experience.

This album was fine. Following up ziggy is a thankless task but this album feels tired. They sound great but you can tell they are exhausted and annoyed. I would probably feel different if I listened again but I don’t know. Album just didn’t grab me and I was excited to listen.

That sounded like Bowie trying to do an Elton John album. It's a good album, but a notch below the other 70s Bowie albums on the list. I'm not really into the improvised jazz piano either.

6/10 - не слушал

Great rock and roll and pop tunes, love the quirky moments of bowie with the piano or vocal harmonies

Jean Genie is the only song I was previous familiar with. It's a well produced album but it didn't move me. I will have to come back to it but for now it's 3.5/5. Raising to 4.

*1973. *This was my album of the day on 12/26. It's now 4/11 and I've tried a dozen times to rate this one, but it's so forgettable to me that I don't have any recollection of what I just listened to. *I give up. It gets an automatic 2.5 stars because it's Bowie. I'll round up because there was nothing bad here. Just meh. RATING - 6/10

Kind of interesting that this kinda a nothing album for David Bowie, but "Aladdin Sane" the character is so famous / iconic. This album is fine, but nothing special to it in my opinion. Low 3.

This is one of my favourite Bowie albums.

La chanson thème de l'album est comme un rêve fiévreux cacophonique de jazz fusion. La tension monte et se résout par un fade out?

ستايل التسعينات اللي ما احبه واشوفه ممل٢

7/10- This is the 5th Bowie album I have listened to extensively and I could either place it at 3 or 4. Blackstar is in a league of its own, closely followed by Ziggy. Low is solidly entrenched at 5. Depending on the day and the mood, I could put this slightly ahead of or slightly behind Station to Station.

It's a fun record and there aren't any bad songs in my opinion, but it's not his best or most creative. Light 8/10

An easy five stars for my favourite artist. He was still loving his rock n roll, but beginning to experiment (again) in the company of fabulous artists like Mike Garson. I've never been keen on this version of Let's Spend The Night Together but apart from that, it's all fantastic.

Quite possibly my favourite album of all time.

It was okay, and I'd listen to it again. As an album it feels a little disjointed and not cohesive, which isn't something I expected from Bowie.

Solid. I did not enjoy the jazz piano on the title track, but the rest of it was better than expected given I don't typically go for Bowie. 3.2

its nice just not really my cup of soup 7/10

Je pouvais pas mettre sous la moyenne pour David Bowie. Même si j'avoue ça m'a un peu perdu le style

Un álbum icónico, aunque debo aceptar que no es mi etapa favorita de David Bowie.

Classic

I feel weird not being blown away by a David Bowie album! But this was just….ok

Liked Songs: - Watch That Man - Cracked Actor - The Prettiest Star - Let's Spend the Night Together - Lady Grinning Soul

337/1089 - I took one two hour lesson with the piano player on this album a few years ago. It was really insightful and I think put me on a good track in my musical growth, thank you Mike Garson. I've defintiely warmed up to Bowie over the course of this listening project, I might revisit Blackstar. This one is a bit more adventurous and fun than Ziggy Stardust and I like it for that. Sorta like the progression of Rundgren on Something/Anything to A Wizard, A True Star.

Probably considered a letdown after Ziggy Stardust, but still pretty damn good.

While not as strong as the Ziggy Stardust album, I think that this still holds up well. I gave it a few listens to really let myself get a feel for the album, and I concluded that it feels like a natural shift all things considered. It's got the quirky Bowie charm but doesn't necessarily take the same risks the Ziggy Stardust album did. In some ways, that benefits it. It was charming.

Never heard a bad song by him. Great start to my day, but then I did listen to Low, and I just prefer other albums more. He set his own bar too high!

Wonderful and original Bowie. 💜

я люблю дэвида и все, что он делал в семидесятых

I don't know, this is one of these albums that I heard heaps of praise on, and then when I hear it, it's...okay? I was promised raucous and wild, and for its time it might be, but this is just...fine?

A fine Bowie album. More fun than I expected.

𝘈𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘦 feels like Bowie stretching glam rock into stranger, sharper shapes. The album swings between tightly written rock songs and more fractured, experimental moments, with Mike Garson’s explosive piano work giving several tracks an unstable, almost surreal edge. Bowie’s writing balances style and unease: these songs shimmer, but there’s tension underneath them, a sense of someone moving too fast for the world around him. The only real misstep is the Rolling Stones cover, 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. It’s flashy but doesn’t blend with the album’s mood, sticking out as something louder and less focused than the surrounding material. Even so, the record holds together as one of Bowie’s boldest glam-era statements — vibrant, theatrical and unpredictable.

Really enjoyed the funky style of the instruments followed by Bowies unique flow of lyrics. Not a cohesive album but an upbeat listen.

This album has vibe of 2000’s romcom when female lead is starting her life from the very beginning again. Really loved the song ‘The Prettiest Star’. The album itself was masterpiece. Would definitely listen to this album again. 9/10

Never know what to expect when digging into a Bowie album I gave it a fair listen, but Jean Genie is all I need here Bit of a step down from the previous year's Ziggy Stardust

not his best

Not as good as the next day in my opinion, but i still enjoyed it. becoming a bit of a bowie fan.

I love Bowie but I don’t have the musical ear to like Aladdin sane. The rest is fire

Perfectly sane.

Need to run it again. Solid release from the man himself. Top Track: Watch That Guy

fav track was the prettiest star

Interesting not completely to my taste. Only recognised 2 songs.

the prettiest star was good and the lyrics in jean jeanie were funny, it was a good album but not a fan of it outside of the context of itself

oh hell yes just reallly love this era of Bowie, these songs hold up so well for me

Way more rock n roll than I was expecting. I like the prettiest star

Старичок делает

Not my favorite Bowie album by a long shot but it has its good moments.

Bit of a kooky album but I was expecting that from Bowie

This is solid Bowie

Really good all around, missing an 'anthem' for me though 3.75/5

Feels good to have the original Bowie instead of the dozens copycats in this list.

Chaotic. Kaleidoscope. Whippets. Wild Poppies. Shattered glass

Lady grinning soul is my favorite song on this. I like the piano throughout the album, I frequently don’t understand the lyrics, but some really hit. “She’s uncertain if she likes him but she knows she really loves him” - drive-in Saturday

I prefer Ziggy & Hunky Dory, but this one could grow on me the more familiar I become with it.

Obviously very good, but nothing really grabbed me

Not my fav. Bowie album but pretty good.

Bowie.

Pretty alright David Bowie album

Just not really for me

Not a huge fan, but wasn’t too bad

Fun rock album. Would t say it was as good as his others

Another goodie, though not my personal favourite.

Not too bad

The piano during Aladdin Sane sounded like my toddler got ahold of the keyboard again. Nothing was very good on this album but it wasn't actively bad (other than the aforementioned noise).

Piano parts are way too quirky, not for me

Better than Coldplay

Not Bowie's best work, but still very good.

"She's uncertain if she likes him, but she knows she really loves him" beautifully true line about young love. I love the way bowie writes women characters. 4/5 but, like with any bowie album, I'm sure I'll kick myself for not giving it 5/5 after the 3rd relisten.

I don't understand Bowie

Overall: 7/10 Favourites: Lady Grinning Soul, Watch That Man, Let's Spend The Night Together, Cracked Actor

Very enjoyable, slow funky sound

not particular the type of music that i would gravitate towards. i would definitely need to be in the mood to throw this on. there was a point where i did not even know when the song end and a new song started.

Bleh.

Always been my favourite Bowie album 🙏 Highlights: Time, Drive-In Saturday, Lady Grinning Soul

My first full listen of a Bowie album. Probably not the best place to start in his discography, but was still a great listen Fav songs: Time, The Jean Genie, Lady Grinning Soul

The perfect Bowie album to introduce someone to Bowie.

yeah I get the hype

Would acc be a 4.5 but I can’t justify rounding up

Disco épico, como é de costume com Bowie. É um álbum inegavelmente extravagante, mas não vejo isso como defeito. Há nele faixas mais centradas no bom e velho Rock n’ Roll, incluindo sua introdução, mas há também momentos onde Bowie evoca espíritos jazzianos e operáticos, e o resultado é sempre de tirar o fôlego. Canções como Time ou Lady Grinning Soul são composições tão complexas e intrincadas que você poderia facilmente ouvi-las em loop e nunca se cansar. As canções mais animadas como Cracked Actor ou a própria Aladdin Sane possuem melodias infectantes que não saem da cabeça por nada, além de serem números verdadeiramente dançantes e envolventes. Minha favorita do álbum é Drive-In Saturday, com seu estilo Doo Woop futurista e desordenado. O maximalismo está completamente escancarado nesse álbum, por bem ou por mal. Eu particularmente prefiro o minimalismo que Bowie apresenta na trilogia Berlin. Aladdin Sane e seu irmão mais velho Ziggy Stardust exibem o momento que Bowie realmente se transformou no astro (★) que ele continuou sendo até o último dia de sua vida. A transformação é fantástica e esplêndida. Eu particularmente prefiro esse disco ao Ziggy, mas é uma briga extremamente acirrada. Mas os momentos mais cinemáticos desse álbum me convencem, no final das contas. Algo me atrai fortemente quando aquele piano insano e desafinado começa a tocar, pra mim é impagável. 5/5

Usually I really enjoy David Bowie but this one didn’t connect with me.

Great album one of my favourites

Never heard of any of the songs on the album but I enjoyed them all.

Bowie is great, I think I just expected more.

If you take away the weird and wacky piano bits (especially during the title track) and this would be even better. Catchy beats, infectious melodies and top notch vocals; this is one of Bowie’s better albums.

Never listened to this one the whole way through (I am shamefully a Bowie greatest hits fan), so I think I need to sit with it a few mores times. I really liked it, but the really unusual harmonic patterns are quite jarring on some of the unfamiliar tracks. Also the production is generally very good but the opening track is the bad apple - does anyone else really struggle to hear Bowie or is that just my tinnitus? Wrote all this ^ halfway through the record - the second half redeems a lot of the problems in the first half. Giving this a tentative 7 / 10 for now, but probably go higher with relistens Best track/s: I've always felt that Bowie does emotion better than fun. The upbeat glam tracks are still very decent and round out the album, but they have nothing on the proper expressive, closing-credits level power of Time, The Prettiest Star, Lady Grinning Soul etc.

its good, alot of piano

David Bowie makes a 70s musical album. No thanks.

Early 70s Bowie: chugging guitar riffage, avant garde abstract piano and sax, grim alienated dissolution in the lyrics, Stonesy sleaze. Bowie always has a few tracks you just don't want to cue up, but this record hangs together pretty well.

I like the musical theater vibe of many of these songs, and “Panic in Detroit” is pretty amazing.

This was fine? Certainly not one of the Bowie albums I’d include if I were making the list myself. Kinda liked some of the piano shenanigans. Wasn’t that special. Might listen again and maybe move it up to a 4 someday . Favorite Track: Time

Better than most Bowie - but still Bowie.

The run of "Man Who Sold the World", "Hunky Dory" and "Ziggy Stardust" has to be one of the best three album sequences in history, so it's kind of hard to judge this next album too harshly. I'd give it a three and a half if I could, but I'll round up in this case to four

I was hoping to like this more than I did. I understand how it was groundbreaking for the time, but I just found the whole thing very grating. Works better live where you can see and hear Bowie's energy - but on its own it was not a pleasant listen.

El artista más sobrevalorado de la historia. Todo disfraces y extravagancias para ocultar falta de canciones decentes y una voz insoportable. No triunfó intentando cantar y fue cambiando sus indumentarias hasta que se hizo famoso por ellas, no por su música. Me da una pereza insoportable escuchar a este señor más de cinco minutos. Y por Dios, esa producción es lo peor que se ha hecho en un estudio profesional en la historia. ¿Quién coño se cree con esa portada? En serio, es un ridiculo absoluto. El juego de palabras de "insane" está al alcance de un reguetonero.

One of Bowie’s worst early career albums. I can’t imagine any reason for its inclusion on this list other than its iconic cover making people overstate the significance of the music itself.

Sympathique, ça me rappelle souvent Alice Cooper Goes To Hell. Mais ça me donne pas plus envie d’en savoir plus que ça, vu que le type est sévèrement problématique.

It wasn’t my favorite of Bowies and it felt all over the place

Ok at best.

Some solid Bowie tracks

Remember when David Bowie invented music? What a day.

3.5

mmhmm

Never been a Bowie fan...still not.

Weird but I was into it. Great guitar

Some great instrument work but I’m just not a Bowie fan

meh, it's ok. I wanted to like it but it didn’t strike anything in me.

I wasn’t a big Bowie fan 40 years ago. When he died and all his music was being played on the radio, it made me think that there was more to Bowie than I had thought. I didn’t like this album much though. Jean jeanie is a classic, but even that is a bit dirgie. So, not a great album for me.

Okay. Some good songs. Some so so.

Maybe three good songs and some meandering

This list has made me realize/remember that I just don't like David Bowie. I get it, he's a super influential artist. I just don't like his music, and that's ok.

I was previously familiar only with Jean Genie from this album. This is a solid album, firmly within the glam classification. The instrumentation is great, and the songs are very good. I would say Jean Genie is the strongest track, but the entire album is worthwhile. I would listen again.

Un bon album de Bowie! Ma chanson préférée sur celui-ci est Lady Grinning Soul.

I've never listened to this in full before and though there are def parts not appropriate for the cafe (a la experimental piano break), there's complexity and catchiness aplenty on this album which means I'll be back for sure. Even better on the 2nd and 3rd listen which is fun!

not his best work - maybe his 4-5th best album?

I was too young to pay attention when this came out, and the songs are mostly unfamiliar to me. It’s good, if not life-changing, stuff. I really like “Drive-In Saturday,” “The Jean Genie,” “Watch That Man,” and, of course, “Let’s Spend the Night Together.”

Too '70 for my taste but not a bad album at all.

Love Bowie RIP

Not my favourite Bowie album but still a strong example of glam rock songwriting

Enjoyed for a first listen

I have mixed feelings about David Bowie. This album was better than a lot of his others, but still not his best I was getting into it until the horrendous off key piano banging. I did recognise a few songs though and they were enjoyable Also wtf was with the lyrics... "falls wanking to the floor" ?? Don't even know how to rate this one tbh 3 ⭐️

I boomerang with this album between it being one of my fav and underrated Bowie albums, to thinking it’s one of his weaker ones. Drive-In Saturday & Time are two of my fav Bowie songs ever. But there’s one or two filler songs in there. Still brilliant though.

I get the feeling this is a Bowie staple, and given the iconic artwork that I recognised despite not hearing a single song from this record, I think I might be right. Honestly though? I think this is a huge step backwards compared to the production quality I expect from a Bowie record. His songwriting and vocal work is on point, but I just feel like the backing instrumentals were missing that 'pop' that makes me nod along to Bowie songs like a fucking idiot. Does this mean this was a bad album? Oh hell no, I still really enjoyed the off cuts of this thing - Panic in Detroit and Cracked Actor especially. This is still a really fun and enjoyable album. Obviously I hold Bowie to a much higher standard than most, so this isn't quite up to his par, but still a damn fun time.

The memorability ratio here between the album cover and the album itself is off the charts here. Iconic image of famous cokehead pedophile. One track that I think a non-Bowie fan would recognise (Jean Genie). It’s alright.

If you asked someone to draw what David Bowie looks like, they would most certainly draw this album cover. If you asked them to name the album, or a song from it, they probably couldn't. This just didn't click for me. The first side is alright, pretty forgettable for most of it. I gave this thing several goes (I wanna say like 4 listens) and frankly only the last two songs really stuck out for me. Apart from the last two tracks, this album ranges from good but boring to shit. This is probably a great album but it's not my cup of tea. Highlights: Jean Genie, Lady Grinning Soul

David Bowie annoys me

According to Bowie, Aladdin Sane is better than The Rise and Fall b/c it's 'more informed by rock 'n' roll.' That's probably true - 'Watch That Man' is more rockin' than anything off the predecessor - but it's also more in touch w/ free jazz, e.g. Mike Garson's piano on the title track, and is harder than anything he'd done before, e.g. 'Panic in Detroit,' 'Cracked Actor.' It’s hard in a way Deep Purple never could be: giddily heedful of The New York Dolls's innovations of a glam toughness, Bowie spawns one of his essential albums. And yet, it's not as perfect as his late, formally brazen 70s work or as fresh as Ziggy Stardust. Bowie's conceptual narratives have their limits, and I'm more moved by the production of Station to Station, Low, "Heroes."

pretty nice rock album

One of Bowies best.

This is 8/9 from Bowie and it’s another cracking album. The only song I wasn’t overly fussed on was The Jean Genie. It wasn’t terrible or anything, just weaker than the rest of the album. I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of it though. Ziggy Stardust was my first Bowie album and nothing has been able to dislodge it as my favourite so I will be interested to see if Blackstar tops it. Top Track - Time

Say what you will, but Bowie is a genius. Although I personally wouldn't include this album in this list.

I know you're supposed to like David Bowie but I didn't really enjoy this.

All time listening must.

It's okay. Not my favorite of his albums. 3/5

My daughter loves that guy.

It's David Bowie, so of course I like it. Whilst Aladdin Sane perhaps isn't as daring a body of work as the preceding Ziggy Stardust, also not quite scaling the same heights, it still strikes a sumptuous balance between catchiness, hooks, tasty grooves and glitzy energy; and Bowie's trademark sprawling, anxious insanity. In many ways, this is an effective distillment of his sound into a relatively accessible package, perfect for when I'm looking for something a bit more straightforward from Bowie whilst not compromising on the quirkiness and character of his previous works.

It’s Bowie but not a good Bowie album.

I love Bowie, but this is one I rarely listen to. Still great, but not my favourite

Not quite as good as Ziggy Stardust, but a cool exploration of the glam sounds.

It's like if you lobotomized Mick Jagger and removed the part of his brain that exclusively thinks about David Bowie then plugged the brain segment into a machine and then this is what come out the other end.

Pretty solid for an album with zero hits. Probably the best known album cover, and no well known songs. Not bad though! I'll give it a 3.5 - and round up.

Not bad, pretty good!

DAVID BOWIE

Pretty good album

Superb

Decent

Bowie always gets 5 stars. A GOAT. (That is, One of the GOATs).

Alright, way worse than Ziggy stardust though. 3.5 or so

Yep, it's Bowie alright.

Bowie at very close to the peak of his powers here. What a run this is with Hunky Dory and Ziggy! It starts extremely strongly, with the title track and Drive In Saturday massive hits. The second half is a bit of a Best Of really, with Jean Genie, Prettiest Star and Let's Spend the Night Together. Because they aren't top echelon David singles, there is a bit of flatness about hearing them like this in a weird way, even though they're all very good indeed. Still, whatever, five stars and we move!

Quite disjointed.

Perfection!

It's David Bowie as a Rock & Roll star, but there is a noticeable evolution from Ziggy Stardust to here. The album seems to take a lot of inspiration from Roxy Music and Brian Eno. The regular song structure often evolves into a chaotic noisy improvisation, such as on the title track. The album cover is very iconic and the album is a fun listen to. Not the very best Bowie album but good nonetheless.

Ca. det femte beste Bowie-albumet, men det beste coveret.

Meh, his other albums are more fun

Listening to the album's lead track for the first time, Watch That Man, I worried that maybe this was album was just more 70s rock with a glammy flair. But Lady Grinning Soul is a beautiful song. It's textured and soulful and still has a freshness fifty-two years later. That said, Cracked Actor may be the only other song I like. Overall, it doesn't come together as an album, at least the first couple listens, but it's still got at least a couple gems.

I feel like I’m always in the wrong mood for this album. It feels as inaccessible as Ziggy Stardust was accessible, just a year earlier. The title track grates on my nerves. The Stones cover is fine. Jean Genie is familiar, but never much grabbed me. I feel like I’m missing something on this one.

Imo not the strongest Bowie album

I thought it was a fantastic album, some of the choices were a bit weird but that's bowie

Bowie has some great songs but I don't know if he has a single album I actually enjoy listening to straight through. They always feel self indulgent and are often quite annoying.

Not my thing. Didnt resonate with me at all. But objecrifly good music

In the past I've really tried to like Bowie, but I just kinda don't? Something in his music doesn't click with me. Individual songs have parts I like, but they often feel like they kind of drag. I appreciate him as an artist. He has a strong artistic vision and he is daring in his sound. However it just isn't my cup of tea. Fav: Let's spend the night together. Worst: Aladdin Sane

10/10, except the piano in Aladdin Sane, too many plinky's to relisten to for me. Time is een BANGER, instrumentals van van Lady Grinning Soul zijn heel goed Cracked Actor, Time, Let's Spend the Night Together all got a slot in various playlists

Amazing start of my week. Makes pop-rock but then actually original, creative and imaginative. The strong influences of blues(-rock) and jazz really add a great flair to this classic album. The dissonant piano is something you have to get used to, and I imagine it isn't for everyone, but I like it.

I used to think this was my fave Bowie album. It's not--'Hunky Dory' is--but 'Aladdin Sane' is still really good. This end of Bowie's golden period/Ziggy Stardust doesn't have many of his huge hits but this melodic rocker is relistenable and energetic. Top tracks: "Time," "The Jean Genie," "Let's Spend the Night Together," "Watch that Man"

--Watch That Man...the master of incorporating sax and backing vocals. fun times --Aladdin Sane...if it weren't for the chaotic piano attack it would be kind of boring --Drive-In Saturday...the concept/story seems more important than the arrangement here, which isn't really my bag --Panic in Detroit...not really feeling this, DB --Cracked Actor...nice, crunchy guitars --Time...saloon pian-ee! Once again it feels like the concept takes precedence over making a tight song. Not bad, I just don't care as much as he wants me to --The Prettiest Star...the first track kicks really hard. every thing after feels slow in comparison --Let's Spend the Night Together...here we go. good fun but not sure it's as good as the Stones' --The Jean Genie...a little repetitive. the guitar solo is nice --Lady Grinning Soul...interesting piano. a lot of interesting things happening here. Giving James Bond theme vibes. I wanted more of this