Reviews (page 6 of 13)
It was OK but I like some of Bowie's other songs much better.
Like every other David Bowie album, I listened to this way too many times because I couldn't figure out whether I liked it. Probably why David Bowie was my top artist last year. I feel like I always zoned out after the 4th song. Rest of it is fine. Panic in Detroit! Low 4.
I liked this. Didn’t like it a 5 tho.
Finding that I really enjoy Bowie, despite not listening to him a ton before this 1001 albums endeavor!
Really liked this. Not my favorite album of his, but still really good. Favorite track was Cracked Actor, loved the opening chord.
Muy delicioso
Oddly heard Billy Joel in a couple songs.
Very good album - knew some of the songs but had never listened to it all before.
Overall: 8/10 Wow the generator saw my review from yesterday and said "I got you, fam". David Bowie is easily one of my top 10 favourite artists of all time, but this album never connected with me as much as some of his other works. That being said, I really enjoyed it on this listen! Maybe it just needed time to click for me but I really love the elements that gave me pause before (it's an incredibly excessive album). So glad to have more Bowie love in my life! Still not a Hunky Dory or "Heroes" but I'll still be adding most of these to my library! Fav Song: Cracked Actor Least Fav Song: Let's Spend the Night Together
its david bowie
This shit is fucking beautiful. Sensational start to finish. Another stunner from Davy Jones. Wouldn’t say it’s as successful as his previous, or even the one before that, though. T’wasn’t as cohesive. The thread of continuity was thinner, but still there and still strong. However, knowing that an artist can do better may take away from the initial reaction. I know he can achieve “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” so why am I getting a cover of “Let’s Spend the Night Together”. The finale was incredible, though. I still love the whole thing. 4/5
I really like this album, it has a good mix of songs that build solidly. The only thing is, some of the singles feel tacked on, as good as they are (i.e. moving from The Prettiest Star to Let's Spend the Night Together to Jean Genie).
Definitely not at the level of his previous albums, but still enjoyable.
famously much more difficult to conceptualize as a Cohesive Art Object than its older sister ziggy stardust, but i can at least buy the Rock Star Neurosis that ties some of the songs together and works well enough as a flavoring for those it doesnt directly concern. the songs are pretty good too! not accounting for the boldness of ziggy's overall style at the time its probably the more musically adventurous album...the kind of loosey-goosey creative rainbow i always enjoy hearing from artists i like, esp a creative maverick like bowie. but if im gonna have any more insightful takes or whatever i think id need a level of investment in bowie overall i dont quite have, to rly mingle with those finer details and small differences. also finding out jean genie was the hit is kind of strange!!! the 70s were weird, man!!!
Classic era DB. first after Ziggy and this one is def "glam rock". Slightly messy production but it is still v good.
4.5
This was an interesting album. It’s a mix of 70s glam rock, experimental art jazz, and melodramatic rock opera. It feels a little longer than its 40-minute run time, but I liked it a lot. It definitely grew on me with a second listen. The first track kind of sounds like a mix between Tom Petty and the Rolling Stones (and there’s actually a Stones cover on here — “Let’s Spend the Night Together”). Both “Time” and “The Prettiest Star” could be Queen songs. You can also hear the influence of his friend, Iggy Pop. There are also clear blues and 50s R&B influences underlying a lot of the songs. Several of the songs are kind of abstract and a couple are nearly nonsensical. I guess this was the peak of Bowie writing snippets of lyrics and throwing them in a hat. And cocaine. So much cocaine. This album was hugely influential on Robert Smith, and I definitely hear it. I guess that’s where the ideas for some of The Cure’s crazier experimental sax pieces came from. 4.5/5 — not quite as good as Ziggy Stardust, but definitely one of the better Bowie albums.
Loved Jean Genie and listened to a few other versions of Let's Spend the Night Together
This is a great album. Compared to Bowie albums. I like others better and I hope they are on this list too (this is the first one for me so far) Still, Aladdin Sane is wonderfully executed
Time and The Prettiest Star are two of my favorite Bowie songs but it just falls a little short of a 5 star rating. Maybe 4.5 but there are a few other better Bowie albums out there
Solid Bowie
Amazing, the backing musicians really add another level to some first class songwriting. Not quite a five as there are a couple of weak points.
Idk something about him I’m always a fan
7,7
4,5
It's actually crazy that David Bowie has among the most albums on this project yet i am only doing an album of his when I'm 240 albums into this project. And yes, Aladdin Sane was a great start for my journey through all of his albums. This album had a fun jazzy, swingy rock like sound which always felt fun to listen to and Bowie's presence also really added to the fun factor to this album. It also felt like this album got the length just right unlike the last two albums i did which felt too long so here every song feels way more memorable. Yep, i really do like this one. Best Song: Cracked Actor Worst Song: Drive-In Saturday
Prima album, maar absoluut geen Ziggy Stardust.
Der er sgu nogle bangers på den her. Beg har aldrig tænkt på, at det lyder som Elton John, men jeg er enig!
Har ikke de stærkeste individuelle sange, men en af mine yndlings-Bowie plader! Det er den ultimative lyd i hans glam-æra
Not a Bowie I was very familiar with aside from the cover. Very good, though not as good as Ziggy in my book.
3.5/5
Very enjoyable. Ziggy Stardust is still his best work.
Overall enjoyed. Not his best but def in keeping with his quirky…
Opens with straightforward rocker Watch That Man, then the title track is built around some very cool piano and a repetitive bass riff. Liking this a lot. Panic in Detroit also has a great main riff and some unexpected progressions. More good bass work and it's prominent in the mix. Cracked Actor is a strong upbeat little number too. Onto side two, Time is theatrical and glam with an emotional feel to it, I'm engaged and waiting to see where it goes next. Maybe my favorite track so far, but The Prettiest Star is good too with nice guitar work. Then we have a Stones cover and after that The Jean Genie, which for me feels out of place with its bluesy riffs and harmonica. Back on track with the piano based Lady Grinning Soul, and its slightly unsettling melodies. I think there are Bowie albums I'll like more but we're still in **** 1/2 territory. I'll be strict and round down.
FINALLY, I LIKE A BOWIE ALBUM!!! Without the theatricality of a concept album or the weight of trying to push his musical boundaries to the limit, Bowie delivers some great meat-and-potatoes glam rock. I think that’s for the better, as someone who hates the theatricality and the experimentations. To my ears, Aladdin Sane is a godsend, a record that feels sensible and listenable without me needing to overthink it or do a deep dive. I’m sure some of that has to do with the more American-centric aesthetics of this album compared to other Bowie records, but it also just rocks a lot harder and is a lot more fun. I can digest it on face value. That said, there are still plenty of theatrical and experimental moments that I won’t support. The initial sparseness of the opener “Watch That Man” makes me queasy, and a song like “The Prettiest Star” just sounds a leftover Rocky Horror song. I also don’t love the brief piano absurdity, like on “Aladdin Sane.” But while I have my qualms here and there, it also sometimes does work. The initial melodramatic cabaret aesthetic of “Time” wore off with a strong chorus and a relisten, and a song like “Lady Grinning Soul” is just so well written that the piano madness still works despite itself, while the ending of “Let’s Spend the Night Together” succeeds in its musical kitschiness. Honestly, the biggest issue of Aladdin Sane is its pastiche. From the soul of “Drive-In Saturday” to the Detroit rock of “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and “Panic in Detroit,” to the rockabilly/Jerry Lee Lewis rip-off of “Cracked Actor” and “”The Jean Genie,” Bowie really straddles the line between referential and copycat. It gives this whole album a “lesser than” feel, like it’s a love letter but not a serious project. Even if the songs are great. But I still think the songs are great. The best Bowie so far, easily! I went from hating this man to actually enjoying him. Again, it could be Stockholm syndrome, but I also think this is legitimately my speed. Will I feel this way about the remaining Bowie albums? Probably not, but at least I have one I like, finally!
01) Watch That Man - 7,5 02) Aladdin Sane (1913–1938–197?) - 7,5 03) Drive-In Saturday - 8,0 04) Panic in Detroit - 7,5 05) Cracked Actor - 7,5 06) Time - 7,5 07) The Prettiest Star - 7,0 08) Let's Spend The Night Together - 7,0 09) The Jean Genie - 8,5 10) Lady Grinning Soul - 8,5 TOTAL: 7,65 (77/100) Current ranking: 132/299
David Bowie was the whole package; the style, the personas, the characters, the unique and varied musical idioms. His musical style is like a genre unto itself. I would call it theatrical rock with a little jazz flourish. There's plenty of great stuff on this album although it varies so much it seems to fail to hang together. 4.4
Quality album by a Quality artist
Not my favourite album by Bowie, but any 70's bowie is still great
I love Bowie and there are a few other albums of his I'd put ahead of this one. Aladdin Sane comes roaring out of the gates with "Watch That Man" with boogie piano, Mick Ronson's guitar gymnastics and an energetic chorus that reminds one of an Elton song. The title track missed the mark for me. "Panic In Detroit" is a rocker and a classic rock radio staples along with both "Let's Spend The Night Together" and "The Jean Genie". Solid core songs plus ""Time" which is a standout with that unmistakable Bowie sound. As mentioned, there are better Bowie albums but this is an enjoyable one but maybe a bit less cohesive than others.
A lot of nice Songs - Great musician
I was so kinda let down on my first listen to this. I thought it was so-so. Then I remembered that there are no David Bowie songs I was super into on first listen. He's an artist with music that needs to grow on me. He's not an artist I was raised listening to because my parents weren't super into him. Most of my exposure to him has been in pop culture with his music being on soundtracks or from watching Labyrinth. I've always meant to get around to getting into his music though. I liked this so much more on second listen. The first half of the album is still a little hot and cold for me, but from "Cracked" on I definitely really like it. This has a lot of jazz and rock and roll influence I think. With a touch of blues maybe? Something about it reminds me of Rocky Horror Picture show in a good way. Not quite a 5 but I do quite like it and will be returning to it.
Smooth, a vibe, an easy listen and a work of art. Beautiful music from a beautiful soul 🕊️
Up to this point, I had never listened to David Bowie's music, so you can say that I started listening to him from this album. And I didn't regret it, because this album turned out to be a very easy to listen. I previously wanted to get acquainted with his work, but I still couldn't until today. I hope to hear more of David's albums in the future. And that piano solo in Aladdin Sane made me grin. favourites:Watch That Man, Alladin Sane, Cracked Actor, Time, The Jean Genie. 4/5
This albums has it all, but the blender often blends it onto a cacophony that’s hard to follow. The distinctive Bowie vocals even it out into a particular and recognizable sound. Fun interludes, dancing lyrics. 4 stars!
This feels like the end of the Glam era. It leans more into harder rock than anything else.
Albumi #14, 10.08.2024 David Bowie oli yksi mielenkiintoisimmista artisteista pitkän uransa aikana. 1973 ilmestynyt Aladdin Sane kuuluu Bowien parhaan kolmanneksen albumeihin. Aikaisempiin Bowien albumeihin verrattuna Aladdin Sanelle ominaisen sävyn antaa jazz/bluespianisti Mike Garsonin mukaantulo ja loistokas tulkinta monissa kappaleissa (erityisesti piano-osuudet kappaleissa ”Aladdin Sane”, ”Time” ja ”Lady Grinning Soul”). Loistava albumi, jonka ehkä heikoin kohta lienee Rolling Stones coverointi ”Let’s Spend the Night Together” eikä sekään kovin huono ole.
I love me some David Bowie, but this album title is pretty eye roll-y, man. But the art is on point. This is my favorite Bowie but it's miles better than what we normally get on here.
'Drive In Saturday' and 'Panic In Detroit' are two of my favourite Bowie tracks, and this album stirs so many good memories in me. It's not quite a five, but it's higher than a four. Well, I don't want folks cutting about saying I'm one for hyperbole, so four it is. Still, those sounds! How is it that fifty years later we have all the production tech up the wazoo but can't get guitars to sound half as good as this? Where did it go wrong for us?
not my fave bowie but pretty energetic and good pace! I liked it but won't necessarily come back to it too often. Lady Grinning Soul is a highlight. 4/4.5
almost on par with ziggy stardust! highlights: watch that man, aladdin sane, time (aug 4 2024)
meglepően kurva jó
brilliant
Dang good Bowie album. So insanely listenable. No two songs are quite the same, even though the tracks have a harmony that makes them a cohesive group. Very inventive and fresh feeling despite its age.
This is a great album that I don't know very well at all. I liked the mixture of Bowie's glammy boogie-woogie style and some more experimental sounds as well, like the wild piano playing on the title track. Definitely a record I'll be putting on again soon. 4/5
Solid album that never fully clicked for me in the past. I think there's still some tracks that I'm not in love with, but there's also about half the tracks that are bangers. 3.5/5
Bowie is awesome. This is an easy 4.
5 incredible songs, five kinda average. The five greats: Aladdin Sane Time The Prettiest Star The Jean Genie Lady Grinning Soul
Not perfect, but a solid rock and roll album. Cleaned and well-produced, cohesive. Leadoff "Watch That Man" along with "The Jean Genie" are the two standouts.
nonie ghört de album. aber sehr cool de ersti song. mega rock. title track isch huere geil s klaviersolo goht craazy. sehr crazy sogar. drive in saturday sehr mid tempo bowie track. aber s goht meh los spöter. finds recht geil. panic in detroit het wieder meeega geili gittis oy. s wär mega basic rock wenn nöd die varflanged perkussion und am bowie sini weird melodie wär. und de mega geil bass. bowie het gern wenns gege de schluss bitz weird wird. cracked actor goht huuere los i love. time funny old timey piano. nocher singter vo wanking und quailoods au cool. nocher chli viel LAAAI LAI LAI aber immerno cool. de hübschisti stern findi s sax nöd soo geil aber nocher wenns en ganze satz blöser isch isch no pretty. lets spend the night together isch huuere cool, bowie uf horndogg. jean genie isch nüt bsunders aber afoch guete glamrock so. lady grinning soul wieder melancholie und huuuere schön. ui gitarresolo uiuiii. schono chrank wie er 43 johr spöter immerno huuere gueti musig gmacht hett. fühls huere git kei füfi aber e guuuuets vieri.
Good stuff
It’s a Bowie album I personally have never heard. I enjoyed it. Very smooth. Good evening vibes.
Love it!
I think this album’s very good. I think the only thing holding it back is it’s missing the really bombastic song I look for with Bowie. In its place is the really wonderful piano in the title track, it’s like free jazz it’s so bad it’s good. It’s just missing something as a whole that other Bowie albums have
Don’t know if it’d me my Bowie pick on this list but that doesn’t mean it’s not fantastic. He’s just that good, folks
This is probably my favorite Bowie album without a “hit” song. Sure, there are a number of singles from this album that did actually chart very well, but it’s not like “The Jean Genie” or “Drive-In Saturday” (while great songs) had the staying power of “Sound and Vision” or “Heroes”. Maybe I’m not making much sense, but I guess my point is that this whole album is good, with very few highs and lows. Although the Rolling Stones cover is interestingly enough probably the low point. “Time” has recently become one of my favorite Bowie songs.
Hey, this is an album I've never listened to and, as usual, I really dig a Bowie album. I would say there is a *plethora* of good tracks here. I understand there's a bit of a nod to the Stones here with the cover and a couple other tunes mimicking their sound. Whenever I noticed that comparison, I always felt like, "Well, this track is better than a Stones version of this." Even the cover! This is another case where I wish we could give 1/2 stars in our ratings. I think this is a solid 4.5/5. But since I try to leave 5/5 ratings for *perfect* albums, I'll have to give this a 4/5, which seems insulting to Mr. Bowie.
Love me some Bowie. Great album. 4/5
It was only a few years ago that I learned about the "a lad insane" wordplay. Sounds a little like a Ziggy Stardust fan club release. A big step down from that record in terms of songwriting ambition, but that's a bit like mocking a mountain for not being as high as Everest. Mt Whitney is a better analogy. Highest peak in the lower 48 but not even close globally. So, not a top tier Bowie album in my view, but still very satisfying for those of us who felt Ziggy left too soon but absolutely wore out that album.
DAORA
non proprio cinque stelle, ma quasi. che mito, che leggenda.
Beh raga è David Bowie
Quarto album del grande Bowie che mi capita. Purtroppo non ne ho ancora trovato uno da cinque, mi spiace per questa leggenda ma sono sicuro che prima o poi ne troverò uno
Second best Bowie album I’ve heard - very classic rock
Even though this one's in the accepted canon of great Bowie albums, I've never listened to it much. Shame because I enjoyed going through it, I thought it was more straight forward than ones like 'Low' or 'Heroes' which I love, but there's still a good amount of weirdness in it. And Bowie's songwriting is obviously always on point.
Love Bowie's style. Lots of fun songs, Cracked Actor was really catchy.
First listen through nothing really jumped out other than Jean Jeanie and the cover of Let's Spend the night together. I let this play in the background about 3 more times and more and more things started to stand out. Overall, this was a solid album that just lacked the typical amount of Bowie radio singles I knew.
I'm a big Bowie fan, but haven't listened to this one yet. It was a lot of fun and I'll definitely listen to it again. It's not a 5 probably because I have to compare it to Ziggy Stardust. The album as a whole doesn't have the same impact as that one.
Good album
Fun
Great Bowie album
Art.
Some good songs, some get lost
Not THE seminal Bowie record but still a great listen
hmmmmmmmmmm 5* seems disingenuous. 88/100
Love it
Solid, innovative rock album
A beautiful slice of maximalist campy glam rock from one of my favourite artists.
I have yet to listen to a Bowie album in its entirety and not love it. This is no different.
Watch That Man // The Jean Genie // 3.5/5
Bowie is in full Star mode. Glam Rock at its tightest, heaviest and dirtiest I can’t believe I slept on ‘Cracked Actor’. Damn what a great tune.
a few amazing songs
One of his best
That poor piano. He’s beating the snot out of it.
David Bowie$
This daily challenge has made me a David Bowie fan, but this one doesn't feel like it's as much of a standout as his other albums. Gets better on re-listen, still good, but if I hadn't've already enjoyed his other stuff, I probably would've rated this a little lower.
Liked it a whole lot
A bit all over the place and adventurous sonically not my favorite Bowie album but worth a relisten soon.
3 Bowie records in six days, huh? Between this and back-to-back k.d. lang's/near-back-to-back Rufus Wainwright's, y'all need to get this randomizer in check. Anyway, another solid Bowie record, what can I say? "Panic in Detroit" is particularly a favorite for me here. 4/5
Ziggy’s darker, weirder younger brother. I get why this album hasn’t had the same level of staying power because the mix isn’t that great and it’s not super immediate, but still a strong and rewarding album with a lot of interesting twists. Best song: Cracked Actor
Super well known album cover. The songs were not big hits, but they are all awesome. Wide range of styles, jazz, punk, rock, avant garde. Another fine David Bowie project. Did he do anything bad?
3.75
We all love aladdin sane, don't we folks? (It's pretty good. I liked it less than the Berlin albums)
Very fun. Not my favorite Bowie album, but still a great listen. 8/10 Would I listen again? Yes
Josiah - 4 Elen - 4
Feels like a polished barroom band but with more sophisticated arrangements. Keef and Jagger through a Bowie filter.
He's so inconsistent but maybe his best imo
Legendary album, full of great songs, perfect intro to his seventies material.
You know, I love Bowie, but I really only know a small handful of albums, his hits and his ubiquitous impact on culture over the last 60 years. This is an album I had never fully listened to--as far as I can remember--and it's obviously great. I think at this point, I don't have the space to dive deeper in to Bowie. I'll give it a 4, we'll see if I ever dive in again.
Favourite song - Aladdin Sane
4/19/24. Love David Bowie although this was my first real run-through of Aladdin Sane. I loved the energy and jazzy elements of this, and the harder driving rock songs. Bowie is an artist that can't really do any genre wrong.
It was a pleasure to listen to, literally two tracks caused rejection, but the rest were excellent.
Not my favorite Bowie album but still one the the best glam rock albums I’ve heard. It’s not a genre I usually gravitate towards but it’s clear Bowie mastered the sound and will be coming back to this one hopefully
David Bowie steht für Qualität. Nicht sein bestes, aber ein sehr gutes Album.
Bowie at his best
Lyrically brilliant, detailed, and narratively driven, this album is one to read along while you listen. Hook-wise, you have less than many Bowie outings but standouts remain including the title track, Jean Genie, Cracked Actor, & Stones cover Let's Spend the Night Together. Many of the other songs such as Drive-In Saturday rely on more of a baroque approach to melody. Lots of Stones references throughout from the blues rock of Jean Genie to a lyrical Jagger name-drop to an actual Stones cover. Ultimately this is a fantastic album that I know solidified his fanbase but is one I revisit less than other Bowie albums. Every time I come back to it I get entrenched in the lore a little bit more, and find new things to appreciate, such as the avant-garde pianist Mike Garson whose really makes the album come alive for me during his standout moments. Looking forward to spinning this one more and more.
I always thought I didn't like David Bowie. It turns out I just don't like his hits which they always play on the radio. This album surprised me very much because I enjoyed it much more than I expected. I particularly liked the final song.
Aladdinsane is a great album, one that I tend to always chose over Ziggy Stardust when I want a fix of glam-era Bowie. Surely a 5* review then? Actually, no! Despite a near faultless first side, there are a couple of real clunkers on Side 2. 'The Prettiest Star', though a huge improvement on the original 1970 single version, is still a weak track and, as for 'Let's spend the night together', I can't think of any less necessary cover of a Stones song. Those disappointments aside, 'The Jean Genie' and 'Time', whilst good, are totally outshone by the final track, 'Lady Grinning Soul' which is beautiful, sensual and sultry. Side 1, however, is where the album's real strengths lie. 'Watch that man' is a strong opener but still outclassed by the four tracks that follow. The title track is moody and beautiful, Mike Garson's jazz-inflected piano holding it all together. 'Drive in Saturday ', a homage to doo-wop is lovely and 'Panic in Detroit' has a fantastic riff from Mick Ronson. However, it's 'Cracked Actor' -a sleazy number both lyrically and musically - which really hits home. Overall, an outstanding collection of songs, slightly let down by a couple of uncharacteristically uninspired water traders on Side 2.
Bowie doing Bowie things here. Not much one can say about this album that hasn’t already been said better. It’s a phenomenal album. Traipsing through a myriad of experiences and emotions this was a transformative time for the Thin White Duke.
I think I am becoming a David Bowie fan. I really enjoyed this album. I didn’t enjoy it as much as Heroes…but it really grew on me and even if there are no more Bowie albums in the list, I need to check more out.
Better than the last Bowie album. It is good, but I would not choose to listen to this album, but would enjoy the songs if they came on the radio.
Beautiful piano riffs on this album.
Not my favorite Bowie... classic album cover though. Still, it's Bowie so it's at least a 3.5 - 4.
Brilliant album by David Bowie but some of the strange piano playing particularly in the album title Aladdin Slane is not for me. I found the second half of the album much easier to enjoy
At the time, this must have been insane to hear. Some of the piano work is incredible.
muy chulo
Never listened to Bowie but this album has some great rock from the 70s
Really good listen from start to finish and probably more of a 4.5
Bowie all glammed up which tends to be my favorite Bowie. I love his version of Let’s Spend the Night Together.
another masterful work by the king of 70s glam rock, including a great cover of the rolling stones’ classic “let’s spend the night together”. a fine effort all around. highlights: “drive-in saturday”, “cracked actor”, “the jean genie”
Have I heard this album before? No Highlights: Watch That Man, Drive-In Saturday, Panic in Detroit, Cracked Actor, The Prettiest Star, Let’s Spend the Night Together, Jean Genie, Lady Grinning Soul Rating: 8.8/10 I’m a big fan of Bowie from what I’ve heard but hadn’t got round to this yet. It feels like Ziggy 2.0, with the glam dialled up and the guitars really rocking on a few of the tracks. Another excellent Bowie album.
not a bowie album i've listened to a lot, but a good one - 4 stars
A decent enough album by Bowie, who is obviously the GOAT but probably not even within his top 10 albums. 3.6
Fun and showy pop music. The seventh Bowie album I've gotten. Another good one
3.9
Great album. Very bluesy
Day 2 of back-to-back Bowie. I prefer 70s Bowie.
One of his most twisted collections. So many different thing in play on this album. Such an interesting follow up to Ziggy but stands on its own.
Very American in the 70’s. Predated a lot of the early 80’s
I enjoyed the upbeat feel of the opener and hoped I’d be in for more. The album did deliver. It was a good experience! The low point, in my opinion, was the title track’s freestyle piano solo. It was jarring and it’s inclusion didn’t seem to add much. Basslines do it for me and I felt their presence and sound take center stage for me on a few songs and elevated the experience for me. Groovy beats and riffs found all through the album. Lyrics were different. Maybe it’s just the difference between American and British pop but I found it hard to stay engaged at points due to not really following what point was being made. Maybe don’t look up the lyrics beforehand?
I liked it! Good tracks and over all a fan of majority of the songs.
Very interesting. Mood shifts from Pink Floyd, to dance tracks to lyrical voacl tracks.
Favourite tracks: jean genie; let's spend the night together; time; Aladdin sane; watch that man
Zadnja pjesma wow
Good 80s rock
awesome.
i love bowie but i never got around to listening to this album in full. drive in saturday is amazing and i loved the prettiest star too. the rest is really good but i dont see myself coming back to this much when low and ziggy exist. it is probably the best album ive gotten from here so far but i cant give it more than a strong 7.
Certainly not his strongest album, but I am a huge Bowie fan so my feelings on his work is heavily biased.
Another album that I would have otherwise passed by.
I listened to his earlier stuff but not his one. It's a good album. Mick Ronsons shies on it.
Good album - Cracked Actor was a standout. The Jean Genie as well.
This album is part of Bowie's glam period. Really weird, but good. I like how Aladdin Sane was meant to be the American Ziggy, and was an anagram for " A Lad Insane", which was how he felt about his newfound fame surrounding the success of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. That being said, I think that the slamming on instruments section of the song Aladdin Sane was meant to represent someone losing their mind. Fuckin deep stuff. This was the last album to feature his backing band: The Spiders From Mars too. I also find the cover art is such an iconic image of Bowie, with the lightning bolt makeup. This album partially suffered from directly following Ziggy Stardust and kinda got overshadowed by that fuckin smash of an album. Kinda in the same way Fleetwood Mac's Tusk was overshadowed by Rumours. This album was different, but still really solid! Favourite songs: The Jean Genie, Let's Spend the Night Together, Watch That Man, Cracked Actor, Panic in Detroit, Time Least favourite songs: Lady Grinning Soul 4/5
Classic Bowie, good stuff
It’s not quite on the level of some of the previous Bowie albums we’ve had on the list (Hunky Dory & Ziggy Stardust), but good stuff nonetheless. Simpsons: Yes
It's not Ziggy or Station-Station, but still Bowie. Jazzy, groovy, weird, rock, ballad, swingy, Bowie. Often sounds like he could be a muppet in a good way. Songs feels like plays at times, where you can almost see the curtain open to reveal more band and bigger sound for the finale.
Not my favorite of his albums but a great listen with some really cool ideas happening throughout.
As this started and the first two tracks didn't blow me away there was a moment when I feared Bowie was overrated. The the third track played, and the fourth, and so on and this album turned out pretty great. Favourite track: Drive-In Saturday.
Great David Bowie album. Really good and fast paced.
And now I know why other people likes David Bowie
Not my favorite Bowie album but still.
Watch That Man - 8/10 Aladdin Sane - 8/10 Drive-in Saturday - 8/10 Panic in Detroit - 9/10 Cracked Actor - 8.5/10 Time - 7.5/10 The Prettiest Star - 8/10 Let’s Spend the Night Together- 8.5/10 Jean Genie - 8/10 Lady Grinning Soul - 9/10 TOTAL - 82.5/100
Bell’album, glam ma anche quasi punk. Ho adorato le commistioni esotiche in alcuni brani, come la Title Track e Lady Grinning Soul. Voto 8/10
Honky tonk space opera. Saxaphone! The lyrics on the edge of falling to pieces but always catching an edge of reality. Some great guitar riffs.
SUPER ALBUM COOLCOOLCOOL WOW ZIGGY ZIGGY J’AI PAS LE TEMPS DONNE MOI L’AUTRE
Not his best but a classic. Lots of great songs and experiments post Ziggy that have a clear connection to Diamond Dogs.
The cover art is a solid 5. One of the most reproduced and recognised bits of face painting ever. The tunes are not Bowie's best work. They kinda just flow on from previous works with more generica than he is know for. Still better than a 3 though.q
Probably not his best work, a bit too much rock at the expense of space pop. But very fine nonetheless
Love Bowie
Overall - I really liked this album. I hadn't heard most of these songs before. I've listened to it like 3 times now, and all I can really say is, I'm adding it to my library. I really loved Time and Aladdin Sane. Some of it sounds very Bowie, some of it sounds very Bowie doing Rolling Stones. I really loved how Drive-In Saturday and The Prettiest Star have a 50's do-wop ballad vibe, and how well they mesh with Time.
It was really good, I liked it more than Blackstar
This was very good!
I'm least familiar with this era of Bowie's music (early period through 83, when Let's Dance came out). I could count my familiarity with early Bowie songs on one hand. His look being a major contribution of course, I really started to envision this as a music album that an alien would record after listening to some of our music. I could see how several strands would be influenced by this - punk, post punk, even elements of grunge. I'd probably need to listen to this more, but I'd say the latter half of the album is strongest as a whole. Cracked Actor, Let's Spend the Night Together, and Jean Genie are my favorites.
All killer no filler!
Fun, upbeat vibe with just enough stick it to the man. Didn’t have some of his most famous songs but still a great album that kinda faded into my day and provided a great backdrop without ever feeling like too much.
Creative, groovy. The title track Aladdin sane I really dug and had never heard. Very Bowie.
This was actually a pretty good album. Liked it much better than hunky dory. I’ll admit, much more piano than I was expecting from a glam rock album. But not a bad thing. The lyrics I am a bit torn on. I initially thought they were okay, but after reading more about the album and the inspirations for each of the songs I now have a much deeper appreciation for them. I can definitely appreciate the themes, even if the actual lyrics don’t resonate strongly with me. Also, one of the most iconic musician pictures of all time
I liked it - I expect David Bowie will be one of my top artists for 2024.
I've liked all of the Bowie albums so far... this one I liked a bit less
weird -I've had 4 Bowie albums so close - 101 - ZiGGY....103 LOW, 108 BLACKSTAR and 111 this one - and this falls in line with the others. Always a fan. More poilshed for me vs. Ziggy. A good listen.
3.5 stars rounded up. The singles are all well known. Bowie does glam, hard rock and lounge music or some mixture of the three for each track. Enjoyable mostly for the singles, but the deep cuts are worth a listen or two.
Really good all around album.
Liknar ett av mina favoritalbum (Hunky Dory) väldigt mycket. Tidig David Bowie har något unikt som är väldigt charmigt tycker jag. Sätter dock 4 för tänker att Hunky Dory är en 5:a för mig och att det här påminde mig om det
Bowie is great
this is bowies departure from pure rock and roll and glam. he starts to be weirder here. that exquisite feeling of the man who sold the world comes back after his two most glam rock albums, but in a different way, because now, i feel like he knows what he truly wants and knows who he is. it begins the style he would pursue on diamond dogs. its hard to track bowies progress in music; first, he had a syd barret kind of feeling to his lyrics, next album he went to a space folk type of thing; on hunky dory he explores his composition on piano based songs; on ziggy stardust he becomes a creature from mars and makes on of the best albums of all time, and polishes the glam rock of t-rex. on this one and diamond dogs he is a crazy dramatic rock and roller, also addicted to cocaine. then the berlin trylogy comes in and he basically creates the 80s, as i said, its hard to track it. anyway, ill give this a 4, because its not one of my favorite and kinda dense on times.
B+ tier Bowie.
This album converted me into a firm believer that every album here deserves at least two listens all the way through. I liked it on the first go, but LOVED it on the second. I don’t know what this magical man put into these songs, but my god, I think he fucked my ears into submission. Fav Songs: Aladdin Sane, Lady Grinning Soul Least: The Prettiest Star, The Jean Genie
Another good David Bowie album, I liked Prettiest Star and Let's Spend The Night Together and The Jean Genie the most.
You freaky old bastard, you. As demonstrated on this and other records, Bowie had a unique talent for lulling you in with a familiar chord progression before turning it on its head and taking a song in a really unexpected direction. With a career that spanned so many years, you certainly got a lot of costume changes with Bowie. But this was from the era where I think he was at his best, maybe the last album of that era. Great songs, tons of originality, and lots of nuanced vocal performances. The only thing holding this album back is somehow it doesn’t include a song that really breaks into that upper level of classic songs (and we know not every Bowie album had that problem). I think a 5 album has to have at least a couple of those. So a 4.5 for me, and I’m not rounding anything up to 5.
Har gått litt lei etter å ha hørt albumet 500k ganga, men litt Mike Garson slår aldri feil
Always love Bowie, some here I never heard before
Ja Bowie… kan niet anders dan vier sterren geven. Het blijft maar knallenal is het rustiger dan Ziggy stardust bijv. Drive-In Saturday is m’n favo!
Goed album, maar niet alles is top
great album
Always amazing
Fun stuff. Makes me want to learn the words.
This is a brilliant record which has stood the test of time, and is among the best records of the 70s. However I feel this is a slight dip in form after Ziggy which remains up until Station to Station which are masterpieces. I love the Stones-esque sound of this record, and there's some incredible tracks on here; Drive In Saturday is one of my favourite Bowie tracks, the off-key piano in the title track fits the theme well and is so disorienting, and The Jean Genie provides some rock n roll fun. A great album, just not flawless like others in Bowie's discography.
Great Not as good as station to station but very good. Time is the highlight
Good album Standout tracks: Panic in Detroit, Time, Watch that man
Classic Bowie, sounds like him.
Love Bowie! Jean Genie!
Good
Good album, but not his best.
Lot of good stuff on here.
Some classic rock songs. Bowie knows how to play it up!
Big Bowie fan. I've bought Bowies greatest hits on cassette, CD, and digital. I'll have to listen to this album again to give a proper review but. It's Bowie. It's gonna have some quality
Great album by a truly talented artist.
Not as good as ziggy
fave track: drive in saturday final thoughts: gonna be real, bowie owes me financial compensation for some of the lyrics in this
8/10 aladdin sane is a play on tbe words "a lad insane" and that's definitely the vibe i got from this. i decided to read the backstory of this album for once and to summarise; after gaining commercial success through his previous works, bowie went on tour across the US. whilst on his travels, he began to become inspired by the music there, creating and lyrics and sounds that would eventually culminate into aladdin sane. i think the majority songs on here are very avant-garde and glitzy, representing the subgenre of glam rock very well. a notable track that stood out to me was "watch that man", the opening for this album - and it's a very strong one. the guitar carries the feeling of the song, giving it a very flashy and gritty vibe to reflect the main character here. there's other components too like the backing vocals present on the chorus to show that everyone at the after-party is also enamoured by this man's presence. there's other songs too like drive-in saturday with cryptic lyricism that highlight the generation of tomorrow forgetting the concept of love and reverting to pornography in order to gain some semblance of it again, or the song time, where the music utilises the piano to give it an almost musical villainous vibe to it, showing how time can be your worst enemy in the fact that it slips out your hands just as much as it decides to stretch on forever. there's a lot of strange and peculiar production choices on here that definitely achieve the concept of this album with bowie spiraling after achieving new found stardom. however i didn't agree with every musical choice on here. for example in the second track, aladdin sane, the unorganised piano notes did not do it for me. i get the artistic vision but it went on for wayyy too long, could've been condensed a little bit. then other songs like lets spend the night together felt so out of place, like it didn't belong?? i feel as if this album has more wins than losses, but my god are the losses really apparent lmaooo. there's a lot more i could praise this album for but i'd just sound redundant after a while. all in all, i enjoyed listening to this album, would loveee to hear more from bowie
Very well executed, but not totally to my taste. That piano on Aladdin Sane is fantastic.
Some artists write good music. Some write challenging music. David Bowie is one of the rare few who can do both simultaneously. I didn’t know this album at all, nor did I know any of the songs. But this is classic Bowie—idiosyncratic, catchy, steeped in pop tradition but experimental with melody and harmony, demanding your attention. The piano solo on the title track blew my mind. I thought this was great!
gut
4.2/5
Not a huge fan of his early work. He is an awesome artist anyway!!!
Was pretty good. I liked the piano
Track 1: First song feels very 70s, I get Mick Jagger vibes immediately Track 1: Heavy bass line, bar piano vibes, screeching guitar music , would be good song for the opening scene of a movie showing the main character in different parts of his day Track 3:”Drive In Saturday” definitely a UK 🇬🇧 vibe, reminds me of Pink Floyd’s dark side of the moon with the dreamy synths and the upbeat echoey chorus , note the sax making a welcomed appearance “Panic in Detroit” referring to the battle between police and black panthers (I think? Activists?) during the 60s me thinks… cues in the soulful sister at the end of song to give it some “Motown” flavor “Time” wow , Pink Floyd’s The Wall shares so many elements here , but which came first? 🤔 and that guitar solo totally inspired some of bohemian rhapsody “Let’s spend the night” Billy Joel piano flavor
Lovely piano undertones. Sing-songy. I'd definitely put this on for a road-trip.
Great album, fun listen from front to back.
Classic Bowie
I've never really ventured too far into David Bowie's discography -- I'm mostly familiar with his works in the 80s; The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and his theatrics/movies, so this is a first for me. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the Americana vibe. Real Ziggy went to the US feeling to it.
Very interesting and diversified sound palette. Felt haunting at times which added to the dystopian romanticism of the album really well. Great instrumentals and the lyricism was very methodically poetic as Bowie does really well. 88/100
I love 70s Bowie. My personal favorite of this album is "Let's Spend the Night Together."
Beaucoup de morceau bien écrits avec des modulations intéressantes.
Really good!
Not my favourite Bowie album following two game changing releases with Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust. I’ve always thought the title track is a bit overrated and never really cared for the Stones cover. It’s still peak Bowie though and there are plenty of excellent tracks here, from the swagger of The Jean Genie and the anthemic Drive In Saturday to some of his most gorgeous songs in The Prettiest Star and Time
I’ve been waiting for the day I finally got a Bowie album. I said that I considered Björk one of the last true artists still making music today. To me, Bowie was one of the most true “artists” to ever live. He always pushed musical boundaries and his own boundaries, and his music lived through him via his many personas. This is very much a glam rock album, but it is very much not repetitive. The foundation of this album is honky-tonk piano and distorted guitars, with some mixes of art rock. But there is something interesting going on in each song, that keeps the album from going stale very quick, which is an issue many other glam rock albums suffer from. This album’s theme is based on Bowie’s experiences touring in the U.S., and the things he experienced while here, but also his personal gripes with life while on tour. The album feels dirty and playful and the lyrics often reference sexual desires and debauchery, but Bowie’s energy allows these things to be communicated flawlessly. He truly was a performer way ahead of his time. Rating: 8/10
The beauty only shone through when intensely listening (so nothing for running in the background). Loved the piano solos in some pieces.
Opens like the most rock and roll album of David's discography
You’d be insane not to listen to this!
listened to this while we played rumikub (sp?). sick album. love bowie.
4/5 - I love every song equally on this album.
I still prefer later Bowie over the glam rock era incarnation, but this is still very enjoyable. The piano, especially in the title track, is fantastic.
David Bowie is at his best when he is grandiose
Its totally hunky dory
I like it, feels like more Ziggy Stardust but not quite as good as that one. Will I listen to again: 80%
It is wild that, 1000+ albums into the list, we are STILL getting more Bowie. Not that I mind... in fact, I'm a bit sad that I think this is my last Bowie on the list. At least he finished off with something solid!
Muy buen album, tiene el sonido mítico de David Bowie. A destacar "Aladdin Sane" y "Lady Grinning Soul". Lo volvería a escuchar
It was pretty good. Not peak Bowie though.
Like a bit of experimental Bowie.
This sounded like he left it all on Ziggy Stardust this is the inevitable slight step down, but only slight. The jazzy piano bits helped to distinguish it. Drive-in Saturday was my highlight
It’s Bowie. Fun, chaotic and good piano work
tågenmusik. i hate this fucker. kuulostaa taas siltächa tältä...en ikinä kuuntelisi itse silti miellekästö musiikkia. montakohan albumiä ukolta on vielä tulossa huoh .tasasta nelosta paiskuttaa joka kerta kun veturi raiteilla konsanaam..kitarantyöstäminen..pianon näppäilijä.. saxofooniin syljintä.. lady grinning soul
I forgot how weirdly jazzy and moody this album is but I still LOVE it. "Cracked Actor" and "Watch that Man" are such bangers. This record gives me joy.
4.75
Mejores portadas ever
-my third bowie album on here!!!!!! -i am liking how upbeat this first song is -this is my favorite of his albums i have listened to so far -okay cracked actor is completely and totally a banger -a lot of these songs are really hitting the mark for me -other bowie albums to me have felt lackluster -bowie is so iconic and a legend but he definitely doesn’t always bring it for me -but this album! is the first time i feel bowie lives up to his name -this album was really great. easy four stars!
I always wrote Aladdin Sane off but after listening to it here I was soon mistaken.
Not my favorite of the Glam Rock Bowie albums but still excellent. After a few years of shelving this album, I will definitely be coming back. I like that it’s a little more doo-woppy and poetic than Ziggy.
Tot nu toe vind ik de input van David een beetje tegenvallen. Slecht zijn de albums die we gehoord hebben natuurlijk niet, maar het is ook niet opvallend goed. Dit vind ik er ook weer zo eentje. Beroemde hoes, onmiskenbaar Bowie-geluid, maar niks wat het tot grote hoogte opstuwt. Gewoon een leuke collectie prima songs. Misschien ligt het aan mij en ben ik gewoon niet cool en open-minded genoeg. Zou dat het zijn?
Rijk album vol met muzikale spitsvondigheden (of een chaotische mix van geluiden als je het niet trekt). De bas blijft wel de hele tijd een soort van vastigheid en dat is wel nodig, want soms gaat het alle kanten op. Ik kan Bowie inmiddels wel waarderen, maar heb daar wel een hele tijd over gedaan. En er staat natuurlijk veel te veel van de beste man in deze snoblijst, maar dit album mag er wat mij betreft wel bij. De hoes is in ieder geval iconisch genoeg.
cool piano
Guitars sound sick! Enjoyed what is a bit of a bonkers album with some very jazzy and unusual sounds.
Pretty good
Not as good as I expected, I like the well known ones and a few others. Wouldn't rush out to buy this today.
Better than the last Bowie album, I like the flow of the songs, good continuity in the album as a whole, good composition and even some cool solos and stuff.
i actively enjoyed this album but not enough to give it 5 stars because there were a couple tracks on it that i dont remember
An eclectic mix of rock and jazz noises thrown together into a decently coherent early 70s album. Certainly, the sound is quite innovative for its time. The musicians involved are playing passionately – perhaps too much so – which creates a very full-on, almost chaotic atmosphere compared to his previous atmospheres. Too much energy and excitement, possibly from Bowie's rise to superstardom the previous year. Most of side 1 suffers from too-complex flourishes, chord changes, and melodies that aren't quite catchy enough to justify themselves. In fact, this is a rare album where I can say definitively that one side (side 2) is stronger than the other. Time, Lady Grinning Soul, and The Jean Genie are my personal favourites (particularly the latter). In The Jean Genie, Bowie finally decides not to go overboard on the musical theatrics that greatly bring down other songs like Panic In Detroit and the title track. This creates a piece of music that not only rises to the heights of Bowie's previous album, Ziggy Stardust, but actually surpasses most of it. The other two aforementioned tracks are also like this, and easily move the otherwise 3-star album up to 4 stars.
An album of absolute hits but wtf was the title track? Some people may call it genius, but it sounded like my 6-year old got on the piano after eating too much sugar.
Good, classic Bowie album
Fighting my bias to be fair here. This is so easily a 1,001 album. It's Bowie's first album after being a major star and dove deeper into a glam and pop influence than he had done before. The songs and cover are iconic; I prefer some of his more thoughtful albums but there's no question that the structure, style, musical composition, and singing are a cut above where most bands can get. The Prettiest Star is a 5/5 song, but other Bowie albums have non-stop 5/5s. With my bias votes though this is easily a 5 album.
Great production. Fun use of stereo sound. A couple tracks feel a little crowded. I like the Stones version of Let’s Spend the Night Together, but this cover is fun I guess. I probably have more time logged seeing Bowie in movies than listening to his music. Are there some diss tracks on here? Jean Genie and Cracked Actor sound like diss tracks. I'm sure the best is yet to come, but overall enjoyable.
Un album concept, très verbeux, pratiquement un "musical" déguisé. Instrumentations exceptionnelles. Moins accessible que certains autres album de Bowie. Nécessite plusieurs écoutes pour apprécier pleinement.
''A lad insane''. Cover le plus cher dans le temps. Un de ses premiers gros succès 'populaire'. Chacun de ses albums est une expérience en soi. Cool expérience.
Nice combination of piano improv and rock elements. First listen was a bit of surprise but liked the second round
For the time, absolutely the right balance of new and old format
oi m8 wuzzat on yer clavicle
Bowies uppföljning till Ziggy Stardust. Hans rock n roll är kvar, men varvat med andra genrer genom skivan. Inget från Bowies 70-tal är på något sätt svagt, men det är svårt att inte jämföra med ZS
封面專輯就是我對大衛鮑伊最深的印象，來自外星的閃電印記和異色雙瞳。以前聽過部分歌，第一次聽完完整專輯，感覺不錯，但可能我缺少了一些背景信息（還爲此去補課聽了一些播客
Good stuff
This is a grower for me. It took me a while to get into it. It's very good but I don't think it's Bowie's best. The title track and Cracked Actor are bangers. Panic In Detroit is really good. I do think there are better Bowie albums but I still think this one is solid and definitely belongs in the book. Also, the album cover is iconic!
Je ne connaissais que quelques chansons dessus, mais il marche très bien en tant qu'album complet. Pas aussi solide que Ziggy Stardust ou Blackstar dans la discographie de Bowie mais très bien quand même.
bowie should learn how to play piano
Insert something about space.
Musical Style: "Aladdin Sane" continues Bowie's exploration of glam rock, but it also incorporates elements of avant-garde, soul, and hard rock. The album is known for its raw and edgy sound, with distorted guitars, jazzy piano, and a prominent saxophone, courtesy of Mick Ronson. This saxophone plays a significant role in defining the album's sound, giving it a unique and memorable quality. Lyricism: The album's lyrics are diverse, touching on themes like identity, alienation, fame, and the duality of human nature. The title track, "Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)", is a nod to Ziggy Stardust's journey and is filled with cryptic and surreal imagery. "The Jean Genie" tells the story of a wild, free-spirited character. "Lady Grinning Soul" conveys a sense of yearning and sensuality. The album is less overtly concept-driven than "Ziggy Stardust" but still maintains a sense of narrative and storytelling. Key Tracks: "The Jean Genie" is one of the standout tracks, with its infectious riff and bluesy swagger. It's a fan favorite and has become one of Bowie's classic songs. "Time" is a complex, multi-layered song that showcases Bowie's songwriting prowess and his ability to weave intricate narratives. "Lady Grinning Soul" is a beautiful and haunting piano ballad, which provides a quieter, introspective moment on the album. Album Cover: The iconic album cover features Bowie with a red and blue lightning bolt across his face, creating an enduring image that is immediately associated with him. This image underscores the album's theme of duality and change. Legacy: "Aladdin Sane" marked a pivotal moment in Bowie's career. It solidified his status as a musical chameleon, demonstrating his ability to reinvent his sound and image. The album was a commercial success, peaking at number one on the UK Albums Chart. It is considered a classic in Bowie's discography and remains a fan favorite. Conclusion: "Aladdin Sane" is a testament to David Bowie's artistic evolution. It showcases his ability to experiment with different musical styles while maintaining his distinctive voice. The album's lyrics and themes are intriguing, and its music is a blend of various influences that makes it a compelling listening experience. For those interested in Bowie's multifaceted career and the glam rock era, "Aladdin Sane" is an essential piece of the puzzle. In summary, "Aladdin Sane" stands as a remarkable entry in the Bowie canon, representing a transitional phase in his career while still delivering an exceptional musical and lyrical experience. It's a must-listen for any Bowie enthusiast and a testament to the enduring legacy of one of rock's greatest innovators.
Watch that man or cracked actor best Panic in Detroit worst
Solid first listen
First David bowie I listened to. More rock than expected
Really enjoyed this. Not his best album, but 100% would listen again.
Amazing!
Bowie. Ningún megahit. Un 4.
This album comes toward the end of my favorite Bowie period, but oh boy it's still amazing. An iconic cover and great music, love it.
I think this goes for every Bowie album I've listened to. Some songs are fine, some songs are good, some songs are great. None seem to be bad. But as an album experience, it never feels quite right.
Starts strong, has a dip at Cracked Star and Time but finishes so strong from there. This is another great Bowie release. Aladdin Sane the track is a beautiful mess, Let’s Spend the Night Together is an underrated Bowie track. Aladdin Sane is a bit of a boozy dreamy sounding album and I love it for that. 4 stars
Not bad
some pretty great, others odd and repetitive
I would have picked a different Bowie album for this list. Overall, it's not his best album and there's nothing really groundbreaking, but there's some good stuff and it's definitely worth the listen.
Catchy
Highlights: Aladdin Sane, Cracked Actor. In a nutshell: the descent into hell. Post Ziggy, pre plastic soul. This was the beginning of David Bowie delving further into more introspective themes in his songwriting. Overall: 8/10
A departure from Ziggy Stardust, however none the less worse for it. Aladdin Sane takes on a different form of "Heading to America" and you can hear the influence throughout his lyrics and styling. Bowie takes you through a journey as someone who is truly seeing the US in all it's gritty glory for the first time. Best: The Jean Genie Worst: The Prettiest Star 4.5 stars
hasn't been too long since The Idiot- a rare example of something David Bowie was involved with I didn't take to immediately- but it's been about 300 albums since the last Bowie solo record. Where ya been man? Never listened to Aladdin Sane before, in part because “Jean Genie” isn’t one of my favourite of his hits. It’s still good, just not “I need to hear an hour of this” good. Luckily the rest of the album is a party. A lot of the pop sensibilities as in Hunky Dory/Ziggy Stardust, but there's further playing around with genre & song structures that sound more like the Berlin trilogy HL: “Time”, “Drive-in Saturday”, “Panic in Detroit”, the Stones cover October 3, 2023
I like crunchy Bowie best and this whole era is him defining himself by muted powerchords. Let’s bring back palm-muted powerchords.
This is one of the least of Bowie's early glam albums, I think. I much prefer Ziggy Stardust or Hunky Dory. Still a good album but it's a solid 7.5/10 instead of his usual 9 or 9.5.
Great songwriting, interesting arrangements, fantastic vocals... so expressive. This is one of my favorite Bowie records. Some wonderful hidden gems that don't make the greatest hits list but are among the finest songs ever: "Cracked Actor", "Time" and "Lady Grinning Soul".
Only head of this album and never gave it a serious listen so "blind album"? It was pretty good, definitely David Bowie and the dude is weird but it's got style and he's got taste.
Superb
Album 180 of 1001 David Bowie - Aladdin Sane Rating : 4 / 5 Favorite Track : The Jean Genie Enjoyable album. Not my favorite Bowie, for sure, but it is still Bowie - or one of his alter-egos, anyway. He is kind of like a box of chocolates.
Very good album. 4 stars because none of the songs specifically stood out but it was a good album as a whole and I loved the isnstrumentals
Easy to listen to. Flashbacks of Labyrinth
Coming right after Ziggy Stardust, this one seems a bit less grand, but still a great listening overall ! 8/10
Aladdin Sane, Cracked Actor, the Jean Genie and Lady Grinning Soul are still my faves off this album. Liked the opener more on this listen. Still kinda bored by Drive-In Saturday. The rest are decent enough. I don't listen to this one as much as others but it's probably worth being on the list for the iconography alone. Solid 4.