Reviews (page 4 of 13)
Rock Solid Bowie Album. Same flow state as Ziggy with less hits for sure. Still a great album. Some lofi and garage elements but ultimately feels very bowie. Album cover outfit is generational.
One of the better Bowie albums but not in his top tier few. Very good throughout, not much to want to ignore or skip, but not the same amount of big tracks that blow your mind like other albums manage.
It makes a steady start with tracks like ‘Watch That Man’ and the title track ‘Aladdin Sane’ and ‘Drive-in Saturday’ being perfectly listenable if not spectacular. I was therefore bedding in for a further procession of ok but not inspiring tracks all the way to ‘Jean Genie’, however’Cracked Actor’ quickly grabbed my attention. You can tell it’s from the same album as JG and represents a proper Bowie rocker. Possibly more surprising was ‘Time’ which is a real gem, despite some not so elegant wordplay “falls wanking to the floor”. ‘The Prettiest Star’ carries on this more interesting vibe with an almost musical feel to it and imaging of silver screen America. The cover of ‘Let’s spend the night together’ is another chance for Bowie to speed things up again with Ronson’s guitar allowed to sing with a heavy dose of piano for good measure. Like a good time in a club give a hypersonic injection. …..and only now do we reach the classic that is Jean Genie. Stomping Ronson guitar, harmonica singing merrily away and a faultless Bowie vocal. In many ways it’s a bit sad to reach the final track. ‘Lady Grinning Soul’ almost sounds like a Bond song and things off in splendid fashion. The second half of this album massively lifts it from middling to really good for me
Two consecutive Bowie albums in a row that I actually like! After handing out so many 1s and 2s like candy, I was starting to think that the one 4 I'd given was a fluke. But no, this album was great. I like the hard rock, the honky-tonk piano, the glam backing vocals, and all the 1950s influence peaking through in places. Parts of this is like listening to the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack (complimentary). I think some of the issues I've had with Bowie albums in the past (things being more experimental than fun to listen to) have hints on this album (the jazzy sax/piano on Aladdin Sane) but overall the fun levels stay pretty high. It also doesn't outstay it's welcome at all, in individual songs or at a whole, with a 41 minute runtime. I enjoyed this a lot, and it's well worth a: 4/5
Stones, free jazz, Kurt Weill, there's a lot going on here. In 72/73 the genre lines weren't so bright. Thankful for that.
Heroes are supposed to be sane.
I liked this more than I thought I would -- certainly challenged me to expand my listening. The avant-garde / jazz flourishes really push it to the next level, and there's some thoughtful, interesting stuff going on here. A lot of songs don't work for me, but there's no denying this is very cool and very smart. Fave tracks: - Watch That Man - Aladdin Sane - Cracked Actor - Let's Spend the Night Together - Lady Grinning Soul
Not the best Bowie album nor one of my favorites, but it's pretty good and has its moments. 3.5 stars
I enjoy the heavier rock influence on this album. It sure seems like there is too much David Bowie on this list, but I keep giving the albums higher stars than I expected.
This is by no means a perfect album and it's not even the best Bowie album we've listened to on this list. But it's still a damn good Bowie album. 4.5 stars, rounding down.
first half of the album is certainly weaker than the latter half, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Good
los Stones y Bowie beben de las mismas aguas ...Se nota en este disco las influencias qué comparten .América es la nueva etapa del artista .Se vienen cositas.
Vengo de escuchar Bob Dylan en otro grupo, un álbum que se llama Blondd on Blonde, que tiene un ritmo parecido de algunos temas en la guitarra y la filarmónica pero la verdad, esto tiene estilo, tiene dureza, tiene la onda que le faltaba a Dylan y que sus letras son preciosas, pero no te hace mover. Qué más perfecto que el primer tema que escogió Bowie: Watch that Man No soy un gran oyente de Bowie pero tendré que incursionar más en el. Top Picks: 1- The Jean Genie 2- Cracked Actor (la info es un 10) 3- Time (me llegó mucho esta historia) la canción se vive a flor de piel.
Just a good record. Good from start to finish.
и снова боуи
I don’t know that I’d heard ANY of these songs before, but pretty good album imo
Finally, my ninth and final Bowie album. I feel like the sheer amount of Bowie says more about Mr. 1001 List Guy than it does about Bowie's discography. He's a great artist with a surprising amount of really strong albums, but after hearing all nine, I'd say it'd be better to condense it down to three for this list: Ziggy Stardust, Heroes, and Blackstar. It avoids the really similar-sounding albums (i.e. the two Berlin Trilogy albums or the two post-2000s ones) while still showing his progression in his sound. This one barely doesn't make the cut to me, but that's mostly because its competition is two of the best Art Rock albums ever made and Ziggy Stardust. This is still a great album and a really fun listen front-to-back. I like the heavier songs in the back half, along with the completely out of nowhere soul-ish song he did for the closer. I feel like this album as a whole is the most fun of the nine on the list, and definitely in the better half out of all of them.
there isnt much more to say aboht Bowie. The man is a genius who made amazong music that i was brought up on. not my favourite of his and a bit proggy and indulgent in parts but still top tier.
I so badly wanted to give this 5 stars but I couldn't Obviously still a banger though, he never misses
Great but not best
I really enjoyed this. It kept my interest the whole way through. However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the out of tune piano parts. I was able to pick up on his influence of more recent music, like Lady Gaga.
Album #110, Aladdin Sane by David Bowie ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Yeah, I’m 110 albums in now, and this is my fourth Bowie album. I actually felt a little bit jaded when this one came up. As much as I think Bowie is probably the greatest artist of the 1970s, I do think he’s overrepresented on this list, and if I was rewriting it myself, I’d probably cut a couple of his albums. This might honestly be one of them. I don’t think this is one of his most essential records. Ironically, I think the most iconic thing about it is probably the album cover itself. That image has become bigger than the music on the record. That being said, it’s still a really strong rock and roll album. You can hear Bowie starting to move toward the soul direction he’d explore after The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. It’s got some absolute stone cold classics on it too. Watch That Man has one of my favourite Mick Ronson riffs. Cracked Actor is brilliantly sleazy and disturbing. His cover of Let’s Spend the Night Together is great too. You can really hear the influence of The Rolling Stones all over this album. It’s got that kind of British take on swaggering American rock and roll running through the whole thing. And then, of course, you’ve got The Jean Genie, which is probably the catchiest thing on the album and one of Bowie’s best hooks full stop. Look, it’s a great album, but for me it doesn’t hold a candle to its predecessor, Ziggy Stardust. When that album comes up, I’ll almost certainly be giving it five stars. Still though, four stars is four stars. I just feel a little Bowie’d out at the moment. I know these albums pretty well, and I’m looking forward to something a bit different coming up in the generator. I don’t think this is top tier Bowie. Probably not even top five Bowie for me personally. But even lesser Bowie in the 70s is still pretty damn great.
A mystical, rocking, theatrical musical journey.
I fucked with the piano on here ngl that shit went feral
Whoever was on keys for the title track needs to be neutered NOW.
This album was good, but it’s no Space Oddity. Still gonna give it a 4 though.
my fave Bowie album! has some of my fave songs like "Cracked Actor", "Jean Genie" & "Lady Grinning Soul". some songs are a bit more boring but it's a well-put-together album. yayyyy
Not Bowie's greatest but still very good. Time is the standout track. Some great guitar playing.
Poppig i like
Bowie albums back to back! It’s nice to compare an Eno-less album to an Eno-produced one. The Eno-less one is way better. Way more focus on the lyrics and a traditional rock sound. Still gets experimental without just trying shit for no reason. Feels intentional Highlights: Panic In Detroit, Prettiest Star
Despite living in the shadow of Ziggy Stardust, this album stands out on its own as yet another fantastic album to come from Bowie. You might already know Jean Genie, but the rest of the songs are well worth your interest.
very poetic album, really fun listen tho, good shi
Again, the more basic rock from Bowie is the kind I like the most. Jean Genie is one of my favourite songs of his, period, but it's a solid listen throughout. I'd have it a shade below Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust but still highly enjoyable. I'd say it's one I'll buy but I'll inevitably end up with Dad's LP when he gets around to replacing it.
His voice is ethereal and feels like a man and a woman at the same time. He sings about English suburban life and about love. He feels larger than life singing about mere mortals. Punchy guitars and lyrics, sporadic piano, and crunchy drums. Bowie is dramatising his voice and tells a story more than he is singing.
Not as good as station to station, but still good.
it's david bowie how could it not be a fucking banger man. he's like the most glam rock person ive ever heard and the music just reflects that. truly wonderful stuff and will probably be in my rotation for a bit!
Ah, interesting, blah blah, the foundation of punk, blah blah, provenance, blah blah meh meh.
Buenazo. Altibajos
First time listening through this album. I knew the singles Jean Genie and Let's Spend The Night Together and also Cracked Actor (which I played guitar for once at a Bowie tribute night). I added all 3 to my 1001 playlist. I love the guitar on this album, I wish there were more guitar-focused songs instead of the piano taking up so much goddamn space. Why is the piano so loud? In Lady Grinning Soul it's louder than the vocals! I listened to it twice and enjoyed it more the second time, I have a feeling it will grow on me more if I give it the occasional spin.
A rare point off from me for Bowie - just think this is the only time in his imperial period that he even slightly repeated himself - easily the album of his I have played the least from Hunky thru Scary. Still has its moments, though, natch...
One of the most recognisable album covers of all time. Fave track: The Jean Genie
Glam rock Bowie so it’s good. 3.5/5
I always liked David Bowie ofc. Now I fully get the hype. This is cool af
It feels like I should say something philosophical and deep about this album so I’ll say that I mostly enjoyed the piano.
It ain't in my top 5 and I never really go back to it, but I'm having trouble rating anything less than a 4. Kinda weird too that this was supposedly a "Ziggy in America" album, but there's a cover of a Rolling Stones song on there? Shouldn't it be an American artist?
very technically impressive and highly varied, but it feels sterile. the very separated mixing isn't doing it any favors either.
I do love jean genie
Muy bueno
This was kinda sorta really peak. I'm feeling the beats. These songs are lowk swag. Album was fire, I might have liked it more if I got a chance to pay attention to the lyrics. I do notice that albums from the '70s don't ever really have lyrics that speak to me all that much.
This guy has some real talent!
Honestly… pretty impressed. I had never really loved Bowie’s voice but his talent and craft shined in this album. Very upbeat and fun. He is very whimsical within his music which I find very interesting. Every song feels like a rendition of a Broadway performance. I bet he was incredible to watch live. I was between a 3 and 4 for this, but bumped it up for how unique and eclectic this album was. Still don’t love his voice but I really appreciate his art Favorite 2: Watch That Man, The Prettiest Star
Rock n roll feel on some songs with influence from the stooges ie panic in detroit. Yet some songs such as the jean genie with heavy blues influence. Quite a varied album yet pretty much all have a psychedelic feel to them with off key piano solos etc
Watch that man lively , Aladdin sane insane , panic in Detroit tuff, time interesting vocals - can feel drugs n alc n partying of America in it - Bowies first album since huge fame and written in between uk and us tours
First time proper listen to David Bowie, weird rock n roll trancy vibes. Cool album overall but not really my thing, thought Time was a great song though
Probablemente, el menos interesante de sus álbumes de la era glam. Aún así, increíblemente adictivo y sexy
I love Bowie very much.
Not my favourite Bowie album but an extremely solid listen nonetheless. He definitely needed albums like this to perfect his style later on
Owned Not my favorite Bowie but man is this good
David Bowie Aladdin Sane - 4/5 - A fun listen with plenty of value in every aspect, The raw recording from the studio sessions is an absolute treat sonically speaking, Mick Ronson the guitarist absolute delivers every single track that he is on providing such a dynamic and primal sound that it helps to amplify and even enhance each arrangement - likewise with Mike Garson’s piano talented work on a number of different songs within this album, Bowie constantly demonstrates the art of blending the bold with the chaotic and even insane (especially from lyrics to song titles) to deliver an absolute bonkers journey from Watch That Man to Lady Grinning Soul and everything in between, A strange but stylistic experiment that I would say is a worthy sequel to Ziggy Stardust, The album cover art also introduces the memorable lightning bolt to which many still link to David Bowie Verdict: 80-81/100. In my opinion definitely not Bowie's strongest work albeit still very enjoyable to listen to. There wasn’t a time I could say where it felt like it dragged on but instead quite the opposite. Replay factor isn’t as high for me as well when compared with Station to Station, Heroes or Low but still a record I wouldn’t mind in my collection Favourite Songs: Aladdin Sane Drive-In Saturday Cracked Actor Time The Jean Genie Lady Grinning Soul
68th pick from generator is fourth Bowie album… Great album but there should be more variety on the list. You don’t need this and Ziggy.
lo reproduje en mi memoria
A few years back, I listened to the entire David Bowie discography, and the realization that I came to was that his overall output is wildly uneven. Aladdin Sane (a title which took me WAY too long to get) is one of the better overall albums in the collection. It comes out of the gate with one of my favorites "Watch That Man". The title song has a good mood going, but loses me completely with the piano bashing in the last half of the song. I was a bit surprised on how much of the album was blues coded. I much preferred this album when it was rocking. Overall, one of the better Bowie albums... it's a 3/4 tweener, I'll give the benefit of the doubt that there weren't any songs I completely hated, and go 4 stars.
Good album!
Um pitada de experimental, gostei das teclas. Acredito não ser o melhor do Bowie, mas no geral mto bom (senti uma forte influencia principalmente do blues e classic rock, mas tbm do jazz)
Good will revisit
Aladdin Sane is a bold, slightly unhinged step forward for David Bowie, trading some of Ziggy Stardust’s cohesion for a sharper, more chaotic edge. The glam rock core is still there, but it’s pushed into stranger territory with jagged piano work, gritty guitar, and a surreal take on American culture. Tracks like “Time” and “The Jean Genie” hit hard, while the title track stands out for its wild, almost avant-garde energy. It’s not as consistent as its predecessor, but its ambition and rawness make it compelling from start to finish.
Couldn't finish it. Amazing piano riffs.
Bowie Genial em um disco com muitas camadas e ótimo tecnicamente. QoA Vesper.
Overall, this is an uneven album. Part two of the Ziggy trilogy gets off to a strong start with the Rolling-Stones-meet-Mott-the-Hoople rocker “Watch That Man” but then veers into the cocktail piano of “Aladdin Sane”. He recovers somewhat with the the nostalgic “Drive-in Saturday” before finishing side one with two strong Ziggy-style rockers: “Panic in Detroit” and “The Cracked Actor”. The former is easily the best thing on this album and is one of my favorite Bowie songs period. Side two veers immediately into bad Cabaret territory with the melodramatic “Time” followed by the nostalgic camp of”The Prettiest Star”. I could see both songs being performed comfortably by Tim Curry in a production of Rocky Horror Picture Show. An ill-inspired/conceived/executed cover of the Stones’ “Let’s Spend the Night Together” does not improve things. He then gets back on track with the two side closers, “The Jean Genie”and “Lady Grinning Soul”. The former rocks pretty hard with its vamped baseline, and the latter, while veering dangerously close to Cabaret territory again, is at least a good song. This is overall not. Bad album by any means, and there are some absolute gems here, his strong predilection towards bad Cabaret does finally cause me to downgrade this album. You could certainly do worse than to listen to this, but I think either’Hunky Dory’ or ‘Ziggy Stardust…’ are better introductions to the Bowie of this stage of his career.
It would be harsh to call my two recent listens to Aladdin Sane disappointing, but the album did not stand out as much as I remembered. Part of the problem is that I love the versions on Davide Live at the Tower for many of these songs. Some people malign that records, but to me tracks like "Cracked Actor" and "Watch That Man" leap off the record whereas they are merely good on "Aladdin Sane." Also, except for the closing track "Lady Grinning Soul", I do not find the ballads and mid-tempo songs up to Bowie's usual standards. Lack the heart rendering, theatrical and tenderness of his best work. But it is still a damn fine record. "Jean Genie" can compete with the best of Bowie's hard rock stompers. I might actually prefer his version of "Let's Spend the Night Together" to the Stones. The title song seems like a cross between Ziggy and the Sigma Sound era Bowie about to happen. The band excels on "Panic in Detroit" as the bass pulses while the drums reach into a more expressive direction than the straight rock of the rest of the record. It's tough being great. Bar set high, and this record almost cleared it.
Hard-hitting music that you can just sit and listen to. Feels like culmination of Bowie's mysticism, ending with Lady Grinning Soul (still remains my favorite). Kicked off with a jazzy, chanting tone and slowly descending into further otherworldly feelings. The Prettiest Star most fascinating. Let's Spend the Night Together should be a required lesson on how to do a cover and make it your own.
A tier Bowie
Not listened to this one in a long time. Must be 15 years at least. It's not my favourite Bowie album but it's still worth a listen.
The album cover that launched many a face painter's career!
4/5 GEMV (18.04.2926) I love BOWIE
Great album
Full of bangers. Loved the jazz and blues influence through the album. Just great
FINALLY!! pensava no me sortiria qualcú que escolt genuinament. No es es millor disco de Bowie ni molt menys però tot i així segueix sent en Bowie osea que... Crec que només coneixia una canço de s'àlbum osea que me n'he guardat un parell que han estat un bon descobriment però en general se fa un poc repetitiu per lo que solen ser la resta de discs seus.
Life long Bowie fan here. While this isn’t my favorite album, it’s up there. And Lady Grinning Soul is one of my top songs .
Interesante, variado, no tan experimental como hubiera esperado, disonancias interesantes. Time y Drive in Saturday destacan. El cover de Lets Spend the Night Together es extraño pero llamativo
Probably expected to like this a bit more ... I mean it's great and all, but was not blown away (Ziggy is way, way better). Sort of parallel to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers for me -- two great songs, one an all-time banger (Panic in Detroit / American Girl), the other lesser but also really, really good (Jean Genie / Breakdown), everything else very listenable but not at that level.
B+
La verdad es que este disco es una obra de arte. Ya lo había escuchado antes y, en mi opinión, es de lo mejor de David Bowie. La presencia del piano es increíblemente hermosa a lo largo de todo el álbum, y la diversidad de géneros está súper bien lograda ya que hay momentos más rocanroleros, otros con tintes de blues, y algo de fusión con jazz. En definitiva, es una locura total. No puedo decidirme por una sola canción favorita, aunque si tengo que destacar una, me quedo con “The Prettiest Star” por su ritmo contagioso y lo pegadiza que es, además de la letra. En resumen: 9/10.
Mostly great although I could have done without the unnecessary Stones cover and a couple of the others...
Yah ok. This is my favourite of the Bowie albums we've had so far, which is funny because it doesn't even have the major hits, but it's listenable throughout. Still. I have yet to be bit by the Bowie bug. I assume there's 27 more of his albums so I expect I'll like one of those.
emm esta muy bueno si, me da paja hacer una review, no tuve tiempo y ahora no estoy en el mood. una paja porq es el mejor album hasta ahoraa, pero ta cuando lo esuche fue asi nomas y no estoy como para escucharlo de vuelta y hacer una review y coso ya habia escuchado algunos temas pero nunca el album enteroo mis favs son: "Aladdin Sane", "Cracked Actor" y "Lady Grinning Soul" es un 3.5 tirando para arribaaaa, asi q le voy a poner cuatro
J’ai aimé la variété des rythmes et mélodies
I mean it’s David Bowie
alright now. <3
Don't know this one very well. Sounds like early 70s Bowie, some great tracks on here. Side 2 is weaker than 1. 4 Heard before? Some Owned: No 62/255 (24%) Will I get: Maybe
Musically and technically impressive, but sometimes sacrificed actually sounding good to the ear by trying to be unique. Mostly a fun listen though
Halloween costume inspo
I think Bowie albums are always going to have a level of charisma and musical intrigue that make it hard to go below a 5. The songs here where his voice or the i guess weirder instruments came through were real faves. The rockier (?) were still very good just not as stand out. Also i can’t listen to Jean Geanie anymore but its very good.
This was punchy and groovy as, admire how distinctive he was from so young. As I’ve never listened to Bowie albums in full prior to this list, starting with Blackstar is such an interesting comparison point, but loved how rock n roll this was
muy buen álbum, muy variado versátil pero dentro de un cierto margen de sentido, un album sólido
Didn’t know many songs off this album. But I enjoyed listening to them
Possibly my least liked album by one of my favorite artists. ‘Time’ has been an all time favorite song for a long time, and Lady Grinning Soul is great, but I can’t say I love the rest of the album. Too frenetic for me, though I get the point with the theme of the album. Overall, a work I appreciate more than enjoy. 3.5 for enjoyment, but 4 because it’s Bowie.
Classic Bowie.
muy bueno
Gear: Hifiman HE6se v2 SE Artwork: 🧑🎤⚡😌 Production (2013 Remaster): 🎧😘🤌 Music: 😍🌀🫨 Rating: 🪔🪔🪔🪔(🪔)/5
This was the era of Bowie that first got me hooked. Great listen
I am not a huge Bowie fan. Not because I do not like anything, I just never listened much. But this is excellent and very well crafted music. Sounds great.
I loved the piano, Underrated Bowie album.
AP Ziggy Stardust.
david bowie supremacy
Quite a fun album. The piano is wild! My favourite by far was Lady Grinning Soul!
really cool sounds, i’ll come back to this one
Bowi
When I saw that this was the album I had to listen to today, a massive smile come over my face. Bowie is one of my favourite artists ever and Aladdin Sane is one of my favourite albums from his. Bowie has stated before that this album is like if Ziggy Stardust came to America, and I mean… who doesn’t want that? You can definitely feel that, this album is full glam rock, the main feature of which being the Piano which is featured on every track. Length of this album is great too, it’s compact with 10 tracks and about 40 min long. Title track is probably one of my favourite Bowie tracks, it’s haunting and the Piano solo at the end is insane, such an amazing song, I don’t think I’ve heard anything that sounds quite like it… Watch that man is an awesome intro as well, and Time is another great track. I don’t come back to this album as much as I should, even if it’s one of my favourite Bowie records. I find myself going to Hunky Dory, Ziggy, Heroes and Blackstar more, but this would probably round out my top 5. Also have to mention this album has one of the most iconic covers of all time. I’d say my main criticism is that most of my favourite songs are on the first half of the album but it’s not like there’s any major duds here. Easy 4/5.
Might actually be the first Bowie album I enjoyed. Need to give it a couple more listens to digest I think potentially 7/10
Amazing follow up to Ziggy
not enough starman
david bowie halt, ist gut aber berührt meine seele nicht
I haven’t listened to as much, David Bowie as I would have liked somehow this album passed me by, but this was truly a great listen. I’ll have to revisit it later on.
really liked it, i listened it like 3 times in the gym and bodofodkfkdkdldl incredible
Very glam, very musical/music hall
Bowie continued his run of great work here. Less satisfying to me than “The Rise of Ziggy Stardust” or “Hunky Dory”, but still an excellent album.
Watch That Man is one of my favorite Bowie rock and roll songs and should have been a hit (yes, go ahead and bump the vocal up in the mix just a smidge). Mike Garson on piano was a great add. Iconic cover, obviously.
Aladdin Sane feels engaging to me, with its mix of raw rock energy and slightly off-kilter atmosphere. I’m especially drawn to the more guitar-driven tracks like Cracked Actor and Panic in Detroit, where the distorted riffs and groove really stand out. There’s something rough and a bit unpolished about the sound that I prefer.
David Bowie – Aladdin Sane (1973) On Day 90, I hit a major milestone with a project that was surprisingly hard to track down for a listen. While the album is good, it isn't as groundbreaking as Ziggy Stardust. You can actually hear the fatigue Bowie was experiencing at the time, and it’s visible throughout the entire LP. "Watch That Man" was the only truly memorable standout for me, delivering a high-energy, opening. The rest of the production, while technically capable, didn't leave a lasting impression or feel as immersive as his previous work. It’s a solid body of work, but the sense of exhaustion behind the performance keeps it at a 4/5.
pretty cool yeah. liked panic in detroit a lot his lyrics always slay
This is the Ziggy in America album. Alladin Sane is a crazy song with piano that just loses all sense on melody towards the end. This could be seen as Bowie being tired of the Ziggy persona. While it helped breakthrough finally it was exhausting to be this over the top character. Panic in Detroit is a great song on here as he is touring America. Cracked Actor could be another nod to him being just over the act. I just watched the Ziggy Stardust movie and him killing off the character with Rock n Roll Suicide was fitting. He could find new music and not be pigeonholed in one style. This was the beginning of that moment.
David Bowie is always a vibe.
97 albums in and I finally get one by David Bowie! He did not disappoint. I added “The Prettiest Star” to my Generator playlist.
weird and iconic. I get it.
Thank you David Bowie for everything you have given us. Stunning work of art and lyrical subject matter. I enjoyed raking leaves to this album. I had no idea that these were his first written songs, and the fact that this was the most expensive album cover produced at the time is interesting to me for how simple it looks. Such a robust tracklist, the opener and closer is a perfect tone setter and tone ender respectively. Dewit!
I like David Bowie's music!!
I like it but I don’t know about the junkie vibe it’s giving.. it’s good though
Pretty good album here. Have not heard it before and know it doesn't have a huge Bowie hit on here. Have liked songs like Cracked Actor and Panic in Detroit for some time. I really enjoyed Lady Grinning Soul for the first time and would say its a good mid to high ranked Bowie album.
Such a good sound
One of the more favourable Bowie albums. "Oh! You Pretty Things" and "Life On Mars" are great.
It’s just great, ya know?
Cool album
A lad insane indeed
Love David Bowie, but I feel like I’ve explored his music through playlists/greatest hits more than listening to full albums. Not sure I’ve ever actually listened to this front to back in its entirety. Full album wise, really only familiar with Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust. Enjoying this a lot through the first half. It’s all very Bowie but seems to be a little disjointed. Favorite songs on the first half are Drive-In Saturday and Panic in Detroit. Bowie telling a story with style in both songs. Second half starts strong with two songs that are full Bowie glam rock: Time and The Prettiest Star. Love these two and then I don’t really like their cover version of the Rolling Stones song that follows. The Jean Genie is catchy and funnily enough sounds like it’s somewhat influenced by the Rolling Stones with that blues guitar riff. It’s good but not among my favorite Bowie songs though. But then the album ends with the really great Lady Grinning Soul. It’s piano heavy and atmospheric in the best way. This album is great. A few songs I don’t think work as well as the best of it though. It’s a solid 4. Don’t think it’s a 5 like some of Bowie’s best but it is a great listen.
Classic but not Bowie’s best album imo
This album is fun, intriguing, at times all over the place and an enjoyable listen. The solos are well placed, they are the right length, and they just sound good. This album is definitely rock leaning, but there are jazz elements and in the best way what I would describe as circus inspired sounds. It works well and the production goes well with Bowie's voice. When I think of David Bowie this is the music that comes to mind. Something that is chaotic, kinda out there, but it works.
I need to study and memorise this record at some point cos there are some moments here that are too beautiful to leave behind. One of Bowie's best for sure.
First time listen Suprisingly haven't listened to this album yet. I'm more of a mid to late 70s era Bowie fan, but this era is great too. There's some tracks that feel a bit like B-sides for Ziggy Stardust, but overall I think this is an enjoyable, catchy album. Fav tracks: Aladdin Sane, Time Least Fav: The Jean Genie 3.5/5
Rocking 70s David Bowie is always great. Not all the songs hit as well as Ziggy Stardust, but still good.
Hey, Bowie was good all along, who knew? Not me.
At least 6 tracks are absolutely brilliant... "Drive-In Saturday", "Lady Grinning Soul", the title track... they don't make them like this any more.
nice
Ziggy goes to America and has a mental break down. Again more historically important than must be heard. Ziggy Stardust is the must be heard album. 1 song added to playlist.
So good. Some of my favorite Bowie songs here.
Really enjoyed this listening experience! Loved Time song a lot. Great vibe all around.
He has such a deep catalog… liked it alot more than the previous album we reviewed. Fun experimental 70s album… sign me up.
Damn, this is great! Such a huge difference from the final Bowie album. 8/10 Most Excellent
doesn’t feel as special as other albums like ziggy stardust but lady grinning soul is PEAK
Bien meilleur et chaotique que le dernier écouté !
se siente un mix entre un abrazo calentito y una obra de teatro muy fast-paced, me ha gustado mucho!!!
There was a point in college where I tried to listen to all this classic Bowie albums. I got most, but somehow skipped this one. Great album. So many bangers. Watch That Man and Jean Genie stand out. 9/10
great album. they’re banging away on piano, killer guitar throughout, Bowie crushing it nonstop. not every track hits the same highs but there are peaks all over this.
Half of the songs I couldn't tell what decade we were in and the other half I couldn't tell what planet we were on. Pretty dank. 3.7/5 for Jareth, the Goblin King.
As with most any Bowie album, the musicianship and the arrangements of it are fun, interesting, beautiful, and powerful. The mood of this album is fairly straightforward rock n' roll, some avant garde piano breakdowns aside. We get a classic Bowie "persona" in Aladdin Sane, but it never overshadows the music. Ultimately, I appreciate Bowie much more as a producer, arranger, tastemaker, and mainstream boundary pusher than as a singer, lyricist, and performer himself. To my knowledge, as a curator of different trends in music, he is unmatched in popular music. Even though I like everything that's going on, most Bowie ends up leaving me cold. There's an intentional distance he keeps from his audience, and I usually don't bridge that gap.
Good
Неплохой, но не самый лучший альбом Боуи. В звучании чувствуется влияние американского рока после того, как он поехал турить по Америке после успеха в Британии после Зигги Сдардаста. Обложка альбома во многом сделала имидж Боуи на последующее время.
It's the emoji for what a rock star looks like! 👨🎤 "Ziggy Stardust Goes to America" yeah that is a good summary, it has an "alternate, dropped tracks from Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust" vibe to it. Which is good, but obviously still marks as it as being on a downward trajectory from a high. Hunky Dory (at least a 4-4.5) and Rise and Fall (easy 5) before it are better. Anyhow I think that Jean Genie was the only hit from this album. Lady Grinning Soul is my favourite song from this album, but I also like Cracked Actor, and Time. Maybe 4 is a little high but I am a fan so I can keep my thumb on the scale.
A sharper, more volatile companion to its predecessor, this album leans into theatrical excess and jagged arrangements. The piano work adds tension and unpredictability, giving several tracks a restless energy. It’s occasionally uneven, but its ambition and personality make it consistently engaging.
Okay this rules
Another solid Bowie album. I really don't know his discography that well well so being forced to listen to two of his albums in the past few weeks has been nice.
I enjoyed it but not as much as some of his other albums. I was surprised that by how iconic the cover is that I didn’t know more songs from it.
Holy piano, Batman. What a great ride. Last track is sheer brilliance.
Ziggy goes to America. Complications ensue.
Yes
Perfectly fine, but it all kind of blends together for me. I appreciate the man and his talents, but it's not something I'd regularly choose to listen to. "Let's Spend The Night Together" is a really fun cover though.
This album to me really shows how good Bowie is, because there I don’t know if I’d ever heard same song in this album before, but it was still really good. It turns out I had heard a couple songs, including The Jean Genie and Time, and there were a couple moments of weird, manic piano playing, but overall I thought this was a good album. If anything, this has shown to me that I need to listen to more Bowie, because his music is really awesome.
ICONIC COVER AMAZING SONGS!! I love when I get a bowie album.
Some of Bowie's zaniest rock-and-roll music, which includes some gems ("Jean Genie," to name one) but makes for a less-than-transcendent record. This is the 5th Bowie album I've listened to for this project so far, and for me it's the lowest 4-star album of the bunch.
was never a big bowie person but i did enjoy this
hell yeah!
cool piano work. happy to have listened to another bowie
120226 15:54 4
Pas encore sur de tout à fait comprendre le phénomène Bowie. Des bon tracks rockeuses mais je crois que Station to Station demeure mon préféré à date.
My favorite of Bowie’s “eras,” although I liked “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust…” as an album better than this one.
Not my favourite Bowie but still great. Real rock and roll and I love the Stines cover.
I like the line “falls wanking to the floor” from time. The only way you’re gonna trip up doing that is by walking. The mental image of bowie having a wank while having a walk is humorous to me. You cant do both at the same time, surely? Anyways, i do love this album. Especially side B. Time to Lady grinning soul is such a good run of songs. Drive in saturday is also one of his best evers. That said its not as good as ziggy. Its a solid 4.5. I even think its not as good as station to station or Low. I think if it had john, im only dancing on like it was meant too it may have pipped a 5. Alas, i went 4.
3.5 this! Never got this album just feels like songs that wasn't good enough for ziggy. 4 or 5 good songs, but the rest of it is meh. Its not very cohesive and let's spend the night together just doesnt work on this album.
love it
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Near Perfect - I'm assuming Bowie will have a few albums on the list and this is a great one to start on. Heavy, riffy glam rock but with some jazz and avant-garde elements thrown in. Irresistible album.
Lady grinning soul
Das monumentale "Ziggy Stardust" ließ mich ja bis auf einzelne Songs überraschend kalt, daher bin ich umso erfreuter, dass mich "Aladdin Sane" absolut mitreißt. Die Band ist absolut on fire, das Zusammenspiel aus den energetischen Gitarren, dem verspielten Klavier und den mächtigen Bläsern funktioniert ausgezeichnet. Bisherige Highlights sind der chaotische und dissonante Titeltrack und der wunderschöne Closer. Wer weiß, vielleicht zündet der (definitiv noch kommende) Vorgänger mittlerweile mehr. Auf die restlichen hier vertretenen Alben von Bowie freue ich mich auch.
This album came on the heels of Ziggy Stardust, and impossible feat to follow. Bowie takes more of an introspective angle here, songs are more meandering and less in your face. It still got great rockers like Jean Genie and one of Bowie’s greatest songs in Lady Grinning Soul. A good Bowie album, four stars.
listen, nobody, if I'm being true to my heart this was a 3 experience. but I so badly *want* it to have been a 4. and in a way, doesn't that make a 4 *more* true to my heart? please don't let me be so uncool that I don't like bowie. one of these is going to hit for me
Yay! Another Bowie album. I’m excited to see what some of earlier Bowie has to offer. Starting off strong with Watch that Man! That 70s guitar sound and the steady drums going the whole time, awesome! Going into the title track, it was slightly all over the place with the horns, saxophone, and piano. It did still have those steady drums which grounded it. Not my type of song, but I can see the appeal. Drive in Saturday was a nice track! I liked the way that the chorus was built up to! I’m a sucker for a slow verse and a big chorus. I really enjoyed Cracked Actor! It had a nice groove to it. Time was long, but enjoyable. I loved the Prettiest Star, and Let them Spend the Night Together was a fun time! I thought Jean Genie was slightly strange, but I enjoy the play on words. Lastly, Lady Grinning Soul was a beautiful closer. Overall, I enjoyed this album a lot more than I did the first Bowie album I listened to! This was much more my speed! I understand the hype around it now. This was a very good piece of 70s rock that very rarely felt 70s. 8/10, 4/5 ⭐️ 32/1089
I dont know what was going on half the time but i enjoyed it.
Love Bowie for much of his work but he also produced a lot of dross. This album certainly leans to the classic side but doesn't quite get there overall. 3.5 would be the right score but I'll err on the generous side just because it's Bowie.
Fedt nok
I love Bowie, although, this one isn't my favourite of his. But that's not suggesting that it's bad at all.
A banger for sure.
I haven't listened to much David Bowie; this is the first full album by this artist that I've heard, and I have to say, I enjoyed it. The pianist's work is insane, Bowie himself is very good, and I'm going to explore his music further.
4,5
A lot of fun, love the Stones influence, and Bowie is just so damn cool
9/10
good bowie stuff
love david bowie of course but this album doesn’t exactly stick out to me like his others do (album cover is the best though)
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
Not my favourite Bowie but Time and Let's Spend The Night Together are highlights
Great.
really enjoyed this, admittedly haven't listened to much of bowie so excited to hear the other albums on this list
4/5
There were some catchy tunes, and it was more guitar heavy than I anticipated. Enjoyable, but more of a 3.5 star for me.
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.
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.
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.
The best Bowie album I’ve been assigned so far. I really like the piano work on this album.
Highlights: - Watch That Man - Aladdin Sane - Drive-In Saturday - Cracked Actor - … Time - The Jean Genie - Lady Grinning Soul
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.
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.
Bowie’s third-best album and his best cover art.
Makes so much music I heard but never know was them
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.
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.
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
Great album a classic. Album started off strong but wained as it kept on. Never have been a huge Bowie head tho.
Ξεκίνησε μέτρια με κέρδισε μετα κιθαρα φωτια αγαπημένο τρακ Time Cracked actor Lady grinning soul
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
. 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.
Heard a couple songs on it before. Somewhat experimental, but it’s Bowie, so… Not my favorite album by him. Some good songs, though!
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
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.
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
Ohh "A Lad Insane." Pretty clever
Not really my style of music, but still really good
amazing
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.
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.
David Bowie I was familiar with your game but damn
Did not fully listen
love
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.
Not his best but still good
Enjoyable, but I can't see me going back to it.
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.
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.
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.
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
Un álbum icónico, aunque debo aceptar que no es mi etapa favorita de David Bowie.
Liked Songs: - Watch That Man - Cracked Actor - The Prettiest Star - Let's Spend the Night Together - Lady Grinning Soul
Probably considered a letdown after Ziggy Stardust, but still pretty damn good.
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!
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.
I love Bowie but I don’t have the musical ear to like Aladdin sane. The rest is fire
fav track was the prettiest star
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
Not my favorite Bowie album by a long shot but it has its good moments.
Really good all around, missing an 'anthem' for me though 3.75/5
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
Pretty alright David Bowie album
Another goodie, though not my personal favourite.
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.
Very enjoyable, slow funky sound
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
Would acc be a 4.5 but I can’t justify rounding up
Never heard of any of the songs on the album but I enjoyed them all.
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
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
mmhmm
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!
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
DAVID BOWIE
Pretty good album
Alright, way worse than Ziggy stardust though. 3.5 or so
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.
I thought it was a fantastic album, some of the choices were a bit weird but that's bowie
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"
Great closer song, Time is really good, cracker actor is interesting, panic in detroit underrated
Ok so negatives upfront, biggest problem is I hate the cover. It shouldn’t matter but it looks so dry and sterile. Like I’m looking at an autopsy. The makeup is iconic but I just hate this weird portrait picture. That’s the end of the negatives cause this album is fucking sick. It shows David Bowie definitely wanted to focus on his crazy wild ballads about fictional characters (which I’m so totally here for), but he still found the nerve to give us an all time iconic classic rock song in Jean genie. Which kinda blew my mind cause I thought it was Jean Jeanie my whole life. But the star of this album, and frankly it’s the aspect of the album that ur either gunna love or hate and that’s the keyboard playing. Like holy shit it can be distracting. That’s obviously the point, the keys take center stage for a lot of the beginning tracks on this album and it’s just crazy complicated playing that’s super inventive. But I could see why people hate it. Needless to say this is a great album but definitely not David Bowie’s best, not top 3 either, definitely top 10 though.
I bought this album several years ago when I first started getting into Bowie and having loved ...Ziggy Stardust.... It wasn't as immediate for me, it doesn't have the same kind of accessible pomp and straight out hooks that made its predecessor so easy to engage with. It's a lighter, more experimental affair all round which rewards repeat listens. Mike Garson's jazzy piano flourishes are a highlight; Trent Reznor was listening to this for sure when he recruited him to work on The Fragile. So not my fave Bowie album but there's a base level quality he offers and rarely dips below. Following the success of his previous album, this might always have been a tricky follow up, but like Bowie always does, he evolves and gives you something you maybe weren't expecting.