Customer Reviews

Aladdin Sane

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

His earlier albums, Hunky Dory and the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, inexplicably receive more acclaimed, but Aladdin Sane is the peak of David Bowie's heavily influential glam rock phase. With a fantastic back-up band, a keen knowledge of many pop structures (doo-wop, jazz, blues and rock all play integral parts in the album) and a sleek, sexy sound, the androgynous, charismatic, make-up clad singer struts through the glam rock's world of raucous partying ("Watch That Man" "Drive-In Saturday"), trashy decadence ("Cracked Actor," "Time") and champagne-scented romance ("Lady Grinning Soul," the title track) as if he owned it all. The album is one of Bowie's best, as well as a practical bible for all the young dudes whom would follow him into the weird, wonderful world of glitzy artrock.

The differences between this version of AS and the earlier issue on Rykodisc are mostly cosmetic. The use of the Sonic Solutions No Noise program and 24 bit mastering has sweeted the sound giving it a bit more depth and warmth. Since this one of the few reissues that didn't have bonus tracks to begin with little is lost in the transition to EMI.

I'd much rather have commentary from Bowie about the making of the album (much as Elvis Costello did with his reissued catalog)to give the listener a sense of what went on during the recording of this classic album. Always regarded as a poor cousin to Ziggy by most critics, what this album lacks in "concept" it more than makes up for in ambitious song writing and lyrical depth. In many respects, this is a step forward from that classic album showing further development in Bowie's songwriting.

I have listened to this album and liked it since I was a teen. It is a world class effort with some wicked guitar and sexy nasty vocals. My favorite tracks are "Panic In Detroit" and "Cracked Actor". All of the songs are good and a must for anyone into Bowie.

Riding on the creative high of "Ziggy Stardust" David Bowie created a masterpiece of thematic glam-rock. This album has been described as the Americanized version of "Ziggy", but it truly stands alone on it's own merits, rather than being a knock-off of "Ziggy" as some people have called it. It kicks right into high gear with the urgent "Watch That Man" and quickly sets a different pace with the moody, jazzy "Aladdin Sane". In my opinion this is the strongest track on the album. Mike Garson's psycho piano solo and fill-ins are genius. This is as creative and enjoyable as any Bowie tune...ever. The album has many rockers and 45-type material to satisfy everyone, yet it never sacrifices quality or imagination. Even the remake of the Stones "Let's Spend the Night Together" is a brilliant, original arrangement. I'm certain the Stones never thought of this arrangement while writing this tune. "Cracked Actor" begins with Mick Ronson's guitar puking distortion which eventually finds the song's tune and then kicks [rear]. A classic hard rocker. "Time" shows the theatrical creativity of Bowie's vocals and "Panic In Detroit" and "The Jean Genie" show more of Bowie's creative rock twist and Mick Ronson is at his best. The percussion in "Panic" is awesome and drives the song along with the great guitar work. "The Prettiest Star" is a 50's throwback with great background vocals. All in all this package is every bit as strong as "Ziggy" and maybe a little more creative in some respects..especially the singing and instrumental arrangements. The sound quality is excellent, the band is tight yet creative, and the addition of Mike Garson on piano gave this collection a new feel that sets it apart from other Bowie material to this point. Please understand that I LOVE "Ziggy" and in no way want to diminish the brilliance of that album, rather I just want to give "Aladdin Sane" the praise and recognition that it truly deserves.

This weird follow-up to Ziggy Stardust isn't really a rock album, with the exception of Watch That Man, The Prettiest Star, Cracked Actor and The Jean Genie, four classic rock numbers of which the latter was a prelude to punk with its short, sharp riffs and inherent aggression. Songs like Time, Aladdin Sane and Lady Grinning Soul are like futuristic torch songs, mostly bleak observations with slow arrangements over loungey piano music. His cover of Let's Spend The Night Together is fast, dispassionate and throwaway, not an exceptional addition to his oeuvre but a tribute to 60s pop like his Pin-Up album. Although there's some great songs here, overall this album is not one that invites repeated listening to the rock music fan, apart from the aforementioned songs like The Jean Genie and The Prettiest Star. It's an album of interesting experimentation in both the lyrics and the music and quite valuable on that level, but perhaps too stylistically weird. That's why so few tracks from Aladdin Sane ever make it onto Bowie compilation albums.

Squeezed between "Ziggy Stardust" and "Diamond Dogs", Bowie presents himself as his most extreme glam rock self. It's not that the look is outrageous, it's that the songs were immediate classics. Opener "Watch That Man" is a rolling rocker that even mid-tempo artists like 'Lulu' covered. A finger snapping 'Drive In Saturday" is perfectly mixed with Bowie's trademark saxaphone and a smooth melody. "Panic In Detroit" should have been a high charting single with it's multi-bongo banging percussion and Bowies backup singing chorus screaming like banshees - it's a hair raiser! Not to be outdone on stage, Bowie has nearly always performed the nasty, narcissistic "Cracked Actor" on stage and "Let's Spend The Night Together" certainly must have made the 'Rolling Stones' sit up and wonder why they didn't do it like Bowie's hard rockin' version. However, the album is best remembered for it's heavy bass themed thumper, "Jean Genie"; a foreshadowing to Iggy Pop's "China Girl". Ryko never added any songs to this collection as it is such a sure fire seller. Ten stars!

Squeezed between "Ziggy Stardust" and "Diamond Dogs", Bowie presents himself as his most extreme glam rock self. It's not that the look is outrageous, it's that the songs were immediate classics. Opener "Watch That Man" is a rolling rocker that even mid-tempo artists like 'Lulu' covered. A finger snapping 'Drive In Saturday" is perfectly mixed with Bowie's trademark saxaphone and a smooth melody. "Panic In Detroit" should have been a high charting single with it's multi-bongo banging percussion and Bowies backup singing chorus screaming like banshees - it's a hair raiser! Not to be outdone on stage, Bowie has nearly always performed the nasty, narcissistic "Cracked Actor" on stage and "Let's Spend The Night Together" certainly must have made the 'Rolling Stones' sit up and wonder why they didn't do it like Bowie's hard rockin' version. However, the album is best remembered for it's heavy bass themed thumper, "Jean Genie"; a foreshadowing to Iggy Pop's "China Girl". Ryko never added any songs to this collection as it is such a sure fire seller. Ten stars!

Simply put, this is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. It is the benchmark by which other other albums are judged... as any Beatle album is used as a benchmark. The production, the songs, the performances (especially by guitarist Mick Ronson, who was way ahead of his time, and pianist Mike Garson), make this a classic. From the straight ahead rock of "Watch That Man" and "Cracked Actor", to the avant-gard jazz stylings of "Aladdin Sane", the chugging drive of "Panic In Detroit", to the Broadway meets Glam Rock stylings of "Time", to his classic interpretation of "Let's Spend the Night Together" (which would be a precursor to his "Pin-Ups" album) - this is David Bowie at the peak of his creativity. This is one album I have listened to non-stop since the day I first bought it in the early 70's, and I still hear something new and exciting each time I put it on.

Well, being a Bowie fan for the past twenty years, I just had to review one of his albums here at Amazon. And deciding which one was no easy task considering his career, believe me! The main reason I decided to review Aladdin Sane was...... well, it's the album of his I find myself listening to the most. I'm not sure exactly what makes this one stand out from the others. Is it the smooth saxophone in "The Prettiest Star"? The power chords of "Cracked Actor"? (which makes it on my top ten list of Bowie songs.)Or the Rolling Stones influenced "Watch that Man"?I think maybe it's the fact that it hasn't really aged since it's release, something I can't say about any other Bowie album until the "Low" album was released. (sorry Ziggy fans.) Definitely recommended for thenew Bowie fan!

Yeah, I was a total David Bowie freak back in the day: chopped off my hair, dyed it red and starved myself to achieve that underfed junkie look. Much to the annoyance of my brother, I splashed his posters all over my bedroom, which I shared w/ him. He kept asking me "Why does he have to wear LIPSTICK?"

Years later, I have more perspective, of course. This is the album I still play every couple of months when I want my shot of glitter and glam. Oh, the energy, the musicianship, the jazz piano stylings on the song Aladdin Sane, a terrific cover of Mark Bolan's The Prettiest Star - this album offers all of these and more, including an outrageous cover of the Stones' Let's Spend the Night Together.

The Spiders from Mars was the best band Bowie EVER had and ever will have. Mick Ronson, lead guitar, was the perfect match for Bowie on stage and in the studio. He sadly, died much too soon and under appreciated.