The Sleeve:
Liner/Sleeve Notes:
None.
Personal Review:
To start, this is the first record I’ve ever owned! That being said, however, it is not my favorite Bowie album, I like it, but definitely not a top favorite of mine. Anyways.
Review time!
So, the album opens with the track “Aladdin Sane” from the album of the same title. I’ve never been a big fan of the song, the album itself does have a lot of good tracks. Anyways, Bowie is talented (we all know that) and like many artists, they have good songs and bad songs, and in my opinion this isn’t a good song. It’s not bad either, just not my thing. I totally didn’t dig Bowie’s art rock / Berlin years. Now on with “Oh! You Pretty Things” and onward going hit after hit of Bowie songs! This is one of my favorite Bowie songs, (Favorite has to be “Time” or “Life on Mars?“) just the chorus of this song makes the entire song worth it! Next up is the song “Starman” and personally, I prefer the live version over this version, but nevertheless, the song is good and we’re all happy it made it onto the album. Next up, “1984” – which is the most badass song EVER. The year. The book. The song. The style. Amazing. (“Beware the savage jaw of NINETEEN EIGHTY FOOOOUR!“) I really like this song. Anyways, so the A-Side closes with absolutely amazing “Ashes to Ashes” which makes reference to Bowie’s earlier hit, “Space Oddity” (It’s a sequel song, didja know that?) Anyways, the song is the most amazing way to end the A-Side. The song is one of my favorite songs. Everyone should hear it.
One of the few art rock / Berlin era songs I like by Bowie, “Sound and Vision” is the opening track on the B-Side. It’s pretty good, the entire musicianship of the song is what makes it worth listening to. Then comes another Berlin era song, “Fashion” which is another of the few songs that I like from that time period in Bowie’s life. Though, I’m pretty sure it’s about clothes. (HA! You don’t say!) Next up is the beautiful “Wild is the Wind” from StationToStation, I find most songs from that album were just beautifully written masterpieces. Then comes the song “John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)” which this time around is done in a disco type style, and it’s awful. I can put up with a lot, but not Bowie doing disco. It’s just completely insane. I’m just gonna skip to the final track, “D.J.” and well, it’s a song we all can dance to! (Funny story, I was walking down the road to get coffee, and I was singing the chorus. “I am a D.J., I am what I plaaaaay“) I seem to have a thing for choruses.
Anyways. So my first Bowie record ever, and on the website, on this special day. 11/12/13.
Interesting Facts:
None.
Track Listing:
A1 – Aladdin Sane (1913 – 1938 – 197?)
A2 – Oh! You Pretty Things
A3 – Starman
A4 – 1984
A5 – Ashes to Ashes
B1 – Sound and Vision
B2 – Fashion
B3 – Wild is the Wind
B4 – John, I’m Only Dancing (Again) 1975
B5 – D.J.
Label:
RCA Victor
Catalog Number:
AFL1 – 4202
Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
None.
Other Albums I Own by David Bowie:
Aladdin Sane
ChangesOneBowie
China Girl / Shake It
David Live
Diamond Dogs
Hunky Dory
Images 1966/67
Let’s Dance
Let’s Dance / Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
Life on Mars?: 40th Anniversary
Loving the Alien (Extended Dance Mix) / Don’t Look Down
Never Let Me Down
The Next Day
Pin-Ups
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
Space Oddity
Stage
StationToStation
Tonight
Young Americans
Other Albums I Own that David Bowie Appears on:
David Bowie & Pat Metheny Group – This is Not America / This is Not America (Instrumental)
David Bowie & Trevor Jones – Labyrinth: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released:
1981
