The two hundred and seventy-third album: #273 David Bowie - Aladdin Sane

As good as I've heard David Bowie be on list albums here and elsewhere, listening to Aladdin Sane makes it feel like the authors of the list may have been pushing a bit too much in getting him included this often. Aladdin Sane isn't a bad album, but its side one has some fairly generic rock tracks that don't feel as aspirational as his other work, with the avant garde jazz on its title track feeling especially off.

Time on side two starts off with the sound I expect more, the lyrics having more of an impact when not coupled with the heavy rock music and its showy vamping works well. The side goes between several styles - there's another rock song, but also a mysterious ballad, and on the whole it's closer to what I was hoping for from the album. Despite its odd single choice - the Prettiest Star really does feel like a B-side or pure album track - there are some good tracks here. On the whole, though, the album is a bit of a disappointment compared to what I expect from Bowie and it's not one that really feels like it fits on the list.