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.

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.

"Watch That Man" is a good rollicking opener with some good female backing vocals.
But the disc really starts for me with "Aladdin Sane". The piano bar feel to it is alluring and the sax kind of haunting with just a subtle guitar line pumping a steady flow of energy behind the pianoplayer who hits all the keys randomly it seems making all kinds of dissonant noise, it really is quite something.
"Drive in Saturday" is full of Ziggy type characters but with a fifties feel with sax tooting.
"The Prettiest Star" keeps the nostalgic fifties thing going but with the first real appearance of Ronson laying down another one of his master licks as if he was a little bored and just decided to knock one out to remind the crew he was there.
"Cracked Actor" lays it down heavy from the beginning, a real gritty glam bam rocker with very dirty lyrics, blaring sax and grinding chords crashing like some passing storm.
"Time" begins in a concert hall, cabaret setting, or so it feels. Bowie has a way of writing confessional songs that just sort of free associate. The words sound cool but he's delivered so many of these sort of mini rock anthems and this one is no better or no worse.
"Panic in Detroit" has one of the all time coolest beginnings, the Detriot guitar chords with Bowies low wail. One of my favorite Bowie songs of the 70-75 period.
"Lets Spend the Night Together". Well. I think this might have been a mistake. The space noises sound cheap. Sort of like someone doing a Bowie impersonation. Or something Ziggy and the band would have done had they lived on to do the Holiday Inn circuit.
"The Jean Genie". The untouchable little greenie. Harmonica sounds very cool. And Bowies oooooooowhoooooo-oooo.
"Lady Grinning Soul". I love this song. A James Bond theme for a very cool agent.
The overall effect for me is that with so many theatrical settings it feels like you are listening to a revue, like the sort you see in Vegas. The rock numbers make for some exciting moments but I feel like in some of this terrain he is a little too willing to just play the entertainer.
The individual songs each sound pretty good but there is no new or original creative vision to follow from song to song. On Hunky Dory, and Man Who Sold The World and Ziggy there was a method to the madness, strong concepts uniting the various songs into a pleasing whole but Aladdin Sane despite some strong moments is too scattered, each song sort of a one shot deal, and as a result it fails to leave one with much of an impression, just old Hollywood or 50's nostalgia.

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.