The Man Who Sold the World review

The third album by David Bowie. This is generally agreed to be the one where it started to get good and where David Bowie's classic period began.

Tracks:

1. The Width of a Circle: 7/10 a thoroughly competent rock song with plenty of mad imagery and vocal highs although it is overlong and musically generic.

2. All the Madmen: 9/10 mad, surreal, crazy and absolutely terrific. A sorely underrated Bowie track marred only by a slow start.

3. Black Country Rock: 8/10 pretty simple and stripped back, but still a thoroughly enjoyable rock song.

4. After All: 9/10 not only a great song, but also seemingly a farewell to the nauseating kiddy world depicted in Bowie's debut album. Good riddance!

5. Running Gun Blues: 6/10 while not bad on a technical level, Bowie doesn't quite pull off this full-on, brutal and nihilistic track which doesn't fit in with his style particularly.

6. Saviour Machine: 8/10 again, the darkness clashes with the upbeat instrumental, but this one works considerably better and such is the exuberance of the music that despite its dark subject matter it feels strangely uplifting.

7. She Shook Me Cold: 8/10 another good rock song if not one of the album's standouts.

8. The Man Who Sold the World: 10/10 the perfect combo of light and darkness and entertainment and art. Awesome!

9. The Supermen: 8/10 wonderful psychedelic lyrics and an entertaining instrumental make this a strong album closer.

Best song: The Man Who Sold the World
Worst song: Running Gun Blues

Summary: Bowie has come a long way from his weak first album. His next one was much better, but this is just epic. Although it's heavy rock instrumentals still aren't quite Bowie as we know and love him, mostly it's a delightfully unrestrained and hugely enjoyable album. Boasting brilliant lyrics and endlessly euphoric, exuberant music this delightful insanity is a real treat.




Final rating: 9/10