Aladdin Sane
The second most important moment in Bowie's glam period,Aladdin Saneis full of smart, cutting-edge songs that hold up decades later as classic moments in rock. Standout tracks include "Panic in Detroit," with Mick Ronson's screaming guitars and Mick Woodmansey's urgent drumming; "Watch that Man," a piano-driven, rollicking number perfect for the Bowie strut; the lascivious and sweaty "Cracked Actor"; the punky "Jean Genie"; and a perfectly raucous cover of "Let's Spend the Night Together." "Time" hearkens back to the theatrics ofThe Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, while "Drive in Saturday," "The Prettiest Star," and "Lady Grinning Soul" serve as precursors to Bowie's "plastic soul" sounds that came later in the '70s.Aladdin Saneis even more impressive when considering that the same year this album was made, Bowie was also working with artists likeIggy PopandLou Reed, producing some of their most heralded works (the Stooges'Raw Powerand Reed'sTransformer).--Lorry Fleming