MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: DAVID BOWIE - ALADDIN SANE (45th Anniversary Vinyl Edition)

Oh coloured vinyl, how I love you. Of course, it means nothing to the quality of the music or the pressing, but nothing spruces up an old favourite like a little splash of colour. Bowie's 1973 hit has been reissued several times, most recently in 2015 on vinyl, so it's hardly rare now, so something had to be added for this 45th anniversary version, and that would be the silver vinyl to match the mercury shade of Bowie's skin on the cover.

While Aladdin Sane never gets the acclaim given to its predecessor Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, it really has to be considered part two of those heady days, coming just 10 months after. The album is just as consistent, is better produced, and has more tremendous performances from the Spiders. The only thing that keeps this set a notch below is the sequencing, with too many of the very best cuts on side two, and less than satisfying opener in Watch That Man. Along the way, it includes the immortal The Jean Genie, the claustrophobic Panic In Detroit, and his inspired cover of Let's Spend The Night Together, which led to the next record, the all-covers Pin Ups.

Audio-wise, this uses the same brilliant remaster as the 2015 vinyl version, which is a revelation for any fan more used to the old '70's album. During the quick pauses in Time, there's a rich echo unheard before. The delightful horns on The Prettiest Star now stand out, and the mandolin and piano on Lady Grinning Soul have a shinning quality. It's a great album that doesn't always get its due, and now it's silver.