David Bowie- The Man Who Sold the World (1970) Ryko Au20 Edition (Gold Disc) MP3 & FLAC

"'Cause I'd rather stay here with all the madmen than perish with the sad men
roaming free."

Although David Bowie's star had finally begun to ascend by 1970 thanks to the breakthrough success of his "Space Oddity" single the year before, it was not until the recording of his third album, The Man Who Sold the World, that he began to fully explore the rawer, darker, highly theatrical and sexually amorphous approach (both musically and thematically) that eventually made him (and his Ziggy Stardust persona) an iconic figure of the 1970s. In doing so, Bowie temporarily left behind the uniquely dystopian folk that characterized his previous album, Man of Words / Man of Music (later re-named Space Oddity) by relying heavily on two key collaborators who would help create the shape of things to come. The first, Tony Visconti, whose production credits at the time included Marc Bolan's Tyrannosaurus Rex and an early incarnation of Badfinger called The Iveys, had been playing bass in Bowie's touring band The Hype. For the new album, Bowie tabbed Visconti for production duties in addition to playing bass, and in doing so, initiated a creative partnership that would continue off and on for decades. The other, and perhaps even more significant, collaborator was guitarist Mick Ronson, who had also been recruited to play in The Hype, after having previously spent time in a Hull band called The Rats. According to Visconti, it was Ronson who provided the impetus for Bowie's first steps into the Glam-Rock arena: " We were scratching our heads, thinking, 'How do we get a big "rock" sound for David?' David felt very awkward up to that point. He hadn't worked with serious rock musicians. Mick was the first person we met who had dedicated his life to being a 'rock' guitarist." During the recording sessions for The Man Who Sold the World, Bowie, newly married, was preoccupied with family, which left the lion's share of the music arranging to Visconti and Ronson. As the infamous album cover suggests, Bowie's new direction was meant to be fearlessly provocative and musically incendiary, and by all accounts, Visconti and Ronson accomplished this goal. The overall sound of the album is muddy, fuzzy, grungy, off-kilter, and, in places, even approaches the proto-metal of bands such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. On the epic opener, "The Width of a Circle," things start off with some ominous guitar feedback quickly dissolving into a languorously seductive guitar melody provided by Ronson that soon kicks into second gear when the rhythm section joins in. Bowie's high-pitched Cockney vocals, displaying a new-found confidence and a defiant sense of self-conscious camp, cut through the mix like a razor-blade, and in doing so, bring to life the song's dark, apocalyptic imagery. One of the less heralded gems on the album is the T. Rex tribute "Black Country Rock," which contains some the best guitar riffing- Glam or otherwise- you're likely to hear, but unlike some of Ronson's better-known contemporaries, he understood the beauty of subtlety. The Man Who Sold the World concludes with "The Supermen," whose Nietzschean themes and strange background choral effects lend the song an eerie darkness, which sets the stage for one of Bowie's most exaggerated and effective performances on the album. This is probably Bowie's most under-appreciated album, especially since it plays such a foundational role in his discography. As Visconti has stated, "The Man Who Sold the World became the blueprint for the rest of David's career. Virtually everything he's done since, you can trace back to something on that album."

The Man Who Sold the World (Ryko Au20 Remastered Edition)

Tracklist-

 1. The Width of a Circle  (8:05)

 2. All the Madmen  (5:38)

 3. Black Country Rock  (3:32)

 4. After All  (3:51)

 5. Running Gun Blues  (3:11)

 6. Saviour Machine  (4:25)

 7. She Shook Me Cold  (4:13)

 8. The Man Who Sold the World  (3:55)

 9. The Supermen  (3:38)

-Bonus Tracks-

10. Lightning Frightening  (3:38)

11. Holy Holy (Single)  (2:20)

12. Moonage Daydream (Arnold Corns Single, 1971)  (3:52)

13. Hang onto Yourself (Arnold Corns Single, 1971)  (2:51)

MU: Lossy (MP3@320)

MU: Lossless (FLAC)

The Man Who Sold the World (2009 Japanese SHM-CD Remaster)

Tracklist-

1. The Width of a Circle  (8:05)

2. All the Madmen  (5:41)

3. Black Country Rock  (3:36)

4. After All  (3:55)

5. Running Gun Blues  (3:15)

6. Saviour Machine  (4:29)

7. She Shook Me Cold  (4:17)

8. The Man Who Sold the World  (4:00)

9. The Supermen  (3:40)

MU: Lossy (MP3@320) 

MU: Lossless (FLAC)