Bowie at the Beeb (1968-1972) - 2 CD Set

Comprehensiveness isn't always a virtue, as this two-CD set, Bowie At The Beeb, proves. It gathers together everything David Bowie recorded for the BBC between the years referenced in its title. Head first to Disc Two, which focuses on Bowie's in-studio recreations of material from Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust, and marvel at the glam-rockabilly heat generated by Bowie's band, the Spiders From Mars. By comparison, the other disc is a disappointment, revealing a musical chameleon uncomfortably changing his spots, from music-hall entertainer to free-festival folkie to sub-Dylan sage. --Keith Moerer