David Bowie – The Width Of A Circle

The world has bigger problems, but I really wish they had made this a 4-disc set that included Metrobolist and a hi-res Blu-ray, and released it in a large box that could sit on the shelf between Conversation Piece and Divine Symmetry.

Not sure why this didn’t get a vinyl release …

2-14 comes up as "The Wild Eyed Boy From Freeload" in the car, but comes up spelled correctly on my PC

Rather odd

An early vocal take of 'Saviour machine' survives in some horders collection, I believe it was auctioned in the 90's and disappeared. Also there is a pressing with the beginning of the said track tacked onto the end of another track (eludes me!) released somewhere - may have made a more interesting additional track.
Still nice to have a decent version of the 'Sunday Show' even if it appears to be composite of 2 or more sources!

I bought this (quite cheaply!) on Amazon because I wanted the whole Sunday Show broadcast, which had been edited of some of the weaker tracks on the official Beeb release. I'd only ever had the '80s boot, which was not a great listen. This one is still from a cassette taping of the radio broadcast (complete with high-pitched whine, distortion, and some obvious tape damage), but it's been sweetened as much as possible in post — I'm still unsure how much Tony Visconti was involved. Hearing John Peel's dry introductions in full is also entertaining. It's definitely for fans only, but by itself worth the equivalent of $17.45 USD that I paid for the whole thing. Bootleg CDs could go for $30 back in the day.

On the second disc, they seem to be clearing the vaults. Not everything is a treasure. I had never heard "The Looking Glass Murders" stuff before. Not too exciting, as it was part of a fairly weird stage performance and presented here without context. You can hear some of his riffs from other songs in the rare songs that are here. The singles, you've probably heard before on Ryko or other special releases. Sounds Of The 70s as well, was covered on the Beeb. I already had the exclusive 10" LP of the 2020 remix tracks. They sound good.

A really odd thing about this release is its smell. I assume it has something to do with how the book was printed, but it has a faint but sickeningly sweet smell. Like perfume samplers in a 1980s teen girl magazine. No idea what that's about.

I wish I had waited to buy this only until after the tracklisting and further info had been published. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have bothered with it. I love Bowie, but after all the large box sets that've been showing up for market, I feel plenty of buyer's remorse after this one and I'm frankly a bit exhausted and frustrated. Not everything he's recorded is gold and worthy of re-release, and this is kind of a bottom of the barrel situation, in my opinion.
I for one would love to replace one of three different versions of 'London Bye, Ta-Ta' for just one 'Lightning Frightening,' which I think would fit this collection's timeline perfectly.
Between the poor quality sound of the live stuff and the repetition of the myriad of versions made available, it's a great collection of material, but not one I'm bound to listen to more than once or twice. But I'd still argue that it's worth the price for the book; it's a good read and a nice display item (typically I buy music for the music, not to read or stare at on a shelf, but hey that's just me).

Personally I love these archival packages. Ala - Conversation Piece. I hope they continue to make more of these. So much thought goes into it. From the text, the image research, the packaging... Please keep releasing these. I wish other artists would get similar treatment.

I agree with django below. It's a "nice little oddity". It is interesting to hear the radio bits of dialogue / banter between the musical pieces and I am glad they retained them. It frames the pieces, gives the music its historical context and contributes to the lightness of the whole affair.

But musically, these recording don't hold too much of genuine inspiration or beauty. Some radio performances / bootlegs out there are wonderful to have as they may happen upon a bit of magical interpretation, so the weakness isn't due to it being a radio performance. Bluntly, this Width of a CIrlce is not one of the best. It may grow on me . . .

It is produced beautifully, with the little hardcover book. For Bowie completist fans.

A nice oddity but not much more than a bootleg dressed in a nice frock, I do wish that they would polish the recordings slightly