Qdrone: I'm not familiar with the Bowie you referenced. I'm really not sure if you are agreeing with me now on the RO lp or making a stronger case? The artists I mentioned above, all have bass and none are sterile or uninvolving, IMO.
I'm willing to go into detail on how I hear these lps: The RO lp:
(1) Soundstage: In my system the soundstage isn't what I hear in comparison to "Heartbeat City". On HC, there is a spread of the instruments across the stage, extending beyond my speaker's boundaries. On the RO lp, the majority of the soundstage is well within my speaker's boundaries. This aspect doesn't allow for a "soundstage spread". There (is) noticeable air or bloom, (however one perceives this) but I don't interpret that as part of my definition of soundstage.
If you'd care to expand on your perception of the RO lp in more detail, I'd be interested in your opinion. Otherwise, I feel we are getting off the main disagreement in our own opinions of the RO lp.