Heathen
by David Bowie
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 20
  3. Negative: 2 out of 20
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    For all its appeal, there's something a little off about the album.
  2. E! Online
    83
    The best he has sounded in years.
  3. Playlouder
    80
    Whatever you're going to make of 'Heathen', you'll probably agree it's Bowie's most eclectic effort for some time - and a damn enjoyable, rockahula listening pleasure.
  5. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    Even at his most self-referential, Bowie is still a zillion times more inventive, brave and rocket-to-Mars brilliant than anyone who's been prodded by the ubiquitous genius stick, like, ever.
  6. The A.V. Club
    80
    A graceful marriage of synthesizers, guitars, and post-modern croon, Heathen summons the same air of romantic unease found on albums like Station To Station and Bowie's late-'70s collaborations with Brian Eno.
  7. Billboard
    80
    A soul-searching set that recalls such pre-"Let's Dance" collections as Heroes and Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps).
  8. AllMusic
    80
    A colorful, satisfying album that feels like a classic.
  9. Q Magazine
    80
    A return to form. Definitely. [June 2002, p.108]
    All this publication's reviews
  10. Mojo
    80
    Heathen is a fine restatement of classic Bowie elements with contemporary twists. [July 2002, p.110]
    All this publication's reviews
  11. Austin Chronicle
    78
    Heathen's swirling production, courtesy of Heroes/Low/Scary Monsters producer Tony Visconti, is so much more of a piece that it hangs together like a Thin White Spider concept album instead of an old dog/new tricks effort.
  12. Pitchfork
    78
    Heathen is the best Bowie release in years.
  13. Rolling Stone
    70
    Heathen is the sound of Bowie essentially covering himself -- to splendid, often moving effect.

Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Most Discussed Album of 2002
27
#27 Most Shared Album of 2002

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 58 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 58
  3. Negative: 3 out of 58
  1. Ricko
    Dec 9, 2013
    7
    Bowie hits a couple of bullseyes here but equally is miles off the pace on a couple of other tracks. The inclusion of a number of coverBowie hits a couple of bullseyes here but equally is miles off the pace on a couple of other tracks. The inclusion of a number of cover versions help lift the album in some ways (he does a cracking version of Pixies track "Cactus") butfor me the inclusion of these non original tracks dilutes the value of the record as a Bowie album. He's not quite gone all Tom Jones on us but surely the man had enough creativity going at the time to fill an album of his own stuff. If these covers appeared on a dedicated covers album, a soundtrack or as b-sides then fair enough but to have 3 of them on one album just weakens the record for me, regardless of how good a job he does with the songs. This is David Bowie we're talking about.
    The album is at its strongest in the middle section and overall has some of Bowie's best work from the 90's and 00's "I would be your slave" probably the album's highlight for me. Overall its Bowie and helped by the presence of Tony Visconti at the control desk, its very decent stuff but too often across the album he drops his guard and seems to just drifts along instead of really pushing himself.     … Full Review »
  2. sicrano
    Apr 26, 2020
    9
    Great album these two critics and the negative reviews that they wrote can go to HELL "Heathen" (2002) is a great David Bowie record but alsoGreat album these two critics and the negative reviews that they wrote can go to HELL "Heathen" (2002) is a great David Bowie record but also a great record by itself, who gave negative reviews for this amazing album can only be lazy critic or a deaf critic.

    The album opens with the amazing track called "Sunday" then we had the great cover "Cactus", "Slip Away" like "Sunday" is another great ballad, "Slow Burn" & "Afraid" is a perfect David Bowie Melancholic Rock song, "I Would Be Your Slave" is one of biggest highlight of the album, beautiful ballad song mixed with melancholic ambient, "5:15 Angel Have Gone" is an amazing ballad like "Slip Away", at the end of the album we had two beautiful hopeful songs that we can called the "Pop Songs of the album" i'm talking about the excellent "Everyone Says ''Hi'" & "A Better Future".

    in the last track of this masterpiece we have "Heathen" that brilliantly somehow reconnect to the first track of the album "Sunday", both tracks are beautiful constructed with an beautiful & haunting ambient, although "Heathen" sounds more hopeful in order to end the album with exactly a message and an ambient of Hope.

    One of these LAZY critics, claim lazily about his "knowledge of David Bowie catalogue", well bro i have this knowledge too, i already listen to Bowie entire discography, & some albums i already listen about 3 to 6 times, "had the knowledge of Bowie career" & mainly had the "knowledge" about his works in the 70's that is correctly described as the golden decade of Bowie, isn't an accept excuse, to gave a negative review to this great album, based exclusively in his blind pride when making it seem that this critic is the #number1 fan of Bowie.

    This is a great album album comparing or not to his 70's albums, is a great album anyway, gave 20 or 30 percents of 100 like these two critics did, is totally unacceptable & idiot for the part of these "called critics", 50 or 40 percents it's even acceptable, but below this is a mix of really Lazy work and stupidness.    … Full Review »
  3. Tmz
    Jan 4, 2020
    9
    Em sua época de lançamento esse álbum trouxe Bowie de volta ao páreo
    É um álbum muito bom e que resgata Bowie com músicas com melodias e    Em sua época de lançamento esse álbum trouxe Bowie de volta ao páreo
    É um álbum muito bom e que resgata Bowie com músicas com melodias e letras afiadas como sombria "Sunday"    … Full Review »
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