Heathen
by David Bowie
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

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  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 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 theBowie 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.     … Expand
  2. JoshC.
    Jun 11, 2002
    9
    Bowie has created another complete 'album' which like 'A Man who sold the World' demands a complete listen from start to finish and leaves the listener with a seamless sonic story implanted in their psyche. The covers fit in perfectly and musically it remains true to Bowie's legacy- A musican among musicans.
  3. DougB
    Oct 8, 2004
    9
    From the burbling opening seconds of Sunday, the unlikely lead-off song, to the industrial sobriety of the title track that closes this CD, I found a Bowie very much in tune with his muse - namely producer Tony Visconti. A cursory listening of the first 30 seconds of each track reveals a sense of openness and willingness to experiment which has marked all Bowie's landmark moments. I From the burbling opening seconds of Sunday, the unlikely lead-off song, to the industrial sobriety of the title track that closes this CD, I found a Bowie very much in tune with his muse - namely producer Tony Visconti. A cursory listening of the first 30 seconds of each track reveals a sense of openness and willingness to experiment which has marked all Bowie's landmark moments. I flat out loved this CD: Sunday is the most honest song he has put out since Through This Architect's Eyes from "outside" and I couldn't stop listening to it; A Better Future puts forth a committed and very jaunty swing; Gemini Spacecraft shimmers with electro-style and fuzz guitar. I keep thinking "When is this guy going to run out of creative energy?" Why compare it to his previous efforts. He is a man who just keeps plowing forward and no longer has contemporaries. Bravo. … Expand
  4. TMahoney
    Jun 6, 2006
    9
    This album is simply amazing. After repeated listens, I am left with the understanding that Bowie is indeed GOD and we must kneel before him. Like the rest of his work, the music herein has a timeless quality and depth of complexity absent in most music made nowadays. 'Sunday' and '5.15' both rise over percolating percussion loops and bleeps. Indeed, these songs, along This album is simply amazing. After repeated listens, I am left with the understanding that Bowie is indeed GOD and we must kneel before him. Like the rest of his work, the music herein has a timeless quality and depth of complexity absent in most music made nowadays. 'Sunday' and '5.15' both rise over percolating percussion loops and bleeps. Indeed, these songs, along with 'Afraid' and 'Slip Away' show Bowie's imaginative chord progressions and make perfection look easy. This KILLS!!!!… Expand
  5. JesseS
    Oct 26, 2004
    10
    This a masterpiece. Not Bowie's masterpiece, but nevertheless a masterpiece. Best of the year.
  6. AlexanderS
    Dec 22, 2005
    9
    Overall a very good album, none of my alltime favourite Bowie songs come from this album, but there´s not a single bad song on it.... Bowie is and will always be the single greatest musician ever!
  7. NicolasT.
    Jun 17, 2002
    9
    Yep, good old Bowie but with a touch of new influences, great covers, good mix of melancolic songs ans rock stuff...
  8. KiwiClay
    Oct 13, 2005
    8
    Despite the flaws, Heathen has got to be the best Bowie in years - far superior to the following Reality. At times the music is transcendent. This CD must be listened to with headphones on, eyes closed, and no interruptions. There aren't very many CDs or artists who warrant that level of listening commitment.
  9. Zanessa250QI
    Apr 4, 2016
    9
    ..............................................................................................................................................Greatonealbum
  10. 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 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 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.    … Expand
  11. 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 letras afiadas como sombria "Sunday"

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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. Village Voice (Consumer Guide)
    58
    While the songwriting ain't bad, it also ain't that good.
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  2. Uncut
    40
    None of the 12 tracks on Heathen displays anything memorable in the way of melody or chorus, their phrasing short-breathed and tired, their sequences energyless. [Jul 2002, p.108]
  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.
    Read full review
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