Heathen [Limited Edition w/Bonus Disc] [LIMITED EDITION]

David Bowie

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 12, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000066SX2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #149,953 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Heathen is, in essence, the first "traditional" Bowie album worthy of kudos in years, as it successfully reunites Bowie with producer Tony Visconti, the man at the controls during Bowie's Berlin period. Heathen finds rock's greatest chameleon once again remolding his past, advancing to new vistas by moving up that metaphorical hill backward. Even more gratifying is the universally high quality of the songwriting craftsmanship on offer, where even a ditty as frivolous as "Everyone Says 'Hi'" ("Don't stay in a sad place where they don't care how you are") hits the mark. For heavyweights who like their Bowie with furrowed-brow, the monastic aura of opener "Sunday" sounds like a post-rock Enigma covering Nico's interpretation of Tim Hardin's "Eulogy to Lenny Bruce," whilst the strident savagery evidenced on an apt cover of the Pixies' "Cactus" disposes with Frank Black's hound-dog yelp and reasserts the melody without undermining the original's obsessional score. Tin Machine ought to have sounded like this. Watch out, too, for the Robert Fripp-impersonating flamethrowing of Pete Townshend on "Slow Burn" and the guitar of the Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl lending a slacker swagger to a cover of Neil Young's "I've Been Waiting for You" (again, much better than Tin Machine's live version). Heathen proves that Bowie's still got it. All of it. And in abundance. Awaken all ye nonbelievers. --Kevin Maidment

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yet again another good Bowie CD but Questionable Bonus Disk, June 18, 2002

By	G. Guthrie "fiction book collector" (columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

The Music itself deserves 5 stars. This is yet another Bowie album that sounds completely unlike any of his others. At first I thought it was another album like hours, it has a mellow theme to it. But, after a couple of listens I realized some of these tunes are very upbeat. Luckily Bowie dropped Reeves Gabriels for this outing, his signature guitar style has severely crippled Bowies sound. But, I honestly think he did some superb albums with Reeves, most notably "Outside". Anyway, this album sounds fresh and exciting. A few rockers are "Slow Burn", "Afraid" along with the covers "Cactus" and "I've Been Waiting for You". Most of the other tracks are a little more subdued, but still very excellent. After listening to this CD straight through about 10 times, I can honestly say there isn't a bad song on this album and it keeps getting better with each listen.

As for the bonus CD, I felt it was half bad, half good. This is why I gave this review only a 4 star. "Sunday" and "A Better Future" are both remixes and are done pretty well. I enjoyed them both. "Conversation Piece" is a remake from the "Space Oddity" period, but offers nothing exciting at all and turned out to be quite dull. Also, an outtake of "Panic In Detroit" done in 1979 shows up here. Why? I have no idea. It is almost the exact same outtake that showed up on the "Scary Monsters" Ryko re-release. I will admit I was very disappointed that this even showed up on the bonus CD. But, any Bowie you can get is good so go for it only if you're a Bowie freak, if not then I recommend saving the few bucks and going for the regular CD.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a return to greatness, June 11, 2002

By	Chad R. Hay (Eugene, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What an amazing album..

Generally, you can pick out where Bowie may have received his inspiration by the different styles he's used over the years, or the different characters he's employed... but finally, for the first time, he's playing HIMSELF.

In an odd analogy, this album seems to be the culmination of the work he's put into the previous twenty-five or so, and in the end, a masterpiece has been born. The bonus disc has a great remix by Air, but the rest can be taken or left. It's not bad, but not essential. Conversation Piece was from the aborted Toy album, and the version of Panic In Detroit, using a Speak N Spell (remember those?), had been previously released on the 1992 Rykodisc pressing of Scary Monsters.

Buy this. You cannot possibly be disappointed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Out of the cool, September 9, 2002

By	Tyro (Brooklyn, New York USA) - See all my reviews

Bowie's albums don't sell, sadly. But this one was at least critically acclaimed; that's quite an achievement, because a new album by a legend generally gets trashed. It's not that this is so much better than "1. Outside" or "Earthling" - both wonderful musical achievements, but this one would appeal to a wider audience. Some people couldn't get past all the baggage in Outside (the story, the spoken interludes, the changing musical styles) or the heavy techno sound of Earthling. Here Bowie does something good; he relaxes and stops trying so hard. No big concepts or self-conscious references to his past work (well, not too many). Instead, there's a delicate kind of humor in songs like "Everyone Says Hi" (a favorite of reviewers) and "A Better Future." And musically the album has a sense of fun and a light catchiness in each and every track. (Musically, it really recalls "Black Tie White Noise," the most neglected Bowie album of all.) "Hours..." wasn't a high point, but this is a really, really enjoyable piece of work. Buy it. You won't be sorry.