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"Slow Burn" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.
There's more than a hint of things turning full circle in the 21st century's first original David Bowie full- length album. On HEATHEN, Bowie not only reunites with co-producer Tony Visconti, but within the first 15 minutes references his '70s hit "Heroes" in the suitably smoldering "Slow Burn," and turns around late co-conspirator John Lennon's "God" in "Afraid" ("I believe in Beatles"). Bowie wisely gives himself the space to toy with old R&B rhythms and weighty, pre-punk guitar riffs, juxtaposing Bjork-like string sections with looped rock drums and hissing synth backgrounds on "I Would Be Your Slave," while coyly harking back to his Ziggy Stardust persona on "I Took a Trip on a Gemini Spaceship."
"A Better Future" features a chirpy '60s arrangement underlying the sort of fallout-saturated pop ditty that might one day become a favorite of the protagonists of "Drive-in Saturday." As you might expect from a Bowie/Visconti collaboration, the production is both high-tech and down-and-dirty--one minute all overloaded mics and booming drums, the next all chiming synths and breathy backing vocals. Featuring smartly chosen guests Pete Townshend and Dave Grohl, HEATHEN is a righteous return to form from an erratic but consistently intriguing pop master.
Recorded at Allaire Studios, Shokan, New York and Looking Glass Stuidos, New York, New York.
Personnel includes: David Bowie (vocals, guitar, saxophone, keyboards, stylophone, drums); Kristeen Young (vocals, piano); Tony Visconti (guitar, recorder, bass, background vocals); Mark Plati (guitar, bass); David Torn (guitar, omnichord, loops); Pete Townshend, Dave Grohl, Carlos Alomar, Gerry Leonard (guitar); Lisa Germano (violin); Jordan Ruddess (keyboards); Tony Levin (bass); Matt Chamberlain (drums, percussion, programming); Sterling Campbell (drums, percussion).
The Scorchio Quartet: Greg Kitzis, Meg Okura (violin); Martha Mooke (viola); Mary Wooten (cello).
The Borneo Horns: Lenny Pickett, Stan Harrison, Steve Elson.
Personnel: David Bowie (guitar, saxophone, keyboards, drums, background vocals); Kristeen Young (vocals, piano); Tony Visconti (guitar, recorder, background vocals); David Torn (guitar, omnichord); Gary Miller (guitar, programming); Dave Grohl, Gerry Leonard , Mark Plati, Pete Townshend, Carlos Alomar (guitar); Lisa Germano, Gregor Kitzis (violin); Martha Mooke (viola); Mary Wooten (cello); David Clayton (keyboards); Matt Chamberlain, Sterling Campbell (drums, percussion); Solá Akingbolá (percussion).
Audio Mixers: Gary Miller; Tony Visconti.
Recording information: Allaire Studios, Shokan, NY; Looking Glass Studios, New York, NY.
Photographer: Markus Klinko.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Lenny Pickett ; Steve Elson; Stan Harrison.
This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.Rolling Stone (6/20/02, p.82) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...HEATHEN is the sound of Bowie essentially covering himself - to splendid, often moving effect. The album sparkles with hindsight..." Q (12/02, p.65) - Included in Q Magazine's "The 50 Best Albums of 2002." Q (6/02, p.108) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...HEATHEN has the beefiest sound of a Bowie record since 1980's...It's great....A return to form. Definitely." Uncut (1/03, p.94) - Ranked #10 in Uncut's "100 Best Albums of the Year" - "...A stirring return to form....Bowie kicked it into high gear vocally, lyrically and imaginatively..." CMJ (6/02, p.13) - "...Bowie's vision is fully realized with the help of lush string arrangements, acoustic guitar and minimal electronics....If only more artists could age with this much grace." Mojo (Publisher) (7/02, p.108) - "...A fine restatement of classic Bowie elements with contemporary twists...the production is back-toform too..." NME (Magazine) (6/15/02, p.28) - 8 out of 10 - "...It's great. All of it....Bowie is still a zillion times more inventive, brave and rocket-to-Mars brilliant than anyone who's been prodded by the genius stick..."
Bowie Is Ageless Clearly his best work since "Earthling" Bowie really hits the mark with "Heathen." Standout songs include: "Slip Away," "Afraid," and "The Angels Have Gone."
Nice to see David pairing up with old friend Tony Visconti, you can hear the influence.
One drawback is the enhanced part of the CD could be troublesome for those with an older computer system.
Submitted by a reviewer (Mukwonago, WI, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
great album! i thought that it was quite different than his other albums but the only reason i bought it is because the keyboardist for Dream Theater (Jordan Rudess) was in it! great album nontheless! Submitted by ash (somewhere) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 2 found this helpful.
Bowie does Bowie.... "Heathen", Bowie's first album since 1999's '...hours', conceptually and thematically is surprisingly quite 'human' for a Bowie record, as was 1999's '...hours', and perhaps Bowie is for the first time playing the role of himself. Musically, the album is an eclectic mix of ambient structures (the album is book-ended by two mesmeric and beautiful pieces, "Sunday", and "Heathen (the rays)"), lush string arrangements, acoustic melodies, which blend together nicely on tracks like " 5:15 the angels have gone", "I would be your slave" "slow burn" and "a better future". The child-like "Everyone says 'hi'" is reminiscent of "Kooks" (from 1971's 'Hunky Dory') and is probably the most staright-forward pop song Bowie has made since the 80's. Some of the albums moments, notably the opening track, would suggest a September 11th-inspired reading, but Bowie, who lives in New York, recorded all of the material prior to the tragedy, rendering it eerily prescient with lyrics like "nothing remains....", "steel on the skyline, sky made of glass", and " and the walls shall have eyes, and the doors shall have ears" - but Bowie has long written with a palpable anxiety about America ever since 1973's 'Alladin Sane'. Although there is no central motif to tie the album together musically, the stand-out features have to be the string arrangements and percussion, which seem to suddenly have been missing from Bowie's music in quite some time. This is Bowie's 'beefiest' album since 1995's 'Outside' and the best since then as well. At age 55, it never ceases to amaze that Bowie remains relevent and on rock's edge while his contemporaries (Phil Collins, Rod Stewart, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, to name a few) have rested on thier laurels and tried to recapture thier classic sounds for the past 20 years....Bowie remains an elusive, ever-moving target with his finger right on the pulse of modern music, and always two steps ahead.... Submitted by thinwhieduke1 (South Portland, ME, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
The future of music Heathen is a great album. In SACD fromat it is a fantastic album. This is the closest you will ever be to live while sitting at home. Multi Channel is the future Submitted by a reviewer (Canda) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo This review is for a different format.
Bowie can still suprise... Hey,
I have been fan of Bowie since Let's Dance, which I listen quite seldom. I usually listen stuff from early 70s, but also Berlin trilogy.
I have listen only few times 'Hours...' album (I don't like it), but alreay about ten times 'Heathen'. I just like melodies and lyrics (those which I'm able to understand)...listen it and like it or not! :-)
Regards, Jouni
P.S. I'm a poor salesman...
Submitted by jouni_kekkonen (Espoo, Finland) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo This review is for a different format.
Bowie Is Ageless
Bowie does Bowie....
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