Artist: David Bowie Album: Heathen

Year: 2002
Duration: 0:0-1

A Critical Review of the Album Heathen by David Bowie

David Bowie is a music legend who needs no introduction. The English singer-songwriter, musician, and actor is known for his innovative and boundary-pushing music that has spanned multiple decades. In this post, we'll be taking a critical look at one of Bowie's later albums - Heathen. We'll discuss the history of the artist, the music genre of the album, the best songs, and the most innovative parts, as well as offering our own critique of the album.

To understand the context of the album Heathen, we need to briefly review David Bowie's history. Bowie began his career in the 1960s as a folk-influenced musician. He then went on to experiment with different genres, including glam rock, electronic, and industrial. Many of his albums, including Heathen, were released in the 2000s and reflected Bowie's continued innovation and imagination.

Heathen is typically classified as an art rock album, with elements of electronic and experimental music. The album was produced by Tony Visconti, who had worked with Bowie on a number of his most famous albums, including Space Oddity and Heroes. Visconti's influence is felt throughout Heathen, with its layered sounds and atmospheric production.

Some of the standout tracks on the album include Sunday, Everyone Says 'Hi', and Slow Burn. These songs are great examples of the atmospheric and layered sound that we mentioned earlier. Bowie's voice is in fine form on these tracks, and the lyrics offer some of the trademark Bowie mystique that fans have come to expect.

In terms of innovation, there's a lot to admire on Heathen. For example, the album's opening track Sunday features an unexpected chord structure that creates an otherworldly feeling. Similarly, the instrumental A Better Future features a haunting melody that feels like it's been pulled from another dimension.

While there's a lot to like about Heathen, it's not a flawless album. Some of the songs feel a bit overproduced, and there are moments where Bowie's experimentation goes a bit too far. For example, the track Slip Away features a spoken-word section that feels out of place and distracting.

Overall, Heathen is a strong addition to David Bowie's catalog. The album offers plenty of innovative and boundary-pushing moments, and there are some truly great songs here. However, it's also an album that is perhaps a bit too indulgent at times, with some songs feeling overproduced or undercooked. If you're a Bowie fan, Heathen is a must-listen - but it may not be the definitive album in his discography.