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Album Review
by SashaS
12-6-2002
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| Bowie, once a space-cadet |
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David Bowie : 'Heathen'
(ISO/Columbia)
David Bowie returns with his golden era in tow
Groundbreaking artists have a lot to live up to and David Bowie has been on such a frontline for three decades. His oft-cited influence usually relates to the 1970’s work as he’s meandered ever since. From faux-metallish Tin Machine to some dubious drum’n’bass, electronica that headed nowhere… Early reports on ‘Heathen’ suggested – back on form. He’s even re-hired his old producer, Tony Visconti and the result is…
‘Heathen’ might be his best album in about 20 years but that is not saying that is on the par with his work from the decade “that fashion sense deserted” and, aside Visconti’s produced LPs, the trilogy he made with Brian Eno, in particular. Still, it is the best he made since ‘Let’s Dance’ way back in 1983. What has plagued him in the years between is still present here, to a lesser degree.
Album number 27 suffers from too much polish, too much thought, a touch over-arrangement, aiming at perfection… Unfortunately, there is no such thing (even God’s f**k-ups are regular) and all we humans are left with is spontaneity, emotions, guts… Inevitably, and probably resulting from the baggage of experience one’s age brings (DB is 55 at present), there is a short measure of it here. When he lets it rip, it is usually with the little help from guests, such as Dave Grohl (of Foo Fighters) who leads into a riotous performance on the version of Neil Young’s ‘I’ve Been Waiting For You.’
This is the mid-song on the album and either side… It all starts with rather sedate ‘Sunday’ (Moby’s claimed to have remixed it but that version is yet see the CD’s laser), an atmospheric piece that Bowie delivers in his best crooning voice only to explode into a huge rocker only to peter out just as it’s getting groovy. A couple of standout ballads, ‘Slip Away’ and ‘Slow Burn’ (Pete Townshend on guitar), display a side Thin White Duke handles so masterfully. These could be the cuts from his Berlin-period, although the latter is a twin to ‘Heroes’.
‘I Took A Trip On A Gemini Spaceship’ is pop-rocky in a very mainstream way that really sounds odd; it is an up-beat song but the impression is that Bowie employs most of his trademark tricks, plus added splash of strings and crowds the track. And yet, it’s gonna be massive live! Then, ‘5:15’ The Angels Have Gone’ is probably the highlight of the album with a sketchy instrumentation, a hint of melody and abstract imagery that suddenly soars heaven-wards, calms down and takes off again! Bowie, man, more of this dope!
There is another cover on the disc, much less successful, the Pixies’ ‘Cactus’; it doesn’t come off due to Bowie’s problem with handling deranged power of the original. Another slightly bothersome thing on the LP is the ‘Chameleon-rocker’ tends to sing a bit too much. At times it sounds as he were trying to display all his vocal know-how that is unnecessary on several of the cuts.
‘Heathen’ is a relative return to form, then. But, it beats 90 per cent of the current crop although this week’s seen better competition with albums out by Korn, Sonic Youth, Cousteau, Shivaree…
7.7/10
SashaS
5-7-2005
David Bowie’s album ‘Heathen’ is released 10 June 2002 on ISO/Columbia
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