of Sound ranked Heathen number 19 in a 2018 list, with Blake Goble finding it an "atmospheric residue from Bowie's '70s efforts made in a more commercially slick and stable world". Bowie's biographers have reacted positively to Heathen. Some found it an improvement over its immediate predecessors: Buckley finds it lacks the "optimism" of Earthling, while Pegg calls the songwriting an improvement over Hours. Pegg further hails Visconti's production as "the richest, strongest sound of any Bowie album in years", particularly signaling out his work on "Afraid" and "I Would Be Your Slave". Regarding Bowie's vocal performances, Pegg positively compares them to that of "Heroes" and Scary Monsters, while Trynka considers them his finest since Baal (1982). On the album as a whole, Buckley felt that it failed to replicate the creativity of his 1970s works, but by itself, it stands as "a valid and at times excellent piece of work". Pegg felt the inclusion of three covers was excessive and noted the overall lack of melodies, but "combined with superb performances, not to mention some of the finest and most probing lyrics Bowie ever wrote, the result is a positive triumph." He added that after a decade of experimentation, Heathen emerged from that decade's collaborators with "an impressive collection of songs which evoke the classic Bowie of old, but are at the same time convincingly modern in style, intent and execution." Track listing Personnel According to the liner notes and biographer Nicholas Pegg: David Bowie – vocals, keyboards, guitars, saxophone, stylophone, drums Tony Visconti – bass, guitars, recorders, string arrangements, backing vocals Matt Chamberlain – drums, drum loop programming, percussion David Torn – guitars, guitar loops, Omnichord Additional personnel The Scorchio Quartet: Greg Kitzis – first violin Meg Okura – second violin Martha Mooke – viola Mary Wooten – cello Carlos Alomar – guitar Sterling Campbell – drums, percussion Lisa Germano – violin Gerry Leonard – guitar Tony Levin – fretless bass Mark Plati – guitar, bass Jordan Rudess – keyboards The Borneo Horns: Lenny Pickett – baritone saxophone Stan Harrison – alto saxophone Steve Elson – tenor saxophone Kristeen Young – backing vocals, piano Pete Townshend – guitar ("Slow Burn") Dave Grohl – guitar ("I've Been Waiting for You") Gary Miller – additional guitar ("Everyone Says 'Hi) John Read – bass ("Everyone Says 'Hi) Solá Ákingbolá – percussion ("Everyone Says 'Hi) Philip Sheppard – electric cello ("Everyone Says