positively rude health". AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine reasoned that despite a lack of innovation, the ending result is "an understated, utterly satisfying record, [...] simply because he'd never sounded as assured and consistent since." Meanwhile, Sarah Dempster of NME opined that with the album, Bowie "remains rock's most worship-worthy oddity". Numerous reviewers highlighted the return of Visconti as harkening back to his and Bowie's late-1970s collaborations. Author Paul Trynka argued the producer helped ditch the "intense sonic textures, overlayered production, and the sense that Bowie was trying too hard" that pervaded its predecessors. On the production, Rolling Stones David Fricke stated that the majority of Heathen was "the sound of Bowie essentially covering himself — to splendid, often moving effect." Pitchforks Eric Carr similarly wrote that "Bowie is obviously never going to recapture his trend-setting finesse of yesteryear, but at least he seems okay with that. And that's this record's greatest strength." Meanwhile, a writer for Time Out magazine described the album as "a collection of strong, melodic songs executed with playful primitivism and sung with a force and passion that would be remarkable in a man half his age." Several reviewers also praised the cover songs. Some reviewers expressed more mixed assessments. Time magazine's Benjamin Nugent found that the only good songs were the covers, while Kyle Smith of People complained about a general lack of melodicism. Veteran critic Robert Christgau was also mixed in The Village Voice, naming Heathen his "dud of the month", primarily citing weak songwriting. Although he highlighted tracks such as "Cactus", "Slow Burn" and "Afraid", Blender John Aizlewood criticised the track listing as incohesive, finding they "plod" rather than "spring". In a negative review for Uncut magazine, Ian MacDonald complained that none of the album's 12 tracks have memorable choruses or melodies, with "short-breathed and tired" phrasings and "energyless" sequences. He also cited poor track flows resulting in a disappointing and dissatisfying Bowie album. Heathen was nominated for the Mercury Prize. "Slow Burn" also received a Grammy nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards in 2003. Live performances Bowie supported the album on the Heathen Tour from 10 May to 23 October 2002. After the smaller-scale Hours Tour, Bowie opted for a "less is more" approach for the Heathen Tour, stating that "touring has become harder and harder for me." The lineup featured returning musicians Earl Slick, Gail