Gary Numan Albums (31)
What The Critics Say
The sprawling and dark Jagged finds Gary Numan continuing his love affair with all things gothic and industrial, and while many of the tracks are rich, layered, and downright creepy, the album as a whole is tough going, with too many songs sounding the same. The soft-loud-soft-even-louder technique that Nine Inch Nails often employ is beaten to death here and long, eerie intros are the norm. Numan's lyric writing is inspired, mostly by betrayal and heartbreak, and his teaming with multi-instrumentalist Ade Fenton has brought on a new sound for the veteran synth-man, one with landscapes that are sinister and vast. It's mesmerizing for a track or two, then three or for more, and the listener is begging for a melody or something sharp to cut through the muck. Taken in small doses, Jagged works better, if not extremely well, but only the hardcore need to check this wandering and bleak album. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
'Live at Shepherds Bush Empire'
Release Date 1/1/2004
Tracks 21
Label Eagle
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Gary Numan didn't invent the idea of synth-pop--Germany's innovative Kraftwerk had a high-tech electronic sound half a decade before Numan's first Tubeway Army album came out in 1978. But he was definitely a major player in synth-pop and new wave and became amazingly influential; everyone from the industrial-oriented Nine Inch Nails to pop-rapper Sir Mix-A-Lot has claimed Numan as an influence. Electronica, as we now call it, has evolved considerably since Numan's late ‘70s/early ‘80s heyday, and this two-CD set addresses some of those changes. Recorded in 2002, Hybrid re-examines many of the British innovator's ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s recordings and does so from an early 2000s perspective. Anyone who expects Hybrid to be a best-of in the conventional sense will be disappointed; this double-CD offers new versions of familiar material, not the original versions. Some of the songs were first unveiled in the ‘90s, including "Absolution," "Dominion Day" and "Dark". But many of them go back to Numan's late ‘70s/early ‘80s heyday, and it's intriguing to hear new wave/synth-pop classics like "Are ‘Friends' Electric?," "M.E." and "Down in the Park" getting an early 2000s makeover. These are hardly carbon copies of the original versions; on Hybrid, a song that started out as new wave is likely to receive the industrial, techno, aggro or darkwave treatment. "Everyday I Die" (originally recorded in 1978) acquires a Stabbing Westward-like appeal, while "Cars" (Numan's biggest hit) loses its new wave bounce and becomes surprisingly moody. Hybrid isn't recommended to casual listeners, who would be better off starting out with a best-of that focuses on the original versions of Numan's late ‘70s/early ‘80s songs. But the singer's hardcore fans will find this double-CD to be an interesting, if less than essential, addition to his catalog. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Scarred: Live at Brixton Academy'
Release Date 1/27/2003
Tracks 25
Label Eagle
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
One has to give credit to an '80s new wave musician who can adapt and create contemporary-sounding music. There are icons from that era who continue to release new recordings -- Depeche Mode and the Cure, for example -- but don't evolve musically; the sound is unchanging as if they were still back in the decade. This is not a bad thing, however; core listeners are usually who buy these artists' newly released albums and they don't generate new fans. That said, hats off to '80s Brit popster Gary Numan, best known for the hit "Cars," who offers up a modernized industrial-goth set in Pure. The album can comfortably sit alongside Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails on store shelves. Pure doesn't drive like the industrialized adrenaline rush that is, say, Orgy, but the tracks' lingering and creepy pace leaves behind a different kind of impact -- it's more haunting than relentless. You can hear traces of that Brit-pop accent when Numan sings full on, as evidenced on, ironically, a song called "Listen to My Voice," but, otherwise, his vocals are just downright eerie. Pure is good, dark mood music, seasoned with menacing basslines, electronic crashes and spikes, and slow-grinding guitars. It's an effective pairing -- ghostly voice coupled with industrialized music; oftentimes this genre features scream-singing. "Little Invitro" offers the album's darkest moment, lyrically and musically, describing a couple's guilt over an abotion. The song lingers long after the last note resonates. Numan still demonstrates his savvy on the synths, drawing up unique bell, string, and distorted voice sounds, but in a contemporary playing style. This is far from "Cars." Still, remove the Numan name, and one might chalk up Pure to be another industrial-goth album; there is nothing groundbreaking here. However, unlike some other artists from his '80s days, Numan has successfully adapted with the times, and there's something to be said for that. ~ Liana Jonas , All Music Guide
'The Dramatis Project'
Release Date 8/15/2000
Tracks 9
Label Dressed to Kill
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Instead of returning to his groundbreaking, retro (by today's standards) synth work of the early '80s, Gary Numan tackles twitching electro-rock reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails on 1998's Exile. A comeback album of sorts, Exile does the job of proving that Numan still has what it takes to remain relevant in the '90s alternative scene, but it's not exactly the magnificent return to form that Numan fanatics were expecting prior to its release. Since he is an originator (listen to 1979's Replicas and 1980s The Pleasure Principle for the proof), it's hard to accept that Exile is so familiar-sounding to his technoid contemporaries of the '90s. Still, it seems like ages since Numan has sounded so committed on record, as heard on the single "Dominion Day," plus the tracks "Dead Heaven" and "Dark." Also included on the U.S. CD version as a bonus track is a recent live reading of his 1979 classic "Down in the Park," which showed that Numan can still nail his signature sound. Exile confirms that the great Gary Numan is close to being back on the right musical track. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
