|
home > music
>
 GARY
NUMAN
Hybrid
2003
2CD
JHCD005
King of synthpop in the late 70s, a struggling also-ran for most
of the 80s and a return to respect and favour in the 90s has been
the trajectory of Gary Numan's 25-year musical
career. Popularly association with electropop, he is also recognised
as an important influence on darkwave and gothic-industrial projects
such as Nine Inch Nails.
The Hybrid double-CD album, recorded late last year, features
three new songs ('Hybrid', 'Crazier' and 'Ancients') and reworked
tracks from across Gary's career. It reflects the new direction
that he took in the 90s - a mature combination of past brilliance
with elements of anger and darkness.
Gary originally fronted the group Tubeway Army
before repositioning himself as a solo artist. Influenced by Kraftwerk,
Brian Eno, David Bowie and Roxy
Music, he was a towering icon of synthpop. Projecting a
robotic, sci-fi style, the highpoint of his success came in 1979
with the album Replicas and its accompanying single, Are
'Friends' Electric?, and The Pleasure Principle album
which spawned another smash hit, Cars. Despite some later
successes, Gary's career nose-dived in the 80s, but was kept alive
thanks to his truly obsessive fans - the 'Numanoids'.
The 90s witnessed the release of three successful comeback albums
influenced by gothic, dance and metal: Sacrifice (1994),
Exile (1997) and Pure (2000), which received critical
acclaim and bestowed a new credibility.
The new album sees Gary collaborating with a team of other artists,
producers and DJs. Of the new tracks, I liked the title track, 'Hybrid',
which was co-written with heavy metal act Sulpher.
I'm less sure about 'Crazier' (co-written with Rico).
It's still distinctly Numaneque but becomes a little too much like
heavy metal for my tastes. 'Ancients' (co-written with DJ/dance
producer Andy Gray) presents a neo-classical opening
to a song with a good atmospheric background of synth pads and guitars.
But the standout track has to be the brilliantly dark version of
'Cars' produced by Flood (U2,
Nick Cave and Depeche Mode producer),
which takes a brilliant tune and infuses it with other musical allusions.
The reworked versions of 'Are 'Friends' Electric' and 'Down In The
Park' are also excellent.
Rik - 23 February 2003
TUBEWAY ARMY/GARY NUMAN DISCOGRAPHY
Tubeway Army (1978)
Replicas (1979)
The Pleasure Principle (1979)
Telekon (1980)
Dance (1981)
I Assassin (1982)
Warriors (1983)
Berserker (1984)
The Fury (1985)
Strange Charm (1986)
Metal Rhythm (1988)
Outland (1990)
Machine And Soul (1992)
Sacrifice (1994)
Exile (1997)
Pure (2000)
Hybrid (2003)
|
