Search - Gary Numan :: I, Assassin

"This House is Yours Like Friends of Mine"

mwreview | Northern California, USA | 12/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Any fan of Gary Numan already knows how excellent I, Assassin is. However, for those fans who do not have the ultra rare "This House is Cold" and wonder if it is worth purchasing this remastered copy, let me assure you IT IS! This track is excellent. It is not an instrumental or filler track but a synth-driven rocker that stands well on its owns and also complements the sound of I, Assassin (it also would have fit well on Dance soundwise). The CD booklet also includes comments from Numan, himself, on this track and "Bridge? What Bridge?" along with a six-page article, photos of all the 12" single covers, and lyrics to all the tracks (even the B-sides). I recommend all the Beggars Banquet remasters, especially the last three (Dance-Warriors) as they each offer an excellent "lost" track, like "This House is Cold.""

Another whacky cover, another excellent album

N. P. Stathoulopoulos | Brooklyn, NY | 03/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Numan's sixth 'annual' album (1982) is a rewarding album though probably not purchased nearly as much as his earlier two or three albums. It's a shame, it's an extremely prescient album, it's the first real dance-y Numan (despite his previous album 'Dance'), and it's got some excellent playing.



The album is very funky, due to Pino Palladino's fretless bass. It's a fluid, funky sound absent from his previous albums, and way better than the Janet Jackson-obsessed era of The Fury and beyond. It's a way more organic dance album, with We Take Mystery To Bed and Music For Chameleons two of the strongest he's done. The whole business is good. War Songs has the same guitar effect as U2's Numb, and a whole lot earlier. Plenty of synth, before it was buried by synths and sax on later albums. Plenty of Numan's signature voice. And another new image, which he talks about in the liner notes. Yes, there is some sax, but not the obsession that later developed.



The bonus tracks are excellent and make this is an extremely valuable disc. Noise Noise, now a live staple in modern form appears along with The Image Is, a very Bowie-esque track that starts slowly, builds with sax (it works here), and goes into an interesting, oddly timed chorus. This House Is Cold is a real gem, a driving rock number with improvised lyrics and big, fat arena-style sythn. Yes, there is white man funk, but it has songs.



Highly recommended to Numan fans straightaway, absolutely takes some getting used to, but not a bad song on the album proper. Way better than the following Warriors and a few other 80s albums. Barely heard in the US, yet way ahead of its time for 1982. As usual, nobody paying attention..."

One of Numan's more focused albums

Said Head | MN, USA | 01/15/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In this phase of Numan's career his popularity was a little shaky after Dance and having given up on touring for a while, but this album does not display the usual attempt to retain popularity.



The artwork alone will show that Numan didn't plan on doing what he's best known for and instead did something he should be know for: what he wants as an artist. Keeping with the vintage noir atmosphere that had appeared on Pleasure Principle and Dance this time Numan goes so far with his admiration of the style as even leaving behind his electronics to create the jazz piece '1940's Rust'. But overall the things that made Numan's music so respectable in earlier years come in full force on this, my absolute favorite Numan album, and no matter how many times I listen to it I never get old of it.



It utterly shocks me how little recognition Numan gets for this album. The electronic flavor is very well produced, heavy but not clouded, and despite the powerful industrial tone (this is, in my opinion Numan's first industrialesque album) it remains pretty dancey. Numan states in his book that the songwriting is more light-hearted and humorous, which after a few listens does come in to mind, but not in a quirky or indulgent sense. It's humor that'll make you think.



While most songs harbor robust synths and an overall oppressive sound, some, the spacey Dream Of Siam feels like an evolution of the ambient business on Dance, and the funky We Take Mystery seems an odd choice to end the album, but after a few listens you really get into what Numan was doing. Most of the tracks are pretty long, from 4 to 6 minutes, but none drag on unnecessarily.



But aside from the original 8 tracks are an additional array of b-sides and outtakes which do not compromise the quality of the album, but really enhance the experience as they carry on the themes and style. The one 'Assassin' era instrumental, Glitter And Ash, is about the coolest song I've ever heard. Noise Noise was originally intended to be its own single apparently, but when I, Assassin came along Numan released it as the b-side to Music For Chameleons instead; definitely one track not to be missed. The early version of We Take Mystery is very different from the album version, and if you can't get into the funkiness of the song this other version will satisfy. Bridge? What Bridge? and This House Is Cold are both unfinished studio recordings, less refined than the other tracks but still worth hearing (though one could live through one spin of Bridge? and leave it at that).



Basically this album is an evolution of Numan's Tubeway Army stage and his more refined pieces like Dance and Telekon. It's a strong CD release and should in my opinion be reconsidered one of Numan's master works."