Great Starting Place To Sample Gary Numan's Talent
MinServ93@aol.com | KC, Mo | 05/21/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Gary Numan was a punk guitarist with Tubeway Army, but turned his traditional punk attitudes of alienation and angst toward the electronic world. Rather than say he wasn't a part of society, he turned his back on humanity and embraced the cold, sterile machine as kin. This resulted in some of the most breathtaking electronic music ever, and it influenced a generation (or two) of electronic musicians since then. His lyrics may claim to be cold and dark, but the music has such an upbeat feel that you find yourself lost in the energy. This title reflects this magic mix. Disc one has studio tracks, mostly newer material or remixed older songs. The second disc, live material from a variety of concerts, actually makes me prefer these versions to the wonderful studio versions. Live, songs like "Everyday I die," "Are Friends Electric?" and "Me, I Disconnect From You" electrify all over again, especially this latter song which builds on an almost imperceptible vocal line during the instrumental chorus on the studio album into a thing of raw beauty. Other songs including the Acoustic-Guitar-only rendition of "Jo The Waiter", and the two Pleasure Principle tracks "Cars" and "Metal" will surely have Numan fans (old and new) playing this Disc over and over."
Expansive
Author Brian Wallace (Mind Transmis | Texas | 01/27/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wow, there's so much Gary Numan stuff to choose from these days.I like this one because it seems to encompass a wide range of songs performed in different capacities. A real variety of his work is included and we are made privy to this guy's range. While I enjoy his later works (like Bowie, he seems to always evolve and sound good) I find this collection both dark and light, songs that capture many different moods and expressions. The later works are in my opinion - heavy on the dark, which one must be in the mood for.It's all subjective, I suppose. Gary Numan definitely delivers well-crafted, unique songs and a highly unusual pedigree.He's an original."