Soundtrack4Life: The Best Albums of 2017 - #06 Savage (Songs From A Broken World) - Gary Numan (2017)

Back in 2013 Gary Numan released Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind) to great critical and even commercial acclaim (it became his first Top 20 album since Warriors in 1993) peaking at #20 in the UK and only #175 in the USA. I really liked the album and also heard a couple of bootlegs from the tour that were really impressed me as well.

It's funny thinking about that because I have an odd history when it comes to Gary Numan and especially his band Tubeway Army. Way back in 1978 I had quite liked the first two singles from Tubeway Army (That's Too Bad and Bombers) but I saw them live and absolutely hated them! Then in 1979 I heard Down in the Park single and then Replicas album came out a month later and although I was more a guitar and drums kinda guy here's an album that is mainly electronic and I loved it. It was a work of genius. Then there were a few songs here and there I liked but over all I wasn't really taken with many of his albums put out under his own name.

One of the things that I have admired about him though is that he has been persistent in the face of falling sales, unpopularity among the masses, label changes, many knock downs from the music press, and he has continued to get up time and time again and in some way that has merely sharpened him and Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind) was the beginning of people starting to get him all over again.

Four years on from that Savage (Songs From A Broken World) entered into the world in September and once again I find myself stunned by its sheer brilliance. Album #21 and 39 years on from his first with Tubeway Army, Gary Numan has got something to say and I'm not the only one listening as the critics have been lining up to heap praise upon it and the fact that it entered the UK Chart at #2 shows that others have either returned to the Numanoid world or have freshly embraced it.

The Guardian Review.

The Quietus Review.

PopMatters Review.

Savage (Songs From A Broken World) - Gary Numan

BMG

Produced By Ade Fenton

Released September 2017

CD, Cassette and Vinyl and Limited Edition Vinyl Picture Disc (500 Copies only!)

UK Chart #2

US Chart #34*

Australian Chart #76**

* Was Numan's first Top 40 album in the USA since The Pleasure Principle in 1979!

** Was Numan's first chart entry in Australia since I, Assassin way back in 1982!

(Limited Edition Picture Disc)

Listen To Savage (Songs From A Broken World) Here:

 Personnel
Gary Numan – vocals, keyboards
Ade Fenton – keyboards, programming
Steve Harris – guitars
Tim Slade – bass
Persia Numan – backing vocals

(UK & European CD Cover)

 2LP Vinyl Tracklist
A1 Ghost Nation    
A2 Bed Of Thorns    
A3 My Name Is Ruin    
B1 The End Of Things    
B2 And It All Began With You    
B3 When The World Comes Apart    
C1 Mercy    
C2 What God Intended    
C3 If I Said    
D1 Pray For The Pain You Serve    
D2 Broken    
D3 Cold

Happy Birthday Gary Numan

Happy Birthday Gary Numan

Born on this day in 1958

To celebrate I thought a wee revisit to one of his classic albums would be a cool thing to do. Been a few years since I have sat down and listened to it. Have also included a video of a live performance of the album and b-sides from his Spring Tour in 2008.

Replicas - Tubeway Army

Beggars Banquet

Produced by Gary Numan

Released April 1979

UK Chart #1

US Chart #124

Side One

Side Two

Gary Numan – keyboards, guitars, vocals
Paul Gardiner – bass guitar
Jess Lidyard – drums

Singles on Replicas

7"

A-Side: Down In The Park

B-Side: Do You Need The Service?

Released 16th March 1979

Did Not Chart

12"

A-Side: Down In The Park

B-Side: Do You Need The Service? / I Nearly Married A Human 2

7" Limited Edition Picture Disc

A-Side: Are Friends Electric?

B-Side: We Are So Fragile

Released 11th May 1979

UK Chart #1

********************

Gary Numan

Replicas - Live

Spring 2008

 

They say that confession is good for the soul so I better get this out of the way as soon as possible. Back in 1978 I saw Tubeway Army live not long after their debut single That's Too Bad had been released and I was not impressed. I told my friend who had gone to the show with me that clearly this was a band who were not destined for great things and I would not be surprised if we never heard of them again!

Fast forward a year (after a further single, Bombers, and even a Debut Album with tracks like Listen To The Sirens and Everyday I Die) and they were still around! Surprisingly, although I had disliked the singles and the Debut Album, when I heard the version of Down In The Park on their John Peel Session in January 1979 (three months before it was released as a single) it really caught my attention. I could hardly believe that it was the same band such was the departure in sound!

I had to confess to my friend that clearly I was wrong about Tubeway Army as I purchased the single when it came out and also the album Replicas. Where I had assumed that the band wouldn't last (well I was kind of right because Gary Numan shutdown the band name and begun appearing and releasing records under his own name!) here I am 38 years later still talking about them! And Gary Numan of course has gone on to make twenty odd studio albums between 1979-2013 and is still out playing live to packed houses across the globe!

Replicas remains a favourite release from Mr Numan even though I don't play it as much as others.