Let's talk about Gary Numan's work- 1994-present

The Quietus review calling out the use of the word "Savage" next to a photo of Numan in Middle Eastern garb is kinda funny to me, I doubt it ever occurred to Numan that people might find the cover offensive

I guess it's high time to actually spin this, huh

When the artwork was first revealed I seem to remember a lot of "FFS Gary, what are you doing!?" type of comments.

Numan apparently burst into tears when he heard the album reached #2... someone was clearly around to take a picture of this moment and post it on Facebook...

But, now that this has happened, I guess if anyone's hoping for any change in approach, I don't think it's gonna happen now!

After spending more time with Savage, I do think it's a good record and I prefer it to Exile and Jagged, but it is Splinter-but-not-as-good.

Numan has a habit of doing this, so I shouldn't be surprised...

Exile was Sacrifice part 2, Jagged was Pure part 2 etc.

don't stop there - I always thought Pleasure Principle and Telekon, Dance and I, Assassin, and Warriors and Berserker went together. arguably the two Tubeway Army albums as well.

You could make a case for Outland being a less good version of Metal Rhythm, too. Metal Rhythm is the most underrated of Numan's wilderness years, IMO.

Anyway, if 2013 was the year of many old school synth acts putting out surprisingly stellar albums, then 2017 has pretty much been the year where a lot of them have followed up those records with good, listenable but not-as-good albums.

Savage is turning out to be an album of two halves for me... I'm finding the back half to be a little on the weak side.

I didn't know he had 3 daughters!! Good on him. Been listening to Pure on and off and there are a few songs about the miscarriage of his son. Now that I have one of my own it's pretty moving, particularly "Little Invitro".

Pure > Sacrifice > Splinter > Savage > Dead Son Rising > Exile > Jagged

Now do something else, Gary!

by the sounds of this new song...nope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RxebQuFgJY

still, can't ding him too hard for finding something that works for him

latest album is very much in the vein of the last one. I find it hard to rate this stuff since it's plenty impressive on a technical level but there's definitely an element of "heard this all before" which his shitty mid-80s albums didn't have. I'm guessing after a few listens where I can actually pick the songs apart I'll grow to like it more.