Gary Numan - Savage: Songs From A Broken World (Album Review)
Thursday, 21 September 2017
Written by Graeme Marsh
Despite three successive UK number one albums between 1979 and 1980 and over 20 top 40 singles, Gary Numan’s legacy tends to boil down to the same two songs: Cars and Tubeway Army’s Are ‘Friends’ Electric?.
But that’s not a fair reflection of his ambition, nor influence, and things certainly changed in 2013 with the release of the tremendous ‘Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind). Born out of Numan’s experiences of depression, the record laid his soul bare alongside software-driven sounds to prick critics' ears.
Its follow up, ‘Savage: Songs From A Broken World', continues his upturn in fortunes. This time he’s writing to address global warming, the election of Donald Trump, and a subsequent premonition of a post-apocalyptic world.
Working alongside producer Ade Fenton, Numan raises the curtain on the sinister Ghost Nation. It quickly sets the tone with its “have you seen death with your own eyes” lyric, its dark themes running through the veins of the record thereafter.
The End of Things and When The World Comes Apart reveal the contents of their hearts in their titles, with anthemic choruses soaring. Mercy’s monster hook also shows a possible path through a desolate future.
“Save me,” Numan cries on What God Intended as fear strikes again. But And It All Began With You pays tribute to his inspirational wife, Gemma, in a warped, automaton-like love song that sounds like the mechanical remnants of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game. The excellent lead single My Name Is Ruin, meanwhile, features Numan’s daughter, Persia, on vocals.
‘Savage’ will take a few plays to sink in but, like a fine wine, Numan is clearly improving with age. With two recent albums that rank among the finest of his career, his Indian summer shows no signs of letting up. As he sings during the militaristic Pray For The Pain You Serve: “I belong here where the world ends.” It’s hard to disagree.
Gary Numan Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat September 30 2017 - CARDIFF Tramshed
Mon October 02 2017 - BOURNEMOUTH O2 Academy Bournemouth
Tue October 03 2017 - LEEDS O2 Academy Leeds
Thu October 05 2017 - BRISTOL Colston Hall
Fri October 06 2017 - OXFORD O2 Academy Oxford
Sat October 07 2017 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Mon October 09 2017 - NEWCASTLE O2 Academy Newcastle
Tue October 10 2017 - GLASGOW O2 ABC
Wed October 11 2017 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Institute
Fri October 13 2017 - MANCHESTER Academy
Sat October 14 2017 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Mon October 16 2017 - BRIGHTON Brighton Dome
Tue October 17 2017 - NORWICH Norwich Nick Rayns LCR UEA
Wed October 18 2017 - SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion
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