Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Gary Numan is an icon. You can't say synth pop without saying Gary Numan. I myself am partial to bit of synth pop, and so I enjoyed listening to this. There's several bangers on this, but it's all a bit too much of the same to get a perfect score. Will I listen to this album again in its entirety? Probably not. Will I listen to specific tracks for the next 50 odd years? 100%
Artiste inconnu. En fait non, j'ai reconnu 'Cars'. J'aime beaucoup le son, qui me rappelle OMD, Ultravox et Visage, tous plus connus à peu près à la même époque. En regardant la page wikipedia, effectivement un des musiciens va rejoindre Ultravox, et un autre composer avec Visage le hit 'Fade To Gray'. Le groupe de GN est un peu le précurseur d'autres groupes qui ont eu plus de succès ... mais qui eux ne sont pas dans la liste (Ultravox, Visage). Excellente découverte en tous cas, qui rejoindra probablement ma collection. =>4/5
Not only is he a pop star, right, he's got a pilot's licence. Imagine that! Gorgeous synth tones, lots of catchy riffs and hooks, and a robotic but charismatic vocal style that fits with the drum machine rhythms. If I was a glammed up business guy I'd also be suspiciously intrigued by the glowing triangle on my desk.
A classic for sure
groundbreaking. brilliant.
Definitely know him for Cars, but the whole album is just as good.
Synth pop is hard to review in retrospect. We can only imagine the weird alien space voices the artist imagined, but they must ridiculous to a modern listener. So unless new have personal nostalgia for the genre (I’m a smidge too young for that) it’s very hard to judge the merits of such work. Thankfully there are some really great songs here, regardless of moog synths and robotic vocals. Song like Tracks and Conversation are just cool and interesting without being fully immersed in Numan’s futuristic fantasies. Four stars for me.
The principle of the matter, and the pleasure throughout, is how Numan takes cold synthesizers to school, teaching electronic machines to speak directly to matters of the human soul.
Slow British synth pop. Like the music. Not a fan of the vocal.
8/10.
I love this moment in synth pop. Alas, it was so short. The rich, lush analogue synth sounds were soon trampled by the tin can FM sounds of Yamaha and Roland and the performances were turned over to robots through the use of sequencers. But for a brief moment, it was gorgeous. This album captures that moment perfectly.
Banging album. He has such fantastic style and a well-defined character; just look at that awesome cover art! I particularly liked M.E.; there are some weird combination of real strings and synths on here, but in M.E. it really lands in such a great way. Will definitely listen to this some more.
Ahead of its time
4.35
Yeah quirky like it. If Led Zeppelin II was a 60s album that defined the 70s, this is a 70s album that defined the 80s
The tracks can feel just a little bit Samey, but overall it's still some damn fine synthpop. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
I’m at a 4. I’m just really impressed at where this is for 1979. It is electronica, but it’s electronica done in a way that feels like a direct throughline to the more club-oriented & dance-y rock stuff that Daft Punk and others would really define as their own. Even past that though, it’s just remarkable synth work, done in a way that clearly affected the rest of the 80s, and opened up a whole new Moog-driven world that everyone would take advantage of, especially hip-hop when the time came for it – every track here feels like it’s a few notes away from being “Push It”. As far as the science fiction thematics, I think it works as an obvious framing device for this soundscape. Given the contexts of the time (i.e., Star Wars, Star Trek, Close Encounters, etc), it’s a bit stereotypical, but it’s the easiest way to connect to an audience. There’s some solid lyrical work here, but it never goes into anything deeper than vaguely thought-provoking broad strokes, and I do think that’s a bit of a missed opportunity. Lots of world-building, but never an actual real story, save for “Metal”, which I think really worked. Musically… yeah, this is definitely outclassed by a lot of its peers, and there’s significant “first minute is the whole song” moments throughout this whole thing. Lots of repetitive melodies, and eventually, this synth work does lose a bit of its luster. It hit me by around Track 6 or 7, and then REALLY hit by Track 8 – you can only get away with long synth notes moving up and down while some cool percussion goes on for so long. It is definitely a long experience, even at 41 minutes, but these are all individually solid / good / great tracks, so I’ve got no real complaints, save for “Conversation” being endlessly long at 7 minutes. With all of that said, I just admire this too much for it to drop any lower than a 3.5 for me, and I feel good about giving it a 4. Yes, it’s repetitive, but I haven’t heard anything from the late 70s using synthesizers this effectively, at least in this vaguely synthpop-esque / trance-y style. One could point to Kraftwerk, and that’s fair enough, but I think Kraftwerk used their synths to create a more calming soundscape reminiscent of a nice happy train ride or drive on a highway, not a mildly existential robot society seemingly devoid of humanity, save for a handful of people. I think it’s a good album, and it really clicked with a lot of my sensibilities. Hence, the 4.
This is so much better played loud, I reckon, to properly let those thick slabs of sound wash over you - it's one of those that's more about atmosphere than songs. It does get a bit samey and repetitive, but by way of trade-off you get a very cohesive, unmistakably distinct body of work to immerse yourself in. If this was released today perhaps I'd be a little less effusive but in my mind Gary Numan, along with fellow androids Kraftwerk, feels like an important and heavily influential touchpoint in the history of uncompromisingly synth-heavy music.
very cool album and so incredibly influential of everything that came after it, but it sort of blended together for me a tad. even still, undeniably brilliant, and i love the production style it introduced
Interesting early electronic record. Who can deny Cars anyway?
This kind of dark synthpop is like crack to me. Ahead of its time.
[4.5]
I didn’t think I liked dark synth music. It turns out I don’t like people trying to copy Gary numan
8/10
I prefer the previous album, "Replicas", when it was still Tubeway Army, but this album is good and contains the massive hit "Cars".
Great new wave record. This one brings back some memories. Fun listen.
Enjoyed this! One of my first memories of Spotify back in 2008 was using it to listening to "Are friends Electric" by Gary Numan. This brought back those memories. I think this album manages to fell modern, retro and cool all at the same time. It really has a unique sound . And no guitars! Cars is a great song and M.E really stood out too, maybe in part that i recognized the sample that Basement jaxx took. Fun album, not too many bangers but enough to keep me interested throughout, and a good album to listen to while working. 4 Stars!
Just about as influential as they come, more or less perfecting a sound that would define a decade. Very fun album, will be checking out his discog more closely! My standout for this is “M.E.”
Good enough original Electropop album.
Enjoyed this album much more than anticipated
Some great finds in this - some fantastic fretless bass, a proper drummer and clearly influential in new wave/synth. Still not quite consistent, not quite a whole package of songs. But definitely worth listening to and definitely a moment in time in music.
Very cool album, I liked it
Poppy new wave from '79. Cars.
Very very nice
Classic new wave. I highly recommend seeing him live. He puts on a fantastic show.
I loved this album. Great sound. Made me feel good.
Did not know this artist beyond the song Cars. Was pleasantly surprised by this album and how likely of an influence it had on some of the electro dance rock of the early 00s (I see you LCD Soundsystem). Some of the songs do sound a bit similar, but I enjoyed the technology themed lyrics and futuristic vibe. Favorite songs: Films, Metal
This was a fun one. I liked the mix of electronic music and acoustic players, made it sound much more "goal of the future" sounds.
Wouldn't have imagined rating a synth-pop record higher than a 2, but here we are. This was my background music while reading Bruce Wasserstein's "Big Deal," a fiery recollection of all the big-swinging dick hostile takeover battles of the 80's and early 90's... pretty much the perfect soundtrack.
Didn't know what to expect. Could have been a lot worse.
The robot within is satisfied.
Synth pop muy top para la época. Le he tenido que dar dos vueltas pero me lo he pasado bien oyéndolo, recomendado para los panitas que le gusten cosas del estilo. Canción destacada: Cars
Hugely influential. Just listen to Basement Jaxx “where’s your head at” as a prime example. They used “M.E.” as the soundtrack to create a banger dance hit.
I did not expect to enjoy an entire album of sci-fi sounding music as much as I enjoyed this. Cars is the catchiest tune, but also arguably the least interesting. The impact this album had on new wave, electronic music, and later eras of rock is constantly evident.
da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da. da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da. da-dum da-dum, da-dum da-dum. da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da. da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da.
kachow! i enjoyed this album but a better name for it would've been Cars and Other Assorted Vehicles (since they all sound like Cars anyway, get it? pretty funny stuff) anyway this album was pretty cool. lotta neat synth sounds that make me wanna win the piston cup. that's all i got. favorites: metal, films, m.e., conversation, CARS!!!!!!!!!
The Gold Standard of Synth Pop.
Not an everyday listen but can see how influential this album is
While back I got it in my head that I should give Gary Numan a shot, and I listened to this album in full. Liked it, then forgot to ever go back. Don’t remember why. Anyway, it’s real good. Synth based pop/rock is a lot cooler when it sounds evil instead of revelrous.
Another record on this list that my parents listened to when I was growing up. It's fun to start learning about the artists that wrote the songs of my childhood. Cars was such a classic in our house. I love the commitment to straight synth on this record. It seems like this record was probably a big inspiration for a lot of the synth pop/new wave bands of the 80s and I appreciate that since that music really shaped my overall musical taste.
I was not expecting to enjoy this, but I really liked it. It really reminds me a lot of indie rock that I listened to in my youth. Bands like Islands, The Unicorns, or Destroyer have a very similar style and sound. Especially with the vocals. I love that it's kind of this slightly dubbed yell / sing kind of thing. The synths were also really fun. I would almost compare this to Depeche Mode, but its not the blues and its not in a minor key. This is far more dancey and poppy, however, I wouldn't necessarily call it pop music. Its too weird and sad for that. So I guess the closest thing I could relate it to would be David Bowie. This feels like the natural progression for a Bowie fan. Its weird, sad and poppy. There's great instrumentals, choruses and vocal melodies. He plays with a lot of weird sounds and layers them into other things, which is really cool and fun to listen to. My only knock is that a lot of the songs start to bleed into each other and its hard to kind of tell the difference between songs in the middle of the record. A lot of them sounds very similar. I think this an album that he could have trimmed the fat on by 2 - 3 songs and keep it a tight 32 minutes.
I learned that the Basement Jaxx famous song is a cover
4.1 Should have started giving decimalosed scores ages ago. Ah well, only 500 albums left. Really solid outing, I was familiar with a few of the tracks already but this really must have been groundbreaking at the time. Sounds quite distinct from the kraftwerk-esque synth pop happening elsewhere. Such dark, inhumane tones throughout. Can see why Trent Reznor idolised this man.
One point off for being way to synth for my ears.
Probably the best Synthpop album I’ve ever heard. Ez 4.5
I listened through this one multiple times, it worked well as a sort of ambiance for me. I very much get this desolate tech dystopia vibe from it Standouts Metal Me, I Disconnect From You 4/5
Really cool bit of early synth pop here. I love how off kilter and frankly rough the tones are here. It’s like the garage rock of the genre, far less polished than what the later 80s would have.
Loved it! Will be a great album to just throw on. Before this I only knew Cars (obviously) and M.E. and I’m glad I finally listened to the whole thing. Maybe a little dated/corny but he’s doing some great stuff here.
Cars and it's the same but there's like 15 versions of it so it's not.
Nice album.
Some great tracks on this album, most notably Cars 4/5
Gary Numan is definitely a pioneer in electronic music, helping bridge the gap between post-punk and the early sounds of industrial. This album takes a more minimalist approach, letting the synths and drum machines take full control to enhance that cold, futuristic, robotic theme.
The song Cars will always remind me of Test Drive 6. Synth heavy album.
Cool
I was previously only familiar with "Cars" from this album. While Cars is certainly the standout track, I enjoyed the entire album. The album is pleasantly consistent in sound and tone. I would listen to this again for sure.
Narrowly avoiding the 80s, this sounds almost as fresh today as it did when it first came out. I loved the fact that the one track I knew (Cars) didn't sound at all out of place when listening to the entire album. The bonus tracks on Spotify didn't do much for me, but I'm only judging the original 10 tracks, which deserve a definite 4 stars.
I kind of loved this - or at least the opening track drew me in quick, then the album lost me a little. Some of the tracks seem a bit “filler”. I know and love the track “Cars” obviously but would never have thought of investigating Gary Numan further without 1001 prompting me to. And what I’ve found is that the danceable ones are very cool. The track “M.E.” Was VERY familiar to me as it was clearly sampled by Basement Jaxx. I’m not sure what to do with this new awareness of Gary Numan. I guess I might listen to more of his stuff. I feel like there’s some gold to be dug out here. I’d probably liked to hear his stuff mixed with more modern dance music tracks. Yeah, cool!
How the fuck did Gary numan get a time machine and travel into two different decades to ripoff mgmt and basement jax to record that mashup for the song M.E.?.... Mint album.
(Ignoring the bonus tracks, which detract a little from the album) Thought this would feel very much of its time, and of course it does, but it still sounds fantastic today. Great album.
Absolutely.
This is a great cover and an album that is very tight. M.E was my favourite song from it and I weirdly loved how many songs were one word. Good one for the list.
So much New Wave! Decent album cover. This is a pretty solid album. Haunting vibe overall. Obviously influential. Popped for M.E. hearing that sample Basement Jaxx used. Films and M.E favorite tracks. Observer sounds like he is just figuring out the song Cars Strong 4
80's music to the roof, I recently watched the movie fright night, and it felt like this album encapsulate the style of a 80's horror movie, full of jams, and groovy.
God I love Gary Numan. Autism music
8.5/10. :) The music is great, but the vocals aren't my cup of tea. :)
first listen synth vibes
This is legit one of my favourite album covers out of all 1089 albums on this list. I don’t know why I like it so much. On the surface, I liked this, although it started to feel pretty repetitive. Not sure if I would listen to this again. Maybe? Somewhere between a 3 and a 4.
Foundation for a lot of synth rock and pop over the following 10 years. Classic.
I was kinda skeptical with the intro song, not sure what I was getting into, but this album is kinda iconic. The electric sound and his voice I immediately get taken back in time. I can tell this album influenced generations to come as I was listening to some parts and was thinking how it reminds me of contemporary artists. The songs did start to sound very similar after a while and I’m also not a fan of the instrumental only songs but I appreciate the artistic liberty.
Imagine David Bowie fell to earth and made sweet alien love to a synthesiser. And they called the product of their forbidden love Harry Human. He changed his name to Gary Numan so he wouldn't seem odd. He shouldn't have bothered. The oddity was good. Harry Human wasn't like you and me. He wasn't from the future, or from far far away. He was from earth, but not from earth at the same time. See his double breasted suit and establishment haircut as he tries to fit in. See his made up eyes and glowing pyramid because his true nature can't be contained. Enter the pyramid. Things are not the same anymore. Electronic and synthy without being dull and repetitive wankery - pre MDMA I suppose. Four point two three eight stars.
Works at the goth club, works at the punk club, works at the yuppie new wave club
Surprisingly strong. Electo/SF grooves. Very little filler. Way ahead of the game.
Released in 1979, but I’m classifying it as “80s” ok.
Once you get over whatever notions you have over the synth kit(s) being used it’s easier to appreciate this album. Some might never get over the sound, and that’s fine obviously, but then this album isn’t going to be for those people. The songwriting isn’t particularly incredible, it’s got singles (Cars, M.E.) that are great and songs that are more filler. The good thing about all the songs is of course what Numan does with the synths. There are no guitars on this album but you could’ve fooled me before I read that. There are “strings” but they’re obviously really processed too. The overarching sound of whatever moog model he’s using is like the sound of the 80s to me. Everything after was born of that synth sound. I will say that because of the dedication to one set of kits and probably only one or two actual keyboards the songs do sound a bit too similar. It drags on by the end because the songs are all basic 4/4 pop songs with varying moods at their core. Regardless, they are good pop songs and the uniqueness of the sound is what makes this album an important one. A fun listen and you can see why even the industrial rock that came later all cite him as an influence.
Very cool androgenous robot music.
I've always been fascinated by futuristic music. I find it interesting to explore artists visions of what the future will sound like. And while Numan wasn't spot on (this album sounds distinctly like 1979, or maybe 1981), it is still a fascinating exploration of a possible musical future.
Much more interesting than expected
What everyone with a synth was trying and failing to do in the 80s. Shows electronic instruments could have depth and melody 4*
If you’re familiar with “Cars,” then that should give you a good idea of this album’s sound. Heavily, though not exclusively, electronic and arty, but not overbearing. Pretty solid.
You could say the songs are a bit samey but I'd call it consistency which is a good thing when in the mood for this album. I love it; no bad songs and a few really good ones. This is early synth pop (?) and, with Kraftwerk, sounds like it but it stays fresh even today.
I enjoyed it
Oddball and deadpan - Gary Numans own unique sound cuts through and is what mostly stands out in this record. The songs are good, the pace is fine but what makes it selfish is the man himself.
For a supposed Johnny Come Lately, Gary Numan really did knew how to craft the tunes. On his second solo outing, the well suited human robot (amongst many around that time) assumes his spot as one of the bright stars of the emerging synthpop boom, giving us plenty of great songs that stand the test of time and prove enduring to this day. Turns out pleasure really is the principle. Favorites: Airlane, Metal, Films, M.E., Tracks, Conversation, Cars, Engineers, Oceans, Me, I Disconnect From You, Bombers, Remember I Was Vapour.
Beepboop pretty fun
Spændende debutalbum fra 1979, der sender masser af inspiration til '80erne til fx Depeche Mode m.fl. Cars er mit favorit nummer.
It’s weird as hell and awkwardly fun. A fantastic electionic record that sounds both a product of its time and futuristic (from a late 70’s perspective anyway.) Cars is the highlight, but M.E. and several other tracks are great and it’s solid from beginning to end.
What a surprise! Apparently, the missing trick with '80s British synth-pop is to sound like Kraftwerk.
I especially like Observer, Cars
An incredibly pioneering album that deserves its place in history. The songs are great too.
Echt een Ron Bakker plaat
ja heel leuk, zoals roald zegt, echt een Ron Album
Lekker new wavy Ik vind dit leuk
I really enjoyed this, the synth/pop feel with maybe just a touch of electronic, just seemed so cool. First opening I really didn’t know what to expect, but the 1:08 went incredibly fast for me. I only had heard ‘Cars’ before today but some others seemed familiar. 4/5
Amazing album. Great for movies!
Generally love the approachable pop fused with electronic music here. I imagine this was way ahead of its time. And the popularity of Cars on the nascent MTV certainly didn't hurt its visibility.
Lots of fun loops
So good. You can obviously hear Kraftwerk's cold approach to electronics, but mixed with some really nice atmospheres that reminds me of Brian Eno at times.
So atmospheric, engaging and... Cold! It's like the sound of Kraftwerk given a post-punk twist. I loved this one.
Had cars saved in Spotify but never heard the full album. Great tunes.
this is my first real listen to Gary Numan. Interesting synth-based music that probably leans closer to art rock than synth pop. Feels heavily inspired by Kraftwerk and Eno. The first track Airlane is a great album opener that absorbs you into the sound from the start. Some great textures here that are somewhat soothing but still grab my attention. Singing is somewhat odd and off-kilter, but it also fits nicely.
Far more Eno-inspired than I was expecting, this album's synths are exactly why many modern takes on the synthpop experience just don't grip me in the same way as releases from the late 70s. The technology wasn't new, nor was it perfected, so you get a good mix of experimentation that may not always work perfectly, but has so much variety behind each note, each layer, that you can't help but be entranced by little intricacies. Whether it be the low bass that grips onto your ear drums, or the bloop-y high notes that feel like they're from the same future as the film Alien's computers. It is all so charming, yes, but it has some serious merit in its crafting of a good pop hook with so little; Cars was a minor hit for a reason. It isn't overproduced, and it also isn't lacking in substance to keep the listener entertained at every miniscule change-up from song to song. Sure, Observer is just proto-Cars, but admiring the small differences is what brings be joy from this era of music. Just pure musical experimentation, and being able to make it onto the airwaves with that experimentation? That's when you know you have something cooking.
Distinctive and interesting synth based music. Only heard the song 'Cars' before and it seemed like the whole album was leading up to that as I knew it had to be on here. Pleasantly surprised by this one, it could even be setbreak music! Gets a 4 today but is one to give another listen
A clever trick; sounds pretty avant garde while also being mainstream pop. Cars was literally number 1 in the chart the week I was born, and still sounds sharp today. Liked this record a lot
not to shabby
gary walked so the 80's could run or something
Agree w ty. Paved the way for new age. Synth pop masterpiece
A synth masterpiece.
Love Numan - seeing him on TOTP in 1979 is an unforgettable musical memory. This is fab.
Cars!
First time listening to this album. The further I listened and read about this album the more I appreciated how groundbreaking it was. Not my typical jam but I dug it.
This was a really fun one.
if you were digging music in the 80s you owed a lot of it to this man.
Classic
good synthpop, I am loving it
This atmospheric bath of late 70s synth has ethereal moaning of an Eno/Bowie love child. I’m here for it.
good but i got a bit bored sorry. but first song alone bumps this up a point.
Super cool sounds
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#180. This album reminds me of those "what the future will look like" pictures. And, for a time at least, he wasn't wrong. Most 80s synth pop owes a lot to albums like this. 4/5: yes, please.
HL: “Complex”, "M.E.", "Cars" Maybe I’m wrong for rating such a repetitive album this highly, but… The retro-futuristic takes on robots and A.I. have been fun, and Numan and co. squeeze a lot of potential out of the limited sounds and synths.
Love this album! What a classic. M. E is my favorite song. The only thing keeping me from a five is the length.
Great
Synthesized pop music, futuristic sounding
In general I really like synth music
As a young man I heard some of Gary Numan on the radio, but never listened to the album. I really enjoyed listening to the album and plan to listen to it again. The synthesizers are spacey and tasty.
I fucking love Cars. Thank you, PS1 racing games. Shame the real future sucks
would give it 5 stars, if it weren't a little too long
Whenever I open this website up and see an album from the late 70s, I really don’t know what to expect. I feel like it was a time when a lot of different musical techniques developed over the previous years were maturing and turning into genre-inventing movements (punk, 2nd wave ska, new wave, etc.). The Pleasure Principle seemed to be right at the beginning of a budding synth-pop wave that would take over the 80s and still remains the defining sound of that era. I was really impressed at the creativity in the album with the use of synths. Unlike most later synth-pop, this album felt like it was a complete piece of art and effectively demonstrated the versatility that a synth and other electronic musical elements can provide an artist. Albums like this, ones that open your eyes to the pioneers of sound that expanded the musical palate of the world and that I would never have listened to otherwise, are the gems of this list.
Quirky futuristic Synthpop/New Wave. Kind of at a loss for words for this album. Like I really enjoyed what I heard, and I loved several of the songs a lot, but I can't say they didn't all kinda blend together at points. Which isn't a bad thing all the time. I mean it's synthpop where there is no guitar, the only instruments usually are the synth, drums, bass, and the occasional violin or piano. Nonsensical lyrics really added to the weird mechanical feeling of the album, loved that. I would probably need to hear more from the genre to fully appreciate Gary Numan, but this album really sets a high standard moving forward. Definitely a classic. Will revisit, especially select songs.
This was thoroughly enjoyable.
quintessential synth pop album. i saw a rym review that called it "what brian eno would make if he made a deal with the devil to trade half his talent for a full head of hair." accurate.. but also this record rocks. i love the weird cold feeling of it. it's like being a robot, which is somehow comforting- no more emotions, no more thoughts, just paranoid android rock. 8/10 fav tracks: M.E., films, cars
Pure 80's synth pop. I've never dug deep into him, but people say he's brilliant and love his catalogue.
Cool electronic music for the 79’s
airlane, random some of the songs ended up sounding so similar but i appreciate hearing the roots of synth
had some jamz on here!! I heard some of these before but never knew the artist. the synths make me nostalgic for a time I never experienced(height of the 80s)
The only Gary Numan song that I’m familiar with is “Cars,” which I assume is probably the case for most people who review this album. I’ve heard “Cars” countless times throughout my life, and I’m not a big fan of it, so I wasn’t super excited to review this album. Once I started listening, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. The overall sound was really unique, and even though I’ve listened to a lot of new wave and synth pop music, this album really didn’t sound like anything else that I’ve listened to before. I think my favorite thing about it was that it sounded so rich, and there was a lot of depth to the sound, but nothing sounded complicated or overdone. The lyrics were really different, and I think it’s an interesting concept that Gary Numan took these pretty basic ideas and just ruminated on them in his lyrics. The simplicity of this concept goes along brilliantly with the musical arrangements. The biggest turnoff for me on this album was Gary Numan’s vocals. I understand that his vocal style is probably meant to go along with the futuristic sound he pioneered, but I just don’t care for it. I really appreciate artists like Gary Numan, because these early pioneers of synthesizers set the stage for some of my favorite music during the eighties, and also some of my favorite music today as well. Without the success of “Cars,” I can’t imagine what music throughout the rest of the eighties would sound like. I think this album is a must listen for any fan of music.
Awesome
Good stuff. This electronic thing might be a fad tho
I liked this more than I thought I would. It's great music to listen to during work, and I definitely will listen to it again.
Kule greier! M.E og cars var bangers
Los 8 minutos de la canción 8 son hipnóticos
I remember listening to this one on cassette in my friend's car. Always enjoyed Gary Numan.
I’m a fan of the old school electronica style of this album. It did seem too long and started to get repetitive, though. I’ll be charitable and just dock half a star for that. 3.5 rounded up.
Really expected to hate this album, having listened to quite a few synth-pop and new wave albums already. Also listened to Cars on repeat about 1000000 times back in Music Tech at school, so am pretty done with that track. However, I actually quite enjoyed this album. Maybe my ears are getting used to the genre. Fair play Gary got some use out of that 'Cars' riff, it must feature in some slightly altered format across half of the album. Decent listen though.
Standouts: Cars, M.E., Observer, Complex, Airlane, Conversation, Metal, Films, Tracks, Engineers. Very very good! 4.5
11/30/23. Definitely have heard some of these tracks before, and the ones I haven’t stood out to me. This feels like an album that laid the groundwork for a lot of synth pop and new wave, even to this day!
I felt like I had seen this album cover somewhere before even though I was totally unfamiliar with the music until Cars came on and it made sense since that's the hit song everyone knows. Fortunately, this album broke the 80s (even though this is 70s it feels like 80s) new wave mold of having only one good song by delivering a really cool sound in each song. It's pure, glorious synths layering over each other constantly and it sounds great. Cars was my favorite but I also liked conversation and I think films but I'm not sure.
Great synth album
Robot gorh music
I don’t know when I would have, but I feel like I’ve heard this entire album before. Ohhhhhhh, it’s because every song sounds like “Cars”, all makes sense now. 7/10
Synths!
Enjoyed the elctornica and of course the favorite banger of the album, Cars. Seemed ahead of its time with nothing short of what I'd describe as experimental sound
I hear a lot of samples that came from this album and influences on later albums.
A well done example of its genre.
Pop con sintetizadores. No está mal.
This is a fine album, maybe Numan's best. Replicas high points are higher than the high points here but Pleasure Principle is more consistent. Favourite songs. Metal, Complex, Tracks, Conversation. 4 stars
Pioneering robot music with soul. Loved it. Daft Punk have tried to emulate ever since.
Along with Kraftwerk and Ultravox, this is where synthpop and electronic indierock started. Love it!
Marcus Parks was right - Gary Numan has layers! This was very surprisingly great. Plus what an awesome jacket he's wearing on the cover.
Not bad, but a bit repetitive
Didn’t realize how classic this album was! M.E. being a standout thus far given it’s influence on EDM on Where’s Your Head At.
this is an album to listen to before you die. Numan was treading his own path long ago and all the better for it.
Some great tracks. And some that sound like they're background music for a Blake's 7 episode
Lots of great tunes throughout. It's a very influential album which still sounds unique and identifiable after all this time. It was clearly a massive influence on the vapourwave aesthetic, too. A little bit one note, but a great album.
Music lovers shouldn't underestimate the importance of Gary Numan. The robotic early-synth style was phenomenal back in the days while it might seem a bit 'And what's the big deal about it?' now. The music is synth-based but not completely electronic yet like it would be in the 1980s. "Conversations" is phenomenally great. But in a way, Gary Numan is a one-trick pony. This album and the two Tubeway Army records seem interchangeable. I'm not sure if you are not better suited with the LP Replicas if you want to get into his stuff. Shout out to Cedric Sharpely, his drummer here who shows why drum machines will always be boring. Check out his first band Druid who would've been stars of the genre if they just had stepped some two years or so earlier into the scene.
Better than I anticipated. Really cool vibe...not a huge fan of his voice, but I get over it with how much the rest is amazing. 4/5
Aggressively '70s, in a good way.
Like the soundtrack to an 80s movie loved it
Gary Numan is best remembered for Cars and Cars rules. The Pleasure Principle has some of the most straightforward synths combined with the finest new wave instrumentation. Tight drums, groovy basslines, sleek guitars. All of these back up the spectacular synthlines that make the album so damn good. It's clear that Gary Numan had a clear grasp on what made synthpop and new wave so good, and right on the jump too.
Cool d’album, on sens les débuts du New Wave mélanger avec les synthétiseurs electro de l’époque, très chouette tout ça mais un peu long
I can't explain, but this music feels so at home inside my head.
Wonderfully crafted album, from whence the electronic sound was new and relied much more heavily on artistic talent than loops and samples. Numan is a pioneer in the field. As an aside I had no idea that the Chemical Brothers' "Where's Your Head At?" sampled Numan, the riff being from M.E. featured in this album.
My rating Is nothing more than lies How did this man create such a futuristic album in 79??? Is he a time-traveller? Not super-mine music but 4 as it is a solid album where everything is very good.
The heavy synth glam sound is cool.
I didn’t love all of this but it was cool
Classic stuff from the Numanoid
So this is what space music sounds like! Woah!
Even though the effect of the album is a cold, sterile, robotic feel, what sets it apart is the use of (mostly) live musicians playing the music,,,or at least the impression at times - a point & violin break, a bass line, a drum fill. Not unlike the early 3 album run of Eno's vocal albums, this give a certain opposing or unconscious humanness to the proceedings at times. This welcome intrusion prevents the album from becoming too sterile and is a major factor in it's longevity.
A great album, consistently interesting musically and lyrically.
I mean it’s ok,the album feels pretty samey.Cars is amazing but I could take or leave the rest of the album.
Really enjoyed it will listen again.
I get why Gary is so influential to electronic music and the culture in general. Debut album that throws away all conventions, no guitars in favour of full synth programming. This is in 79. Total trailblazer.
Great one - definitely a vibe. Love the synths
this is an interesting album. new wave with industrial elements. you can definitely see the influence this album had on nine inch nails’ debut album “pretty hate machine”. i found it to be an enjoyable listen. i am impressed and now think i should delve further into gary numan’s catalog. highlights: “metal”, “m.e.”, “tracks”, “cars”.
I listened to this, and listened again, and listened again, and every time I like it more. So 4 stars for those lovely synth sounds, I'm sure this would have been tricky to put together with the equipment of the day. Gary Numan doesn't have the greatest voice but suits this fine.
This was a rocking little record. I didn't say 'Newman!' once.
This is excellent and groundbreaking stuff, which is something that's especially obvious after seeing him perform with Trent Reznor and understanding his influence on so many other artists I love, like the Smashing Pumpkins. I'm not really a fan of his voice, but it fits the android theme and the music is phenomenal.
So fun. The seemingly robotic sounds are hypnotic
Synths! Bass! One word song titles! Eyeliner! The sample from Where's Your Head At! It's all here!
A pioneeer, a legend and its all great :)
A fascinating album with great playing, interesting melodies, and surprises in each track. It is so much more than just the radio hit (Cars).
Really dug the sound of the album.
I like synthy type stuff but i havent really listened to much besides like thom yorkes "anima", so this was pretty cool to listen to, will listen to this one again. Songs that stood out to me. Airline, Metal, Films, M.E., Conversation, Cars, Engineers. Overall great album first listen.
This is a decidedly cool album, and deserving of its place on the list. Gary Numan was really ahead of his time, and this must have sounded pretty revolutionary in 1979! The combination of synthesizers and Numan's flat affect voice invoke post-modern anomie in a way that clearly led the way for so many other electronica artists. That said, as with much new wave, it's not the easiest listen. It lacks the subtlety of later New Order or Soft Cell, giving it a challenging and edgy feeling. It is also lacking in human feeling, which is 100% the point of the album, but keeps it out of 5 point territory for me. 4/5 in recognition of its importance and place in the genre.
4/5 I actually really liked this. Yea it was repetitive, but that's kinda the case with techno. I have kind of a soft spot for techno about AI. It's always kinda dark and post apocalyptic and with techno music in the the background it's so irreverent. That's ai, not AL lol. I mean have an *even bigger weakness* for AL. It was good. I'll listen to this again.
Quite intriguing. Didn't expect to like this at all, but it was pretty hypnotic from the word go. Fab background music for working - which is high praise from be, not an insult. Will definitely go back to this.
Sonne beaucoupc comme son époque, mais à la fois très avant-gardiste. Clairement une grande inspiration inspiration pour la scène indie/synth pop.
Synth pop primigeni en el seu estat més fred, robotic, impersonal... i creatiu. Aquí, a més, està 'Cars', un dels grans temes del génere. Tot i que faria uns quants bons discos més, mai milloraria el que va presentar aquí i a l'anterior 'Replicas' amb Tubeway Army. Però en aquests dos anys va excel.lir de forma magistral
Iconic
Really liked this. Important and excellent. Can hear so much of what came later in it. Cars.
I mean…. What can I say; I’m an absolute sucker for synth! This was such a fun, great album. 4. 1. Cars 2. M.E. 3. Airlane
A few tracks in, without look at the track list, a song came on and I was l8ke "this is the Cars guy right?" But it wasn5 Cars, then the album got different and weird and fun, theeeeen "Cars" cane on. I had fun. Good synth sound that set in place a lot fo vibes that evolved into music I really dig today.
Gary Numan is one weird musician. And I’m all here for it. Released in 1979 this is truly ahead of its time. The lyrics are really fun to dive into, focusing on robotics and “modern” technology with Numan at times sounding almost like an android himself. Especially the surprisingly heavy “M.E.” (I had no idea this is where Basement Jaxx sampled from) and the hit single “Cars” are standouts, but The Pleasure Principle is just a parade of well crafted beep boop-sounds and tight drumming.
Karakteristieke robot tunes maar eigenlijk ook wel heel mooi. Duidelijk wat Kraftwerk inspiratie
Enjoyed this one a lot more than I expected. To say this album sounds ahead of its time is an understatement - it actually sounds timeless. The production is slick without being indulgent, and even though Numan’s whole laconic automaton gimmick wears a bit thin at points, the overall sound of this record is such a breath of fresh air in the context of the late 1970s. Strangely enough, I never noticed how much this record clearly influenced Wire’s 80s output, with the monotonous, pulsing synths interspersed with catchy hooks. It’s really awesome, basically.
when I saw this I was like "Gary who?" But as soon as I realized it was the Cars guy I was pretty stoked. This was a fun album. Love that synth pop, new wavey stuff and have never heard any of Numan's other work.
Synthy synths, like this already! I like his voice too, fits the music perfectly. Great album from start to finish, 4/5!
This is a very interesting album! The synths and lyrics give the songs almost a kind of dystopian grimy vibe. Cars is very cool, M.E. also, the rest is kind of retreaded water, not bad, but done better on the record in other songs. Definitely a record I need to listen more, and especially other works from Gary Numan and Tubeway Army. Key tracks: Airline, Metal, Complex, Films, M.E., Cars 8 out of 10
It’s like a refined Kraftwerk: made more palatable for the ears of the masses. On the whole, it’s aged like the finest of wines. Cars, in particular, sounds very ahead of its time. I can imagine this album being played in a dingy back alley bar in Blade Runner Although he appears particularly concerned about the pyramid, he is dressed for the occasion
Very much enjoyed !
Absolutely defining electronica 4.4
What a great album this is. The bass, drums and analogue synths provide a wonderfully warm soundscape on which Numan's chill android voice intones his Philip K Dick suffused tales of future alientation.
Great synth album.
It's a good album. It's actually close to great. Except it's a few songs too long, and since all the songs are so similar to each other, that really shows that you could've cut down a couple of them and not missed much. But all of the songs, even if they're similar to each other, are really good with that synth driving the beat.
It’s New Wave nirvana! Not the band, the metaphysical concept. I was impressed with the surgical drumming on this record and found a few new tracks to augment my love for Gary, but I’ve got to subtract a star for his vocal delivery. It’s like someone asked him to sing like a nerd.
I started listening to this album fully thinking that this would be an instant 5* for me. I absolutely adore Gary Numans sound that almost feels trademarked. The low droning Vox Humana synth sounds, superb melodies with the Polygoog over the top of simple structured songs. I'm a bit more acquainted with his later work and what I've found during my several listens of this album over the last two days is that Numan has become a much better songwriter over the years. I really enjoyed this, but not all songs are of the highest caliber like Metal, ME, Cars; or than a lot of his later albums.
Did not realize he was the original writer of Cars.
Very surprised by this album... Some uniqueness about it. The Beatles on a synt? Musically very interesting and nice to hear... But don't remember any track after listening. Still good 3.5/5
I liked a lot of this. You can see how good he would get later in his career. Cars and Metal are the clear standouts. A lot of the rest felt like filler. But considering the year, I think it's forgivable.
I enjoyed the synth music, got a little too repetitive after several tracks
Very enjoyable.
Superb
I do love me some new wave and synth music so as far as albums go this is right up my alley. I don't always like Gary Numan's singing style, but the instrumentation is just pure 80s and I love it.
Some nostalgia there. Unexpectedly, still stands up very well.
Strongly enjoyed, and fully in love with ME, Films and Cars. However, the tone of the album doesn't stray far from a particular sound. While it was innovative at the time, it doesn't make for an album you go all the way through!
4/5. A fairly enjoyable album with a few duds but mostly the aesthetic makes up for it.
This was good, very consistent, I like how it became calmer towards the end, kind of weird too
Great album, that’s all I’ll say.
good, mature electronic music
Can tell it was a foundational album. Not bad
I'm no expert on synth music, but I feel like this is pretty darn exemplary for the genre. Great listening!
one of my favorites i’ve gotten recently.
Great 80s synth-pop
Very synthy. Very steril. Very cool 😎
Suprising amount of the band uses regular, non-synthetic instrument for an artist whose image relies so heavily on being robotic. Banger btw
Banger...
I have never heard Gary Numan before and I really liked it. I can definitely see how innovative and influential it must have been at the time. Nowadays it’s still enjoyable and sometimes surprising. In particular I was impressed how they used layers of synths as guitar riffs. Cars is the obvious hit here but I think M.E. is my favourite. I’ll be definitely coming back to this. 4/5
Прослушано! Очень неплохо, под настроение. Немного затянуто.
Ultimate sounds of the 80s! From now on, whenever I'll be watching any movie, that takes place in those times, I'll be subconsciously waiting for this album to be in the background. The record was surprisingly entertaining, every songs stands on its own, fitting in the album, but also being unique. Each song has that weird quality of tracks from 70s and 80s, where they perfectly fit for a long car ride, suitably during the night. Electronic sounds, usually a little overwhelming, were really on point on this album, especially on tracks like "M.E." and "Conversations". I really liked this record, even though its not my favourite type of music. Synth pop at it finest!
Listened to this at work on a rainy Thursday morning. Such a vibe.
Very cool and innovative, but needs a certain mood to enjoy it.
I definitely enjoyed this, but looking through the lens of how it sounded to me 40 years ago, it was pretty dang amazing at the time. An iconic sound.
I loved this album. In the beginning, I thought everything was going to sound like Cars, so I was pleasantly surprised by how varied it felt to me. Solid. Standouts: Metal, Complex, M.E., Tracks, Cars (obviously)
Very ahead of it’s time.
I dig it. Might have to pick this one up!
If you like the song Cars by Gary Numan then the album The Pleasure Principle by Gary Numan is for you. It contains Cars and lots of songs that sound a bit like Cars.
Overall it's a great album. Although it wasn't the first of its genre ( Bands like Kraftwerk had explored and released the same kind of music before The Pleasure Principle came out), the release of the album and the work of Gary Numan triggered an explosion of the genre, first in the UK and then spreading across the world. It opened the way for artists to experiment with electrical instruments, which are now widely used. Yes, it may be repetitive and monotonous at times (that's the whole point) and won't be everyone's cup of tea, but we cannot deny that this album started something great.
There are some good synth hooks & songs on this album and it’s interesting to read about Gary Numan/Tubeway Army’s decision to drop guitars and change their sound due to the violence at live shows during punk’s heyday. Watching Numan perform live he’s a cross between David Bowie and Kraftwerk. The songs are a bit repetitive, but that's expected and I’m adding an extra point for the viola.
Pretty awesome sounds
Cold, minimalist, occasionally lovely synth pop. This is a striking, immersive musical vision of a mechanized future, with a sound that sticks with you. Gary Numan lacks the warmth and soulfulness of many of the post punk-influenced electronic bands that would follow him in the 80s, but I think that's very much the point of this album. It makes him less fun to listen to than some of those bands, but his imprint on the electronic genres that came after him is hard to ignore. "Cars" is the obvious star track, one of the great songs of that era. Fave Songs: Cars, Metal, Films, M.E., Complex
4.0 - It’s hard not to compare this to Kraftwerk but the full-on rock drumming lends a lot of heft to the sound creating an approachable hybrid of synthetic and organic. “Cars” is an obvious standout and there are other fun bops. Nothing mind-bending here but it is a composed and elegant record with a stylish and future-leaning aesthetic.
4.25
Already loved Gary Numan's hits but this was the first time I'd really listened to an album the whole way through. Was extremely pleased to hear where the Basement Jax sample came from. Pleasure Principle pleasantly good.
4.5
Fun album, sooo 80s and Euro. I've listened to it a few times before. Innovative for its time and maybe kind of niche for most, but it brings me back to the early days of computers, synths, and tech where everything seemed so new and full of potential.
27th June 2022 Listened on the Tuesday rather than the Monday. Things still not quite in synch yet post move. Reminds me of the mighty boosh. Bit out there, futuristic, robotic, edgy. Liked it a lot!
Huh. I mean, this is a weird one but not SO weird that I'd call it experimental or unstructured. Kind of feels like the audio version of David Lynch trying to be a normie. Which would never happen, of course, but I think that description captures the quirky conventionality here. Fave/standout tracks were "In My Car" (easily the most well known for a reason) and the cover of "On Broadway." Lots of good, solid stuff here but not quite at five star territory.
Great - much better tunes than I'd imagined & it works together so well.
decente
So good. Hasn't dated in the way you might imagine
Excellent, love the analogue synth sound on this. Many classic songs on here such as Cars, M.E. (sampled by Basement Jaxx) and Films.
The sound of this album captures this era of time so well for me. So many great obvious and subtle synth sounds. There's times when I can't tell if some of the backing tracks are stringed instruments with effects or synthesizers made to sound like stringed instruments.
Good album. Of course I knew Gary Numan, but never listened to a full album. Observer sounds *very* similar to Cars. Funny that they're only 2 tracks apart. The thing that's stopping this from being a 5 is that some songs are same-y. 4/5
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. New wave stuff just generally isn't my thing but this was really cool. "Metal" has some next level atmospheric sound design for its time. "Complex" has a really nice hook played by strings. "Films" is groovy as hell. Also a nice surprise to suddenly realise that "M.E." serves as the sample for Basement Jaxx's "Where's Your Head At". All in all a very interesting sounding album that kept me engaged throughout.
I have a friend who loves Gary Numan and has seen him multiple times (he’s also much older than me), but I only really knew him for Cars. So this is new for me, and I love it? The synth work is really expressive and singular, even if it’s primitive compared to later new wave. That’s arguably part of the charm, though, and Numan comes up with some killer hooks. I don’t think that we needed the 7 minute track, but I otherwise had a lot of fun and will def come back. B
This is wild. Love the retro-futuristic feel of those synths. “Cars” has been my only touchpoint for Gary Numan, but the rest is pleasantly surprising, connecting maybe even better than that single? I love how “Complex” delivers an emotive twist with the addition of strings and similarly “Tracks” uses more traditional sounding keys (or is this a real piano?). These juxtapositions do a lot for me, especially coming in with the assumption that this would be samey. I mean, it *is* very much of the same flavor, but Mr. Numan works it. Also, he reminds me a lot of Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes (who I love), so there’s probably a bit of backwards compatibility going for me there. Overall, TPP is a synthy textural feast with some rock solid drumming and organic accents. Sign me the fuck up for more. 4
Interesting. I never knew he pioneered such amazing sounds that would be sampled providing the background to a whole new generation of music. Great stuff.
That plaintive voice against the robotic background gives these songs way more heart than I expected. This is so early in the electronic era yet sounds better than most. He brings a lovely musicality, especially the swirls of sound that add colour to several pieces.
The only song I heard before from Gary Numan was Cars, and it was the Fear Factory version. I thought I wouldn't enjoy this album, but goddamn I was wrong. It is super fun to listen to! Favorite tracks: * Cars * Metal * Observer
Big british synth pop. Quare decent album
So much more than just "Cars & Other Songs Collection" like I imagined. Simple, repetitive, strange, cool.
3.7 - solid album, if a bit repetitive at times. Nice synth throughout. M.E. and Cars are two standouts.
Amazing in the sense that almost nothing like it existed before it.
It's a classic, but not my cuppa
I've vaguely heard of this guy before and going in I had absolutely no idea what I would be listening to. It is definitely weird but it's the kind of weird that just works for me. I can't explain why. The vocals aren't that great, but somehow combined with cheesy at times and repetitive music, it just works. I also found out that a song I've loved for over a decade by a small indie band was a cover of Metal and I had absolutely no idea. I'd say this album is 3.5/5 so I have to round up. This is the kinda of stuff why I like this generator. I'd have never listened to this otherwise.
that trippy 70s shit lets go
Experimental drone music. No idea how it was received at release but I don't think it's aged well. Very little substance, lots of repetition and in songs that overstay their welcome. It's definitely been influential though, I instantly recognised "M.E" from the sample used in "Where's Your Head At" and no doubt helped pioneered the genre and further electronic music. "Cars" really stands out head and shoulders from the rest of the album for just how catchy it is.
There's something very sweet about Gary Numan, he was a musician who was unafraid to embrace his inner nerd. This album is a little underwhelming, probably because other artists have remixed and amped up his songs.
Did not know that M.E is the foundation of Basement Jaxx - Where's Your Head At
Pretty wild stuff. This album is known for the popular hit Cars, and all the other music kinda sounds similar. But it’s funky new wave
He showed us the future. Now we live in cars.
Numan never got the respect he deserved, did he?
Definitely of it’s time, but I enjoyed it. Could see how it’s not for everyone. A little slow, but great if you are into the synth/futuristic sound. Don’t know why, but I really like the cover art. Perfect fit the album. Like he’s discovering something new.
Really liked the whole vibe of the album, love 80s synth music; however, there weren't really any stand out songs (aside from the one I already knew - Cars). But, wow, had no idea this was made in the 70s (1979), it sounds quintessentially 80s to me. Guess he was ahead of the game. Asylum was really creepy.
I thought this one was a boring album, but must confess that I was wrong. Mr Newman knows how to write hypnotic and catchy tunes.
good sound. I liked it quite a bit.
Muy bien. 9/10
Solid, classic electronica, and who makes the single the ninth cut on the album?
I was on the second track when I was like - “this sounds like the guy who sang that Cars song” - the I found out I was right a few track later! This isn’t normally my favorite genre, but I really like this one. It’s aged really well, which I think is saying something. Good on you, Gary.
Fun and quirky album. Cars is of course the best and a classic.