Reviews (page 6 of 9)
a whole lotta synth I think if it weren't for the connection from this album's M.E. and Basement Jaxx's Where's Your Head At I'm not sure I would have really enjoyed anything besides Cars which or course was a pretty big hit
Loved it! Sounded modern and classic
8.5/10. :) The music is great, but the vocals aren't my cup of tea. :)
OK
Pretty good synth pop music. I have never heard the whole thing, only "Cars". The album is pretty good with a few other catchy songs. I don't know if I will listen to the whole thing again but I'm glad I heard it.
Yeah this was just at the same song over and over. Not sure why a one hit wonder is on the list, but I fully understand why he was a one hit wonder now.
I understand why this album is on the list, and I can hear the influence it had, but I’m underwhelmed. Admittedly, this is far from my favorite genre, but the songs really started to sound the same after awhile. I didn’t hate it, though. This is honestly a 2.5 for me, but I’m rounding down.
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.
This was a pretty good album, notable, I think for helping electronica become mainstream and popular. Some good songs. This album is especially known for Numan's hit "Cars". A solid album and a good 3 rating.
53/100
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.
20240904 Gary Numan – The Pleasure Principle 2/5 I generally have problems with older albums, considered classics or genre-defining, that I reveal in this challenge, and this is a good example. The Pleasure Principle is a clear synth pop precursor, innovative for the time (1979), but it couldn’t have aged worse. Not clean production (expected for the time), and the melodies used quickly become repetitive and tiring. If I have to name a few positives, it sounds like it was a clear influence for the music created in the near 80’s and was probably modern for the standards. The use of classical instruments or synth variations is a nice touch in some of the songs too (like the violins in “Complex”), but it stops there for me. As I said before, it becomes repetitive very quickly. The synth melodies in the songs are used ad nauseam, and the songs are too long for their own good. The voice of Gary Numan is another big negative, and a singer’s voice has a major influence on how much I like a record. In summary, this is a good album to listen if you want to know the significance it had on modern music, but it doesn’t deliver anything else good in my opinion. Favourite songs: Metal. Least favourite songs: Films, Tracks, Conversations, Engineers
There’s some amazing sounds on this But Cars is the only great song
Works at the goth club, works at the punk club, works at the yuppie new wave club
Synth-popnew wave, pero un poco rollo y repetitivo.
Another retro psychodelic good album, but nothing special.
Its funny because I always had time for Gary Numan, but the album is actually a bit shit.
While I am a big fan of "Cars" the rest of Numan's stylings leave me bored.
A few solid songs, but nothing crazy cool.
Very impressive synth-work and I can tell this album is influential, but everything outside of the synths leaves a lot to be desired for me.
Keskikaartin läsätystä.. Mediaani Middlailua,..... KESKISARJAN RÖYHELLYSTÄ... KAVERI PILAA KUNNON PERUSSUOMALAISTEN, MAINEEN; EI OLE PERUSKAURAA PUHEET; VAAN ON PROVOSOIVAA JA ILKEÄÄ.... onneksi albumi siis ihan perus perussuomalaista... ei mennä tökkimään neljään viiteen tähteen... kovasti tehdään töitä että kolmosessa pysytään haluamatta korkeammalle katsoa.... kuinkakoon moni runoja jättää kirjottamatta.. pelkää epäonnistuvansa... Kuinkamoni taas rustaa yleispätevää roskaa maailmankaikkeudesta / rakkaudesta paskaa suoltaa......................................................................................................................
Surprisingly strong. Electo/SF grooves. Very little filler. Way ahead of the game.
To the album's credit a tidy categorization is formidably elusive. You could start with something like post-human sci-fi avant-electronic android-wave, or any combination of stylistic shots in the dark. One hears 'Cars' often on 'oldies' playlists and it does kind of throw back to some lower-tech sensibilities from the 70's, but it is by no means from a worn-out, cliched genre. Gary Numan is still singular, even after traversing for decades through goth/industrial/darkwave/etc... But specifically regarding this record there is a solid avant-garde composition of ominous tone, innovative tech and alienating text. Unfortunately for this rating, I am profoundly biased by Gary's follow-on reworking and reformation of his own back catalog on 'Hybrid'. Not just cover/remixes of the 'oldies' but an assertion that he is unbound by time and category.
I wish there was a way to do snippits of albums to show changes of an era. I can totally see why this is on here in the scope of the evolution of music, but, I also just don't want to listen to this for an hour.
Good news: there are more Gary Numan songs than "Cars"! Unfortunately, most of them sound similar: Numan offers melodic spoken word over metallic 80s synth slides. Even though this one wasn't essential for me, I appreciate Numan's innovation, and introspective lyrics.
I tend to like synth pop. I think that this album is decent. I guess it's cool that it's all synthetic but maybe it sounded a bit more novel and futuristic in the past. Realistically this probably inspired much of the vaporwave electronic ambient music that I do very much like but I don't think it's that great. I'll see if I ever think to give this another listen.
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.
Still holds up
A little better than expected with a 70s Eno & Talking Heads vibe… I don’t think it’s just familiarity that makes “Cars” stand out though.
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.
Gary Numan is the FOSS version of electronic music.
Better than I expected.
Futuristic bleeps and bloops compliment post-punkish vocals that convey a cold, unfeeling future world. Consistent throughout although lacks something that makes it really pop.
didnt really grab me on the first try, its very retro futuristic in a good way, kinda dated tho
This album might have had a chance at being good if his voice wasn’t so fucking irritating. Get someone else to sing for you Gary.
Weird but cook I guess
I thought I would love this but honestly it made me a little sad as I listened to it. Not really my vibe
Much more interesting than expected
5 of 10
Quelques sons vraiment en avance mais sinon rien de transcendant
Just Cars for me
Good record. No one sounds like Gary Numan.
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.
Synth-popnew wave, pero un poco rollo y repetitivo.
I actually liked the live additions more than the main album. I liked it but didn’t love it.
I enjoyed it
Never realised basement jaxx had sampled Gary numan, that’s my only takeaway here
Saw him live cause a friend invited me. Finally listened to this great record!
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.
Was this 1979 album the official start of '80s music? I grew up in the '80s and I never heard of this guy. It wasn't until much, much later that I started hearing his song Cars on the radio and I wondered why I never heard it growing up. 1979 is the reason. I was 5 years old and not listening to pop music. Anyway, back on track, when I started hearing it on the radio, I didn't care for it. I still don't really. It felt like a novelty song to me, like "She Blinded Me With Science." It feels more at home within the context of the full album though because the whole thing is that synthy and weirdly sung. The best thing about it to me, are the drums. I got used to the vocals and the synth, but I could take it or leave it as a whole. I think M.E. may have been my favorite track. I probably won't listen again to be sure.
It all kinda blended together and sounded like Cars with different lyrics. 3.5
I haven’t listened to much other than cars. This was a nice listen but won’t be rushing back for more.
Quintessential 70s synth man in a suit boppin to his robo beats. Good background music and I did recognize cars, but yeah liked not loved
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.
In 1979, Gary Numan invented music when he released Cars. The world has not looked back and we continue to venerate him until this day
the interesting thing about this albums is that gary numan doesnt give a fuck about what you think though a lot of this album was kinda unremarkable tbh
:bloobspls:
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.
Meh
Hard to rate. I understand how influential this was, but I didn't particularly enjoy the album as a whole
Very much of its time.
M.E. Cars
really fun. I'd only known the cars single before
This album is fun, and I can see how it may have influenced a lot of modern music. There are definitely some bops, the first song I really like is "Tracks". "Cars" also slaps. This album is interesting, but too many of the songs are duds for me to love it. It's too long. The songs I liked I really liked, so it gets points for that. 6/10
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.
Cars Metal Tracks
I especially like Observer, Cars
Why haven’t we, as a society, demanded a collaborative album between Gary Oldman and Gary Numan? It could be like a Seals and Croft kind of thing and they could call it…The Garys. Man…I am firing on all cylinders today. What a great idea…and the kicker? It’s the perfect band name for them… The Pleasure Principle is Gary Numan’s third LP and represents a high water mark in Numan’s recorded output. His percolating, metronomic, Kraftwerk indebted synth pop would reach its apex here, influencing the likes of Nine Inch Nails and countless others. One way that Numan succeeds where other synth pop acts of his time fail, is through the incorporation of a live drummer and bassist in his band and on record, rather than fully electronic instrumentation. The live instrumentation adds dynamic flourishes and a sense of unpredictability that is harder to obtain with fully synced electronic instrumentation. It brings a sense of humanity to a music that often feels lifeless. What the world needs is more bands that treat the synthesizer as a rock instrument; it can be an incredibly aggressive and gnarly instrument when manipulated properly. Take M83’s “Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts”, as an example: The synths on that are intense and occasionally thrashy and even if they’re using drum machines and some guitar, they still manage to capture an energy that’s uncommon in a lot of synthetic… ”Oldman/Numan”! That’s it, nailed it! Just, uh…forget what I wrote earlier about the cylinders.
Good synth pop. The songs are mostly pop heavy but some of the songs are more darker synth and rock influenced. I like the latter more.
Was this camp back in the day? Because it’s camp now.
Greatly influential album, some high points, but in overall a good album.
Very good! :) Really good vibe :)
I 100% believe this album should be on this list. New Wave was an important genre and has a huge impact on music to this day. That said, do you get anything more from listening to the album vs. listening to Cars on repeat 17 times? No. And that’s the flaw in New Wave. Still, glad I listened but don’t see a reason to return to it.
I would say that I think Cars is an alright song on its own. On the album so many of these songs sounded like Cars that by the time it actually came around I didn't want to hear it. Some it sounded like ambient film soundtrack stuff, with the last track an 80s horror/stranger things scene. One of the songs was sampled by basement jaxx on where's your head at but it wasn't as good. This stuff didn't really add anything but it thankfully didn't sound like cars. If you've heard cars, you've heard most of this album, and what you haven't heard isn't worth it, so don't listen to it. 1.5.
Cars is a banger. Despite nearly all of the songs sounding the same, by the end I grew to quite enjoy it. The live tracks were superfluous, however were enjoyable, so am ambivalent. On Broadway, the CD bonus track, was excellent.
The album goes on for much longer than necessary, especially when the synthyness tracks sound so similar. I'll give it a pass because I bet it was cool as fuck in 1979. Overall I kinda liked this. Highlights: Metal M.E. Cars
I don't know about this.... It all gets a bit samey and this type of synthy music doesn't do too much for me. Again, bet it was a lot more impressive in 79 than it is now. I remember the video for cars being on mtv2 all the time and turning it off when it came on. Not sure my opinion has changed that much.... However it is probably the standout song.... Although there are quite a few that sound very similar 2.5
I don’t mind new wave and there is some that I really love. But this album was overly long and became monotonous after a while. I don’t doubt that it was influential in its time, but I won’t go back to it.
I do enjoy those 80s synth sounds! Liked the lyrics seemed more tech driven which made the album more interesting and I do love Cars. However sometimes synth can overstay its welcome on a whole album…this album dips to a 2 and rises to a 4 for me.
science!
pretty nice not my type tho
This album is reminiscent of David Bowie's earlier stuff, but as I was listening to it I had to admit that it was just a bit too repetitive for me and outstayed it's welcome towards the end. I'm sure it was great for it's time and I can see how it would be influential but going in fresh in 2026 it just doesn't hold my attention the whole way through.
1. airlane - 1 2. metal - 0 3. complez - 1 4. filmz - 0 5. me - 1 6. trackz - 0 7. obzerver - 1.5 8. converzation - 1.5 9. carz - 1.5 10. engineerz - 1 11. random - 2 12. oceanz - 1.5 13. azylum - 1.5 14. me - 1 15. bomberz - 1 16. vapour - 1 17. broaduuay - 1.5
An incredibly pioneering album that deserves its place in history. The songs are great too.
Not very pleasurable, kinda boring. I'm in the 3rd song and starting to feel annoyed. Boring repetition, insert eye roll here. Has ALL the tropes of the 1980s, all of them! I guess this is what made them influential as stated in the Wikipedia. Too bad they aren't interesting. I gotta turn this off, it's making me sneer and it's a lovely morning here. I have no need for this. 1 star for being annoying.
Nothing crazy happened
Echt een Ron Bakker plaat
ja heel leuk, zoals roald zegt, echt een Ron Album
Lekker new wavy Ik vind dit leuk
Metal is so good, cars is also fun.
It is fine, there are some cool sounds in this album but very repetitive. I can appreciate the fact no guitars were used and how electronic it was for its time
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!
Favourite song - Films
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.
There are some amazing songs on this album. I saw Gary Numan live in 2023 and since then have been hooked. This album works so well together as a piece. Fantastic album and brilliant genre of music. This is the start of electronic music, and you can tell it influences so many other bands Favourite song: M.E & Cars Least favourite: all good songs. its a 5/5 album Album artwork: Brilliant cover
A good album, I liked Metal, ME and Tracks.
Lots of fun loops
i started doing this as a way to discover new music, without leaning on opaque algorithms developed by corporate overlords, and i have been reasonably happy with that outcome. however, i have also come to realize that it is a self-reinforcing bias. even before listening to this album, i know that i will like it. i once made a spotify playlist called 'synthia' which was full of synth-forward music, sorted chronologically. how could i not like gary numan?
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.
Gary Numan is a genius.
So atmospheric, engaging and... Cold! It's like the sound of Kraftwerk given a post-punk twist. I loved this one.
Every song sounds pretty much like a cut rate Cars. Except Cars of course, which is great. Must have been something in '79. Forgettable in 2024.
"Cars" is a banger. "Metal" and "M.E." are also worth listening to. Numan's work is good but very cold, refined and purposefully desolate. 3.3 stars rounded down.
Ok so this is an okay album, that got quite annoying after a while. I think every song seperated could be considered pretty good, but when they're all stacked up for 50 minutes it just didn't help for me. Fav songs: - M.E - Cars
this album is for guys who don’t know they're gay yet.
Had cars saved in Spotify but never heard the full album. Great tunes.
Always thought "Cars" was mediocre at best...and that's the best song on the album. Too many of the songs sound alike...way too much electronica for my tastes.
“Shark sandwich…shit sandwich!”
I love the 80s. This album represents the worst of it. So many better choices out there.
To put it in one word: boring. Every song sounds nearly identical. Repetitive, uninteresting, annoying vocals, vapid mess.
Everything sounded like a remix of Cars. By the time Cars came on, I was tired of it. I’m sure it was revolutionary at the time, but electronic music has come so so far since then.
EDM, electronica, cyber-punk, techno... synthwave and its assorted sub-genres... it is ALL in large part grandfathered by Gary Numan. This album is from 1979 (!) The overall consistency and lyrical timelessness of this album is amazing. (Also) even though I have not dusted off my Gary Numan CD's in a while... I actually HAVE Gary Numan CD's to begin with!
I liked this just fine. Didn’t stick out to me much. Didn’t remember too many tracks at all.
Ewwww. So boring.
Not even Cars could save it from being baby’s first album.
Metal. A couple songs decent. Same eerie sound throughout.
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.
The same synth noise the same tortured singing
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
I went in expecting disappointment, as I had tried checking this album out a few years ago and was, and I was pleasantly wrong. These sounds were very ahead of their time in '79, but Numan integrates them well with conventional rock sounds and structures. Overall, a bit of a slow and moody album, but some fun discoveries throughout.
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
Not a background music album. Liked it a lot more on the second listen through.
Some good moments but for the most part to cheesy and bland for my liking. 3/5
Maso...
A synth masterpiece.
Più che "pleasure principle" io lo chiamerei "o scassament i pall principle". Sarà stato che l'ho ascoltato a prendere il sole con 30°, ma mi annoia. Riconosco la grandezza, l'importanza e la bravura, il sinth e le canzone tutte coerenti con loro stesse (asylum e company con tanti brani solo di strumentale) eccetera. Bravo a creare atmosfere, magari in seguito lo rivaluterò ma per ora sono indecisa tra il 2 e l'1. Ho apprezzato più i brani live alla fine dell'album che tutto l'album. Ma rimane il fatto che mi sia piaciuto di meno (e mi so scassata i pall molto di più) rispetto a "moving pictures" dei rush quindi è un 1 <333 xoxoxo #girlboss #totallyunstoppable. (Finalemte finito buon gesù, anche se riconosco di non essere riuscita ad ascoltarlo al completo 100%)
It cannot be overstated how much of an influential album this was to all electronic music that has come after be it dance to industrial.
It’s ok. It has a fun sound that sounds ok, it has neat lyrics. But, it doesn’t really try to sound all that unique most of the time. Some songs are just meh while others are just Ok. It’s not bad but not terrible. It’s alright.
A perfect synth pop album with excellent lyrics and playing.
Brum brum
Love Numan - seeing him on TOTP in 1979 is an unforgettable musical memory. This is fab.
The third album I ever bought, the second being Replicas (and the first being the Grease soundtrack, but let’s draw a veil over that). It’s as exciting to listen to now as it was then, just brilliant. It was nice to hear the bonus tracks from CD reissues, but it really didn’t need them. And Complex still gives me goosebumps/makes me well up. Marvellous; had to immediately play it again.
Wonderful
It was fine. Synth-pop new wave that is not memorable or disagreeable. Standout is "Cars".
Cars!
Felt like one long song, each song goes know here. Good at the time I imagine but electronic music has moved on
Psychedelic/music wavey feeling, loved it,
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.
No clue if it's true, but can't help but feel like Dan the Automator used more than 1 sample from this album to create the Dr. Octagonecologyst
This was a really fun one.
if you were digging music in the 80s you owed a lot of it to this man.
Easy 5/5 for this vampire alien robot with a Moog collection. Terrific songs and inventive instrumentation.
Not for me
Very spacey and atmospheric, but I don't think it all lands. To me it feels like some cool ideas that aren't quite coming together, almost like a walmart David Bowie.
I don’t know if he ever did it but hopefully Gary Newman got into scoring 80s and late 70s sci-fi fantasy motion pictures. His sound is perfect for that. This is a weird album to listen to while you’re driving, which is how I listened to it. I was stuck in a construction zone while Metal was playing and it really went well with it oddly. Something about that driving beat with these machines, tearing up road and sending asphalt bits into a dump truck. Did Bowie know Gary was out there stealing his whole act? I think seeing this guy, Live must’ve been a trip! This album reminds me of when my kids get a hold of the keyboard and turn the synthesizer sounds up and you just go, I gotta get this thing away from them.
It's okay
I really need to go here. Can I remember the 80s & let go of the 90s?
Classic
solid with some nice electronic instrumentals, 3.5 stars
Not a ton of variety here but it was an enjoyable album.
Not really feeling this one
good synthpop, I am loving it
Kiddos for making synthesizer interesting through 13 songs including four instrumentals.
Hilariously, in my last review I asked theoretical god to give me a few weeks without a 70s rock band that features an organ player. So of course my very next album is a 70s rock band that features...a synth player! It appears there may be a god after all, and the prick has a very mischievous streak. The second song, Metal, is familiar to me as it was covered by Nine Inch Nails. I'd imagine this Numan fellow was quite an influence on Trent Reznor. Overall, a weird, quirky little album that I'm sure influenced quite a few acts from the 90s, but ultimately its just fine.
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.
A classic of its style. I don't think anyone's done it quite the same as Numan. I still can't rate it really high though, because to my ear at this stage it's a bit too clinical to connect, and not something I'd listen to often.
not 100% my cup of tea but i recognize its goodness.
Oh my god this week is garbage
They are all the saaaaame. And boring, to boot. I guess it's kind of cool that he was making electronic music in 1979? But that doesn't make it interesting.
Interesting to look back at this kind of music and try to imagine their frame of minds as they thought they were creating the music of the future. There's some strong melodies in here, but it's just so weird and over the top synth that it doesn't age well at all. The drums were cool though
Really well done, well-mixed album. Cars is a great standout track. Not really something I'm going to regularly return to, but that doesn't take away from what is a solid album.
Super cool sounds
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Det er repetitativt og uorganisk i lyden. Det lyder som gammel elektro. Og noget i mig kan sgu meget godt li’ det. Desværre kunne jeg ikke lytte albummet igennem uden afbrydelser. Jeg tror derfor at jeg missede noget af det det kan.
Apparently, this is a great synth album. It's lost on me though.
#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. *this is the twentieth album i purchased from this list. Song added to playlist: Cars I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
Eh, it had moments but I feel like I wasn't surprised after song 1
Airline 3 Metal 3.3 Complex 3.4 Films 3.5 M.E. 3.4 Tracks 3.4 Observer 3.6 Conversation 3.5 Cars 4 Engineers 3.4 Score: 3.45
Alright album with no stand out moments, just quite forgettable
Not as amazing as is assumed it would be. Maybe needs more listens
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.
Not that great.
I really wanted to like this but it just wasn't that interesting. Had its moments, but in the end I didn't find it that special.
Absolutely brilliant. Have always liked the innovative music of Gary Numan. This album certainly lives up to its title because it was indeed a pleasure to listen to.👍👐
Difícil de escuchar, just like 3 good songs and quite sampleable things from know and then, fuera de eso estaba esperando a que terminara. 4/10 y soy generoso con este rating.
Partly heard before Saved 5/10 Top track: M.E.
I hate the robotic sound of techno and have never liked synthesizers, so this album never had much of a chance with me. Like I said to my brother after trying his homegrown beets - they didn't suck entirely.
Great
This list keeps reminding me how little I know about music.....and I am thankful! It is a list of 2's!!! This album I could listen to, but barely. I have said that too many times.
This album was really good but also had significant drawbacks. Some known hits in this album that I never knew who the artist was. This and the talking heads are some of the most 80s sounding music yet it came out in the late 70s. Just shows how solid this was. If this album wasn’t as long and eliminated some of the synth instrumental tracks it would’ve been higher. 6.7/10
Synthesized pop music, futuristic sounding
In general I really like synth music
I really like the album cover. I don't remember the 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.
Wack
1.5
I like synthpop, yet it felt kind of uninspiring and derivative. My favorite? No, but it was still good.
3.9. Great prog Rock
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
Super interesting album. I didn’t think I was gonna like it at first but it ended up being pretty cool, and it seems to be quite a pioneer in new wave; I hear a ton of influence from this album in all the 80s CDs my parents would listen to, and hearing decade-defining sounds in an album released earlier than that decade is super cool. Vsauce music would be nothing without this album. Extremely strong 3, would rate it a 3.5 if I could. Also, I have to say: Jimmy Fallon probably has an impression of this guy locked down in case anyone ever asks him
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.
Dude asylum made me feel like i was in a sci fi movie. I love it… M.E. was an absolute banger and so was observer. Some songs i didn’t vibe with so im giving it a 3 but it had some really strong points
Favoritlåt från albumet var Up the neck Ja asså det var hyftas bra när man läste house of leaves! Albumet får 3/5 stjärnor
Ein elektronisches, synthesizer Album mit vielleicht echtem Schlagzeug ohne E-Gitarre ist beim erstenmal Zuhören ungewöhnlich. Zugegeben es klingt wie OMD (und die mag ich) und das ist schon sehr hochwertig produziert und somit höhrenwert. Aber es hat keinen Hit oder Ohrwurm. Heißt aber nicht, dass es langweilig ist. Höhrenswert.
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.
All vibes.
Synthy new wave. I enjoyed it a little more than I expected.
Поплавал на жирных синтах. Получил нью-вейвом по ебалу.
OK, some great tracks, but didn't really engage with it
Wieder 80er Sythiepop. Der Einsatz von Vogelklängen war dieses Mal außergewöhnlich, aber sonst…
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
A lot of the songs sounded the same. "Conversation" ended and lead into "Cars" (the hit song on the album). I had to stop what I was doing to make sure the same song didn't repeat itself.
Agréablement surpris. New / synth wave. Un peu répétitif a fin 6.5/10
I doubt I’ll ever listen to this album in full again, but the experience was enjoyable.
Reminds me a lot of Bowie’s Berlin trilogy (particularly the second half of Low).
Pure 80's synth pop. I've never dug deep into him, but people say he's brilliant and love his catalogue.
Het was weer niet veel
Behoorlijk matig, en ook net iets aan de lange kant
Rare muziek zeg
This is obviously a seminal and influence album for the electro-pop to come; if you squint you can just make out the outline of video game music. I really dig Numan's synth sound for the most part, but disaffected android voice wears thin after a while. I think I'd prefer most of the tracks as instrumentals in the vein of "Films" and "Random", with only the best lyrical songs like "Cars" sprinkled throughout the album. This is a cool piece of history to get to listen to, but in this case I'm much more interested in listening to the music downstream from Gary rather than the originator.
Cool electronic music for the 79’s
Surprised that I knew a track from the album.
It was interesting. Fun in that 80s kind of way.
80s synth music. Not objectionable but there are better things to listen to
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)
Nice synths
This album epitomizes everything I hate about '80s music.
I enjoyed this quite a bit more than expected, it was easy to conclude the importance of this album. The final 4 tracks after Cars is where the album really impressed me, stripping away the vocals and allowing the listener to fully appreciate the synth. Asylum had a real Jon Carpenter feel to it. The first half was interesting but not as much with a few songs falling flat. 3.5 stars
No! Same beat over and over again for the whole album!
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.
No
Weird roboty new wave ish type deal. Odd but I can hear the influence on others down the line
I immediately realized that I should have rated my last album (Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs) as a 2 because I didn’t like it that much. Anyways, this album was pretty good. I like new wave so that’s mostly why. I agree with the other reviews that it gets repetitive, and I don’t really like albums that are mostly instrumental. “Cars”, which I already knew, was the only song that really stuck with me (probably because I knew it already).
Awesome
No. No no no
Good stuff. This electronic thing might be a fad tho
I liked it. It gets a little samey after a while, but the style is still good. Will I listen to again: 50%
Most of the songs sound the same. Cars is definitely the standout track.
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.
Nice!
Kule greier! M.E og cars var bangers
A little underwhelming but I'm typically not a the biggest synth fan. If easily turns into background noise for me. There are songs here that might be the best version of the music so that's saying something. Probably just not my style of music overall. Start of the album: "Hmm this has a super similar sound to that song but I can't recall what it's called. It has to be this artist or someone super similar." Me upon the first bar of Cars: "Ah there it is"
Very 80s, so much synth. Cars is the popular song.
Cars was good, and I don't remember anything else from the album. Completely forgettable.
Interesting. I like it.
Los 8 minutos de la canción 8 son hipnóticos
This is not a type of music I enjoy aside from being background music in Revenge of the Nerds 1. Plus isn’t this guy a pedophile? Cool to listen to once but I’m not feeling it.
Decent album but a little repetitive.
This is some really forward-thinking and well-polished music for its time, but man does every song here sound the exact same. There is no swell or crescendo anywhere to be found.
Yeesh, what an unremarkable album. Synth pop to the max. Very few lyrics, and the lyrics are barely noticeable when there. Repetitive drums and melodies. The only interesting song was Asylum
Não tem guitarras, mas apresentou a original da música cars, que funciona muito bem na versão nu-metal. Para mim não precisava de tanta repetição de sintetizadores.
Not my vibe but I can appreciate this is a good electronic album.
I remember listening to this one on cassette in my friend's car. Always enjoyed Gary Numan.
Quite enjoyed Cars, could take or leave the rest
Nearly every song sounded exactly like Cars, so the piano song was a lovely surprise. I actually enjoyed this album, although it could have been a bit shorter.
Much better than expected. It’s definitely an experience. The music arrangements were excellent. But it’s a very specific sound, a very specific mood. Feels like a synthesizer on a cocaine bender.
Interesting, but not amazing.
A completely groundbreaking album in synth/new wave, and a very influential record. It gets a bit too samey towards the end, but it's still a very unique sound, after almost 45 years.
meh.
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.
Well now I have to dig out the LP! YouTube is only so good. This really is the future. I’m a Numanoid synth fan and the songs metal, control and film are bangers. I’m still praying to the aliens. I suppose I got a deep love of electronic music, I guess it’s just modern nostalgia for the future.
Pretty good start to the synth pop 80’s. Some really good unique songs. However a few songs I thought it was a different version of cars. I’m sure maybe he was playing with themes, but when listening to an album and you have to see the name of the song because you think it’s one you already heard, that’s a problem.
Very 80s. Some ok songs. Lots of the same.
Some recognizable songs there. S'okay
HAted this
"Cars" was a great, fun song that was hugely popular when I was 19. With its robotic, technical sound it was pretty unique. I still have the 45rpm single from back then. Unfortunately, this album is lots of more-of-the-same. Tehre's several pretty good songs, and no horrible ones, but this is a one trick pony, and the trick is a bit dated. 3/5
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.
Not for me. Although cars is a banger
Some songs I kinda recognised, it was alright
Standouts: Cars, M.E., Observer, Complex, Airlane, Conversation, Metal, Films, Tracks, Engineers. Very very good! 4.5
Gary Numan - Born March 8, 1958 (age 65) Gary Oldman - Born March 21, 1958 (age 65) The newer Gary is the Oldman, Gary. Regardless, this banger of an album is intuitive, original and so different than the New Wave that was emerging at this time. 4.5/5
This is from what i hear and read an influencial album. I had heard cars before and thought it was nice and catchy but a whole album of the same synth patches and exact same voice really made the album boring and monotone. It is not unlistenable but if you heard cars it is the peak of the album and the rest feels like an extension of that song
Very innovative sound for the time. Electronic synthesizer influence which offers a very unique sound.
Hazy electronic pop. Feels like a warning or foreboding over the future more than anything else. A sign of things to come and surely ahead of its time.
2 out of 5… not really my kind of music
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.
"Hey check it out, we can create music electronically now! Listen:" beep boop bwwwwp - "Cool, right?" Every other track sounds like the pre-installed demo tunes electronic keyboards play.
Great synth album
Robot gorh music
Numanoids \o/
It definitely got samey by the end, but you gotta admire the sheer devotion to sound, image and style. I'd call this proto-80s.
A good album, with distracting vocals.
Another UK synth pop album, authors wildin (its not that bad, quite like the use of synth with more sustain to give an ambient sound, but still)
When it came out first, it wasn't really my thing. Listening back now, I kinda like it... an almost nostalgic look back. Love the post-modernist / new wave cover. A decent 3
Extremely new wave, completely devoid of guitar, sounds like it’s completely devoid of humans. I appreciate the cold, futuristic sound. Observer and Cars are well known and sampled many times. The rest blends together 5.5/10
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
“I say some words…. “ Beep bump bump beep bump “I say more words…. “ Beep bump bump beep bump All these songs sound the same. It gets old hearing Gary Synth Numan. Not the worst I’ve heard, not the best. These songs by themselves mixed in with other artists would probably sound good. However, cover to cover it’s just too much of the same. Not enough variety for me. 5/10
Here in my car. I played these songs in my car. I almost crashed in my car. Honestly it's not too bad but this album gets hurt by listening front to back. Some of these songs would probably be better listening to solo since the entire album sounds the same. I even thought the here in my car song was playing 3 times but was wrong twice. Super repetitive in both during a song and over the whole album. Even individually though each song could probably Shave off 1.5 minutes. It's just looping an eight measure beat over and over with subpar lyrics and (singing?). Each song on its own doesn't suck and some are pretty good. This album started at a 7, went to a 4, then Asylum saved it. 5/10
How can an album sound so 80s but not be from the 80s? Gary Numan is the father of synth pop and paved the way for the sounds of the 80s. His influence is undeniable. There is a sense of nostalgia in every song that leaves you longing for more. Albeit simplistic in rhythm and lyrics, the songs form little masterpieces sprinkled throughout the album. ‘Cars’ is a song that I have listened to thousands of times starting at a very early age. That song helped me appreciate this type of music on a new level and seek it out to further my musical tastes. An extremely enjoyable experience from start to finish. 9/10
Not bad. Surprisingly long of ra 1979 album. Classics are always good