The origin of this collection is a bit peculiar: originally sold through television commercials by the Polygram TV division in 1995, reclaimed by Beggars two years later, and now presented on LP for the first time, 20 years later. Essentially this is just about every Numan song a curious listener could want, featuring singles and popular album cuts. Aesthetically, however, the quality control in the art department could have taken a closer look.
These songs, collected from the Beggars period of Numan's catalog are flawless. The power is simple: strong hooks, straight up lyrics, and a driving force. It didn't matter if the instrumentation was keyboard-based or guitar-based, the conviction was pure.
The earliest songs are definitely Tubeway Army tunes, the snotty punk of "That's Too Bad" and the more awkward "Bombers" appear sandwiched in between more signature sound Numan pieces. While keeping this order remains somewhat faithful to the original release, the evolution isn't entirely appreciated. "Down in the Park" and "Are Friends Electric" are coupled with the LP cut "Me! I Disconnect from You" and the B-side "We Are So Fragile" to present an accurate representation of the beginning of 1979, where despite being credited to Tubeway Army, the sound is more in line with what Numan was going to do, billed as a solo act. It is in this period that the master template was first established.
Rounding out the rest of the 1979 content is that song everybody knows (thankfully absent is the unnecessary 1995 remix on the prior incarnations of this collection) with fan favorite album tracks "Metal" and "Films." Both of the latter songs were surprisingly not singles, as they are of equal caliber, and possibly even more massive in sound than the big hit. Along with the ballad "Complex," these four songs adequately represent Numan's 1979 masterpiece, The Pleasure Principle. For this moment in time, the template worked perfectly. Vocals weren't overbearing--in fact none of these songs even have a chorus--less was truly more. With the evolution of Numan, and many other notable '80s acts, the music became more bland with increased instrumentation and wordier songs.
1980 is represented with "This Wreckage," the only single from Telekon, along with two non-LP singles, "I Die, You Die" and "We Are Glass." While they contain some decent hooks, the sound is much more mild, and less immediate. Arguably the energy picked up again with the punchier "She's Got Claws" from Dance, and the inclusion of the Numan-sung songs "Stormtrooper In Drag" (released on Paul Gardiner's album) and "Love Needs No Disguise" (released on the album by Dramatis), all from 1981, are certainly fan pleasers.
The three singles from 1982, all from I, Assassin are featured. While the instrumentation sounds like it would work: Numan lifted the signature snare drum from Prince and employed a Mick Karn-esque fretless bassist, all of these songs simply seem a bit too busy and unmemorable. The album's only song that seems to end up in live sets (and arguably the album's best song), "This Is My House," was never a single and disappointingly absent. 1983's album Warriors only produced two singles, the title track and "Sister Surprise," both featured here, and even more bloated than before, the former with a pointless guitar solo and the latter with an unwelcome saxophone. Once again, everything's all shuffled in, so it's almost impossible to avoid the nonsense.
While I praise the completeness of the collection, despite the aesthetic downfalls of the later material, I do have an issue with the artwork. It's a reminder of the double-edged sword of vinyl reissues: trying to find original art files that are of high enough resolution that an LP can be tastefully printed. This, sadly wasn't the case. The edges on the cover photograph are exceptionally pixellated, almost embarrassingly so. Additionally, the extensive biography and photographs from the previous editions is missing, which would have been an appreciated icing on the cake. For the early singles and fantastic early album cuts, it does sit well in the vinyl stacks.
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