Scarred
Recorded as part of the 2000Puretour,Scarredmarks Gary Numan's 25th year as a recording artist. He's certainly been through a lot since Tubeway Army put outThat's Too Badin 1978. Initially hailed as the king of electro, he fell spectacularly from grace then, years later, having been cited as an influence by everyone fromAfrika BambaataatoTrent Reznor, managed to claw his way back up the ladder. LikePure,Scarredis heavier than Numan's early material; clattering drums, pounding dance beats, grinding samples, filthy guitar, and menacing bass lend it an industrial roar. But Numan isn't limited to an all-out attack. "Little Invitro" is fraught and delicate before rising to its grungy crescendo, while "Dance" is sweet and forlorn. Of course, the hits are here, too, though "Cars" is delivered so jauntily it loses its sense of melancholic isolation. But that's a minor disappointment given the otherwise high quality of this electro feast.--Dominic Wills