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Gary Numan (Performing Telekon), The Forum, London

  • Published in Live

Gary Numan is a true artist: conductor, musician and instrument; a triptych much like the three albums from the Machine section of Numan’s career (1979-80); tonight, Telekon, of which I am the lucky spectator. I don’t know quite what to expect from him, but as his silhouette approaches centre-stage, haloed by primary-coloured light, my hairs stand to attention, automaton-like.

There is a chemistry between the man and his flock of “Numanoids” with reciprocal love in word and action; everyone’s in black but no one is mourning. The audience are the congregation and Numan is a God. He has an eccentric gracefulness and strong but pared theatricality, presence, power and talent in the correct quantities. An auteur, he knows where everything should be and can be spotted mimicking the conductor he clearly is.

His voice is well-preserved, leading me to think he moisturises his vocal chords daily by drinking olive oil. He is able to hit his unique soprano, alto and tenor range as well as on record. And contrary to the static, robotic and brooding image implanted within my head, he spends the show looking chuffed which is surprising and delightful – you can tell he’s really enjoying himself and it fertilises the audiences’ own enjoyment.

The lighting is Numan’s spectacular backdrop, colleague and creation, often so in synch as to fit the beat of the given song, and its enrapturing. It fits so well and is nuanced to make him sometimes imposing and at others it’s just like the Aurora Borealis tumbled down and went on a bender to Kentish Town.

‘This Wreckage’ is just awesome live. Although of course heavy on the synth, there are other flavours, making the night feel like a very satisfyingly balanced meal: classical ‘Please Push No More’/’The Joy Circuit’ and funk, too (‘Remember I Was Vapour’). ‘Are Friends Electric?’ is anthemic and no one is silent. ‘Cars’ is a personal high point and I thank my lucky stars (and National Express, ironically, for getting me here). 

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The Hot Five - July #4

  • Published in Columns

The Hot Five – My favourite new tracks of the week, usually rounded off with a classic, obscure or alternate track from my music collection.

Track of the week: Karen O – ‘Rapt’

It will be interesting to see how Karen O gets on without her fellow Yeah Yeah Yeah’s bandmates as she releases her first ever solo album. The early signs are good, ‘Rapt’ was released on Monday, and the lo-fi, stripped back nature of the song separates it from more recent Yeah Yeah Yeah’s material, giving it a new and unique personality that is perfectly graced with the instantly recognisable vocal of Karen O. Karen O’s debut album, Crush Songs, will be released on September 8 via Julian CasablancasCult Records.

Children – ‘Cut’

“Do you remember when the summer holidays seemed endless? Spending hours by the sea, surrounded by friends, the ice cream in hand...”

This is ‘Cut’, Berlin electro-indie outfit Children’s “ode to all beautiful summers”. Put your headphones on and turn up the volume, you’ll get lost in the beautifully atmospheric nature of the song. Children have developed a very current sound; it’s cleverly minimalistic, with subtle vocal harmonies and rhythmic interest that makes ‘Cut’ a very stimulating listen. Children are currently raising money to release their new album, Leaving Home, which is due to be released on September 5.

 

Gary Numan – ‘I am Dust’

The introspective nature of Gary Numan’s last album, Splinter (Songs from A Broken Mind), made it a challenging yet rewarding listen. ‘I Am Dust’ is the latest single from that album, and it has just been released alongside a new music video directed by IAMX. The industrial, aggressive nature of the song is certainly evocative, and the heavy chordal stabs work well with Numan’s softer vocal presence to create a complex piece that has been cleverly put together. Gary Numan headlines the Hammersmith Apollo on 28 November, where special guests Gang Of Four have just been confirmed as support.

Tiny Ruins – ‘Me At The Museum, You In The Wintergardens’

New Zealand folk act Tiny Ruins was formed as a solo project in 2009 by songwriter Hollie Fullbrook, and was expanded to include bassist Cass Basil and drummer Alexander Freer. The band released their second album, Brightly Painted One, in May 2014, and the video for their latest single was filmed and edited by Neil Finn during the European leg of their world tour this summer. ‘Me At The Museum, You In The Wintergardens’ is a fantastic example of easy listening, with the relaxing, velvety vocal of Hollie Fullbrook floating over the top of plucked acoustic guitar and string parts. Tiny Ruins will return to the UK in September for a number of headline shows and festival dates.

Hidden track of the week: Elbow – ‘Switching Off’

I forget if I’ve featured Elbow’s ‘Switching Off’ as The Hot Five’s hidden track before, but if I have I think it’s worth posting again! News broke on Monday of a solo project by Elbow frontman Guy Garvey, so this is a celebration of that news. Of the solo album, which will start recording at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in the near future, Garvey said: “I fancy being the boss for a bit, so I'm going to do a side-project. It will either be great, and a right laugh, or a disaster, and a right laugh."

 ‘Switching Off’ was released on Elbow’s second album, Cast Of Thousands, in 2003.

You can follow Tom on twitter @tom_fake

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