Machine And Soul

''Machine + Soul'' is the eleventh solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released in 1992. It was a low point, released primarily to help pay off debt, and was the last of his efforts to make his music more radio-friendly. His subsequent work went in the much darker and more industrial direction that would revive his career.

Numan's two previous studio albums, 1988's ''Metal Rhythm'' and 1991's '' Outland'', had been released through IRS Records. However, Numan's relationship with that label had become strained, leading to his quitting IRS and reactivating his own label, Numa Records, on which he had released his work from 1984 until 1986. He continued to release albums on that label, before closing it down permanently after ''Sacrifice'' (1994).

Overview

Musically, ''Machine + Soul'' continued the synth-rock/funk style of ''Metal Rhythm'' and ''Outland''; in fact, the two Prince covers, " U Got the Look" and "1999" (the latter of which was relegated to B-side status), were recorded during the ''Outland'' sessions and at one point were set for inclusion on that album. Like ''Outland'', ''Machine + Soul'' features movie vocal samples (for example, a line from '' Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' can be heard at the beginning of the album). However, Numan strove for a much more commercial sound with ''Machine + Soul'', influenced by the work of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis as well as by Prince. A decade after ''Machine + Souls release, Numan had little difficulty describing his feelings for the album:

Numan stated that reflecting on the album and its reception almost convinced him to retire from the music industry altogether.

Numan later said that in 1993, "Nothing was right...That music, those clothes, that haircut. Imagine falling off a ship in the ocean, knowing if you stop swimming you're finished. That's what I was doing then. I was trying not to die."interview in ''Uncut'' #130 (March 2008), p. 21

''Machine + Soul'' peaked at No. 42 on the UK Albums Chart. Three singles were released from the album: "Emotion", which did not chart; "The Skin Game", which peaked at No. 68; and the title track, which peaked at No. 72.

Over a year after the album's release, Numan embarked on the 14-date "Dream Corrosion Tour" of October–November 1993, from which the live album '' Dream Corrosion'' was released. Recorded at the Hammersmith Apollo, London on 6 November 1993, and released in August 1994, ''Dream Corrosion'' reached only #86 on the UK Album charts, however, it has been cited as the template with which Numan relaunched his career, preparing him for his return-to-form studio album ''Sacrifice'' in 1994. With ''Sacrifice'', Numan dispensed with the dance rhythms and female backing vocals, in favour of a back-to-basics approach, more introspective lyrics, and a darker musical sound.

Three songs from ''Machine + Soul'' (the title track, "Emotion" and "U Got the Look") were included on the 1996 remix album, ''Techno Army featuring Gary Numan''.

''Machine + Soul'' was reissued in 1998 in the US and 1999 in the UK. The album's original sleeve was discarded for both releases. Both editions featured entirely new covers, utilizing photographs from Numan's ''Metal Rhythm'' era.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Gary Numan except where noted.

All timings are approximate and will vary slightly with different equipment.

1992 Numa CD release (NUMACD 1009)

1993 Numa 'Extended' CD release (NUMACDX 1009)

1999 Cleopatra U.S. CD reissue (CLP 0541-2)

1999 Eagle Records UK CD reissue (EAMCD075)

Notes

* "Wonder Eye" and "Cry Baby" are demo versions of "I Wonder" and "Cry", respectively.
* Some pressings of both the Numa CD releases (those that state on the inner rim 'Made in the UK by PDO') suffered from CD rot.
* Initial pressings of the Numa 'Extended' release omitted the four bonus tracks, despite their titles being listed on the inserts and CD. This pressing was soon withdrawn.

Personnel

* Gary Numan – vocals, keyboards, guitar
* Kipper – guitars, keyboards on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9
* Mike Smith – keyboards on tracks 1, 3, 6, 7, 8
* Keith Beauvais – guitars on tracks 3, 7, 8
* Ade Orange – keyboards on track 3
* Susie Webb – backing vocals on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 ,6 ,9
* Zoe Nicholas – backing vocals on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9
* Jackie Rawe – backing vocals on tracks 3, 7
* Cathy Odgen – backing vocals on track 8

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Machine + Soul
Gary Numan albums
1992 albums
Albums produced by Kipper (musician)