Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ahead of it's time, March 29, 2003
General knowledge of Gary Numan by the average listener is either based in his success in the late 70's and early 80's with his trademark wall of analouge sound made up of warm, heavy, thick sounds from Moogs and other such synths, paired up with a drone, dead pan vocal that sounded as mechanical as the music it accompanied. If not that, then the resurgance of interest that accompanied his 1997 album 'Exile' where tribute albums were launched and prominent acts such as Trent Reznor and Marylon Manson name checked him as a crucial ingrediant to they're own creative process.Berserker, as a complte work is astounding. And held against even the best known acts of the time, This is an extremely mature album for a 24 year old to write. The title track could be released today and sound as fresh as it did then. It's a very well constructed piece that burns from the first chord, then completley slows up, expands, and then takes off again. I first heard this track in 1992 and it was the only song in a long time that actually had me smiling from ear to ear as I left my cd player on 'repeat' for nearly an hour. As for the rest of the disc, "This is New Love" is something you just have to hear from yourself. It's both cohesive and experimental at the same time, quite likely my favorite cut, and trust me, you have never heard anything quite like it. The 30 second clip you can hear on here does no justice. Other Highlights are "Cold Warning" That fuses violin and thick synths in an impressive mixture and "My Dying Machine" which musically is on rails and doesn't deviate much from it's frame, but still very driving and a nice rush. Lastly, the beautifully haunting "A CHild with the Ghost". Outside of the beatles "A day in the life", Bushs' "Letting the cables sleep" and Nine inch nails "Hurt", this is the most beautiful song I've ever heard. That song alone justifies having "Berserker" in your musical arsenal. Berserker is atmosphere over flash and one of those rare gems that actually create a mood rather than something that's mindless and over in 3 minutes. This album, good or bad, will leave an impression and THAT is the true mark of a great piece of work. There are 3 versions avalible of this release, 2 of which feature bonus tracks ( b sides from relevant singles ) and gives you the whole package of recordings from these sessions. There is also, avalible from Numans own web site, an extended version that features longer versions of 6 of the 9 original tracks. Sadly no b sides but the extra 2 minutes of these songs your ears will thank you for. Though Numan is clearly not for everyone, neither are any artists who really are innovative and are usually given acceptance once the rest of the world catches up with them.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Polished and Driving, January 18, 2003
I have every one of Gary Numan's studio albums, so that should warn the reader about my bias regarding this artist. There are so many high points during his career that it is difficult to single out one effort as his best, but Beserker is unique among his outings. There is an impressive wall of sound from the title track, which invites the listener with the beguiling "Do you want to come with me now." A chorus of innocent-sounding women intone that they question everything, and indeed Numan creates an interesting tension between lyrics that express alienation and self-doubt with music that is precise and virtuosic. "This is New Love" is spectacular. Frankly, it's hard to describe, very driving, stick bass and numerous changes of instrumentation and rhythm. The bass line of "The Secret" recalls earlier, mechanistic Numan rhythms, and the song features a soaring electric guitar line. The words are compelling here: "We'll show you religion, we'll show you a new God, we'll show you the secret of love." By the end of the song, the secret revealed is that of fear. "My Dying Machine" is the culminating point of the album, and feature some of my favorite Numan lyrics: "No more questions, no more answers, all that is left is the fear. Why give orders? Why give speeches? Give me a reason to die. I've no plan to run. I've no plan to hide." And this is embedded in one of his best dance songs ever. Just delightful, and again that devious interplay of celebratory melody and dark themes, but in this song, optimism seems to gain the upper hand. "Cold Warning" presents a stark contrast to the complex percussion of "My Dying Machine," opening with a lonely-sounding fiddle. It is another very danceable tune, less manic and much darker. "Pump it Up" provides a lighter relief, a lively and fun song. "The God Film" is a slower interlude that leads to "A Child with the Ghost," a mournful and atmospheric elegy. The original vinyl album ended with "The Hunter," an excellent rocker. Just as the record opened appropriately with an invitation, this song bids the listener farewell: "Now I know it's all over." The CD re-release includes five bonus tracks, some of which are excellent. "Empty Bed, Empty Heart" is a bluesy, slow complaint, nice and atmospheric. "Here Am I" is also a very deliberately paced song, much better than the first bonus track, even if it is not related thematically to "Beserker." "She Cries" is a real gem, reminiscent of the mood and sound from "Dance." "Rumour" is also excellent, even if the sound is a bit distorted. It's worth some fuzziness to hear another example of Numan when he's moving and lyrical. The last bonus track is a bit of a throw-away, but who's complaining after such a great collection of songs?
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
His Tour De Force, October 17, 2001
Yes it has to be Berserker. This was his last truly great album and i will be very unpopular with many of his fans i know. Following on from the excellent "Warriors" and "I,Assassin" of the previous years this was his masterpeice. I have an eternal argument with a colleague at work on when was his finest hour. He thinks it is the 1980 "Telekon" - and there were some outstanding tracks like "I Dream Of Wires" and "Remind Me To Smile". But for sheer completeness it has to be Berserker. I think you have to appreciate also that Numan's popularity was on the wane in 1984. The singles released from Berserker did not set the charts on fire and appearance with Leo Sayer did little to enhance his talent.Also, his friend Paul Gardiner who played bass with the Tubeway Army died of a heroin overdose close to the Berserker sessions. This bereavement had a massive effect on the album - alienation, angst and atheism abound. Yet out of this comes outstanding music. From the blistering title track to the end he is on top form. The complete fusion of electronic bass,synthesizer funk, and cracking percussion. Outstanding tracks are "This Is New Love" (all of 8.45 minutes long), "The Secret"(why this track was never released as a single beggars belief),"Pump It Up" and "The Child With The Ghost". This album was before Numan consumed his music with heavier basslines which snuffed out his synthesizer genius of earlier work. Later work did not have that certain "Je ne sais quoi" you could say. Here he achieved a balance which was nearly there on Warriors but superbly defined on Berserker.
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