Jagged is the fifteenth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, his first original album in over five years, following Pure in 2000. Stylistically Jagged was a development of its predecessor's chorus-driven, anthemic industrial sound, utilising heavier electronics and more prominent live drumming. Although reaction to the new record was predominantly positive, critical opinion was more heavily divided than had been the case with the almost universal praise enjoyed by Pure. Reaching number 59 in the UK album charts, Jagged charted no higher than the earlier release, some commentators and fans regarding the long time between albums as a missed opportunity for consolidation in the wake of Pure's reception and the number 13 UK chart position attained by Numan's 2003 single with Rico, "Crazier". Jagged was the first album issued on Numan's own Mortal Records label, licensed to Cooking Vinyl. The US release, on Metropolis Records, included an alternate mix of "Fold" as a bonus track. In April Numan embarked on a tour of the UK, Europe and North America to promote the album.
Originally planned for a 2003 release, Jagged was finally issued in March 2006 after various delays that had resulted in adverse comments from a number of fans, to which Numan responded in kind on his website, NuWorld. He cited the birth of his two children after years of unsuccessful IVF attempts, issues with his former record company Artful, and trepidation at the prospect of producing a successful follow-up to the critically praised Pure as reasons for the delay.[3] Given the album's long gestation period, by the time it was released a number of the tracks had already been published in one form or another. "Haunted" began life as an instrumental on the 2002 compilation Exposure. "Halo" had been premiered in concert in 2003 as "Does God Bleed?", before being given a live DVD release in 2005, as had the title track.
Numan used more musicians on Jagged than on any of his releases for the past decade. The Sulpher team of Rob Holiday and Monti contributed to a number of tracks but, in the end, Numan took the finishing production touches out of their hands and completed the album with techno musician and DJ Ade Fenton. Guest performers included former Nine Inch Nails drummer Jerome Dillon, as well as Martin McCarrick from Therapy?, Siouxsie and the Banshees and other bands, and his wife Kimberlee. Long-time Numan collaborators Steve Harris, Richard Beasley and Andy Gray also played on the album.
The album sold far less than Pure and Exile, his last two albums released through Eagle Records. However Numan claimed this was down to the increasing number of illegal downloads, and stated Jagged on one site had 20,000 downloads of the album alone. The preceding US tour also saw lower numbers due to bad promotion of the album in the states.[citation needed]
Style
The opening song, "Pressure", featured Middle Eastern sounds coupled with lyrics that obliquely alluded to the impatience of fans for new product. Numan's vocal delivery on "Halo" recalled the dance-orientated style of his late-1980s work. "Haunted" utilised a guitar riff reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir". "In a Dark Place", released as a single and video in July 2006, was one of a number of tracks which continued the (literal) questioning of God common to Numan's three previous albums, Sacrifice (1994), Exile (1997) and Pure. Another track debunking religious beliefs was "Melt", with the lines "I know that Heaven is a burnt out shell / I know forgiveness is the door to Hell / I know confession is a black empty lie".
A number of reviewers noted ephemeral links between Jagged and Numan's classic work from the late 1970s and early 1980s,[2] though the composer himself claimed not to see such connections.[4] The final/title track, as well as featuring harshly whispered vocals in the style of Numan's 2002 hit "Rip", included in its coda an echo of the distinctive siren-like 'vox humana' Polymoog sound that characterised "Cars" and other songs on The Pleasure Principle (1979), and also appeared on the Andy Gray remix Pure's "A Prayer for the Unborn".
Martin McCarrick is an English cellist, keyboardist, guitarist and composer. Aside from being a live and recording artist, he is also a teacher and visiting lecturer in music.
Exile is the thirteenth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released in October 1997 by Eagle Records. Its release continued a critical upswing in Numan's career which began three years earlier with the release of Sacrifice, and which had been boosted by the release of the Random tribute album earlier in 1997.
Pure is the fourteenth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released in November 2000 by Eagle Records.
"Stormtrooper in Drag" is the debut single by Paul Gardiner, who was the bass player in Gary Numan's backing band. Numan is featured on the single as a co-composer, producer, musician and vocalist.
Clues is the sixth studio album by Robert Palmer, released in 1980. It has a rockier, new wave edge compared to his previous releases. The album peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart and No. 31 in the UK in 1980. The album also peaked at No. 1 in Sweden, No. 3 in France, No. 15 in the Netherlands and No. 42 in Italy. Donald Guarisco of AllMusic described Clues as "one of Robert Palmer's strongest and most consistent albums", despite being somewhat short at 31 minutes.
Berserker is the sixth solo studio album by English new wave musician Gary Numan, released on 9 November 1984, it was his first album to be released under Numan's own record label, Numa Records.
Strange Charm is the eighth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, originally released in November 1986, it was Numan's third release on his self-owned Numa Records label. The album was not released in the United States until 1999 when it was issued in a digitally remastered form with five bonus tracks by Cleopatra Records. In the same year it was also reissued with bonus tracks in the United Kingdom by Eagle Records.
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.
Outland is the tenth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released in March 1991. It was Numan's second and last studio album to be released by I.R.S. Records. It reached Number 39 on the UK charts. The songs "Heart" and "My World Storm" were released as singles; "Heart" charted at Number 43, while "My World Storm" eventually became a US-only promo single after a planned UK release was shelved due to the inner turmoil at the label around the release of the album. The latter however reached Number 46 on the US dance chart. The reaction to it was mixed with Q Magazine calling it 'repetitive and full of affectation'.
Metal Rhythm is the ninth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released in September 1988 by I.R.S. Records.
The Skin Mechanic is a live album released by British musician Gary Numan during his stint with IRS Records. The album was recorded in 1988 and released in 1989.
Dream Corrosion is a 1994 live album by the British electronic musician Gary Numan. It was recorded at the London Hammersmith Apollo on 6 November 1993, and was originally released under the Numa Records label.
Hybrid is a remix/cover album, consisting of songs by Gary Numan remixed by other artists, covers of Numan's early songs from his first three albums, plus three new tracks created specifically for the album. Hybrid was recorded in autumn of 2002 and released in March 2003 with a collaboration from various industrial rock/heavy rock musicians such as Rico, Sulpher and Alan Moulder. The album includes tracks originally found on the albums Tubeway Army, Replicas, The Pleasure Principle, Telekon, Sacrifice, Exile and Pure.
Dark Light is a live album by English musician Gary Numan. The album was released in June 1995 in the United Kingdom. The album was not released in the United States until August 1998. In April 2003 the album was remastered and reissued. The album was recorded at Numan's concert at Labatt's Hammersmith Apollo in London on 12 November 1994 during his Sacrifice Tour. The album reached number 107 on the UK Albums Chart.
The Complete John Peel Sessions is a CD collection of the radio sessions recorded by English musician Gary Numan for the Radio One DJ John Peel.
Dead Son Rising is the sixteenth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released on 15 September 2011 by Mortal Records.
Big Noise Transmission is a live album by English musician Gary Numan. The album was released in 2012 by Mortal Records and is a recording of Numan's December 2011 concert at The Ritz, Manchester.
Splinter (Songs from a Broken Mind) is the seventeenth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released on 9 October 2013 by Mortal Records and Cooking Vinyl. The album debuted at number twenty on the UK Albums Chart on sales of 6,187 copies, becoming Numan's highest-charting album since 1983's Warriors.
Savage (Songs from a Broken World) is the eighteenth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released on 15 September 2017 by BMG and The End. The album was first announced to be a part of a fan-backed Pledge Music Campaign on 12 November 2015. On 9 November 2018, a followup EP titled The Fallen was released. The EP features similar artwork to Savage, and it was intended to complement the album.
Intruder is the nineteenth studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released on 21 May 2021 by BMG and The End. It entered UK Albums Chart at number two, on 28 May 2021.
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