This reissue of Tubeway Army's seminal work is welcome because it spotlights the underrated vision and talent of Gary Numan.Amongst the first of the new wavers to see the potential of the synthsiser as a valid pop instrument, Numan went about constructing a fine album of futuristic pop that was both in tune with its aggressive times,and crucially,gave pretty much the first hints at a direction pop music would take in the next decade.

Both bleak,and foreboding,Replicas was an important album in establishing a new musical order,that two years earlier would have been unthinkable.Without Numan's breakthrough album,synthesised music may never have become such a huge musical influence,and the impact of "Are Friends Electric" as a massive number one single in 1979 still resonates in popular music today.

This reissue updates the original album by adding a full disc of demos that in some way retain the spirit of Numan's vision better than the finished product["When The Machines Rock" has a vocal missing from the Replicas version, giving the song a considerably different atmosphere,and the previously non album "We Have A Technical" was good enough for the final cut,but presumably left off for timing reasons].These demo tracks suggest Numan had plenty of ideas,and their rawer edge means they form the perfect missing link between the first Tubeway Army album,and Replicas.

Gary Numan would confirm that his success was no fluke with two fine follow up albums in the next two years,but it was Replicas that opened the gates to the final acceptance of the synthesiser as a valid pop instrument.

This is the record that when purchased originally on vinyl in 1979 introduced people like myself to electronic music. Numan took the blueprint from bands like Kraftwerk, early Ultravox(!), and the Bowie trilogy of albums that heavily featured Brian Eno and came up with something that was undoubtably his own.
Highlights are too many to mention although most people would recognise "Are "Friends" Electric?" (still probably the most original number 1 single ever). Personal favourite is the instrumental "I Nearly Married A Human" (which on this reissue exists as three versions, version 2 was originally on the b side of "Down In The Park" 12 inch).The track reminds this reviewer of the second side of Bowie's "Low" album, particularly the synthetics of the track "Warszawa".
The second disc heavily shows the wealth of ideas that Numan had at his disposal at the time. Effectively containing a different version of the entire "Replicas" album, its not only for the fans but it stands up in its own right (how did "We Have A Technical" miss the original album?)
Finally, a mention for the excellent sonic quality of this remaster- Its punchy, rich and comes up as freshly minted. In fact it wears its age supremely well so this will please anorak hi-fi lovers (like myself) everywhere.
Could we now have a similar treatment for Numan's solo "Pleasure Principle" and "Telekon" please?

Theres not much to say about this release,to celebrate 30yrs of Mr Numan except YOU HAVE TO BUY THIS, IT IS ONE OF MUSIC'S HIDDEN GEMS.I bought the album back in 1979,and it has never lost it's appeal to me,it was so different back then and even now it still feels fresh.This release has the original plus extras (Demo's/Early versions)and it's the extras that show you how raw sounding early electronic music was compared to today,but this is it's charm.Replicas should be up there with the all time great albums.

Quite an important landmark album is REPLICA'S. Despite not being the first to take synth's into the pop world.
It's stark and icy in it's sound. It's quite a jump in music direction from his punk guitar root's. I do like the idea of including the early version of the album (disc 2) with the original release album.
I was expecting a very raw sounding version of REPLICA'S. Some of the arrangement's do work well. What part's were replaced by guitar were done on synth's.
There is some interesting sleeve notes about the development of Gary Numan's evolving creativity.

As an 80s kid I loved my synthy stuff so I loved Ultravox, Visage, Art of Noise, Human League etc. Of course, I heard Cars and Are Friends Electric by Numan at the time and liked them. But that was that - I never got or heard his albums and neither did my friends.

Roll on 25 years or so...my brother played me a track of this synth compilation - one of the tracks was 'Praying to the Aliens' by Gary Numan. This one grew on me and my brother. So I downloaded Replicas....and then the Gary Numan addiction started! Needless to say, I bought Pleasure Principle, Replicas and Telekon soon after.

What can I say? I dont like these because of nostalgia etc - Ive only been listening to these albums for about six months now! (non-stop I hasten to add!). Pleasure Principle is my favourite (just) with Replicas and Telekon a close second and third (dont underestimate Telekon - it really grows on you!). I couldnt name a favourite track only to say that dont think Gary Numan is a two-hit wonder (Cars and Are Friends Electric?) because he is definitely not. I would say that Im not so keen on his new stuff though as its a bit industrial for me.

If you like the old 80s synth stuff, if you like House, if you like weird electronic stuff - you NEED these three albums. Its as simple as that. If you think that all these oh-so-dull modern indie/rock bands are getting too much give these a go - you might like them, you might love them!

Also - dont forget the Pleasure Principle tour at the end of the year, Ive got my tickets already!