They can never disappoint you.. (Little Kix - Mansun)

Member Name: gissing

Product:	Little Kix - Mansun
Date:	14/08/00 (62 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Big, catchy, clever, wonderful

Disadvantages: not a thing

Well having got hold of this album before it was released I guess I have a head start on getting used to mansun's new sound. Yes, the chester mob have changed their image again, and moved from lush orchestral musings, to schizophrenic operatic rock, to carefully produced slices of pop. When I say carefully produced slices of pop, Im talking about the addictive hooklines of Fool, We are the Boys and Electric Man. In fact, Electric Man will no doubt have the whole country humming along to the sound that is Mansun. Although the hardcore fans may scoff at this simplistic, almost un-Mansun like song; they remain elclectic and prove that they can write hook lines as well as complex, progressive passages of rock angst (see Six).

A good two years since the last major release, the fan base will surely appreciate this new material, in whatever form it takes.

The band have recently returned from the melee that is the Summer-sonic event in Japan - probably home to the most ardent, and quite frankly scary mansun fans in the World.

In fact, the band are probably the most popular guitar led act out there right now.

Following on from the low key gigs recently and the like - the lads move onto V2000 with probably their most commercial release yet, and 'Epic, soulful, mournful rock' is how the band themselves describe it which sums it up perfectly.

Heres a rundown of the album, track by track:

BUTTERFLY (A NEW BEGINNING)


After 30 seconds of silence - almost deliberately to entice the listener to listen closer, and closer until the emotional bontempi strings kick in. "The beauty of the butterfly is that it turns into something new" Perhaps a
pointer to the new direction the band are taking. "Correcting all my faults / with prescription medicines" sounds awfully "Six" yet this track is totally unique and basically sums up where Mansun are at right now.


I CAN
ONLY DISSAPOINT U


Shamefully ignored by the general public and the radio pluggers, this track managed to get top 10 purely on fan base sales. This is shown by the rapid, almost obvious drop in the charts the follwing week. Featuring amazing guitar work from Chad, gorgeous vocals from Draper and great great production. This really kicks the album off, after the mournful reflective opener.


COMES AS NO SURPRISE

This track has a sort of aha feel to it. Dressed up in a post 2K angst and basically a vehicle for Paul's operatic falsetto vocal talents. Again, lyrically the band refer to love, about lost love, and mix quiet sections with metal chords and more fantastic production.

ELECTRIC MAN

"Bring your sunshine to me / You're so Electric, Man"
Hardly poet laureate time is it, but somehow a song so crude, simple and repetitive becomes *the* catchy singalong end of summer hit. Watch this *fly* into the top 10, even though its nowhere near Mansun at their inimitable best.

LOVE IS....

Named after those little pictures you get in american office supplies stores, this track is a direct contradiction to the "Mansuns Only Love Song" track from the first LP.
The lyrics printed below are surely enough for you to get the gist of this track:

'Love is essential, Love is powerful, Love is blind, Love is mine, Love is precious and it scares, Love will save us all, I've got to have it.'


SOUNDTRACK 4 2 LOVERS

An orchestral based track. One which wouldnt really be out of place on the first album. Hell, it basically sums up the first album. Self referential, always emotional, this track amazes me, yet seems to be butt of jokes amongst the NME/MM journos. Ignore their biased, narrow minded views and listen to the music.


FORGIVE ME

Almost raw from over-production. If that could be possible. I love this almost ironic p
roduction. Catchy, well written, this song shows Andie's drumming skills off really well. Altough a lot of the album is actually drum loops and sampled drums - when it comes to live performances, I know andie will be better than any sampling. More solo work on lead guitar, and another nugget of Mansun goodness.

UNTIL THE NEXT LIFE

Probably the best track on this new release... how Paul Draper is not recognised as the finest vocal talent in British Music I'll never know. Scaling the highest notes, keeping the listener hanging on every word is surely a gift. This track is lyrically interesting, totally enthralling and will not become tiresome with time.

FOOL

More radio friendly, cod-bowie stuff here - catchy again, an obvious selection of radio friendly hits to try and get them more mainstream exposure, in a sort of, dare I say it "Everything Must Go" style.


WE ARE THE BOYS

it didnt ought to work. Rather camp, silly lyrics, more than a shade of Queen, 'We are the boys / Boys have got feelings, too' indeed. yet simply brilliant - AGAIN

GOODBYE

A massive track, has a bit of everything in there, 50s, rock, you name it. An abrupt ending, swearing, spiraling out of control until they pull the plug. You know who is in control.


No more needs to be said. Purchase.

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