Search - manfred mann's earth band :: Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Neglected Masterpiece

Henry Zeno | Dallas | 12/11/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have the Polydor LP of this one (Polydor 5015), and the date on the back of the LP is 1972. Not too many folks know about it; most people remember Manfred Mann's '60s hits and their version of Springsteen's "Blinded by the Light." But "Manfred Mann's Earth Band" is a neglected masterpiece, one of those '70s albums that is neither stupid and populist nor stupid and "progressive." This is a skillful and sly melding of pop song and jazz, a very intelligent record indeed. They cover Randy Newman, Dylan and Dr. John, write some of their own, and get other tunes from god knows where--all great stuff. It sounds somewhat simplistic and square on first hearing, but then you begin to perceive what they're trying to do, which is partly cunning repetition on the order of the late Zombies, and partly a distanced take on conventional pop music pieties, sort of like Steely Dan. But it sounds like English rock and roll, just more intellectualized than usual. Very cool music indeed, and an essential part of anyone's collection of 1970s pop."

A sadly neglected masterpiece

Baron Elmo | Berkeley, California | 04/09/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Manfred Mann's 1972 debut lp with his Earth Band is an absolute stunner... one of those albums that, at times, leaves you breathless with wonder. Here Mann fused jazz with hard-hitting pop music to create something utterly new, an approach to rock sound that still sounds different today. But what makes this album truly great is the song selection. Mann and company came up with some incredible pieces of their own for the occasion--the gritty, near-gospel fervor of "Captain Bobby Scout," the quiet devastation of "Part Time Man," the playful swagger of "California Coastline." And when they don't write the songs themselves, they know where to go to find great ones... here you will encounter brilliant (and definitive) cover versions from the songbooks of Bob Dylan ("Please Mrs. Henry"), Dr. John ("Jump Sturdy") and Randy Newman ("Living Without You"). But the album failed to sell, and Mann moved on... sadly, never coming close to equalling this album again. Someday, "Manfred Mann's Earth Band," will be heralded as the work of genius we happy few already know it is."

One of the great lost albums of the 70's

JR Hercules | Somewheres, United States | 01/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A hard album to describe. Pounding, unorthodox cover versions of obscure tunes, a couple of moody, progressive instrumentals, and a pair of sardonic, piano-based folk-rock originals make up an lp that really can't be compared to anything else out there. Procol Harem's "A Salty Dog" from 1969 sort of comes to mind; but in the end, "Manfred Mann's Earth Band" is unique.



What the band does is this: Take whatever song they're playing, identify a potential riff or hook hiding somewhere within that song, and flog it and beat it mercilessly, repeating it over and over, until it simply can't be forgotten in the mind of the listener. Meanwhile, as hooks, riffs, or choruses are repeated, the rhythm section of Colin Pattenden and Chris Slade plays in a heavy, very straight to-the-bar, almost square fashion, as if they were jazz musicians being asked to play rock music for the first time. On top of all this, Mick Rogers' guitar and Manfred Mann's Moog synthesizer create unusual, spacey textures.



It sounds odd at first, not the type of thing one usually hears. But somehow it works.



And then there's Mann's pensive, subtle, and very clever composition "Part Time Man", a secret classic.



A great album."