MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND
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<TheRubberCow@aol.com> (11.08.2002)
WOW! I can't believe someone is reviewing MMEB! I love this band, and I wish I could find more of them. (I live in the U.S.) This album rules and rocks. The quiet middle section/buildup of "Give Me the Good Earth" is brilliant, "Launching Place" is very majestic, "I'll Be Gone" pretty much fits your description, "Earth Hymn" and "Sky High" IMO are just as dark and powerful/atmospheric as any great Floyd song, and "Be Not Too Hard" is a masterpiece. Oh, and yes, that man can play Moog like no one I've heard. He kinda plays it like it's a guitar. Anyone who thinks keyboards have no balls should hear this album.
Bob Josef <Trfesok@aol.com> (23.02.2004)
Not owning any previous Earth Band albums, I can't speak to the charge of him repeating himself. That works to my advantage, though, since I can enjoy this album for what it is. I can say that it sounds to me quite a bit like ELP circa 72-73. However, ELP started to move away from their trademark sound after that, so I can live with this as a pretty good substitute. One advantage that they do have over ELP is that Mick Rogers was a much better lead guitarist than Greg Lake, and got to show that off more often.
I do enjoy the musicianship that they group shows here. The organ riff from "Fat Nelly" may sound indeed a lot like "Won't Get Fooled Again," but the difference between Mann and Townshend is that Manfred can actually play it live. Although it's not an amazingly well-written song -- that was never his strong suit. A big disagreement about "Visionary Mountains" (from Armatrading's first album, Whatever's for Us). That's a beautiful melody, and Mann makes it very haunting. I also have to go with "Spirits" as the best tune, though. Very dark, ethereal, again haunting. I do enjoy the original, but Mann transforms it into something more profound. The American LP release actually DID include a Dylan cover, too -- "Quit Low Your Low Down Ways." Very enjoyable, based around a rather funky Mick Rogers guitar line. The CD apparently also includes a single edit of "Spirits," but I haven't heard that.
Bob Josef <Trfesok@aol.com> (24.02.2004)
OK, so I am the average prog fan that enjoys this album. Sue me! Although it is much less complex than the last album, I don't find it as devoid of hooks as you do. I find a great deal of catchiness in all of the vocal numbers. And like it or not, I am swept up by the atmospherics of "Babylon" and "Singing the Dolphin Through"(written and recorded by Mike Heron for his Reputation album, originally.), although I do agree that the latter is stretched out a bit much. The two instrumental tracks are indeed simpler than before. "Waiter.." is really just a relatively easy 4-chord sequence (By the way, the title makes a bit more sense when you look at the album cover). I'm also not 100% happy with the guitar parts, either, especially since there are two replacements for Mick Rogers. Thompson actually plays rhythm, but Mann tapped a guy named Dave Flett for lead. He simply didn't have the chops that Rogers did. As for "Blinded..," it does have another of those catchy staccato riffs, and simplifies the original lyrics. But I'm convinced that it only made it to #1 because a lot of people thought that Thompson sings "..wrapped up like a douche.." instead of "deuce." I wasn't the only one who thought that, so don't think it's only me that has a dirty mind!
Warners evidently thought that none of the other songs were strong enough for a follow up single. So, they prevailed on Mann to cut a new version of "Spirits in the Night." It sounds to me like he just edited the N&B track and substituted Thompson's vocals for Mick's. It did make the Top 40 and was added to the LP, changing the cover to blue from pink. The CD has both it and the single edit of "Blinded.." and a pink cover again.Mike Shelley <shelley.m@att.net> (09.06.2004)
the roaring silence is the best album.chris thompson is the best on the roaring silence especially on 'blinded by the light' and nobody can do better than him .he rules.mmeb rules
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Knut Ramsrud <ramsrud@online.no> (20.08.2004)
If your opinion of Chris Thompson improves after hearing this album, it should be because of his outstanding vocals. Because singing is all mr. Thompson does here; at least he is only credited with vocals on the album sleeve. The guitars are played by one Steve Waller, who is also taking his share of vocals. To my knowledge, Chris Thompson never played lead guitar in in the Earth Band. The album is rather good, by the way. "Angels At My Gate" is creepy and catcy at the same time, and probably my favourite track. Honourable mentions to "Don't Kill It Carol", "Hollywood Town" and "Waiting For The Rain".
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