Following two fantastic releases, "Diamond Head," his solo debut and "801 Live," the punk/prog masterpiece, Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera parlayed his new band 801 into a much bigger though not necessarily better project, the studio release "Listen Now."
All of the parts are there. The great drummers Dave Mattacks and Simon Phillips, Tim Finn & Eddie Rayner of Split Enz (who Manzanera would go on to produce), 5cc (Lol Creme & Kevin Godley), Roxy alum Brian Eno & Eddie Jobson, and of course Manzanera's nifty guitar work and unique musical mix that is equal parts rock, glam, funk, punk, classical, prog and jazz. (No really.) One problem--Simon Ainley, a lead vocalist with about as much flavor and pizzazz as a mouthful of beach sand.
On 1975's "Diamond Head," Manzanera handed vocal duties over to Brian Eno, John Wetton and Robert Wyatt, three very distinct voices. On "Listen Now," it's all up to Ainley, with the superior singers Godley, Creme, and Finn relegated to background. (Ol' Phil must have heard what we heard and bumped up Tim Finn to lead for the next record "K-Scope.")
Musically, there is a lot to get excited about on "Listen Now," yet it too often gets sabotaged by the drab stylings of Ainley. But not the first single, "Flight 19." Released 35 years ago, and I am pretty sure that's how long it's been since I heard it, "Flight 19" should have been a hit. Maybe even for 10cc or Split Enz.
4 comments:
"Flight 19" is a good one, otherwise, this was my Manzanera tipping point. I'm very fond of "Diamond Head", and loathed "Now Listen". I can't listen to "K-Scope" either.
Damn, I like that a lot! A very Eno flavor, which is explained by your comments...
And the guitar solo that comes in at the 2:40 mark is EXACTLY how I like a guitar to sound. Somewhere between that and Richard Lloyd, with some John McLaughlin mixed in, is my ideal.
Thanks for this tip... I need to get some of this.
Always loved this album - I heard it when I was in High School and thought it was all pretty fab - Ainley as well. I can't deal with K Scope or Diamond Head though ...
THanks for curating this gem!
Atlas
better late than...
was big manzanera fan...roxy, 801...loved diamond head...then he eventually lost me
tho his early gilmour-isms never surfaced more than on
this albums track "the falling feeling"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSU3y2AYWLs
of course manzanera later worked with gilmour
so the circle...
cheers
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