http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/images/B00000I7B2/sr=1-1/qid=1220891124/ref=dp_image_0/026-4471661-9028427?ie=UTF8&n=229816&s=music&qid=1220891124&sr=1-1">

 

 

There was much then to agree with the longer tunes going through several "movements". However, I felt the follow up Attack Of The Grey Lantern had distanced itself from this type of tune structure to more traditional indie pop/rock. To be honest, I only returned to Mansun 6 for the first time after 7 years this weekend, and reminded on 6's proggie moments. Comments please since perhaps there are some similarities with Muse????

You've got the release order of Grey Lantern and Six back to front:

 

Attack of the Grey Lantern (1997)

Six (1998)

Little Kix (2000)

 

They split-up in 2002 during the recording of their 4th, the material they'd recorded during those sessions was released in 2004 as part Kleptomania after a 4,000 signature petition on behalf of the fans was presented to the record company.

 

Grey Lantern was a huge hit on its release, knocking Blur from the No. 1 spot, its blend of britpop and indie shoe-gazing with gothic overtones and lavish production, coupled with narrative songs singled it out as being something removed from the Second-wave of Britpop they were associated with by the music press. If I were allowed 50 CDs to take onto a desert Island, then Grey Lantern would be one of them.

 

The follow-up, Six, wasn't quite so successful chart-wise (ironically, only reaching No. 6), but draws heavily from Prog with longer songs that chop and change tempo seemingly on a whim, extended instrumental breaks, an operatic interlude, narrative and oblique literary references that tie 60s cult tv program The Prisoner (No. 6, Schizoid Man) to the Marquis de Sade and Winnie the Pooh (Now We Are Six).

 

Paul Draper has just published a comprehensive and enlightening Blog to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Six on his Paul Draper/Mansun forum

 

http://www.ymlp190.com/msg.php?id=anekcixcbjy - 'Six' 10th Anniversary Blog (Side One)

http://www.ymlp190.com/msg.php?id=anekcixlkpn - 'Six' 10th Anniversary Blog (Side Two)

 

Little Kix is straight indie rock with shades of glam, and was a huge disappointment especially since it was produced by Hugh Padgham.

 

Mansun were one of the first modern band to re-discover the EP, releasing 14 of them throughout their career, where they included non-album tracks alongside the obligatory single.

 

In my opinion there wouldn't be Muse without Mansun; Radiohead were great admirers of the band; and (although I doubt there is any direct influence), listening to Six again this afternoon I was reminded of The Mars Volta in terms of compositional structure and lyrical phrasing.

 

Mansun Website: http://www.mansun.co.uk/ - http://www.mansun.co.uk/

Mansun Official MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/mansunspace - http://www.myspace.com/mansunspace (the six MySpace tunes change every week)

Paul Draper Official MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/pauldraperofficial - http://www.myspace.com/pauldraperofficial

 

 

The subject of Mansun has come-up on the forum several times over the years:

 

http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=434 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=434

http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16877 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16877

http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20558 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20558

http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=44733 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=44733

 

They were listed on the Bands to Add list back in 2004 ( http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=754&PN=1 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=754&PN=1 )

They have also been on the Band Admission Master List since it's inception (link for Collabs: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=27879&PID=2666626#2666626 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=27879&PID=2666626#2666626 )

 

On the strength of Six I think Mansun are worthy for inclusion on the site.

 

As I said in one of the other Mansun threads back in December of last year:

myself wrote: ...They were undoubtedly influenced by Prog and pull their influences from similar source material yet didn't fully resolve those influences: AotGL is a superbly vague concept that hints at greater things to come but stays within the confines of Pop; Six (which is a remarkable album) is a very experimental album, yet is not an entirely progressive in the accepted sense. I think they are Prog within the limitations of 1990s Indie - whether that is enough for inclusion in PA is something worth discussing.   Without question, Mansun were at the forefront of a movement that leads directly from Radiohead to Muse to the new Alternative/Progressive bands that are now emerging, (some of whom are being added to the PA).

 

...so they are borderline, (wherever the border lies ) - re-listening to Six this afternoon, my opinion of them has jumped to the Crossover side of the line. But I'd go with Prog Related if that was the team consensus.

 

ProGGnosis lists them as Prog - Sub-Genre Not Assigned

 

As Dick says, Six is the album to concentrate upon - it is the one that has the Progressive label attached to it in just about every review and article about them. Here is a link to a couple of highlights streamed on LastFM

 

Cancer - http://www.last.fm/music/Mansun/SIX+/Cancer - http://www.last.fm/music/Mansun/SIX+/Cancer  

Television - http://www.last.fm/music/Mansun/_/Television?autostart - http://www.last.fm/music/Mansun/_/Television?autostart  (listen to the guitar at 4:20ish )

Witness To A Murder (Part 2) - http://www.last.fm/music/Mansun/_/Witness+to+a+Murder+%28Part+Two - http://www.last.fm/music/Mansun/_/Witness+to+a+Murder+(Part+Two ) excerpt.

 

Try this  http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=mansun+prog&meta= - Google search and you'll get dozens of links where they are referred to as New Prog or Neo Prog, my favourite being in a review of Little Kix: "After the prog rock folly of Mansun's last album, Six, it's a relief to report that Paul Draper has rediscovered verses and choruses - and catchy ones"

 

 

A post thought. Anybody remember Kula Shaker from the late 90's? A Psychedelic outfit that released 3 albums and Mansun reminded me of them in someway. Also worth contemplating if not already been.