Customer Reviews

6pm

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Honesty demands an admission right up front: Phil Manzanera's many strengths do not include his songwriting. The songs here, if performed by any other band, would make for a 2- or 3-star, ho-hum disc. However, Manzanera's creative guitar work and this incredible band make this CD noteworthy. He gets extra credit for having David Gilmour on the album: how many guitarists' egos are so well in check that they would allow their playing to stand next to Gilmour's? Also Brian Eno, Paul Thompson, Chrissie Hynde, Bill MacCormick, Andy MacKay, Robert Wyatt....I mean, this is the best of Roxy Music brought back together, with extras thrown in on top! So while these songs will never stack up against those on Eno's wonderful "Here Come the Warm Jets" or "Another Green World", it is a very good disc nonetheless, and I consider this to be money well-spent.

This import only is a must have for fans of Phil and his branch of the Roxy/ Eno family tree. This is a great album. Touching, retro, beautifully thought out and played. Many wonderful guests and highlight performances. Nice to hear Chrissie Hynde add her vocal and harmonica touches to several great songs. Manzanera has created an album that could easily have been made in 1970. Great splashes of aural color from Robert Wyatt, David Gilmore, Andy Mackay, "the great Paul Thompson" and Eno. Even Bill MacCormack adds a beautiful bass solo on the late Ian MacDonald tribute, the gorgeous "Wish You Well". Progressive fans take note: this one is easily in the top three albums of 2004. It would have been the same thirty years ago. I cannot praise this one enough. Magnificent.

This is a wonderful CD! In his 6th solo release Roxy Music's lead guitarist has returned to his formative years, London in the late 1960's, and it is richly evocative of that period. Considerable care, effort and craftsmanship went into this work.

Manzanera assembled a stellar cast of musicians for this project, including David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), Brian Eno (everywhere), Robert Wyatt (Soft Machine), Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson of Roxy Music, and even Bill MacCormick of 801 returns on bass. They are joined by several others (the mix of musicians varies from song to song).

The songs vary as much as the performers. Sometimes you can hear the influence and stylings of his early solo work, the 801 band, Roxy Music, Soft Machine, the Beatles, and Pink Floyd (Phil co-wrote "One Slip" on their "Momentary Lapse of Reason" CD).

From the spacey "Broken Dreams" it moves into the in-your-face full-bodied rocker "Green Spikey Cactus" which just cooks with Chrissie's harmonica, Andy's screaming sax, Paul's drums and Phil's edgy treated vocals. "Love Devotion" is a heartfelt love song, with Andy's oboe wafting through a rich Beatles-esque orchestration. "Wish You Well" is a warm touching tribute to the late Ian MacDonald, performed by Ian's friends and including a bass solo by his brother Bill MacCormick. Phil tears into the guitar on the song "6PM" and then settles down in "Waiting For The Sun To Shine" which features Eno's treatments and Andy's sax. The first part of the CD closes with "Manzra," an abstract piece with Phil, Eno, piano and bass. The second part of the CD is a collection of 5 songs called "The Cissbury Ring." The first song of the same name features Wyatt on drums and trumpet and a guitar solo with dissonance that is classic Manzanera. "Porlock" is a short spacey trumpet piece, leading into "Shoreline" with its ominous lyrics and haunting oboe. Gilmour joins in on the sensitive "Always You" and then again on the closing song (my favorite) "Sacred Days" which finds Manzanera and Gilmour trading guitar licks in a catchy rocker (I hope they will collaborate again - a CD of them together could be amazing!).

A carefully crafted studio piece, this CD deserves a listen with headphones - it is richly laden with textures and layers of sound, and full of sonic surprises.

At Manzanera's website can be found numerous 6PM rave reviews from the media, including descriptions such as: ambitious, inventive, innovative, playfully evocative, fresh and full of wit and zest, funky, eclectic, beautifully sequenced, and infused with a trippy psychedelia. Comments include: "this is a fresh and dynamic set, full of rich playing and interesting lyricism" (Leicester Mercury), "a massive mix of good songs, prog sounds and magnificent music, this is one of the rock albums of the year" (Lancashire Evening Post), "gloriously textured album which is both inspirational and enjoyable" (Daily Record), "the most assured work of his solo career" (Independent), "quite a trip" (What's On), "a fresh and dynamic set, full of rich playing and interesting lyricism" (Leicester Mercury), and my favorite "6PM is a dream in a plastic case" (Classic Rock).

Even the packaging of this CD is generous - a trifold digipak case with diecut cover revealing a colorful 12-page booklet complete with lyrics and photos.

Phil is known for his creativity and wide range of undertakings, and he has gone all out here to share his obvious love of the music of this period with the listener. You can tell they all had fun putting it together, and the quality of the finished product reflects the effort and love that went into it. It is an aural delight.

Phil Manzanera, 6pm
4 stars (EXP)

Dave Simpson
Friday July 23, 2004

The Guardian

Although the recent Roxy Music reunion never made it to the studio, various members continue to work together.
Following Bryan Ferry's 90s coupling with Brian Eno, guitarist Manzanera's sixth solo album reunites Eno, saxophonist Andy Mackay and drummer Paul Thompson. Manzanera has a curiously Syd Barrett-like vocal and the occasional presence of Pink Floyd's David Gilmour adds to a sense of Roxy colliding with Floyd plus 801, Eno and Manzanera's short-lived but marvellous 70s supergroup.

Even given the track records, the songs are surprisingly strong, from the hazily psychedelic Broken Dreams or Love Devotion, which sounds like Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon being blasted in outer space. Mackay delivers trademark sax and oboe; Eno contributes gadgetry and synth squiggles.

But the album hurls in surprises, from Always You's space-love ballad to Wish You Well, a touching tribute to late rock writer Ian MacDonald. The chemistry here suggests that if Roxy have considered making another album, they should grasp the nettle now.

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

Phil mentions in the liner notes: "6PM is my sixth solo album but unconsciously it seems to be allied to my first 'Diamond Head' (1975). A lot of the same people play on it and the inspiration seems to come from the '60s."

Oh what a band it is, too -- Brian Eno, Robert Wyatt, Bill MacCormick, Andy Mackay, Chrissie Hynde, Paul Thompson, Jamie Johnson... plus David Gilmour! Like, wow.

As with 'Diamond Head' the songs are hummable and intelligent, accessible but challenging, very accomplished without becoming overproduced. There is a loose fluidity to most of them which only comes from true masters at ease with their craft. In the 30 years between "Diamond Head' and '6PM' these musicians have lost nothing and remain at the top of their game.

In a perfect world the radio would beam pop music of this calibre -- and Phil & his mates wouldn't be heard from so damn infrequently!!

Hearing Diamond Head 30 years back was a revelation - here we go again! 6PM shows how serious musicians grow, develop and then transcend genres. This is not 'prog rock' but where rock is (or should be). These people have had a relentless pursuit of rock & roll perfection for their entire careers, and it shows. The playing is, of course, superb. The writing is very mature - concise, insightful lyrics that say more and have more effect on the emotions than many paragraphs (kind of like a Miles Davis solo - less notes, more feeling). I find no flaw with this offering, and am more convinced of that with every listen. To be fair, I don't know if a lifelong pursuit of Phil M, Eno, et al makes a difference. So I played it for my astute 15 year old daughter who found it immediately accessible and worth a further listen - says a lot considering the state of popular music! The packaging is what you should get for the money and only serves to make the album a complete whole - kind of a 'mini installation' for those of us who see this as art. If you were to buy only one CD this year, this it. And oh yeah - like us lifelong fans, these guys are getting old. You'll love the photos!

Phil Manzanera, a master performer who as already accomplished a legacy of work, demonstrates a retro excitement in composition and performance. A world class work augmented by world class performers. The magnificence of each piece is each more impressive as you go. A work of art that deserves more recognition than it will ever get in today's commercialized music industry.

If you're on this page, then you know who Phil Manzanera is. All I can say is if you're a fan of Phil, Roxy, or just damn well written and produced songs in the vein of Floyd, 10cc, Roxy, et al: buy this album.

I rarely if ever listen to music like this. I prefer deep dark dub house. But this album just blows me away. Very well done.

I've had the CD for about two weeks now and have listened to it more than 20 times. With each listen it grows on you and having most of his fellow X-Roxy Music members playing along on various tunes only enhances the music. Even David Gilmour, Robert Wyatt, & Chrissie Hynde contribute on select songs and it's a pleasure to hear Phil's spacey leads on a few of the cuts. Not sure why it's so expensive so I bought a used copy for 1/2 the price and it is worth its purchase price.

You can tell Phil's getting older, as are most of his bandmates. The music on this disc lacks energy and cohesion. Compared to Diamond Head, Southern Cross or Impossible Guitar, 6PM is a snoozer. I can't pick a standout track because there are none. The guitar work is disappointingly pedestrian compared to his usual innovative standard. Even the sit-in with David Gilmour falls flat (then again, he's getting old too). I would try to check out a couple of MP3s on amazon or iTunes before I considered getting the whole disc. Old musicians never die, they just fade away...