Customer Reviews

Little Kix

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

 

 

Mansun have never exactly gone along with other fashion trends. In 97 they released there debut album "Attack of the Grey Lantern" an album of astonishing confidence that dealt with subjects like stripping vicars, chickens and characters named Egg Shaped Fred. It astonished everybody by going into the UK charts at number one. How do they follow this up in 1998? With possibly the most deranged act of genius to ever come out of British music. "Six" was the album, a 70 minute opus that fused together about a hundred different ideas into onecrazed masterpiece. If you are looking for raw creativity forget "OK Computer" because Mansun make Radiohead look like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. While other groups remained content in recycling the same old garbage Mansun hauled former Dr. Who star Tom Baker into the studio and got him to read poetry about Brian Jones' death over a harpsichord track. This all going on while an opera star performs as well. Granted, this may not be for everyone but at least nobody could ever argue that Mansun are not creative.

"Little Kix," the groups third album sees the group coming down to earth and returning to a more conventional song-writing style. By conventional I mean that most of the songs here follow the verse, bridge, chorus method of song writing. Even while writing "normal" songs Mansun still prove that they are better than everybody.

"Butterfly (A New Beginning)" begins the album in fine style. The song is a slow spiritual song that seems to be hinting at things to come. Then we arrive at comeback single "I Can Only Dissapoint You," a supposed love song that still manages to chuck out lines like: "Tonight, I found a gun in my hand/Tonight, with piggies scrolled on your wall/Tonight, her note said better off dead/Tonight, the earth has never moved for me since." The song is wonderfully self-depprecating and has the most atmosphere on the album.

There are absolutely no tracks here that bog down the album. "Electric Man," the second single, moves along beautifully and is also the poppiest song on the album. Who would have guessed that the same group who sang about murder merely two tracks earlier are now dispensing lines like "Bring your sunshine to me." If you've heard "Head Music" by Suede do you remember how out of place "She's in Fashion" sounded? "Electric Man" has the same type of effect, a glorious pop song in the middle of more romantic surroundings. "Love is..." is a strange Jamiroquai-esque track. Perhaps the only thing Mansun have ever done that can truly be described as funky. "Fool" is a another track that wallows in self-pitty but is all the better for it. "Soundtrack 4 2 Lovers" is a massive, epic rocker. This song truly seems to sum up the romantic sentiments of the album. "Soundtrack" would not be the same without the string section which add a luscious feeling that Richard Ashcroft didn't even come close to having on his last album. "Until the Next Life" is another slow burner that is just great.

The last two tracks are both very interesting. "We Are the Boys" is a slow, anthemic ballad that annoys at first but gets better with each listen. Closer "Goodbye" is simply tremendous. It has an old school romantic sound to it, it seems like the type of song people would dance to at prom in the 1950's.

"Little Kix" is truly great. Mansun are so ahead of their peers creatively that it just isn't funny. If "Grey Lantern" was a journey through a fictitious town, "Six" was a paranoid trip, "Little Kix" is their romance album.

Different. That's the first word that springs to mind after first hearing Mansun's new album - 'Little Kix'. But that shouldn't surprise anyone who knows Mansun - they have always kept themselves different than anything else out there. Each of their previous albums has been different than the previous. This one is quieter, a lot more melodic than it's predecessors. The songs seem connected to each other as an entire piece of music other than standalone songs. I'm sure those already familiar with Mansun won't dare miss anything new the band produces. To those who don't know them well, this is a good place to start...

After recording "Six", inarguably the greatest album recorded in the 90's, the foursome sought out to write something completely different...a guitar-based pop album. And on the whole, it works. This album not only proves that Mansun can write something that everyone can sing along to, it proves the fact that they are the most dynamic, unpredictable, well-rounded band to emerge in the past five years.

Mansuns quality seems to be constantly improving. After Attack Of The Grey Lantern and Six i didnt think that Mansun would be able to improve on their past offerings, but they have proved me wrong, Little Kix has got to be one of the best offerings that Mansun has produced. Featuring the singles I Can Only Dissapoint You and Electric Man its easy to see that from these two tasters that they are at the peak of their career

Every song has a hook, and you can really feel the emotion in the slower tracks - in the lead singer's voice. Each song just reaches into you and pulls you into the music. It's an unstoppable force. It's Mansun.

Little Kix is Mansun's third and final studio album proper, and while it is indeed and excellent record in its own right, it's not as strong as Attack of the Grey Lantern or Six. That being said, it is still an excellent, majestic, and beautiful album. Gone are the ambitious song-suites-as-entire-album concepts that were the first two albums. Although most of the songs still segue together, this album focuses more on individual songs, and it has a wealth of goodies. Butterfly (A New Beginning) is a gorgeous opening track, fading in beautifully and wrapping you in its soaring beauty. Other great tracks on here include Electric Man, Soundtrack 4 2 Lovers, I Can Only Disappoint U, and Love Is. Fool is excellent as well. And the abrupt cut-off at the end of Goodbye is jarring and, in light of Mansun's abrupt split in late 2003, hautningly prescient. Great album.

Gone is the complexicity of their second cd.This is their best so far with superb melodies and hooks. The guitars are in the right mix position along with Paul's voice which sounds so confident and emotional at the same time.The lyrics are intelligent too.This third album by Mansun is trully magical.The future looks bright indeed.

Mansuns "Little Kix" sets itself apart from their previous efforts because it focuses in on a more romantic theme. Songs like "Soundtrack for 2 Lovers" and "Love is...." are lyrically good but at times may seem too sappy for the average listener. Longtime Mansun fans will appreciate this album because it does have some highlights such as the brilliant first single "I can only disappoint you" which is slightly reminiscent of "New Years Day" by U2. The first track "Butterfly...A New Beginning" has a slow build up and contains some great lyrics such as "Correcting all my faults with prescription medicine" and "So I go to work and smile, and Im happy with myself", which are more sarcastic than anything Radiohead has ever done. The second single "Electric Man" is an uplifting ballad and "We are the Boys" has a great chorus that would serve as a great pub song.

All in all "Little Kix" is a good album, but its just not something I would recommend to a first time Mansun listener. So if you have heard or own other Mansun material...then definitely invest in this. If you are new to Mansun...invest in "Attack of the Grey Lantern" or "Six" first. Both are tremendous musial accomplishments. Its hard for "Little Kix" to succeed their previous efforts...but "Little Kix" is still one of the better releases of the year.

The third album from the Chester three-piece comes as a slight change from the last two ambitious albums. Mansun appear to have found a new lyrical base and a more ballad-like sound.
Gone are the old familiar characters such as Mavis and Egg-shaped Fred, and this album is a far stretch from Mansun's claim of having only one love song. Lyrics on this album are about love, disappointment and forgiveness. They seem to have opted for a softer album this time around, with sweeping strings and emotional depth. Though, the sound is very much still Mansun. The recognisable electric guitar rock of the previous albums is still there, but the whole tone seems to have mellowed out somewhat. "Love is..." seems to be a good example of Paul Drapers new unguarded state of mind.
The album opens with the hypnotic song "Butterfly (a New Beginning)" which could easily be influenced by Bowie's 'Station to Station'.
Although, on the whole, a good album, it doesn't really compare to the last two albums. This one seems to be breaking no barriers but keeping in tune with the other new bands who do not want to break the commercial rules of what music should sound like.

While it is sacreligious to be a Mansun fan and not like Attack Of... I have to say that I just didn't like it, just didn't strike me. On the other hand Six blew me away (that incredible change from Inverse Midas to Anti-Everything) and for about a day was atop OK Computer but nothing really could ever top that, maybe. The came Little Kix which was quite a surprise because some songs are just great and some are terrible. Songs like "Soundtrack 4 2 Lovers", "Love is...", "Fool", "We are the boys" and "Goodbye" are fantasic in the Mansun sort of way. Personally "Soundtrack..." is something that will never get old to me, they used the strings perfectly unlike the stuttering and off kilter way Ashcroft used them on his debut. Those tracks are the best I believe but then again thats just my opinion.

The two songs that really irritate me are "Electric Man" and "Forgive Me". "Electric Man" sounds like Brett Andersen of Suede trying to write another "She's in Fashion" and heaven knows we don't need another song for models to walk down the runway to. The song isn't bad until the chrous and then you can see the marketing agency's running to buy the song, its that commercial! As for "Forgive Me" it sounds like a boyband should be singing and dancing to it, don't know what Draper was thinking. The others were just mediocre at best.

Overall its not too bad, just don't expect to be blown away or anything, its good Britpop and you can take that for what its worth. This is by no means anywhere close to Six but then again thats the point the boys are trying to make. I'd say to get it used but since the record company imbiciles didn't release in the states you probably have to get on import and pay the 22 bucks. If your a hardcore Mansun fan then get it but if not then start with Attack Of... even though I seem to be the only Mansun fan that doesn't like it too much, but thats me and you'll probably like it.