Mainstream [Import]

Phil Manzanera | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Expression
• ASIN: B000025ARY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,221 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Working with Brian Eno, Manzanera returns to the prog-rock of Roxy Music's early '70s albums on Mainstream. While the album isn't as focused as some of Roxy or Manzanera's albums, it nevertheless has enough intriguing soundscapes and textures to make it worthwhile for afficianados.Virgin. 2005.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Manzanera at his Peak, March 20, 2010

By 

applewood (everywhere and nowhere) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Mainstream (Audio CD)

This recording from January 1975 is remarkable in that it was produced from the same sessions as Manzanera's first true solo album (DIAMOND HEAD). Somehow he managed to record two full (highly acclaimed) album's worth of music in that productive month with two largely different bands! The better known DIAMOND HEAD being all compositions he wrote or collaborated on (4 out of the 9 being instrumentals, including East Of Echo which included some of the QUIET SUN band). The more instrumental (only one song, Hayward's Rongwrong, out of 7 tracks) MAINSTREAM recording is different, more energetic, more experimental, more collaborative (writing credit is spread fairly evenly amongst all four main band members - Hayward, Jarrett, Manzanera and MacCormick), yet somehow ending up more consistent and unified sounding.

When I had this album in the late 70's I always thought it was from earlier in Manzanera's career (the confusion perhaps coming from the fact that QUIET SUN existed for awhile in 1970-71, before ROXY MUSIC, as well as from it's more powerful and fresh overall sound). DIAMOND HEAD was always my favorite solo recording of his, a nice mix of playful and polished, yet MAINSTREAM embodies the progressive era even better- excellent musicianship, creative exploration and carelessness for commercial reward. Perhaps the best, most balanced expression of all this came with the amazing Sept 3rd 1976 concert recording, 801 LIVE.

Nice to hear MAINSTREAM again, some really beautiful and often challenging music here, and to be able to get it at such a good price is a plus.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, albeit a little rough around the edges, March 4, 2011

By 

Jeffrey J.Park (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Mainstream (Audio CD)

This one-off album by Quiet Sun (1975) is a nice example of the Canterbury rock style, and I enjoyed it in spite of the fact that the compositions are not highly developed. In fact, the looseness of the recording is somewhat appealing.

Although the band apparently rehearsed beforehand, the tracks on the album were recorded in one take and it shows - there are a few "bum" notes here and there and some dodgy bits. However, the music is passionate, well-played, and presents a nice mixture of the spacey, minimalist side of Soft Machine, the looseness of Matching Mole, a little jazz rock, and some avant-garde experimentation. The album is nearly all instrumental with the exception of one track that has vocals - unfortunately, the vocals are a bit rough, though very charming in a Canterbury sort of way. I generally enjoyed the guitar playing by Phil Manzanera, the drumming (Charles Hayward), and the keyboard work (Dave Jarrett).

This 1999 reissue by Expression Records/Virgin is lacking and does not feature the original cover artwork. The CD booklet is pretty skimpy and includes some descriptive liner notes, black and white photos of the band, and scanned copies of rejection letters from various, big-name record companies accompanied by very positive reviews from music critics (Sounds, Melody Maker, NME etc). The sound quality is not bad at all.

All in all, while very loose, I generally enjoyed the playing and overall "vibe". This is a fine album of Canterbury rock that is certainly worth adding to the progressive rock collection.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Album, October 19, 2010

By 

C. Johnson (Saint Petersburg FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mainstream (Audio CD)

This is really 4 & 1/2 stars. Folks that like 801, MacCormick, Mazenara, will like this. Read the history of how this record FINALLY came to be and you will appreciate it more.
Great spin!