Manic Nirvana

Robert Plant | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 12, 1990)
• Original Release Date: March 20, 1990
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B000002JNG
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #204,072 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Hurting Kind (I've Got My Eyes on You)

2. Big Love

3. S S S & Q

4. I Cried

5. She Said

6. Nirvana

7. Tie Dye on the Highway

8. Your Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night

9. Anniversary

10. Liars Dance

11. Watching You

Editorial Reviews

A majestic hard rock masterpiece, 1990's MANIC NIRVANA hit #13 and drew universal acclaim. Features the standouts "Big Love," "Hurting Kind," and "Tie Dye On The Highway." Plus, three bonus cuts from a rare Es Paranza single including "Oompa (Watery Bint)," "One Love," and "Don't Look Back." --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars PLANT GETS POP AND ROCK, August 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Manic Nirvana (Audio CD)

It's hard to rate Robert Plant's albums generally. After a period of trial and error and experimentation - Plant generally settled into a more mainstream groove by this album, continuing his success from Now & Zen.

His partnership with Phil Johnstone showcases a snazzier cooler Plant sound, making Manic Nirvana among his best produced albums.

The standout tracks are Tie Die on the Highway; Anniversary; Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night; Liars Dance and the majestic Watching You. All the classic Zep overtures are embedded in these tracks, and they are refreshing to hear.

The album's first few tracks are more along standard monster rock riffs and the late 80s kinda stuff. They're well done but not particularly expressive.

The album is worth getting for the last few tracks - otherwise wait for Plant's retrospective...In perspective - it's a real shame that Plant didn't get stick with the same band longer - I think more could have been achieved.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A more basic, straight forward approach, June 24, 2003

By 

Quinn Miller "millerq72" (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Manic Nirvana (Audio CD)

Manic Nirvana is the no surprises, no frills album of Robert Plant's solo career. His first four releases all were considerably diverse musically, but on Manic Nirvana, Plant decides to go back to the basics with an updated Zep approach. Certainly the least adventurous of the lot, Manic still manages a good deal of buoyancy and texture in places. The best selections are where he decides to stretch out a bit from the norm, such as the dramatic snare drum led ballad "Anniversary" and the quiet accoustic "Liar's Dance." Generally, the last half of the album (where both the aforesaid mentioned songs appear) impresses more than side one. The best from that half is the emotional "I Cried," with the majority of the rest being unremarkable radio styled hard rock. Plant seems to be trying to please everyone here, from the Zep fans of old to those who were entertained by the experimentation of Shaken N' Stirred. Problem is, technology got in the way of what could have been some his finest hard rockers since Zep. All said, not bad... just a bit tough to pinpoint.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock On! Turn It Up! Turn It Up!, January 17, 2005

By 

Robert E Jones (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Manic Nirvana (Audio CD)

What a gem. This may be Robert Plant's Rock swansong, but it's a straightforward, no-holds-barred, hard-hitting, solid bang. This is the kind of music one listens to, on the freeway, while driving well beyond the posted speed limit. Most of the songs encourage the listener to turn the music up to levels which, if sustained, would endanger the ears. The pounding, jagged-edged music takes the listener to extreme places indeed.

On closer examination, the ballad "I Cried" is smooth and introspective, worthy of heritage songs Ship Of Fools and Morning Dew. Unlike those two hallmarks, this track contains the dark, rough, rocky undercurrent which permeates the rest of the album. Even this slow, sad ballad is homogenic with the remaining tracks--not a departure from them. Rock, from a true veteran, binds it all together.

After decades of successful performance, the master's voice is craggy and imperfect. Great! If it were mellow and flawless, it just wouldn't ring true.

Part of the thrill of listening to Robert Plant, is hearing his voice venture into the upper registers: He has always sounded dangerous and uncontrolled within higher tones. This album, though, is remarkable for the song "Nirvana": When the artist wails the higher notes on this particular track, he sounds positively unhinged.

Worth every penny, this CD will not disappoint you. After reading the reviews, I almost didn't get it. What a tragic mistake that would have been! I dare you: Just TRY to hold your body still, while listening to these phenomenal tunes.