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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the repeated listens... ahh, brilliance (sigh), February 19, 2000
I'll say this for Mansun's "Six": its certainly not run of the mill! I would actually give this 4 1/2 stars if I could, by the way. I really don't think that I have ever heard an album like this... its complexity is really stunning. And coming from a band who began with such a seemingly (if not all-together straightforward) debut album. Although "Attack of the Grey Lantern" was also dense in places, it doesn't even hold a candle to the themes and musical motives that dominate "Six." I would definitely say that Mansun decidedly dodged the sophomore slump that everyone expects these days. Even if they fade into obscurity because of "Six" (it could concievably happen - "Six" is the most radio un-friendly album I have heard in a while) they can certainly be commended for this stunning effort of bravery and musical conviction. "Six," if I may attempt to sum it up for you, is like a perverse cross between Radiohead's "OK Computer", Oasis's "Champagne Supernova", David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust", The Smashing Pumpkins' "Melon Colie and the Infinite Sadness", and Blur's triumphant "13." But "Six" is much more than a piece of cleverly molded pop culture - it is pop culture in an alternate universe. Plain and simple. The album opens with all stops pulled for the title track. A characteristically Manson-ish tune that is half Tears For Fears and late 90's brit-pop and half Smashing Pumpkins. The chorus is very get-up-and-go on this one. Toe tapping and singing along is greatly inspired ;} "Negative" is next. Still, not too unexpected. Maybe a little bit weaker than the title track, but not disappointing by any means. Loud guitars and scratchy bass abound, and again you will be at least humming along. "Legacy" is where it starts to change. A six minute long song that is repetitive, and may be annoying for the first few listens, until you get into the vibe of it and recognize the subtle changes beneath the chords. Draper's love song to his fans? Hmmm... who can tell? Does he love his job or hate it? And what exactly does he want his Legacy to be, anyway? "Anti Everything." Yes! This is where it gets exciting! New ground they are pushing with this little ditty. The quavering guitar solo that resounds through the song is nothing short of inspiring. The lyrics are precise, the chords short and choppy, and despite my better sense, I always want to dance around when I hear this song. "Fall Out." One Word - wierd. Dance of the Sugarplumb Fairies meets a young David Bowie here. If you don't love this song, it will at least be an interesting listen. You'll want to hear it more than once. "Serotonin." One of my favorites. Very melodic in an offbeat way. The affected vocals are a nice touch. From here on out, all of the songs seem to blend together. Rhythm changes everywhere. Beautiful melodies that seemingly come out of nowhere. Thrashing guitars that seem relentless, then end as soon as you get used to them. To try to cut this short, I will only give the highlights of the next few songs on the album: The gorgeous solo in "Cancer." The chorus "From my TV all my problems come" in "Television." Every minute of pop bliss in "Special/Blown It." The off-beat changes in "Shotgun." This one is quirky. The soaring chorus of "Being A Girl." Nice one, this. All blurred edges and cut-and-paste melodies. Good ending. All in all, this is one of the quirkiest, unique albums I have ever heard. Simply a magnanimous achievement by a band that are going to up the standards every time they step into the arena. This album is best discovered through repeated listenings. Caution: I hated this teh first time I heard it. It takes time to love, but you will eventually come to embrace it f you have an adventurous heart. Furthermore, Yay Mansun!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Causes migraines, February 9, 2004
What could you say about an album that interrupts your daily routine and sleep paterns? This sounds like a group of musicians who just found a bunch of different sounds to throw into an album and are uncertain about what it is trying to say. There is no effort to hide any seams, as the songs will change without any transition. Just a pause... maybe a whistle (like in the schizophrenic closer, "Being a Girl"). It't ideas and artists like this that make the most interesting albums. It is the perfect blend of experiment and melody. It's the same thing that makes Sonic Youth hard to listen to combined with what makes so many bands from the 80's a guilty pleasure (a meaningless word to me, really). Then we have Paul Draper's completely unique voice. Like an amateur opera singer from hell. And since it's less than $4 used right now, I suggest you buy it.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Album, February 12, 2000
The first I heard of this group Mansun is when I saw their video for "Wide Open Space". I thought that was one of the greatest songs I had ever heard. I went out trying to find the CD to know luck. But I did find a copy of the Australian release of Six, which has a remix of "Wide Open Space" on it.(the idiots at the used CD store didn't realize it was an import so I got it for dirt cheap). I was absolutely amazed at this CD. I can listen to this over and over and over again for days, which I did. I listened to this for about 2 weeks straight. This is a CD that needs to be listen to all at once. The track sequence on the version I own is different than the US version. The songs just seem to flow to one another seamlessly-like and opera. I wish Mansun would get more coverage over here in the States, because we are missing out on one AMAZING rock group. Best songs: Anti Everything, Legacy, and Six.
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