Watch (Reis) [Original recording remastered]

Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Manfred Mann | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 30, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Creature Music
• ASIN: B000LXSSX2
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,406 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Circles

2. Drowning on Dry Land/Fish Soup

3. Chicago Institute

4. California

5. Davy's on the Road Again

6. Martha's Madman

7. Mighty Quinn

8. California [Single Edit][*]

9. Davy's on the Road Again [Single Edit][*]

10. Bouillabaisse [Single Edit][*]

11. Mighty Quinn [Single Edit][*]

Editorial Reviews

It's difficult to imagine a solid follow-up to a platinum plus recording like The Roaring Silence, but in 1978, Manfred Mann's Earth Band delivered a very consistent and enjoyable effort known simply as Watch.

With the same line-up from the previous stellar effort, Mann and Co. deliver one of their most important efforts which yielded an international hit with Robbie Robertson's "Davy's On The Road Again." Certain to move an audience to their feet, tracks like "Chicago Institute" and "Martha's Madmen" have all gone on to become modern day classics which are still performed to this day by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

1978's Watch has gone on to be their most successful album worldwide. You can see why after listening to incredible songs like "Circles" and the newly revamped version of Bob Dylan's "Mighty Quinn."

All in all, Watch is a very fine album which has stood the test of time, as the most articulate of Manfred Mann's Earth Band fans would certainly agree. For this new 2007 remastered edition, the nice folks at Creature Music and Mann himself have gone back to the vaults and have delivered four bonus tracks!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Taking in the view, September 11, 2000

By 

Troy (the Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Watch (Audio CD)

This is one of the albums i was most fond of back in high school and a
sentimental favorite that i keep coming back to. "Watch"
(MMEB's 8th) enjoyed greater success in continental Europe than in the
UK itself. Over the years it has become the band's no. 1 best seller
and is considered a classic rock album by both impartial observer and
devoted fan. Rising from the ashes of 60's pop ensemble Manfred Mann
(which ceased to be in 1969), this progressive rock group continued
from 1971 onward under the name of Manfred Mann's Earth Band. At the
time, "Watch" failed to sell as many copies as it should
have or receive the accolades it deserved. Due to the fact that this
1978 album generated no US hit singles, it spent only 6 weeks in the
American charts. In the UK it charted for 3 months, top 10 hit
"Davy's on the road again" proving the highest scoring of 3
single releases.

Like its predecessor "The roaring
silence" (1976), a breakthrough album famous for Springsteen's
"Blinded by the light", "Watch" consisted of no more
than 7 tracks. Even in a non-remastered version, its songs still sound
as vibrant and dynamic as any vintage, modern day recording. On the
whole it is a more commercial effort, with songs that are easy to get
into. I must admit that for the longest time i unwittingly disregarded
the vinyl album's 4 track A-side in favor of the trio of killer songs
on side B: "Davy's on the road again" (long version),
"Martha's madman" and Bob Dylan cover "Mighty
Quinn", a reworking of Manfred Mann's 1968 hit. During the
process of preparing for this review, i rediscovered the merits of
these 4 remaining tracks.

"Circles" is a champion opener
in typical Earth Band style that, halfway through the song, starts to
echo mid-70's Kansas. The "Drowning on dry land/Fish soup"
pairing works like a dream, a slow-paced pomprock song that follows on
the heels of an acoustic guitar/vocal intro. "Fish soup"
cuts in with a clever instrumental break and, leading up to the
reprise of "Drowning on dry land", a cracking, lengthy
guitar solo by Dave Flett. "Chicago institute" is a good
deal more uptempo, reminding me in places of their fantastic US hit
"The runner", while "California" is a nice
(semi)ballad, that should have done a lot better as the album's first
single release.

The inimitable Chris Thompson (one of Britain's
finest rock singers) excels throughout the album, as does South
African national Manfred Mann, who is at his stunning best on the
three near-epics i have pointed out, with some of the most riveting,
drop-dead gorgeous keyboard solos ever recorded. In fact, this album
more than any other is the probable root cause for my obsessive love
of the instrument in question, which continues to this
day. "Davy's on the road again" and "Mighty Quinn"
were recorded live with studio overdubs. The wonderful "Martha's
madman" (topping the reader survey's ranking of songs on the MMEB
website) has some of the most inventive lyrics imaginable.

My copy
is the digitally remastered version with 4 bonus tracks. The shorter,
edited version of "Davy's on the road again" has none of the
"live in concert" feel of the original.
"Bouillabaisse" (= "Fish soup") was the B-side of
the US single release "California" - both are
included. "Mighty Quinn" (also cut down to size) is a studio
version with an added live section at the beginning and as such
differs quite a lot from the album version. Whether or not these extra
tracks are worth the price difference is a matter of
opinion. According to the booklet, the band's stressful, hectic
schedule of constant touring and recording took its toll in late 1978,
resulting in MMEB's disbandment. It would seem that this was more of a
glitch than a serious breakup, for they bounced back quickly to
release a follow-up album (entitled "Angel station") no
later than 1979. Although i haven't heard all of their work (not by a
long shot, actually), it seems highly unlikely that "Watch"
could be surpassed by any of their other releases or future
recordings. Buy it and find out for yourself...

Another MMEB album
worthy of praise is the 1998 2CD "Mann alive", recorded at
various venues on the "Soft vengeance" European tour. Fans
of Chris Thompson's golden voice may also want to check out his
"Backtrack 1980-1994", a varied compilation album which
features 19 pop/rock tracks, including cover versions (such as The
Police's "Don't stand so close"), songs he wrote for other
artists (like John Farnham's "You're the voice") and those
he performed himself. My highlight of preference being the exciting
AOR track "Secrets in the dark".

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This One And THE ROARING SILENCE Are Manfred Mann's Most Consistent CDs, July 29, 2007

By 

The Footpath Cowboy "rockerusa2002" (Kingston, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Watch (Reis) (Audio CD)

Although THE ROARING SILENCE gets all the raves (and it's a great CD), WATCH is actually tied with it for the title of Manfred Mann's Earth Band's most consistent release ever. Like SILENCE, WATCH has only one weak song, and it's a shame that it failed to produce any hit singles in the US or the UK. In fact, I'd never even heard of this album until a friend suggested to me in 1994 that I sing along with it to vent my upset feelings. It was hard to take the advice, as the album was out of print at the time, but it made me think that it was help that would do me good if and when it came out on CD in this country at a reasonable price. Mann's (and vocalist Chris Thompson's) opposition to Indonesia's trumped-up 2005 drug-smuggling conviction of a young Australian tourist makes WATCH an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Watch album, July 20, 2007

By 

Ales P. Krivanek "Ales Patrick" (Page, AZ. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Watch (Reis) (Audio CD)

Manfred Mann at it!s best, unmistakable sound, perfect vocals. We strongly recomend this one together wtih Roaring Silence which is by far the best MM ever produced.