LISTEN NOW

Well, I've been waiting patiently for Phil Manzanera to be added to the Archives, and I guess this is as close as he's going to come. Other than a couple of slick, poppy throwaways (Flight 19 & Law and Order), this is a solid effort. His first album "Diamond Head" is a bit more progressive, but "Listen Now" and his third album "K-Scope" are quite listenable. All three albums have some great guests, and the production, composition and performances are first-rate.

Manzanera doesn't get the same kind of adulation that some guitarists who came out of prog bands have, but he deserves it. He's not as flashy, but he's versatile and adept at getting a variety of sounds out of his guitars. I stopped following him after the third album, but I hear his new album is a return of sorts to the early days of his solo career.