REVELATION

One of the earliest prog bands to emerge in Wales, the psychedelic progressive rock band MAN (aka MANBAND) formed as early as 1968 by Micky Jones (guitars, vocals), Deke Leonard (guitar, vocals), Clive John (keyboards, vocals), Ray Williams (bass) and Jeff Jones as a reincarnation of the harmony group The Bystanders which itself existed from 1962-68. This band was a staple on the British progressive rock scene but never found the fame and fortune that it deserved for its eclectic mix of West Coast psychedelic rock, British prog, blues, pub rock and a touch of jazz. The band was known for integrating the harmonic vocal strategies of The Bystanders and taking it all into the world of spacier complex rock with a heavy emphasis on trippy Hammond organ psych-fueled compositions.

The band debuted in 1969 with not one but two albums with this one, REVELATION emerging first in January followed by "Two Ozs of Plastic With a Hole in the Middle" in September. Fueled by fuzzy acid rock guitar riffs drenched with Hammond organ bombast, MAN easily set itself apart from the pack and was famous for its fiery live performances that featured lengthy jamming improvisations. REVELATION featured eleven tracks and is most famous for the song "Erotica" which simulated an orgasm and was banned in the United Kingdom altogether yet somehow appealed to the French where it became a hit single. The album's mix of rootsy blues and boogie rock with the more progressive and psychedelic meanderings found this debut in that transition zone where the acid fueled 60s were morphing into the headier hard driving 70s.

Criticized by many for being an uneven album, personally i find the appeal in MAN's debut is in the diverse array of styles presented which makes it a bit more interesting than a one-trick pony band that merely performs a single style of music. While the opening "And In The Beginning" showcases the band's clear space rock creds with slinking organ tinkles and a heady droning background accompanied by acid guitar and a mopey nonchalant tempo, the following track "Sudden Life" jumps into a bluesy harmonica fueled stomp with exquisite group harmonies pulling a fashionable bluesy call and response. One of the strengths of the band was that pretty much all of the members were competent vocalists with the exception of drummer Jeff Jones who obviously wanted nothing to do with all that harmonizing silliness! Despite the roots aspects the track delivers some trippy Hammond organ attacks.

"Empty Room" breaks back into classic 60s psychedelic rock with keyboards reminiscent of The Doors however the track itself is classic MAN with a rocking rhythm section, group harmony dynamic and psychedelic atmospheres. "Puella! Puella! (Woman! Woman!)" offers a strange almost instrumental that features a chilled vibe and does includes vocals but only wordless melody keepers. The flute adds a nice proggy touch to the mix as do the sudden time signature changes that punctuate the repetitive flow from time to time. "Love" is a simple and short acoustic guitar ballad with earnest vocals. Then comes the most famous track on the album, "Erotica" which features a randy vixen moaning and groaning with some freaky avant-garde keyboards behind a bluesy rock guitar and steady percussive groove. The guitars often sound a bit like Santana but not quite. For all the hubbub about this track it's actually not that big of a deal. It's basically the same thing as what the First International Sex Opera Band would make a whole album out of also in 1969 which was sold exclusively in sex shops in the Netherlands.

The following "Blind Man" is a surprise as it delves back into the 1950s with a boogie-woogie groove and tinkling piano roll. While done quite nicely it does seem like an oddball choice to include on a psychedelic album for sure! Then comes the more progressive "And Castles Rise In Children's Eyes" with a knotty intro followed by a spacey organ and high pitched vocal harmonies. The incessant changes in style and motif make it one of the most experimental tracks on the album. The rest of the album picks up the pace as far as the space rock goes. "Don't Just Stand There" rocks the Hammonds with bluesy guitar riffs and the occasional harmonica contrast while the short "The Missing Pieces" features a wild vocal harmony frenzy gone mad! "The Future Hides Its Face" basically reprises the opening track but offers more freaky spaced out electronic effects and samples from rocket launches and dialogue.

Overall i agree with those who point out that REVELATION is one of the least appreciated MAN albums. The criticism of uneven just doesn't resonate with me but then again i love a wild eclectic ride that is impossible to predict where it's taking you. There are no bad tracks on REVELATION although some will surprise you that they are included for sure! MAN delivered an excellent slice of proto-prog space rock on this album that mixes traditional blues based rock with 60s psychedelic and smatterings of progressive rock. Although i wouldn't call this album excessively progressive, the melodies, harmonies and instrumental interplay perfectly collude to make a fascinating album that gave MAN its distinct sound from the very beginning. This album is somewhat of a grower although it's not really unnecessarily complex however the way melodies and harmonies and rhythms are strewn together is somewhat unusual. Personally this one is extremely fascinating and fairly unique for 1969 which is why MAN would become one of Wales best known prog bands.