MANI UND SEINE FREUNDE

As I was listening to this for the final time (before review) on my way to work I said to myself "I needed this". I had a bad day yesterday at work and there were other issues as well heaped upon me making it a day to forget. From the cover of this album with Manni on the front to the music inside, it's all about making one forget about life for a while.This is fun. Mani was at a crisis point when it came to the existance of GURU GURU. Ax the guitarist had left the year before and the temporary live lineup had disbanded. Hellmut the legendary bassist for KRAAN suggested to Mani that he should make a solo album and that KRAAN would help him make it. And man this sounds more like KRAAN than it does GURU GURU, well the first half of it especially. It was released after the fusiony "Dance Of The Flames" and they continued along that same path really only they added some silliness. Lots of guests helping out, hence the album title.The two guys from CLUSTER, three members of KRAAN, a Blues pianist and even Conrad Plank adds some guitar and keyboards as this was recorded in his studio. EROC remastered this at the Ranch. So yes there is a strong KRAAN flavour here and this was released the same year they released "Let It Out".

"Sunrise Is Everywhere" has this catchy beat as the vocals join in.This sounds exactly like KRAAN. Sax a minute in and the guitar that follows is so uplifting. Great track ! "Chicken Rock" opens with the sounds of a chicken (can't remember saying that before) as almost spoken vocals come in. This is funny stuff. "Give your cock a chance and set your chicken free" is the main lyric. Words to live by. It sounds like a cross between Zappa and WIGWAM. Nice guitar solo 1 1/2 minutes in. "It's Your Turn" has some great sounding bass from Hattler in this funky intro. It then settles with guitar into a KRAAN-like mode. Love the guitar, bass and drums in this instrumental tune. Fantastic ! "Walking, Eating My Hotdog" is catchy with vocals. Sounds like a good party tune in the KRAAN style. "Fly Easy" is a short instrumental with sax, bass, keyboards and drums standing out.

"From Another World" is experimental and dark to open. Nature sounds arrive 1 1/2 minutes in as it brightens. Percussion then flute follows. Chanting is next in this tribal-like section. It changes before 6 minutes as the beat stops and it turns dark and experimental again. It kicks back in before 7 minutes to a KRAAN-like soundscape. "Woodpecker's Dream" opens with church bells and nature sounds while the mellow music joins in.The nature sounds of birds singing continues pretty much throughout. We get some spoken voices around 5 minutes as this dream gets stranger.Yes the woodpecker is talking. It ends with a guy saying "Oh, it was just a dream". Cool tune. "1234 Marsch'n Rock" is a short piece with spoken words and drums then someone looking for the right radio channel and finally getting a Chuck Berry tune. "Drink Wine" is a funny live clip.

A definite 4 star album for me considering i'm such a KRAAN and GURU GURU fan. Just don't expect much music in the GURU GURU style.