GUY MANNING: TALL STORIES FOR SMALL CHILDREN

Guy Manning, perhaps familiar to some listeners due to the work he has done with UK based progressive rock band Parallel Or 90 Degrees has now produced a fine solo album, a little bit in the Roger Waters (Amused to Death) tradition. No less than three "Epic" pieces can be found on this album! The album focuses attention on carefully crafted lyrics, emotional vocals and clever musical arrangement with sound effects mixed in to bring the 'stories' to life. The first track "The Last Psalm", opens atmospherically and can best be described as quite intense, with Hammond work by PO90 musician Andy Tillison and a focus on Mannings' vocals. The guitar work here is also very fine. All in all from this first epic, it is clear that Manning knows how to find balance between all the instruments. Next up, "The Voyager" has a very Middle Eastern feel to it. Pav Chana provides Tablas on this track which also features excellent keyboard work. A little rest point comes with "White Waters", sounding like a modern Peter Gabriel/Yes. The "Candyman" is probably my favourite track, very intense and melancholic. It starts with hardly any rhythm, only the acoustic guitar chords and vocal and it really grabs you by the throat. Subtle keyboards later layer a tapestry in the background. The next Epic is "The Fall And Rise of Abel Mann?" made up of five sections The first of which ("Grand Fanfare") is a sort of male Kate Bush song, one of those floating piano pieces. "Waiting On a Ledge" follows with simple guitar and vocals against Gospel-like Hammond organ playing. The "Post-Mortem" piece starts similar to Waters' Amused to Death album with sound effects and great guitar improvising over keyboard chords. The second part, "In My Life" features the strongest chorus of all, with a melody that really sticks in ones mind. Now time for a quiet moment again with "Castaways" with its seagulls and a laid back melody. The album closes with the third epic, "Holy Ireland". This epic, especially "A Soldier's Story" (being a letter from a frightened soldier to God) is very strong. It has almost the feel of a Bob Dylan protest song about it. This song moves into the quiet "The Widow's Tale", which is beautiful in its simplicity. "Priest's Song" opens with a bombastic march/parade but transforms into a very powerful chorus where Irish influences mix with classic rock. The album closes with "The Land (reprise)". Very positive words for this beautiful album which fans of well orchestrated mainly acoustic music with Folk, World and Progressive influences will certainly relish.