BE GOOD TO YOURSELF AT LEAST ONCE A DAY

An italian progger to write the first review of the most acclaimed Man's album...I haven't got specific knowledge of this band. The same goes for the Welsh prog scene which appeared to me, before I've bought this classic one, an absolute zero.

Nevertheless I'm a little bit confused 'cause I didn't mind Man gone so far from the usual british sound of that era. Don't know if it depends on the fact of the particular relationship and differences that made and makes Wales so different from the rest of Great Britain island. The band takes inspiration mainly from the wes-tcoast psychedelic movement of the last sixties. I've read also that they played several concerts in California and became friends of the members of Quicksilver Messenger Service. It's even written somewhere (I don't remember vividly if it was on their website or in my old rock encyclopaedia) that a member of Quicksilver joined Man for tour and, maybe, for the recording of a live album. His name is Frank Cipollina.

To tell you of the Man's chameleon-like line-up is one of the most difficult things in the world. The band seems to have never had solidity. Almost all the members changed rapidly after the recording sessions of each album and the most part of them re-joined the band at least for one or two times. Perhaps the general appreciation of the supporters for "Be Good to Yourself..." (veeeeery long title, isn't it?) derives from the fact that this was a very good mix of players with the minimum of stability which is so necessary to make things go out well.

Their sound, as I said, remembers that of the bands of that part of the States and seems to be sometimes a sort of experimental fusion between early Pink Floyd and Greatful Dead. That bluesy vein is renewed and refreshed in the long guitar's and keyboards' solos. Other times the music is moulded upon a repetitive and naive pattern that goes on and on and on again never to be boring, though. It's a comfortable listening, I admit it. You wish each of the first three tracks would not have an end. I foresee that the opinion of many prog friends could be different from mine, and even very critic against this band. The fact is that they sound not enough european to be recognized as the prog epitome in Wales.

That said, I find useless the deep analysis of the album song by song. I will tell you only that the opener "C'mon", along with "Keep on Crinting" are considered to be their flag. So it's for the opener of side b, the surprising "Bananas" (they loudly sing "I like to eat bananas"!!). Maybe, the only "weaker" point of this 1972 work could be found in the album closer "Life on the Road" which appears to add no original contribution to the "american" style they sounds like.

All in all, it's rather diffucult to rate this album. It's the first I've ever bought of them and (for now) is the only I have. I would say the correct evaluation is around 3,75 (just a step below the excellence status), rounded up to four. Ok, they are not the best musicians of their time, but a sort of pioneers in european country.

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