ON TRACK

Damanek is a new project from Guy Manning, where he has been joined by Dan Mash (bass), Marek Arnold (sax, clarinet, keyboards) and Sean Timms (keyboards, banjo, backing vocals) and then on top of that there are quite a few guests including Nick Magnus and Phideaux. Guy had disbanded Manning, and was then invited to join a new band called United Progressive Fraternity to which he also then brought in Dan and Marek. After the release of the debut album Guy started writing for the second, only for the band to fold, so he decided to start a new one to use the songs, and asked Dan and Marek to be involved, hence the name (DAn, MANning and MarEK), with Sean joining later.

I have long been a fan of Guy's music, and spent a very pleasant evening with him in his studio some dozen years or so ago, and have enjoyed all albums he has been involved with from PO90 through Manning and The Tangent, so I knew I was going to enjoy this right from the off, and that was indeed immediately the case. Guy has an innate sense of melody, and his songs are always enjoyable on first hearing, with strong arrangements and a feeling that every note is in exactly the right place, played on the right instrument. This is commercial symphonic pop influenced classic crossover progressive rock that oozes class and confidence in equal measures. I can't pick a favourite as all eight songs are simply superb. This may be a debut release, but all the guys involved have been around the scene for some time and it shows. Let's hope it's not long until the next one.

British multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and composer Guy Manning (b. 1957) has made a long and winding career in various prog bands and projects: PARALLEL OR 90 DEGREES, THE TANGENT, and his very own project under the name of MANNING. UNITED PROGRESSIVE FRATERNITY was in a way a continuation of the Australian band UNITOPIA. In 2016 Manning started a new project DAMANEK with Marek Arnold on saxes, clarinet and keyboards, bassist Dan Marsh, and Unitopia's founding member, keyboardist-guitarist Sean Timms (who wasn't involved in UPF). With a wide cast of international guest musicians involved, they recorded this debut album based on Guy Manning's compositions and demos. The CD was released via Giant electric Pea, the prog label founded by Martin Orford of IQ.

On Track is accessible, jazzy, modern-sounding and elegantly produced crossover prog. 'Nanabohzo And The Rainbow' is a great, suitably catchy opener that features really nice parts for reeds and percussion bringing a slight Oriental world music feel. I'm glad that Manning's voice has matured, sounding less similar in manners to Ian Anderson than it did earlier; of course his natural singing voice still resembles Anderson's, but in a pleasant way. 'Long Time, Shadow Falls' has a very dynamic and airy soundscape easily overshadowing the studio perfection of Peter Gabriel. The more serene 'Cosmic Score' -- arranged beautifully by Nick Magnus -- gives the main attention to the heartfelt melodicism. The vocal parts are equally enjoyable as the solo section.

'Believer-Redeemer' is almost pure jazz / fusion with a cool groove. After five highly enjoyable tracks comes the irritating, march-like 'Big Parade' which is supposed to be humorous, resembling a bit of 'The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging' in Genesis's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, or 'The Ballad of the Decomposing Man' in Steve Hackett's Spectral Mornings. 'Madison Blue' returns to the melodic, emotionally powerful serenity focusing on piano and (mock-)orchestration in its arrangement. The final piece 'Dark Sun' (13:43) with a strong environmental message is the album's only track longer than eight minutes, and it's gorgeous. Phideaux guests on vocals, although Manning remains the main vocalist.

This 54-minute album is in my opinion very enjoyable, except for the humorous song which I don't like. The jazzy arrangements with lots of soprano saxophone and clarinet are very sophisticated, and the production (by Sean Timms) is brilliant. Just a bit more of the progressive edginess would raise my rating to maximum. A must for all keen on Guy Manning's various projects and warmly recommended to anyone fancying modernly produced, jazzy crossover prog.