NIGHTINGALES & BOMBERS

This album is the finest performance by an important rock band that really defined the use of the synthesizer , with South African Manfred Mann twirling his knobs & bending his notes with wicked abandon. Solar Fire was an exceptional recording but Nightingales really is the crowning achievement. Many fellow progsters rely on the absolute truth that Spirits in the Night is the reason why this album is held in such high esteem.Well, it's the easy way out really, because another cover , Joan Armatrading's "Visionary Mountain" blows the lid off any hint of doubt: what a song!!! The Mick Rogers/Manfred Mann duel collaboration is to die for, chock full of emotion, feeling and technique. Incidently, Rogers simply shines on this record , displaying a very unique style , bluesy yet raw. Too bad he faded away from view (a couple of Aviator albums and.... silence). Another shining moment resides in drummer Chris Slade's work throughout the proceedings but seriously displayed on Time is Right, where Mann's synth work dazzles again. This recording will remain on my top 25, desert island selection. Check out what the fuss is about, because this is a special prog masterpiece. 5 joysticks