Search - Manfred Mann :: The Singles Album

Worthy addition to a British Invasion collection

Jersey Kid | Katy, Texas, America! | 10/09/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"For a band that changed it musical style almost as often as its personnel, the output of Manfred Mann was surprisingly good across the various genre in which the band played. Beginning with the archtypical beat sound - right down to use of a Brill Building writing team for their first US hit - and then transmogrifying into a jazzy tempo, the group seems a heck of a lot better in retrospect than some of its fellow-travellers in the second wave of the British Invasion (when was the last time you tried listening to Freddie and the Dreamers?).



This splendid little album takes the very shrewd and erudite approach to chronicling the Manns by cutting its history before the band's hibernation and subsequent rebirth as Manfred Mann's Earth band.



You get it all here! The marvelous sitting-out-on-the-stoop emotional rocket launching of 'Doo Wah Diddy Diddy;" an intriguing little cover of 'My Little Red Book;' the more mature yet still emotive feelings elicted by 'Pretty Flamingo' and 'Semi-detached Suburban Mr. James, a somewhat toned down - but still bitter, nonetheless - lift of the thrust of 'Like a Rolling Stone.'



There is also pretty good version of Dylan's 'Just Like a Woman," which should not be taken as criticism, but rather a complement on the band's musical prowess...and, well, there is also 'The Mighty Quinn," isn't there? The band clearly shows its ability to interpret material.



All in all, a great album that can be listened to repeatedly for a really good time."