Search - Manning :: Ragged Curtain

Album Of The Year?

ProgDad | UK | 01/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Manning - The Ragged Curtain
By Paul Baker Well how do I describe my album of the year? The latest album from Manning takes you through a musical journey, the trials and tribulations, the joys and sorrows of relationships, with powerful, sentimental, moving, exciting music, in the finest tradition of quintessential English Progressive Rock. Hold on a minute though, this album is not `retro' or `dated' in any way, the style and influences are all there, if you really need to listen for them, but this music can stand alone, it has something different in every song, it's new, it's real. The album opens with the wonderfully gentle acoustic opener, `A Ripple (From Ragged Curtains)'. Then the pace quickens somewhat with the fantastic foot tapping rocker, `Tightrope'. A superb driving keyboard undercurrent, good solid guitar breaks and wonderful sax incursions, always done to perfection, adding to the mood but never dominating. The instrumental passage with `Hammond' keys and laid back sax leads you into a false sense of calm before the song builds itself back up to a fitting conclusion. `A Place to Hide' is probably the best gentle song I've ever heard. A deceptively catchy melody, delivered in the unique Guy Manning style, through the vocals, that rich powerful voice. The song may have that laid back feel but I soon found myself humming the catchy chorus. `Where do all the Madmen Go?' is another superb song, with a slightly funky feel, constantly changing and building to a great guitar moment. Powerful yet wonderfully melodic, never hard on the ear, with a hint of something strangely familiar during the terrific guitar close out. `Stronger' is another quieter track, but don't let that put you off, there is so much going on. The ever-changing backing sits effortlessly with the powerful but subtle vocals. A wonderful guitar break cutting through the laid back sax. `What is it Worth?' glides along with interest all the way through, as does `The Weaver of Dreams', the flute work from Angela Goldthorpe adding that something extra, but not taking away that typical Manning feel to proceedings. To the final masterpiece, `Ragged Curtains', what can I say? twenty five minutes of wonderful progressive music, Pink Floyd meets Mostly Autumn with a dash of early Genesis and a huge chunk of Manning. Wonderful quiet, almost electronic, ambient moments, some great time changes and subtle shades, bursting into life for an exciting, driving middle section. Then gently moving from full on to a gentler yet still powerfully emotive closing section. This album has something for everyone, go on treat yourselves."

Innovative!

ProgDad | UK | 01/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"REVIEW OF MANNING - "THE RAGGED CURTAIN"
By Lew Fisher (Progressive Music Society)This man is making some of the most innovative and diverse music on the planet.

The new album, "The Ragged Curtain" opens with a beautiful acoustic
guitar piece before going electric. With a Lou Reed/Bowie-esque rhythm,
Manning launches into "Tightrope".
Right off, one knows this will be great album, and a great departure from previous Manning material. Guy's voice is in great shape, the lyrics are well written and packed with a sense of
genuine love in his music. Gareth Harwood's guitar playing is flawless.
The interplay between guitar and Hammond organ is almost Deep Purple-ish.The next track, "A Place To Hide" offers up a bit of a funky kind of beat to it.
Rick Ashton And Jonathan MacDonald Binns offer up a great rhythm section in this one.
This is my favorite track from the album, as Guy's emotional lyrics bring the message home as only this man can do."Where Do All The Madmen Go?" is up next. With an almost Reggae vibe to it,
Guy is in complete control and very comfortable with this track. A great
mellotron interlude is in this track, lovely execution and brilliant ambiance.
It closes out with another great guitar solo (ala All The Young Dudes!) and brass section."Stronger" is the fifth track of the album. Here is where Guy changes gears and goes for
more a love song. Twenty years ago, we would hear this one on the radio! Very much like Genesis' "More Fool Me" in feel rather than sound. Laura Fowles, the Saxophonist on this album is wonderful.
Creating many moods and atmospheres with it, she is very accomplished."What is It Worth?" is a ballad. A retrospective track that reminds me of some of his best work from the previous albums."The Weaver Of Dreams" seems to be the 'Hit' from the album. a great and hopeful song.
Wonderful instrumentation and a great lead in to the epic....."Ragged Curtains", a massive 8 part thematic piece is the masterpiece of the album.
Starting very softly, with Guy singing to an organ accompaniment.
The track builds as it glides through complex arrangements and full tilt Proggy beats.
This is Guy's finest hour! parts of this song are greatly reminiscent to Trespass era Genesis.
Whimsical keyboard lines accompanied by flute and acoustic guitar. this could be the Epic of the year!
This track has many moods, moving into an atmospheric, almost Floydian piece. incredible musicianship abounds on this album.Guy Manning continues the fine tradition of acoustic based progressive rock laid down by
David Cousins, Ian Anderson, Al Stewart, Sandy Denny and so many others. Guy's music is at once complex, yet accessible. The music of Guy Manning is to be herald as a troubadour for the 21st century. this album is Guy's masterpiece. Highly recommended.Thanks for your time,Lew"