Little Kix

by

Mansun

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Mansun have never exactly gone along with other fashion trends. In 97 they released there debut album "Attack of the Grey Lantern" an album of astonishing confidence that dealt with subjects like stripping vicars, chickens and characters named Egg Shaped Fred. It astonished everybody by going into the UK charts at number one. How do they follow this up in 1998? With possibly the most deranged act of genius to ever come out of British music. "Six" was the album, a 70 minute opus that fused together about a hundred different ideas into onecrazed masterpiece. If you are looking for raw creativity forget "OK Computer" because Mansun make Radiohead look like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. While other groups remained content in recycling the same old garbage Mansun hauled former Dr. Who star Tom Baker into the studio and got him to read poetry about Brian Jones' death over a harpsichord track. This all going on while an opera star performs as well. Granted, this may not be for everyone but at least nobody could ever argue that Mansun are not creative.

"Little Kix," the groups third album sees the group coming down to earth and returning to a more conventional song-writing style. By conventional I mean that most of the songs here follow the verse, bridge, chorus method of song writing. Even while writing "normal" songs Mansun still prove that they are better than everybody.

"Butterfly (A New Beginning)" begins the album in fine style. The song is a slow spiritual song that seems to be hinting at things to come. Then we arrive at comeback single "I Can Only Dissapoint You," a supposed love song that still manages to chuck out lines like: "Tonight, I found a gun in my hand/Tonight, with piggies scrolled on your wall/Tonight, her note said better off dead/Tonight, the earth has never moved for me since." The song is wonderfully self-depprecating and has the most atmosphere on the album.

There are absolutely no tracks here that bog down the album. "Electric Man," the second single, moves along beautifully and is also the poppiest song on the album. Who would have guessed that the same group who sang about murder merely two tracks earlier are now dispensing lines like "Bring your sunshine to me." If you've heard "Head Music" by Suede do you remember how out of place "She's in Fashion" sounded? "Electric Man" has the same type of effect, a glorious pop song in the middle of more romantic surroundings. "Love is..." is a strange Jamiroquai-esque track. Perhaps the only thing Mansun have ever done that can truly be described as funky. "Fool" is a another track that wallows in self-pitty but is all the better for it. "Soundtrack 4 2 Lovers" is a massive, epic rocker. This song truly seems to sum up the romantic sentiments of the album. "Soundtrack" would not be the same without the string section which add a luscious feeling that Richard Ashcroft didn't even come close to having on his last album. "Until the Next Life" is another slow burner that is just great.

The last two tracks are both very interesting. "We Are the Boys" is a slow, anthemic ballad that annoys at first but gets better with each listen. Closer "Goodbye" is simply tremendous. It has an old school romantic sound to it, it seems like the type of song people would dance to at prom in the 1950's.

"Little Kix" is truly great. Mansun are so ahead of their peers creatively that it just isn't funny. If "Grey Lantern" was a journey through a fictitious town, "Six" was a paranoid trip, "Little Kix" is their romance album.

Mansuns "Little Kix" sets itself apart from their previous efforts because it focuses in on a more romantic theme. Songs like "Soundtrack for 2 Lovers" and "Love is...." are lyrically good but at times may seem too sappy for the average listener. Longtime Mansun fans will appreciate this album because it does have some highlights such as the brilliant first single "I can only disappoint you" which is slightly reminiscent of "New Years Day" by U2. The first track "Butterfly...A New Beginning" has a slow build up and contains some great lyrics such as "Correcting all my faults with prescription medicine" and "So I go to work and smile, and Im happy with myself", which are more sarcastic than anything Radiohead has ever done. The second single "Electric Man" is an uplifting ballad and "We are the Boys" has a great chorus that would serve as a great pub song.

All in all "Little Kix" is a good album, but its just not something I would recommend to a first time Mansun listener. So if you have heard or own other Mansun material...then definitely invest in this. If you are new to Mansun...invest in "Attack of the Grey Lantern" or "Six" first. Both are tremendous musial accomplishments. Its hard for "Little Kix" to succeed their previous efforts...but "Little Kix" is still one of the better releases of the year.