Six
Mansun
℗ 1998
Since Mansun's debut album Attack of the Grey Lantern was some sort of convoluted song cycle, it shouldn't have been surprising that their second album, Six, felt like the second coming of prog-rock. What was a surprise was the extent to which Mansun pushed the limits forward on the album. From the garish Marillion-styled artwork to the endlessly shifting, seguйd songs, Six fits into the grand tradition of prog-rock, and it does tell some kind of a story, even if it's impossible to tell what that story may be. In fact, it's difficult to get into the music itself, even as it dazzles with its twists, turns, appropriations and recontextualizations. And, make no mistakes, Six is frequently dazzling, since Mansun skillfully melds classic prog and pop styles with contemporary ideas, including a healthy portion of electronica. It's a head-spinning listen, especially the first time through when it's impossible to tell where it is going or where it's going to end. That feeling doesn't quite let up on repeated listens, either, mainly because the record is so dense with impenetrable ideas — ideas that are confounding even when you think you understand where Paul Draper is going with the entire thing. On one scale, that's an impressive achievement, but it's diminished somewhat when you take into account that Six isn't particularly rewarding once you get a handle on it. Since it never reveals its secrets, or even its clues, it's hard to embrace the record, even for all of its many attributes. Still, Six is clearly the work of ambitious, gifted musicians who aren't willing to stay still, which is reason enough to try to come to terms with it. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine. |
- 0. Shotgun [06:38]
- 0. Inverse Midas [01:44]
- 0. Anti Everything [02:25]
- 0. Fall Out [03:47]
- 0. Serotonin [02:33]
- 0. Cancer [09:31]
- 0. Witness To A Murder [03:06]
- 0. Television [08:21]
- 0. Special-Blown It [05:32]
- 0. Legacy [06:33]
- 0. Being A Girl [07:59]
- 1. Six [08:07]
- 2. Negative [04:21]
Тексты:
Six
And you see, I kind of shivered to conformity Did you see the way I cowered to authority You see, my life, it's a series of compromises anyway It's a sham, and I'm conditioned to accept it all, you see (More) than I had before (More) than I've presently got (More) than I'll ever use up (More) than I really need (More) than I had before (More) than I could possibly spend (More) than I'll ever use up (More) than I really need It's more than I can spare My religion is caged Safe from progress, purgatory I know How does this affect me Emotionally affect me Will they let me go Will they let me go Will they let me go Equilibrium imbalanced again I feel no pain I feel no… I feel no pain The Jabberwocky haunts me, in my memory it's caged I feel no pain (I feel no pain) I feel no… (I feel no…) I feel no pain (I feel no…) But if you punched me in the stomach then I'd feel it again Life is a compromise anyway Life is a compromise anyway Life, it's a compromise anyway Life, it's a compromise anyway And it's a sham, and I'll accept it all And you see, I kind of shivered to conformity Did you see the way I cowered to authority You see, and my life, it's a series of compromises anyway It's a sham, and I'm conditioned to accept it all, you see
Negative
Stop, you're looking miserable Can't be bothered getting up today My future's looking positive No one even picked on me today So you tested negative Panic in your bedsit goes away You convert to scientology To feel part of something once again I look downwards I look downwards Feeling negative, looking negative I see downwards I see downwards I look downwards I see negative, feeling negative Looking downwards Have you ever told a lie to hide a lie Shame on you, you've compromised again 'Cos things are closing in on you Not so far away as they may seem Have you ever told a lie to hide a lie Shame on you, you've compromised again And things are closing in on you Not so far away as they may seem Someone knocked me in the street Someone looked at me twice Now I'm negative Someone nudged me in the street Someone poked me in the eye Now I'm negative