Description
Label Review.
1997 album remastered. Kscope. Also available on vinyl.
Our Overview.
Mansun were the band of the moment in early 1997 and ‘Attack Of The Grey Lantern’ their debut album is remastered and reissued through the new home of their back catalogue, Kscope. Signed to EMI at the time, the label issued the record the week after their released Blur’s new album and Mansun knocked them off the top after one week and apparently, Damon Albarn wasn’t happy!
Originally called Manson but forced to change it by the estate of Charles Manson, they created waves with their first, self-released single and after a bidding war were snapped up by EMI in late 1995. After a low-key 7” only single on EMI’s ‘indie’ label Regal, their records subsequently were issued on Parlophone and during 1996, four E.P.’s were released, all numbered ‘One’, Two’, Three’ & ‘Four’ and each one sold better than the last. The fourth’s lead track “Wide Open Space” became a radio hit at the end of the year and by the New Year, anticipation for their debut album was sky high. One more E.P. (“She Makes My Nose Bleed”) gave the band their first Top 10 hit and their debut album was issued off the back of that.
The record was ambitious. especially for a debut and frontman Paul Draper lapped up most of the credit for the record as well as completely changing his image for every photo shoot! One more single was lifted from the album (“Taxloss”) which kept the band’s profile up during the spring of 1997 but despite the strong start, the album faded from view as the year progressed but they had cultivated a rabid fanbase who would continue to keep Mansun’s new records in the charts. It was a good job the band were productive and a brand new EP was in the Top 10 before the end of the year.