Recorded a year after the impeccable
801 Live,
801 Manchester (aka Live at Manchester University) features
Phil Manzanera and
801 performing in support of the
Listen Now release. Though not as aggressive or vital as its predecessor, the
Manchester concert is solid, with Paul Thompson (drums) and Bill MacCormick (bass) turning in performances beyond the call of duty. Still, its comparison with
801 Live can't be helped. The lineup is dramatically different on
Manchester and, in some ways, inferior considering the virtuosity displayed on
801 Live. Although the repertoire overlaps,
801 Live is rooted in progressive rock while
Manchester exhibits a pop approach. There's a handful of tunes from
Listen Now, and while the songs are good, their simple, repetitive structures weaken
Manchester's overall impact. And without
Brian Eno, the material lacks the atmospheric quality that comes hand in hand with his presence. The most glaring weakness on the recording lies in the absence of
Eno's lead vocals.
Eno has a unique voice, and it's almost painful to hear Simon Ainley and the others attempt to substitute on "Miss Shapiro," "You Really Got Me," and the opener, "T.N.K." Ainley's vocal presentation lacks confidence and smoothness; he doesn't do justice to
Eno's wonderful lyrics on "Miss Shapiro," and he fails to bring out the groovy nuances that
Eno's voice instilled in "You Really Got Me." On "Out of the Blue," Ainley can't replicate the original familiar
Bryan Ferry vocal; however, the song is arguably the strongest on the disc. The performance is energetic,
Andy Mackay guests on oboe, and MacCormick's pronounced basslines are more involved than
John Gustafson's on
Roxy Music's studio original. Thompson has the hardest act to follow, as
Simon Phillips' tight drum work on
801 Live is simply breathless. Still, Thompson is the standout on
Manchester. He plays clean and fast and gets a crisp, full-bodied sound from his instrument; his style simply isn't as offbeat or complex as that of
Phillips.
Manzanera's work is solid as well. He injects a groove-laced rhythm into the opening of "Listen Now" and performs his instrumental signature standard, "Diamond Head" (much in the same vein as the
801 Live rendition). The album also features guests
Mackay,
Lol Creme, and Kevin Godley on several tracks. In 2009, as part of a series of reissues of
801 recordings, the album appeared under the title
801 Manchester and credited simply to
801. This version added five bonus tracks, starting with a new opening track, "Lagrima" (appended to "T.N.K."), the same
Manzanera instrumental that had begun the
801 Live album, and continuing with the mid-set songs "Que," "City of Light," "Initial Speed," and "That Falling Feeling." This material brought the running time up to a CD-filling 77 and a half minutes. ~ David Ross Smith & William Ruhlmann