What's On London, MOJO & Classic Rock Review 50 Minutes Later - Wed 19th Oct

What's On London, MOJO & Classic Rock Review 50 Minutes Later
19 October 2005

What's on in London:

Phil Manzanera
50 Minutes Later (Hannibal/Ryko)

Slowly but surely, the Roxy Music guitarist has become the most prolific member of this most stylish of British groups. Manzanera has always thrived on collaboration and this companion piece to last year's 6PM sees him once again working with friends Robert Wyatt, Brian Eno, Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson to flesh out a fine sequence of songs and mood pieces. The wonderful 'Technicolor UFO' in particular evokes the heady days of London's psychedelic scene of 1968 while '50 Minutos Mas Tarde' puts a South American spin on Eno's ambient layers. Phil has his own studio and can thus record when the fancy takes him or when friends are visiting or working on their own projects. This makes for many inspired moments, especially on the shimmering, ethereal 'Bible Black' which gathers all the principals. Roxy should be back with a brand new album next year but, in the meantime, this will do just fine.

Pierre Perrone
4/5 Stars


Mojo:

Follow-up to last year's 6pm, with help from Eno, Paul Thompson, Robert Wyatt and Andy Mackay. It's one of the unwritten rules of pop that (lead singers aside) members of big groups are destined for
comparatively modest solo careers. This is a pity, because Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera has crafted a rather fine solo album - varied, melodic and lyrical. On the odd occasion Manzanera appears to drift into the mainstream, for example on the late-night snooziness of the angsty One Step. But the opening brace of Revolution and Technicolor UFO are pristine slabs of catchy rock, while Desaparecido is a winning meld of anthemic pop and Latin swing, and Bible Black an uncompromising, old-style Roxyesque art-rock collage. With a new Roxy album in preparation, Manzanera's songwriting on this evidence seems in fine fettle.
David Buckley



Classic Rock:

A varied and imaginative set from ex-Roxy man.
A companion piece to last year's 6pm, Manzanera's latest album takes in all sorts of sounds and styles with confidence and flair. The dreamy wash of Till The End Of The Line, a song of delicate and beautiful melody, contrasts vividly with the toe-tapping rock'n'roll that is Technicolour UFO and the bouncy, Beatle-ish pop song That's All I Know. Naturally with Brian Eno, Robert Wyatt and Manzanera's Roxy Music buddies Paul Thompson and Andy MacKay on board, there are ventures into soundscape and the avant-garde, most pleasingly with the late-night, smoky atmosphere distinguishing 50 Minutos Mas Tarde.
Highlights are the punchy Swimming, with effective male/female vocals, and Desparecido, which has
moments of real uplift.

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