Barbara Manning Sings With the Original Artists

• Artist: Barbara Manning
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1995
• Genre: Rock

Review

Barbara Manning Sings With the Original Artists is a somewhat slight but wholly enjoyable release from a short-lived "supergroup" consisting of vocalist Barbara Manning and members of Young Marble Giants (Stuart Moxham), the Mekons (Jon Langford), and others. The music has more of a retro/lounge feel than the folk-tinged pop with which Manning is usually associated. Further, she is only credited with one song ("Optimism Is Its Own Reward"), while Moxham and Langford penned the rest of the originals. "Cry Me a River" is a faithful, non-ironic cover of the Julie London classic (much like Grenadine's "I Only Have Eyes for You"), while "Martian Man" is a lovely Lora Logic (X-Ray Spex, Essential Logic) cover embellished with brass and sitar. As a whole, the recording evokes the same sort of insouciant ambience fellow lounge lizards Grenadine, Combustible Edison, and Friends of Dean Martinez were making around the same time (the mid-'90s). Similarly, the approach is more sincere than campy. Moxham's garage-y "Daddy Bully" breaks the mold -- but not the mood -- to some extent by taking as its inspiration Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs' '60s nugget "Wooly Bully." ~ Kathleen C. Fennessy, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
My 1st Gun	Stuart Moxham	Barbara Manning	(2:52)
Gold Brick	Jon Langford	Barbara Manning	(3:27)
When I Dream	Stuart Moxham	Barbara Manning	(3:40)
Here Comes Love	Stuart Moxham	Barbara Manning	(2:50)
Daddy Bully	Stuart Moxham	Barbara Manning	(2:26)
Untitled #2	Stuart Moxham	Barbara Manning	(2:01)
Optimism Is It's Own Reward	Barbara Manning	Barbara Manning	(3:03)
Martian Man	Lora Logic	Barbara Manning	(3:42)
Big Eye	Jon Langford	Barbara Manning	(3:56)
Cry Me a River	Arthur Hamilton	Barbara Manning	(3:04)
[Untitled Track]		Barbara Manning	(2:26)

Credits

Jon Langford (Guitar), Mike Hagler (Engineer), J. Niimi (Guitar), Stuart Moxham (Producer), Jon Langford (Drum Programming), Baron Von Trumfio (Engineer), Barbara Manning (Vocals), Stuart Moxham (Percussion), Stuart Moxham (Vocals), Stuart Moxham (Drums), Mike Hagler (Piano), Andrew Moxham (Guitar), Andrew Moxham (Bass), Baron Von Trumfio (Bass), Baron Von Trumfio (Sitar), Stuart Moxham (Guitar), John Upchurch (Clarinet (Bass)), Baron Von Trumfio (Double Bass), Andrew Moxham (Organ), Stuart Moxham (Organ), Jon Langford (Synthesizer), Andrew Moxham (Drums), J. Niimi (Soloist), Barbara Manning (Guitar), John Upchurch (Sax (Soprano))