Having enjoyed touring with his new young guns, Robert set to work on a follow-up using the same formula. Manic Nirvana tried to prolong the appeal of Now And Zen, but he was starting to sound like a caricature. Which was exactly what he’d been trying to avoid all decade.The first single, “Hurting Kind (I’ve Got My Eyes On You)” is an unfortunate cross between “Tall Cool One” and “The Look” by Roxette. “Big Love” and “SSS&Q” are just too boomy, the former sunk by the not-so-subtle references to the Mile-High Club. “I Cried” is a step in the right direction, layered with acoustic guitars and multiple “ah” vocals. But “Nirvana” goes a million places at once without finding its center.
Aging hippies were equally confused by the Wavy Gravy samples on “Tie Die On The Highway”, which otherwise takes its melody from “Slow Dancer” off Pictures At Eleven. Plant’s growing fascination with the music of his youth continues in “Your Ma Said You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night”, complete with sampled vinyl surface noise and lyrics from “Black Dog”. “Anniversary” could be a better song if it were redone without the synthesizers, but it works as a setup for the exceptional “Liars Dance”, a showcase for vocal and acoustic, the way it should be. But then the pounding drums of “Anniversary” continue on “Watching You”. And that’s it.
Generally Manic Nirvana rocked harder, but was less exciting than Now And Zen. (Like that album, the CD originally had an extra track in the middle of what was side one, while the current CD has three more—two originals, plus a cover of “Don’t Look Back” by the Remains, none very exciting.) Meanwhile, Jimmy Page was happy to join his old friend for some onstage photo-ops at that summer’s Knebworth festival, where they reclaimed “Wearing And Tearing” from obscurity—a nice setup for the box set in the fall, which would more than make up for the lackluster performance of Plant’s album.
Robert Plant Manic Nirvana (1990)—2½
2007 remastered CD: same as 1990 CD, plus 3 extra tracks
No comments:
Post a Comment