Tin Bird wrote:
1.Just curious..how do Beehive and Brilliant Trees rate for you?
2.While I might agree that Beehive was much more mainstream that Manafon, I don't think BT was.
3.How about the collabs with Czukay esp Plight and Premonition?
1. Its taken a while, but I love them both, esp. Beehive, which I listen to a lot... Of his earlier solo works Beehive is my favourite, closely followed my Dead Bees, and then maybe BT after that.... hmm maybe.
2. I would agree BT is not particularly mainstream (esp. for the time) but, compared to Manafon, Blemish, Died and Loud Weather etc. its another world. Maybe upon release it seemed as left-field as Manafon does, but listening now it seems largely of its time.... Not that I seek non mainstream for the sake of it, its just what I like [I do have U2 and Coldplay in my collection]
3. I don't have this yet, so can't comment fully*... I do have a few gaps that I'm trying to plug, and this is one.... *I've heard some bits and pieces, and thought it sounded interesting, if a little dated, but I will pick up a copy if the price is right.
For me Manafon is the peak of his vocal output... it lacks the slightly odd warble in the vibrato he affected in earlier work, and seems to me his voice is at its most natural in Manafon. The later readings in Uncommon Deities again seemed affected and stilted... though I do like the album overall. Its all subjective, but artistically and technically Manafon is his peak.