Second HMV compilation in just a couple of months after the band left the label for Fontana. While the first - "Man Made Hits" - was more or less as its title suggests, this comes out more unexpected, subtitled "Instrumentals". And apart from "LSD", which is R&B with Paul Jones on vocals, it's a collection of instrumental recordings first released by the band 1963-66. Both sides of their debute single, two from the UK "The Five Faces Of Manfred Mann", three from the second "Man Made", the whole "Instrumental Asylum" EP, one that earlier only surfaced on the "Mann Made Hits" compilation and two previously unreleased - "Merry Gentlemen" and "Tengo Tango". Listening to it today it's hard to believe this was the same band that at the same time made success with numbers as "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", "Sha La La" and "Pretty Flamingo" on both sides of the Atlantic. Cause what you get here is a mix of jazz and heavy r&b, very far from catchy pop. Serious and very well played, but not list friendly. It didn't sell well, which probably had to do with most band fans wanted their lighter stuff and the jazz freaks had other more known names to turn to. Not a jazz buff myself so for me this is valuable as one more piece of the puzzle to get all their 45:s on ealy LP and sometimes cool background to groovy chores, but not one sit down and get in with. UK stereo CSD 3594. Also originally issued on vinyl in a couple of South American countries, Downunder and in Canada (Capitol T 6199), but not US. UK 1999 CD on EMI (4989352) came with both mono and stereo versions. Premiere UK had label as shown here and laminated flip/back cover. (MÄNÄ)
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