Speaking of SF Sorrow...truth walks in sleepy shadows

[Davey]

Any Barbara Manning fans in the lurk? I know Whooptee likes her. Listening to <i>Truth Walks In Sleepy Shadows</i> right now and wondering why I don't listen to it more often because I love this album! Backed by a pretty decent girlie band working as the S.F. Seals and released in 1995 on Matador. Opens with a cover of that great title track from the Pretty Things' classic <i>SF Sorrow</i> rock opera, which I just happened to mention in the <b>Overlooked Classics</b> thread. What a strange coincidence, eh? Quite a few nice songs throughout including a couple other covers, most notably "Flashback Caruso" that falls right in the middle. How many indie girls do Faust covers? Heehee, or John Cale for that matter, who is represented with a cover of the morose sounding "Soul of Patrick Lee". Can't honestly say that I've heard the originals of either the Faust or Cale songs but they both sound pretty cool. Yeah, Manning maybe sounds a bit too much like Liz Phair at times, but I think this is a better album than Liz ever did after <i>Exile In Guyville</i>. Or maybe even including Exile, which I think now stands more as a period piece than a "real" classic, at least for many of us that do (did?) like it. This is more fun anyway, especially on songs like the charming "Kid's Pirate Ship", or the aforementioned SF Sorrow, or the rockers like Ipecac and Pulp :)

[Whooptee]

Wow, I can't believe there aren't any takers. Barbara Manning is a cool lady. I've never heard Truth Walks..., it's been on my list for years. Lately I Keep Scissors and 1212 are two very fine albums that I have by her. I also have a disc called All Under One Roof: Singles and Oddities, which is great for a big fan like me, but I probably wouldn't recommend it for the more casual listener. I've been planning on putting one of the songs from it on my next comp, but I've got a ways to go before my final decisions.

John

[Davey]

Lately I Keep Scissors and 1212 are two very fine albums that I have by her.
Yeah, I have 1212 and love that suite of songs that opens it, especially with the Calexico backing. Nice stuff. I used to buy all those Jim O'Rourke productions but that's the only one I have under her own name. Didn't I send you a copy of that David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights? She sings background on the "Locked In Blue" song, track 4. Don't remember if we talked about it at the time or not. Or maybe it wasn't you, but I think it was since that's one of the reasons I thought you would like it. Anyway, I was just listening to it today is why I mention it. Great album. One of those tasteful finds by our buddy chrisnz. Listened to <i>A Feather In The Engine</i> too. Not sure which one is my favorite now, they're both so good. Not sure if there's really any connection between them. She has worked with lots of good people.

[Whooptee]

Yep. You sent me that David Kilgour. I listen to it pretty regularly and I'm mucho happy you passed it on my way. BM and those Calexico boys get around and play with all kinds of people I like which is really cool I think.

John