Six (Mansun album)
| Six | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Mansun | ||||
| Released |
7 September 1998 (Europe) 20 April 1999 (US) | |||
| Recorded | 1998 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 70:37 | |||
| Label | Parlophone, Epic Records | |||
| Producer | Paul Draper, Mark Stent and Mike Hunter | |||
| Mansun chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Six | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] (US edition) |
| AllMusic | [2] (Japanese edition) |
| Melody Maker |  [3] |
| Pitchfork Media | (7.8/10)[4] |
| PopMatters | (Positive)[5] |
| Q | |
| The Guardian | [6] |
| Uncut | |
Six is the second album by English alternative rock band Mansun, released in September 1998 via Parlophone. It was released in the US on 20 April 1999 with an alternative running order, different artwork, and the re-recorded single version of the title track. In an interview prior to the release of Six, Paul Draper stated that the "interlude" "Witness to a Murder (Part Two)" was included to separate the album into two parts as a tribute to old-style vinyl albums.
Packaging
The album's sleeve art was a painting produced by Max Schindler, and commissioned especially for the album. It contains many references to personal interests and obsessions of the band, such as a TARDIS and an image of Tom Baker as Doctor Who, and Patrick McGoohan as Number 6 (sitting in the ball chair commonly occupied by the different Number 2's), from The Prisoner. There is also a depiction of Winnie the Pooh standing close to a painting that may be a reproduction of Vinegar tasters, a Taoist allegorical painting. Guitarist Dominic Chad is known to be both a Taoist and a fan of A. A. Milne, and the album's name is in fact a reference to Milne's book Now We Are Six.
The cover art also depicts a number of (perhaps non-existent) books, including:
- Life as a Series of Compromises by Graham Langdon
- Who On Earth is Tom Baker? by Tom Baker (the actor's autobiography)
- Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell (1984 was one of the album's working titles)
- The 120 Days of Sodom by Marquis de Sade (referenced in the lyrics of "Legacy")
- The Book of Mormon (referenced in the lyrics of "Cancer")
- The Bible Code by Michael Drosnin
- People Places by Richard Rogers (referenced in the lyrics of "Anti-Everything")
- The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne (referenced in the lyrics of "Shotgun")
- Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard (referenced in the lyrics of "Negative")
- The Schizoid Man refers to an episode title of The Prisoner
- Paint It Black by Geoffrey Giuliano (a book on the death of Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones, an important influence on Dominic Chad)
The inlay booklet includes enlarged images of the piles of books from the cover, making it easier to read the authors and titles.
Release
Six was released in September 1998, it débuted at #6[7] on the UK Albums Chart. The album spawned four singles, each one was altered for single release. The alterations ranged from subtle to dramatic. The first single "Legacy" and the third single "Negative" were given slight trims. Conversely, "Being a Girl" was literally cut in half with the opening two-minute section labelled 'Part One' and released as a single. The title track was completely re-recorded with producer Arthur Baker and released in the winter of 1999. "Legacy" was the most successful single and reached the top ten on the UK Singles Chart.[7] "Being a Girl (Part One)" and "Six" made the top twenty,[7] while "Negative" peaked at #27.[7]
Track listing
All tracks written by Paul Draper; except where indicated.
| Part One | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Six" | 8:07 | |
| 2. | "Negative" | Draper, Chad, King, Rathbone | 4:21 |
| 3. | "Shotgun" | Draper, Chad | 6:38 |
| 4. | "Inverse Midas" | Chad | 1:44 |
| 5. | "Anti-Everything" | 2:25 | |
| 6. | "Fall Out" | 3:47 | |
| 7. | "Serotonin" | 2:33 | |
| 8. | "Cancer" | 9:31 | |
| Interlude | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 9. | "Witness to a Murder (Part Two)" (monologue performed by Tom Baker) | Chad | 3:06 |
| Part Two | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 10. | "Television" | Draper, Chad | 8:21 |
| 11. | "Special / Blown It (Delete as Appropriate)" | 5:32 | |
| 12. | "Legacy" | 6:33 | |
| 13. | "Being a Girl" | 7:59 | |
| 14. | "I Care" (Japanese only bonus track) | 3:42 | |
US track listing
The US release of Six restructured the track listing considerably at the behest of Epic Records. The chapters and interlude were removed and the running order was rearranged with "Legacy" and "Shotgun" swapped. More significant was the omission of "Inverse Midas" and "Witness to a Murder (Part Two)" both of which were composed by Dominic Chad. The full eight-minute recording of the title track is substituted for the Arthur Baker re-recording. Small edits appear throughout the remaining track listing: the opening guitar from "Legacy", the feedback from the opening of "Negative" and the removal of silence from the end of "Cancer".
All tracks written by Paul Draper; except where indicated.
| Track listing | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Six (Baker Mix)" | 3:56 | |
| 2. | "Negative" | Draper, Chad, King, Rathbone | 4:16 |
| 3. | "Legacy" | 6:19 | |
| 4. | "Anti Everything" | 2:25 | |
| 5. | "Fall Out" | 3:47 | |
| 6. | "Serotonin" | 2:33 | |
| 7. | "Cancer" | 9:16 | |
| 8. | "Television" | Draper, Chad | 8:21 |
| 9. | "Special / Blown It (Delete as Appropriate)" | 5:18 | |
| 10. | "Shotgun" | Draper, Chad | 6:27 |
| 11. | "Being a Girl" | 8:00 | |
Personnel
- Mansun
- Paul Draper – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Dominic Chad – lead guitar, backing vocals, piano, harpsichord
- Stove King – bass
- Andie Rathbone – drums, percussion
- Production
- Paul Draper – producer
- Mark 'Spike' Stent – co-producer
- Mike Hunter – engineer, additional production
- Paul Walton – engineer
- Jan Kybeert – Pro Tools
- Matthew Vaughn – Pro Tools on "Legacy"
- Pennie Smith – band photography
B-sides
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Chart positions
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Oricon Album Chart[8] | 40 |
| Scottish Albums Chart[9] | 14 |
| UK Album Chart[10] | 6 |
References
- ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: Six – Mansun". Allmusic. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
- ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: Six (Japan) – Mansun". Allmusic. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
- ↑ Booth, Daniel (Sep 1998). "Review Six - Mansun". melody maker.
- ↑ DiCrescenzo, Brent (20 April 1999). "Review: Mansun – Six (Parlophone UK; 1999)". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
- ↑ Garrett, Jon (29 October 2002). "Review: MANSUN – Six (import edition) (Parlophone)". popmatters.com. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
- ↑ Sullivan, Caroline. "Review: Mansun – Six (Parlophone)". Friday Review (11 September 1998): 26.
- 1 2 3 4 "Mansun at chartstats.com". Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
- ↑ "Japan: Album positions". oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". officialcharts.com. 1998-09-13. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 348. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.