Daily Jam - Wide Open Space

As I’ve written on more than one occasion, I was pretty swept up in the second coming of the British invasion in the mid 90’s when scores of Britpop records began washing ashore here in the states. I’ve always credited my fascination and adulation of these bands and artists to my increasing boredom of and dissatisfaction with the then dying grunge scene, as second, third, and fourth versions of grunge carbon copies began decimating the airwaves. The American alt-nation had become stagnant, a bland homogenization of distorted guitar tones and incorrigible yarling. And so, I looked across the sea for something that sounded new…something that sounded unique…something that sounded exciting. And I found Blur, and Oasis, and Pulp, and Suede, and so many others. I also discovered Chester, England’s Mansun and their glorious pop rock single “Wide Open Space.”

From the 1997 album Attack of the Grey Lantern, the single was the only song from the band to ever make any kind of wave in the US, though the band’s later albums would be hailed as classics in the Williams household. But I was instantly hooked with “Wide Open Space.” Somehow, those two opening guitar notes played repeatedly gripped me in anticipation for what would come next. What follows is a catchy, hummable earworm that I’ve been unable to escape from for over 25 years. Pulling from Bowie, Duran Duran, and every other great British recording artist you’ve ever heard of, and probably some you haven’t, Mansun essentially made perfect pop songs, a kind of sweet, bubblegummy music with dark undertones. It all felt so refreshing.

The band would eventually get weirder (Six) and poppier (Little Kix), and I was always bummed that they petered out while working on a fourth LP. But, Britpop was all but dried up by that point in time anyway, which sometimes makes me wonder if the music fans over there weren’t as bored with the later waves of Britpop bands as I was with the defilement of grunge and alt-rock. Maybe we should have just traded around 1999 or so. Though, I would have gotten the better deal.

“You’ll never get to heaven with a smile on your face from me.”

Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Soundtrack 4 2 Lovers

Using numbers in their song title like they're Prince, here's Mansun with "Soundtrack 4 2 Lovers," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Dark Mavis

Man, it's been a long couple of days.  So here's a song about a drag queen.  Check out Mansun with "Dark Mavis" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Love Remains

It feels kind of weird to be posting about anything right now after last evening's devastating news from the Supreme Court.  I've been having a hard time getting my thoughts in order around everything.  It's all just a mixture of anger and hopelessness.  And goddamnit, i'm tired of having to feel this way every few weeks.  It's just one thing after another, and endless procession of horrible, evil bullshit propagated by the worst people in the world, smiling and waving after each crushing blow.  Anger and hopelessness.  We live in a Christo-fascist state.  I don't know what else to say at the moment, so here's a track from Mansun's never completed, self-titled fourth album that eventually made its way to our ears as 3-disc collection called "Kleptomania."  Listen to "Love Remains" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - The Chad Who Loved Me

Nothing quite plays the late summer and early fall of 1997 in the soundtrack of my mind like Mansun's "Attack of the Grey Lantern" LP.  The transition from listless pizza delivery driver in Midland, Texas to listless college student in Austin, Texas was certainly scored by all manner of late '90s artist, but the UK Britpop four-piece's debut is etched into my memory like a chisel to stone.  Check out the album opening "The Chad Who Loved Me" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Legacy

In about 4 hours i'm set to get my wisdom teeth removed.  I'm sure a lot of you did it in your teens, but for some reason i decided to wait until my 40s.  Needless to say, i'm not exactly stoked about the idea.  Anyway, here's "Legacy," a track from one of my favorite '90s UK acts Mansun and our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Cancer

Britpop band Mansun never really crossed over in the US, and that's too bad because they were great.  On their sophomore album "Six," they brought in some proggy sounds to create something that didn't really sound like anyone else out there.  Dig on the US version of the album cover above and listen to the weird and sprawling "Cancer" above, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - I Can Only Disappoint U

Today's jam comes from the long gone but not forgotten, criminally underrated Britpop band Mansun.  After getting all weird and proggy on 1998's "Six" LP, the group popped and polished things up a bit for 2000's "Little Kix."  Here's the dour, but pretty and catchy "I Can Only Disappoint U," our Daily Jam.

Paul Draper

Long defunct Britpop band Mansun were always one of my very favorite groups from that era, releasing three excellent albums and a never completed final LP.  Lead singer Paul Draper is now releasing a solo album some 15 years later, and from the scope of first single "Things People Want," he hasn't missed a beat.  Listen to the track below, and pre-order the upcoming "Spooky Action" LP here.