More Info: http://rickmanwiller.com/
Verdict: Quirkiness works!
Rick Manwiller is a member of Dakota, playing keyboards, guitar and also doing some of the vocals. I'm not too sure what is happening with Dakota, it has been quite a while since their last album. In the meantime we have new solo album from Rick to listen to. In fact, this is his third solo album, having previously released "Another Fine Mesozoic" and 1998's "Living at Square One".
The album starts off with a West Coast meets Billy Joel pop track, "Going Nowhere", that is what I'd expect from Rick. "Answers" follows this by adding a little of brass to the formula. The third track, "Cadaver Dogs", which is my favourite track, is a West Coast track that wouldn't be out of place on a Toto album. The album then slows right down with a country rock ballad called "Red State Blues".
The next track, "Attack Yoseff" heads off in a Blues Brothers direction. Get your Pork Pie hats out! The album heads off in another direction with a jazz-funk fusion style that again has hints of Toto on "I Got 2 Go". "Pathocrazy" is full of weirdness and reminds me of Rob Zombie of all people. In total contast "The One Who Got Away" is a ballad with a Richard Marx meets Garth Brooks vibe. The brass section comes out again for "Rokki The Porn Star" but the jazzy chorus I actually find rather annoying and I seldom listen to the whole track.
Happily "Easy Way Out" has the album back on track with a song that will please Dakota fans. The West coast meets funk of "New Shoes" helps it win the prize for the catchiest track. The quirkiness that gave us "Pathocrazy" is back on "Krunk" which sounds like Toto doing battle with The Smurfs (yes, The Smurfs!). The album closes with a warm sounding, track called "The Best That I Could Do" which features some great storytelling lyrics.
Reading some info at Rick's website it seems that the album is split into two sections (yeah….just like the 2 sides on good old vinyl albums). The tracks up to and including "Pathocrazy" are devoted to Rick's commentary on the his "love of politics" (or maybe more accurately his gradual disillusionment with politicians and the political system), whilst the second half, "the politics of love" deals with more routine rock song lyrical content.
When I reviewed the Anti-M album earlier this month I summed it up by saying "Diversity works!". Maybe I'm being lazy, but the same summary applies here. Ah! Hold that headline, I've thought of a twist on that - "Quirkiness works!".
