It’s been thirty years since MANSUN formed, and although this British ensemble wrapped up their activities in 2003, the band’s songs are still fondly remembered by a lot of listeners, let alone by Paul Draper who used to front the collective. Surprisingly, the singer-songwriter’s subsequent career yielded not too many records – his discography numbers only a couple studio longplays, 2017’s “Spooky Action” and “Cult Leader Tactics” from 2022, two concert albums, three EPs and quite a few singles – so the project the veteran’s ready to release on February 20th must come as a pleasant offering for his fans.
Tellingly titled “Mansun Retold” and presented inside a 48-page hardback book, it’s a two-CD plus Blu-ray set which finds Draper reimagine a generous smattering of pieces he wrote for the band – now with a prospect of engaging a mature audience. Paul selected the tracks that could be performed with an acoustic group and a string quartet and delivered those, taking up several instruments – guitars, bass and piano – himself and inviting MANSUN’s early drummer Julian Fenton to the party. If the clip below is anything to go by, the results are nigh fantastic.
Mansun Retold
CD 1 – Retold:
1. I’ve Seen The Top Of The Mountain
2. Disgusting
3. I Can Only Disappoint
4. Until The Next Life
5. Naked Twister
6. The Chad Who Loved Me
7. Wide Open Space
8. Dark Mavis
9. Comes As No Surprise
10. Mansun’s Only Love Song
11. When The Wind Blows
CD 2 – Stripped Back:
1. Next Life
2. When The Wind Blows
3. Naked Twister
4. I’ve Seen The Top Of The Mountain
5. Mansun’s Only Love Song
6. Dark Mavis
Blu-ray – Retold – Dolby Atmos / 5.1 Mix / Hi-Res Stereo:
1-11 – as on CD 1
