Lyrics
being a girl
i, care
been here before

Reviews
"Being A Girl"

Mansun inspire similar reactions in their fans as the Manics - and have almost as many detractors. Admittedly, their plundering of glam/new romantic archives is more open to attack, but when the results are a "Wide Open Space" or a "Legacy", they can be forgiven much. There is nothing to forgive about "Being A Girl", a short sharp new wave shock to the system with ricoheting guitars colliding with each other whilst Draper laments the stereotypes of his gender ("being a boy's like sucking a lemon"). Sounding like Duran Duran after they've swallowed some Big Hard pills, "Being A Girl" is almost over before it's begun, leaving you gasping for breath and a all the better for the experience.

"Hideout" is the first b-side, a huge glam sexbeast of a song, cutting down all around it with one glance from its mascara'd snake-eyes. Guitar that Richard Oakes would pay good money for surround you and envelop you, diverting attention from the fact the tune is a bit weak. "Railings" is next, and is the collaboration between Mansun and a certain Mr De Voto, the punk/new wave maestro sharing the vocals with Draper over a lustrous mellow Bowie-ish number swelling with blistering and swollen colours, filtered piano notes tugging at all the right strings. Not exactly a "Shot By Both Sides", but a damned fine way for Howard to piggyback his way back into the charts.

"I Care" is the first b-side of CD2, a roomier and spacey track, almost progressive in tone and the sound of a band entirely at ease with their muse. Chords shimmer in and out of existence before a chorus ups the tempo and takes over, creating a song that works better than "Hideout" in terms of tunefulness. Tunefulness is grasped by both hands by the band for "Been Here Before" however, a psychedelic romp which would sound like Kula Shaker if Kula Shaker were any good.

Bring on the new LP, guys...

Rating: 8/10
--headcleaner online