Kleptomania (album)

Kleptomania
Studio album by Mansun
Released 27 September 2004 (UK)
Recorded 1995–2003
Genre Alternative rock, post-punk, Britpop
Length 193:40
Label Parlophone
Producer Paul Draper, Mark Stent, Michael Hunter
Mansun chronology
Little Kix
(2000)		 Kleptomania
(2004)		 Legacy: The Best of Mansun
(2006)
Singles from Kleptomania
  1. "Slipping Away" b/w "Getting Your Way"
    Released: 20 September 2004

Kleptomania is the fourth and final album by English rock band Mansun, released in September 2004 following the band's split. The first CD features the material that was to form the basis the band's next album, which was originally going to be self-titled, and the other 2 CDs feature EP tracks, outtakes and demos.

The band split up while recording songs for the album Kleptomania leaving unfinished tracks that were never released. An extensive explanation of the break-up has never been made public although a press release by Paul Draper stated that the band had simply "grown apart".

EMI had originally not intended to release the material until an online petition, which gained over 4000 signatures, demonstrated that there was demand for it from fans. Draper was not in a positive frame of mind about Mansun at the time but agreed to work on the material after EMI contacted him, on the basis that the material would be released as part of a boxset featuring other material.

Track listing

Disc one

'The 4th Album Sessions'
No. Title Length
1. "Getting Your Way"   4:30
2. "Slipping Away"   4:51
3. "Keep Telling Myself"   3:58
4. "Harris"   3:25
5. "Love Remains"   2:45
6. "Cry 2 My Face"   4:10
7. "No Signal/No Complaints"   4:53
8. "Home"   3:46
9. "Fragile"   3:41
10. "Wanted So Much"   3:26
11. "Good Intentions Heal the Soul"   26:12
12. "The Dog from Two Doors Down" (Hidden bonus track)  

Disc two

Non-Album Singles, B-Sides and EP-Only Tracks
No. Title Length
1. "Take It Easy Chicken"   4:31
2. "Everyone Must Win"   5:40
3. "Closed for Business"   3:08
4. "Ski Jump Nose"   3:43
5. "Can't Afford to Die"   2:50
6. "Railings" (with Howard Devoto) 5:54
7. "Flourella" (Original Version) 4:23
8. "Decisions, Decisions"   6:03
9. "Been Here Before"   4:12
10. "My Idea of Fun"   4:01
11. "When the Wind Blows"   4:51
12. "Check Under the Bed"   4:12
13. "Skin Up Pin Up"   3:42
14. "I Care"   3:41
15. "The World's Still Open"   3:38

Disc three

Rarities, Demos and Unreleased Tracks
No. Title Length
1. "Rock 'n' Roll Loser"   4:03
2. "Secrets"   3:34
3. "These Days (Full Length Version)"   4:26
4. "It's OK"   4:43
5. "Drones"   3:29
6. "Right to the End of the Earth"   3:30
7. "I Can Only Disappoint U (Home Demo)"   5:01
8. "Love Is... (Home Demo)"   4:26
9. "Love Remains (Home Demo)"   2:22
10. "Shot by Both Sides (Live John Peel Session)"   3:39
11. "Taxloss (Live)"   24:21
12. "Witness to an Opera" (Hidden bonus track – Instrumental Version of "Witness to a Murder (Part Two)")  
13. "Thief (Alternative Version)" (2nd Hidden bonus track)  
14. "Stupid Open Space" (3rd Hidden bonus track – Instrumental Easy Listening Version of "Wide Open Space")  

Personnel

Disc One Credits

Disc Two Credits

Disc Three Credits

Overview

The first three songs (which were included on promo versions of the boxset) are the most complete and mainstream songs. "Getting Your Way" begins with a dirge-like chord progression then intensifies with a swagger the band hadn’t focused on since early songs like "She Makes My Nose Bleed" and "Take It Easy Chicken". "Slipping Away” (also a single) and "Keep Telling Myself" are much more focused rock songs. From "Harris" onwards it's clear that Mansun still retain many of their idiosyncrasies. "Love Remains" is a short punk pop song where glam rock drums and a distorted guitar drive the song. In recent interviews Paul Draper stated that if the band had stayed together and released the fourth album properly, they would have issued "Love Remains" as the lead-off single.

Track six, "Cry 2 My Face", is closest to the sound of Little Kix, but its changes in tone mark it as a development from that sound. "No Signal/No Complaints" begins with a short piece called "These Days" (which is collected in its full length on the third Kleptomania disc): it is also an example of Mansun's previous style. Its negative lyrics and fractured progression are similar to the songs from Six, it is similar to "Special/Blown it" in many respects. Paul Draper states in the sleeve notes that "Good Intentions Heal the Soul" was always intended to conclude the album. The song is one of the singer's most open lyrics, throughout Mansun's career; Draper had attempted to write lyrics which were more direct.

The album greatly pleased fans of the group who generally felt that it wrapped up the bands existence, or at least better than Little Kix would have. The tracks for Disc 2 were selected by an online poll on the band's official website which allowed fans to choose any of the band's releases whether a non-album single or B-side singles. Paul Draper also chose to include "When the Wind Blows" and "Decisions, Decisions", which weren't in the top 20 tracks voted by fans.

Notes

Despite previewing several tracks from Kleptomania live on what was Mansun's final tour of 2002, Stove King's playing did not feature on any of the tracks which were included. Instead Dominic Chad and Paul Draper shared bass duties.

Kleptomania was recorded at several locations including St. Catherine's Court, a recording studio owned by Jane Seymour, where fellow Parlophone act Radiohead recorded the acclaimed OK Computer album, and at Rockfield Studios which has been used by acts such as Queen and The Stone Roses. Paul Draper later stated that the band split in the middle of recording "Cry 2 My Face"

"Slipping Away" was released as a download and 7" only single prior to the full release of Kleptomania. "Getting Your Way" was featured as the B-Side.

"Shot by Both Sides" is not only a Magazine cover but also one of the few Mansun songs sung by lead guitarist Dominic Chad.

The boxset includes a retrospect by Paul Draper in which he talks about each track included on the album.

Kleptomania contains a number of hidden tracks. The first disc contains an instrumental called "The dog from two doors down" (credited to "The Nurk Twins"). The third disc contains three: "Thief", different mix of an earlier EP B-side track; "Witness to an Opera" an instrumental version of a song from the band's second album Six; and "Stupid Open Space" a jazz-funk cover of Wide Open Space (credited to Mike Hunter).

"Rock 'n' Roll Loser" was mentioned on fan site "Mansunite", and was talked about on there as the possible first single from Little Kixx. However, as mentioned in the sleeve notes of Kleptomania, the band soon lost interest in it and it was left in the vaults until its addition on disc 3 of this album.

"South of the Painted Hall" is an unreleased track was recorded in 2001 during the intended sessions for the 4th Mansun album. It's now included as a free download on the Legacy: Best Of CD.

Single

Slipping Away

Limited Edition 7" & Promo CD

  1. "Slipping Away" – 3:46
  2. "Getting Your Way" – 4:32


External links

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