01	Father Of Day, Father Of Night						09:55
	02	In The Beginning, Darkness						05:21
	03	Pluto The Dog						02:47
	04	Solar Fire						05:15
	05	Saturn, Lord Of The Ring - Mercury The Winged Messenger						06:31
	06	Earth, The Circle Part 2						03:22
	07	Earth, The Circle Part 1						03:55
	08	Joybringer						03:24
	09	Father Of Day, Father Of Night (Edited Version)						03:03

1973 - Solar Fire

Still considered by many followers to be one of the best Earth Band albums, this was the first to be issued on the Bronze label. Following on from the hit single "Joybringer", based on "Jupiter" from Holst's "Planet Suite", the album continued the theme, although without the freedom to use any more of Holst's work. Although altogether a fine and atmospheric album there is one outstanding track, a ten minute working of Dylan's "Father Of Day Father Of Night".


Produced by Manfred Mann and Earth Band

Mick Rogers: Guitar, vocals
Manfred Mann: Organ, synthesizer, vocals
Colin Pattenden: Bass
Chris Slade: Drums

P 1974 Petbrook Ltd.

1 Father Of Day, Father Of Night (9:52)
Dylan Sony/ATV Music Publishing

2 In The Beginning, Darkness (5:19)
Mann/Rogers/Slade B Feldman & Co Ltd

3 Pluto The Dog (2:45)
Mann/Rogers/Slade/Pattenden B Feldman & Co Ltd

4 Solar Fire (5:13)
Mann/Rogers/Slade/Pattenden B Feldman & Co Ltd

5 Saturn, Lord of the Ring
Mercury, the Winged Messenger
Mann B Feldman & Co Ltd
Mann/Rogers B Feldman & Co Ltd

6 Earth The Circle (part 2) (3:20)
Mann B Feldman & Co Ltd

7 Earth The Circle (part 1) (3:47)
Mann B Feldman & Co Ltd

8 Joybringer (3:22)
Holst/Mann/Rogers/Slade Gustav Holst/J Curwen & Sons Ltd


9 Father Of Day, Father Of Night (3:01)
Dylan Sony/ATV Music Publishing



Solar Fire
Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Polydor PD-6019
Released: February 1974
Chart Peak: #96
Weeks Charted: 15

Although it purports to be a magical mystery tour of the solar system, an updating of Gustav Holst, Solar Fire has a tough time achieving lift-off. Either Chris Slade or Colin Pattenden (drums and bass, respectively) are dullards, or Mann is down on rhythm. All the tracks sound pretty much the same, like the Moody Blues gone heavy, Uriah Heep, or a muted Black Sabbath.

But the hirelings are less to blame than Mann himself, who, whatever his other talents, has never been able to write particularly well. Mann's earlier editions were successful because they relied on outside writers and in-house material supplied by the likes of Mike Hugg and Michael D'Abo. The Earth Band boasts no one of comparable caliber, yet Mann and his current cohorts, rarely to their credit, authored six of Solar Fire's seven cuts. And Mick Rogers' nondescript vocals do nothing for that needed spark.

Still, Mann's skills are such that the album almost works. He is, after all, one of rock's great journeymen. His arrangement of Dylan's "Father of Day, Father of Night" combines an adroit blend of Procol Harum, the Moodies, and an imaginative synthesizer. On this last instrument Mann is impressive and versatile. Whereas most rock musicians use the synthesizer as merely another keyboard or simply for eldritch effects, Mann plays it as a supple instrument in its own right, producing an extraordinary variety of sounds which are always integrated into the business at hand. Moreover, Mann's synthesizer meshes effectively with Rogers' guitar, both in unison and alternation, and this duo is responsible for the album's better moments (especially the paean to Saturn and Mercury). However, despite sympathetic and adept frontmen, Solar Fire remains earthbound and the Earth Band somewhat short on snap.

- Ken Emerson, Rolling Stone, 3/14/74.


Solar Fire (UK Review)

Very powerful, dramatic, vibrant, heavy and unusual. Lyrics are strong and lucid. Extensive backing gives an urgent astral feeling. This is an extremely good band who've grown very quietly into something quite huge. Members are Colin Pattenden, Chris Slade, Manfred Mann and Mick Rogers. The overall sound is very clear and hangs together excellently with definite solar vibes. Exciting - full of life and tension, vigour and unleashed power. They're gonna be big folks. Very good - give it a listen.


Solar Fire (UK Review)

Solar Fire is a really fine piece of work. It also goes on record as the first extended piece of ''space' rock that I've ever warmed to. So if you've got a weakness for things Floydish or have lent even a plugged ear to Hawkwind you should listen to this. Less epic, it is very tight, well structured, non meandering music, very well presented. I never really warmed to musical musings on the galaxies and us (especially when there are synthesizers involved) but I like this. Perhaps it's because I can't believe they're serious - just good.

David Robson





Bonus Review!

As this group moves closer to the jazzy style it no doubt covets, it begins to show the corners of its rhythmic box. As well as minimal self-knowledge -- Mann's strength has always been song interpretation, after all. Yo think that's why this album has no writer's credits, not even for a familiar-sounding extravaganza called (here) "Father of Day, Father of Night"? I bet they wrote this silly stuff themselves. Ah, self-expression. C+

- Robert Christgau, Christgau's Record Guide, 1981.