Angel Station is the ninth album released by Manfred Mann's Earth Band, released in 1979. Several line-up changes were made for this album. Ex-Wings drummer Geoff Britton replaced founding drummer Chris Slade and Steve Waller replaced guitarist Dave Flett. Britton left the band soon after due to illness, and was replaced by John Lingwood. Also in the line-up were Pat King on bass guitar from the then current line-up and Chris Thompson.
Background
Angel Station features a six-note descending theme in most of the songs on the album, woven into the context of each song in a different way, an idea hatched by Pat King after having watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind. "Hollywood Town" and "You Are, I Am" share a common chord progression and basic arrangement. They occupied almost identical positions on either side of the LP. The album has the air of an emotional and musical crossword puzzle, or has affinities with the work of M. C. Escher, whose art is alluded to on the cover illustration.
Of interest is the involvement of Fingerprintz's Jimme O'Neill whose influence can be heard in the edgy, angular instrumental "Platform End" (a song whose title was probably influenced by the fact that it originally closed the 1979 vinyl's A side, while it was also a play on the back cover of the previous album Watch), and ex-Slapp Happy/Henry Cow member Anthony Moore who produced the album and influenced its modern, sparse sound.
"This is Chris Thompson's last album with the Earth Band as he is forming his own band in the near future. I wish to thank him for a valuable creative and personal relationship, and wish him every success in the future." – Manfred Mann, 1979[1]
In spite of this announcement, Thompson's own outfit Night turned out as unsuccessful, releasing two mostly overlooked albums in 1979 and 1980 respectively, so the singer stayed with the Earth Band instead, returning on the group's next album Chance (1980) already.[2]
The album was on the US Billboard 200 charts for thirteen weeks, peaking at No. 144 on 9 June 1979.[3] The single "You Angel You" spent seven weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart peaking at No. 58 on 14 July 1979.[4]
The album spent eight weeks and reached No. 4 on the German Media Control Albums Chart.[5]
The Globe and Mail noted that "there are no songs with the hit potential of 'Blinded By the Light', only a safe copy called 'Don't Kill It Carol', by former Incredible String Bander Mike Heron."[9]
"Don't Kill It Carol" (single version) (Heron) – 3:58
"You Angel You" (single version) (Dylan) – 3:46
Personnel
The Earth Band
Chris Thompson – vocals (chorus of "Don't Kill It Carol", "You Angel You", "Hollywood Town", ""Belle" of the Earth", "You Are - I Am", "Waiting for the Rain")
Steve Waller – guitar, vocals (verse of "Don't Kill it Carol", "You Angel You", ""Belle" of the Earth", "Angels at My Gate", "You Are - I Am")
Manfred Mann – keyboards, vocals ("Resurrection", bridge of "Don't Kill It Carol")
^Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN978-951-1-21053-5.
