Phil Manley - Life Coach

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 30 / 1 / 2011

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Having come a long way from electronic wave rock to mere plicking and plucking, Phil Manley of Washington DC's Trans AM has finally met his John Fahey moment. On his debut as a solo artist, Phil Manley uses two methods. One is on the guitar, and on the other it's the synthesizer. With his band Trans AM, little room is left for a sidestep into the drone music of 'Life Coach'. Both courses lead to one and the same place though. The melodic equation on Life Coach' originated this ongoing battle of sounds; both are busy with the signals of the new world arising, as well as with dreamlike meandering off the old acoustic instrument world. The subsequent feedback overdose works like white noise. 'Life Coach' may sound like a preposterous album (title) to you but you have to forgive Phil Manley on this first solo escapade. He has developed a sense of composition as a member of a 'forward thinking' techno outfit - a cliché which in this case holds true. On 'Life Coach' Manley unfolds these two perspectives. Echoes from his past in Trans AM live on in 'Forest Opening Theme' for example. A compositional talent alas is unapparent - 'Life Coach' above anything is an exercise in guitar patterns. And the album should not be regarded as a solo statement. 'Life Coach' is the place where Drag City and Kranky Records meet. The two Chicago labels shadow dance around each other and in this case, Phil Manley, while signed to a third Chicago label Thrill Jockey stands amidst both on his own, in the dark, picking a couple of chords. The dry, crisp and clean sound of Phil Manley is as much Kranky as it is Drag City. The album shows another side to Phil Manley, but 'Life Coach' should not be start of series of solo albums.

Track Listing:-

1 FT2 Theme
2 Commercial Potential
3 Lawrence, KS
4 Forest Opening Theme
5 Work It Out
6 Make Good Choices
7 Gay Bathers
8 Night Visions
9 Life Coach

Label Links:-

http://www.thrilljockey.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ThrillJockey
https://twitter.com/thrilljockey

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