Before The Grey Lantern (RSD 23)

A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF THE PRE-ATTACK OF THE GREY LANTERN ERA SINGLES & B-SIDES, RELEASED ON LP FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR RECORD STORE DAY 2023.

In 1995, Mansun signed to the legendary record label Parlophone (home to The Beatles & Radiohead) & headed to the studio to record their seminal #1 album ‘Attack Of The Grey Lantern’. The debut album topped the charts & remains one of the classic brit pop albums of the 90’s. Formed in Chester in 1994, the band wrote & released a collection of songs before the album sessions, released on CD/7-inch vinyl leading up to their debut album. Now, for the first time, these pre-Grey Lantern tracks has been compiled on this essential album – ‘Before The Grey Lantern’.

Included in the compilation is ‘Take It Easy Chicken’ (1995 Original Self Released Version), the band’s first ever single & a song Mansun famously closed sets with, right up until they disbanded in 2003. Elsewhere on the record, stand-out moments include tracks from the bands One, Two, Three, Four & Five EP’s & B-sides from the ‘Stripper Vicar’ & ‘Wide Open Space’ singles.

The exclusive LP is available as a Record Store Day 2023 release on black vinyl.

Kscope, having acquired this impressive catalogue, are running a thorough reissue series that delves into a treasure trove of previously unreleased audio & visual material, including the much-awaited 21st-anniversary remaster of their experimental Top 10 album ‘Six’, which jumped back into the UK charts in 2019, as #1 Vinyl album, #5 Indie album, #12 Physical album & #36 Album. Meanwhile the label’s reissue of ‘Attack Of The Grey Lantern’ reached #28 in the UK album chart & ultimate 25-disc box set ‘Closed For Business’ (which chronicled the band’s entire career) gained critical acclaim upon its release in 2020 with Record Collector describing it as a “truly monolithic collection”.