Description

I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love Tonight” (Gary Moore, Lake) :

Manoeuvres is the second solo album of singer Greg Lake, released in 1983. It features ex-Thin Lizzy member Gary Moore on guitar again. It is Lakes last original studio album on his own to date.

A Woman Like You” (Gary Moore)

“Manoeuvres” (Lake, Gary Moore) – 4:02
“Too Young to Love” (Lake) – 4:05
“Paralysed” (Lake) – 3:57
“A Woman Like You” (Gary Moore) – 4:29
“I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love Tonight” (Gary Moore, Lake) – 4:05
“Its You, You Gotta Believe” (Lake) – 7:06
“Famous Last Words” (Andy Scott, Chris Bradford, David Most) – 3:04
“Slave to Love” (Lake) – 3:18
“Haunted” (Benyon, Margetts, Lake) – 4:50
“I Don’t Know Why I Still Love You” (Lake) – 4:28

Greg Lake – Guitar, Vocals
Gary Moore– Guitar
Tristian Margetts – Bass
Tommy Eyre – Keyboards
Ted McKenna – Drums
Produced By Greg Lake

The following 3 promo materials are NOT included in your order, will NOT be included in your order:

The 3 promo materials are NOT included in your order, will NOT be included in your order

Greg’s second solo album is very much a continuation of his eponymous debut. The band line up is unchanged, with Gary Moore continuing to pull the music in a firmly rock orientated direction. Once again, this is very much a band album, with Lake providing his distinctive vocals.

Tracks such as “Manoeuvres” and “I don’t wanna lose your love tonight” are powerful driving songs, the latter having strong hints of Blackmore’s RAINBOW. Side one features all the upbeat rock numbers on the album, this being emphasised by the fact that Gary Moore’s song writing contributions can all be found on that side.

The second side is dominated by a succession of softer tracks. “It’s you, you’ve gotta believe” is a power ballad with a strong melody and some excellent instrumentation. “Famous last words” is a soft reflective ballad which will appeal to those seeking Greg’s ELP solo spots. Likewise, “Slave to love” is an appealing acoustic pop ballad, with AOR overtones. Gary Moore adds some tasteful “Empty rooms” like guitar to the song.

“Haunted” has a late night feel, the smoochy wind instrumental break complementing a fine vocal performance by Greg. The album closes with an orchestrated ballad “I don’t know why I still love you” another atmospheric piece.

The songs are of a consistently high quality, and the performances exemplary. Bearing in mind that this is essentially an AOR album from the Asia, GTR etc. school, there is plenty to enjoy.

5.0 out of 5 stars Rockers and Ballads.
“Manoeuvres”, is Greg Lakes 2nd solo outting in the summer of ’83. Greg had just done a classic solo turn in ’81. On this disc he brought back guitarist Gary Moore and the band from “Greg Lake”, keyboardist the late Tommy Eyre, bassist Tristian Margetts and drummer Ted McKenna. My only wish is most progressive music fans dismiss this as fluff, would give these albums a chance, i know they don’t sound like ELP from the early 70s, but this was 1983 and Greg was just trying some new directions, even he was confused by which way he should go, but i really think he did a hell of a job on these two discs. Here he gives us the classic title track, “Manoeuvres in the danger zone, a stranger in distress, Manoeuvres in the danger zone, I’m sending out an S.O.S.”. The rockin’ “Too Young To Love”, with a nice melodic bridge. The strutting “Paralysed”, Gary Moores “A Woman Like You”, a song that might of hit, with any help from Chrysalis at the time. “I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love Tonight”, is a solid rocker, one of the albums classier numbers is “Its You”, You’ve Gotta Believe”, very ELP like ballad, great keys by Tommy Eyre. “Famous Last Words”, a mid-tempo ballad with some 80s recording flourishes thrown in, “Slave To Love”, brings to mind “Cest La Vie”, from “Works Vol. 1”, classic Greg. The sorrowful sounding “Haunted”, another tune that shows off Gregs vocal abilities. And the final song of “Manoeuvres”, is the dramatic “I Don’t Know Why I Still Love You”, with some nice guitar by Gary and Gregs voice is top notch here. As i’ve said on his other album, Rock Candy and Andy Pearce did a great job with this release. Greg went on tour with Asia in late ’83 and then got back together with Keith Emerson for 1986s “Emerson Lake And Powell”.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great
If you are, like myself, an ELP fan, this is a must coming from frontman Greg Lake. I have had the Greg Lake lp on vinyl for many years and have only recently found Manouvers. In comparison, i knew M would have a long ladder to climb to top G.L.; In my opinion, it doesn’t, but it does come kinda close. M is much more personal but overly romantic to the point of indulgence on more than one track. But Greg was being terribly honest and brave to publish this lp. It has the same 80s style as GL without as much production. Manouvers well never get outplayed here. There is simply too much integrity and musical virtuosity to fail to collect any dust.