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Wisconsin four-piece, The Mood Manual, is a progressively inclined rock band with a prankster sensibility running through their songs. It was Frank Zappa who famously asked if humour belonged in music, before (and after) answering positively on countless occasions, and so it is with The Mood Manual. They’re not big on jokes, and they’re certainly neither slapstick nor vulgar, but they exude a playfulness that is delightfully inviting.
Their debut “Trial” is an ambitious seven-track collection, which takes inspiration from a host of heavyweight artists and bands, but never at the expense of their own quirky identity. “Mood: Arrival” brings to mind contemporary prog rockers like Dream Theater and Porcupine Tree, and although there’s plenty of serious guitar playing on display, it’s somehow airy and light. Certainly there’s a subtlety that is unexpected, and lyrically they’re oblique. The title track is altogether gentler. Carolyn Horst’s saxophone provides delicate ambiance, and vocals and guitar, the dynamic flourishes. “Mood: Meditation” is swathed in Floydian electronica, but is combined with a sitar treated guitar and half-heard vocals, and the result is mesmerizing – as is the album.
www.facebook.com/themoodmanual
Rob F. - Leicester Bangs
Discography
Trial (2011) - 33 minute EP
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Bio
The Mood Manual systematically catalogs each and every emotional state of being that can be communicated through changes in air pressure, as well as other media. The band performs a seamless mix of primarily progressive, alternative, rock, and metal music ("PARM" for short) and interjects matter-of-fact humor and commentary on any number of subjects between pieces. The four members of The Mood Manual started creating music together in grade school and jammed under various names beginning in 2008. The band discovered their current formation in the summer of 2010 and released their debut album "Trial" in 2011. Since its inception, the Madison, WI-based group has used its unique blend of serious, powerfully emotive music and lighthearted fun to captivate fans of nearly every genre of music. The Mood Manual's performances take control of each listener’s cognitive function and generate a beautifully satisfying experience within, from the core of their souls outward.
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