Wetton-Manzanera - Wetton-Manzanera (1998)

As the driving instrumental force behind Roxy Music's biggest hits, Phil Manzanera developed a reputation as a top-notch axeman. Bringing a fluid, melodic musical current to play beneath Bryan Ferry's often bittersweet lyrics, his contributions to that band were acclaimed critically but sadly overlooked when the pundits were crowning the next big guitar hero. As shown by this decade-old effort with fellow Roxy alumni John Wetton, Manzanera is a superb pop songwriter.

The Britpop tunes collected on Wetton Manzanera are full of the sort of wonderful six-string flourishes that the guitarist brought to Roxy Music's material. Manzanera's clean lines and flowing chords breathe life into Wetton's light-hearted romantic lyrics, providing a musical backbone for the material. A small part of the legacy of one of rock's most accomplished guitarists, the reissue of this self-titled collaboration is worth another look if only for a glimpse of the soul and talent of Phil Manzanera. (Renaissance Records)

(Click on CD cover to buy Wetton-Manzanera from Amazon.com)