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Phil Manzanera / 801: Victoria Palace, London

Paul Rambali, New Musical Express, 29 October 1977

THERE IS something to be said for the notion that Phil Manzanera's music, as such, doesn't exist. Listening to it is like watching a chameleon that can't remember its true colour – it asserts no identity of its own other than a basic shape. That shape is probably the line-up and the band's cold musicianship. Beyond that, 801 change style deftly to suit each song, and the songs themselves come in assorted and generally unconnected sizes. Initially this was a qualitative advantage, but by the end it became an annoying drawback.

Total word count of piece: 380

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