Review by Richie Unterberger
Manfred Mann's soundtrack to the 1968 film Up the Junction is regarded as one of the most outstanding rock soundtracks of the 1960s. That's not so much because the music is brilliant, as because there were very few other movies of the 1960s in which a major rock act was asked to score a film (as opposed to a situation like A Hard Day's Night, in which tracks that would have comprised a standard record album anyway were used). Although Manfred Mann himself and Manfred Mann drummer Mike Hugg wrote the material, much of the music was actually recorded just by the pair with assistance from session players, rather than by the entire Manfred Mann group. At any rate, the mix of vocal pop tunes and instrumental mood pieces is decent, though not wonderful. Certainly the highlight is the breezy title song, a British equivalent of sorts to late-'60s American sunshine pop; "Sing Songs of Love," "Just for Me," and "Walking Round" are wistful, subdued harmony tunes in the same style. Much of the rest of the album is filled out by peppy but standard Swinging London-style soul-jazz instrumental snippets, along with reprises of "Up the Junction" and the soppy but attractive instrumental "Love Theme." By the standards of Manfred Mann fans, this is an enjoyable side project, more introspective in mood and not as powerful as their late-'60s pop-rock singles; by the standards of soundtrack fans, this is well above the average for a late-'60s youth/pop culture-oriented movie. The 1999 CD reissue on RPM has detailed historical liner notes, and adds the non-LP 1968 B-side "Sleepy Hollow," a laid-back jazz-pop tune with vocals that was recorded at the Up the Junction sessions.
Tracks
Title
Performer
Time
1 Up the Junction [Vocal Version] 4:38
2 Sing Songs of Love 2:01
3 Walking Round 2:17
4 Up the Junction [instrumental] 1:12
5 Love Theme [instrumental] 2:15
6 Up the Junction [Vocal and Instrumental] 1:48
7 Just for Me 2:26
8 Love Theme [instrumental] 2:03
9 Shelia's Dance 2:04
10 Belgravia 2:46
11 Wailing Horn 2:24
12 I Need Your Love 1:41
13 Up the Junction [Vocal Version] 2:15
14 Sleepy Hollow [*] 3:25
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