Manfred Mann - Mann Made (1965) [Vinyl]

The group's second British album -- released just as the original lineup was entering a state of collapse with the impending departure of two key members -- shows some of the changes that can happen in a year, as they moved away from Chess Records' brand of blues as their baseline. Instead, they produced a sound that's slightly smoother and a lot more soulful. A handful of originals, mostly by Mike Vickers and Mike Hugg with one Paul Jones-authored number thrown in, are scattered amid covers of songs originated by the Temptations, the Skyliners, and T-Bone Walker. If it isn't as fierce, bold, or daringly ambitious as the Manfreds' debut long-player, Mann Made is just as much a virtuoso effort, and a surprisingly cohesive one, considering that it was released immediately after Mike Vickers and Paul Jones announced their respective departures from the band.