Joe Mannix has been a mainstay of the pop underground since his power poppin' days with Oral Groove. Two acclaimed albums with neo-Americana outfit Mannix, brought out by his very own www.mannixrock.com Records, cemented his position as a singer-songwriter of lyrical vision and artistic verve.

Mannix's latest recording finds himself dropping the group concept in favour of a stripped down solo piece, but considering that the Mannix band really revolved around his unique gifts and talents, White Flag is not too far off from Mannix's last effort, the sublime Come to California. Thus, you can expect more country-folk-rock that this time around invites easy comparisons to Neil Young's similar incursions into such musical territory. Which by that same token carries the influence of Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen into the mix as well. Conceptually, melancholy and wistfulness permeates the entire album, the folkie nature of the tunes lending itself well to the subject matter. From the poignant erstwhile love affair of "Bellerose Hill" to the sad profile of "Silver Girl", from the cautious optimism of "Moving On" to the resigned air of "Light After the Darkness", White Flag forces the listener to reflect on the danger of our times. (www.mannixrock.com)
Kevin Mathews