Manchester calling

"After hitting the U.K. Top Five with all three of their prior duo albums, the Beautiful South's Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott return with a generous 16-track set. A tip of the hat to the Clash's double album London Calling, Manchester Calling verifies that Heaton can indeed churn out enough bouncy earworms and playfully acerbic verses to fill the more ambitious length ... Manchester Calling is dominated by lively, playful songs, and though the track list might have been improved by cutting a handful of the more similar ones, the couple can't be justly accused of allowing any filler".

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"For all their many merits (...), Paul Heaton's restless solo albums after disbanding The Beautiful South in 2006 suggested his commercial moment had passed. Reuniting with the longest-lasting Beautiful South singer Jacqui Abbott instantly transformed his fortunes, and 'Manchester Calling' - a 'London Calling-style double album on its vinyl incarnation - is the pair's fourth ... As ever, Heaton's whipsmart lyrics lurch between grumbling and lovesick, but he and Abbott bounce off each other like a couple who still relish being married".