Sassy Brit-Pop with a high focus on the vocal presence; Delivery, both in tone and tempo, are usually complex while still holding to the pop simplicity but obtain a sort of dramatic quality with the dripping mood shifts; Dreamy pop with a creamy middle; "Mansun" create these slices of slight observation with the standard pop band format (drums, guitar, bass, vocals), but there is a large sampling of keyboards, drum machines and other hard to recognize elements that are woven into the core of the songs and guitar effects galore. The nice thing about all this added fluff is how it's so supportive of the songs, instead of dominating their sound.

The title/opening track is a sort of radio friendly R&B vibe wrapped in a sort of UK pop band. The vocalist croons with an impressive range, even if the tone is a bit dry, and utilizes this ability incorporating large doses of high voice. And how about the Casio keyboard drums overlaid on top of "The Nutcracker Suite" in the beginning section of "Fall Out," complete with fuzzy warbling vocal line, before falling into the regular wavering buzz bounce of the number.

At times, "Mansun" trade the smooth drift for more quirky soundscapes, and mostly it works quite intelligently. Most songs on "Six" hold down a pretty mid-tempo delivery, but tracks like "Cancer" and "Special/Blown It" and "Shotgun," show a little more bite (still very non-aggressive) but the songs usually end up pulling back into the more familiar laid back execution.

"Mansun" is at it's most creative when they are going off on some musical tangent and letting the tones direct instead of the vocal lines. "Television" overuses a high voiced chorus proclaiming "Thru my TV...all my problems come." Great sentiment, but it's driven through my spine over and over (I guess much like the TV) and grates against the nerves heavily. At times, the whisper soft vocals and some of the simpler arrangements challenge the listener to accept the vibe as pure "Mansun," when these moments are actually "Mansun" at it's weakest musically, but there is always a droning sweetness (more than the music) that I believe will please the fan of this sensitive pop.

There is a certain maturity with which "Mansun" create, so they strike with a complexity overlooked by more traditional versions of their contemporaries. Fans of the UK Pop thing (Radiohead, Blur, Oasis) should have no problem with the sound and should be impressed by the musical depth. The arrangements are truly notable, even if the structures and delivery of the easier numbers gets a bit drawn out. "Six" is spiced with a handful of surprises and enough endearing moments to elevate the release far above it's easily disposable wimpier side. A cool drink when you're not even thirsty.