'''''Attack of the Grey Lantern''''' is Mansun's debut album released in February 1997 via [[Parlophone]]. The album spent a total of 19 weeks on the [[UK Albums Chart]], peaking at number one.<ref name="chartstats">{{cite | title=Mansun at chartstats.com | url=http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=7722 | dom=chartstats.com |fetchdate=3 August 2009}}</ref>

According to the ''[[Kleptomania (Album)|Kleptomania]]'' liner notes, [[Paul Draper]] states that "[[Take It Easy Chicken (Song)|Take It Easy, Chicken]]" was their first song and the band really did not know how to play their instruments, let alone play as a band, when DJs [[Steve Lamacq]] and [[John Peel]] started to play the song on [[BBC Radio 1]]. Through 1996 and 1997, [[Mansun]] released "[[Egg Shaped Fred (Song)|Egg Shaped Fred]]" (which was re-recorded for the album to include new drummer [[Andie Rathbone]]), "Stripper Vicar", "She Makes My Nose Bleed" and "Taxloss" (styled Taxlo$$). "Wide Open Space" became a dance anthem after being remixed by DJ and producer [[Paul Oakenfold]] under the production alias Perfecto. This remix was included on Oakenfold's compilation ''Resident: Two Years of Oakenfold at Cream'', as an indicator of being one of the most played songs at major UK nightclub Cream, as well as in nightclubs around the world, over the 1997-1999 period.<ref>{{cite | author = Birchmeier, Jason | year = | dom = Allmusic.com | title = Resident: Two Years of Oakenfold at Cream review | format = | work = | publisher = Allmusic | fetchdate = 2006-04-11 }}</ref>

"Taxloss" alludes melodically and lyrically to [[The Beatles]]' song "[[Taxman]]", and also to the rhythmic feel of "[[Tomorrow Never Knows]]", as well as "[[Long Haired Lover from Liverpool]]" by [[Little Jimmy Osmond]]. The video notoriously featured the band throwing £25,000 in five pound banknotes onto the main concourse of [[London]]'s [[Liverpool Street station]] during rush hour and watching the ensuing chaos.<ref name="Natts"> {{Cite | title = Mansun | url = http://natts.com/mansun/mansun.html | dom = natts.com <sup>dead link</sup> | type=ext | fetchdate=August 2012}}</ref>

"Taxloss" alludes melodically and lyrically to [[The Beatles]]' song "[[Taxman]]", and also to the rhythmic feel of "[[Tomorrow Never Knows]]", as well as "[[Long Haired Lover from Liverpool]]" by [[Little Jimmy Osmond]]. The video notoriously featured the band throwing £25,000 in five pound banknotes onto the main concourse of London's [[Liverpool Street station]] during rush hour and watching the ensuing chaos.<ref name="Natts"> {{Cite | title = Mansun | url = http://natts.com/mansun/mansun.html | dom = natts.com <sup>dead link</sup> | type=ext | fetchdate=August 2012}}</ref>

~~While Mansun's~~ [[~~singer]] and [[songwriter]], [[Paul Draper (musician)|~~Paul Draper]], admits that ''Attack of the Grey Lantern'' is not a fully fledged concept album, it was his intention for it to be one, until he "ran out of steam", labelling the LP "half a concept album – a con album".<ref name="Select Review"/> The majority of the record is centred on the concept of a superhero, known as "The Grey Lantern", in the guise of Draper himself. Throughout the album, the hero encounters a number of immoral inhabitants in a fictional [[England|English]] village.<ref name="Select Review"/><ref name="Guardian Review"/>

[[Paul Draper]] admits that ''Attack of the Grey Lantern'' is not a fully fledged concept album, it was his intention for it to be one, until he "ran out of steam", labelling the LP "half a concept album – a con album".<ref name="Select Review"/> The majority of the record is centred on the concept of a superhero, known as "The Grey Lantern", in the guise of Draper himself. Throughout the album, the hero encounters a number of immoral inhabitants in a fictional [[England|English]] village.<ref name="Select Review"/><ref name="Guardian Review"/>

<blockquote>Well, The Grey Lantern is like a comic-book hero — the album is about this village of people with really disgusting morals and the Grey Lantern sorts them out. I suppose the Grey Lantern's me. I wouldn't have a cape, but there are definitely characters on the record — Albert Taxloss, Chad, Dark Mavis. At the end of the album it all gets resolved and you find Mavis is actually the Stripper Vicar.<ref name="Select Review"/></blockquote>