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Manic Street Preachers - Journal for Plague Lovers 
I'm guessing there aren't that many (if any) Manic's fans on the org! But anyway,.... I just got the new album 'Journal For Plague Lovers'. Apparently the lyrics were taken from a Journal Richie gave to the band a few weeks before he disappeared. Even though I've only had a couple of listens, it's pretty clear that it has the same dense lyrical quality that was present in 'The Holy Bible'. Music wise, it seems to fall somewhere between 'The Holy Bible' and 'Know Your Enemy'. But perhaps not quite as good as either. There's nothing catchy enough that it jumps out at you; which has been a feature of their work since Richie's disappearance. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I hated 'The Holy Bible' when I first listened to it. But after a while it wore me down, and now I love it! Now, although I don't think the new album is up to that standard, I'm fully prepared to be warn down over the coming weeks and months. Any other fans? | |
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MASSIVE Manics fan here. Been following them years and years, seen them 12 or so times and looking forward to a 13th at the start of June.
Weathered the storms through their great times, their lesser albums and now to JFPL. At first, I had grave reservations but now it has seriously grown on me. They'll never make an album that truly compares to The Holy Bible - but then for me that album is in the top three all time albums, so it's kind of a hard act to follow. Not sure I think much of the lyrics - it's hard to tell when they are so difficult to understand anyway - but as a whole I am really liking the album and am very happy they have made something so interesting again. I have long since accepted that they'll never be the same band that they were in 1994 but this album brings them a lot closer than I ever dared to hope. Still, Nicky Wire taking lead vocals on one of the tracks?! After the Wattsville Blues disaster on Know Your Enemy?! WHAT were they thinking?! Spelling typo [Edited 5/20/09 4:49am] This is not an exit | |
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rocknrolldave said: MASSIVE Manics fan here. Been following them years and years, seen them 12 or so times and looking forward to a 13th at the start of June.
Weathered the storms through their great times, their lesser albums and now to JFPL. At first, I had grave reservations but now it has seriously grown on me. They'll never make an album that truly compares to The Holy Bible - but then for me that album is in the top three all time albums, so it's kind of a hard act to follow. Not sure I think much of the lyrics - it's hard to tell when they are so difficult to understand anyway - but as a whole I am really liking the album and am very happy they have made something so interesting again. I have long since accepted that they'll never be the same band that they were in 1994 but this album brings them a lot closer than I ever dared to hope. Still, Nicky Wire taking lead vocals on one of the tracks?! After the Wattsville Blues disaster on Know Your Enemy?! WHAT were they thinking?! Spelling typo [Edited 5/20/09 4:49am] Lucky you! As with Prince, the Manics never seem to find their way to my part of the world. 
Just as a side, the Manics are one of the few bands that, IMO, haven't released a poor album. Sure I have preferences (Namely, Everything Must Go & Know Your Enemy), but the consistent quality of all their releases is amazing. I remember 'Life Blood' having strips torn off it by fans when it was released. But, frankly, I love that album. Great, great band. | |
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TyphoonTip said: rocknrolldave said: MASSIVE Manics fan here. Been following them years and years, seen them 12 or so times and looking forward to a 13th at the start of June.
Weathered the storms through their great times, their lesser albums and now to JFPL. At first, I had grave reservations but now it has seriously grown on me. They'll never make an album that truly compares to The Holy Bible - but then for me that album is in the top three all time albums, so it's kind of a hard act to follow. Not sure I think much of the lyrics - it's hard to tell when they are so difficult to understand anyway - but as a whole I am really liking the album and am very happy they have made something so interesting again. I have long since accepted that they'll never be the same band that they were in 1994 but this album brings them a lot closer than I ever dared to hope. Still, Nicky Wire taking lead vocals on one of the tracks?! After the Wattsville Blues disaster on Know Your Enemy?! WHAT were they thinking?! Lucky you! As with Prince, the Manics never seem to find their way to my part of the world.
That's a shame. Mind, I have seen them be amazing, so-so and just plain awful, so we'll see what I get this time around....! Just as a side, the Manics are one of the few bands that, IMO, haven't released a poor album. Sure I have preferences (Namely, Everything Must Go & Know Your Enemy), but the consistent quality of all their releases is amazing. I remember 'Life Blood' having strips torn off it by fans when it was released. But, frankly, I love that album. Great, great band. Lifeblood's got a bad reputation amongst fans (I was arguing with my brother over it just this morning, in fact) but it has some great songs on it. Sure it's more slight than other albums, more gentle let's say, but that's not such a bad thing. This is not an exit | |
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2 it is then. 
....Another thing I've always found interesting and contradictory with the Manics, is their lefty non-conformist approach coupled with James' natural pop sensibility. I mean, the guy, IMO, has one of the greatest pop melody brains of the last 30 years. Music just flows through the guy. His solo album of a couple of years back 'The Great Western' was just fantastic. I'm in a bit of a Manic's phase at the moment. Just listening to 'Know Your Enemy'. Fuck me if that isn't the best album ever!!   | |
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Disappointing that this band only gets two of us talking!
I agree with you about the contradiction between James and the "lefty non-conformist approach" - for a while in the early days in particular he seemed to be torn in two directions, between what came naturally to him and what came naturally to the others. Know Your Enemy seems to get a bad press amongst fans usually, but I like a lot of it. Maybe So Why So Sad wasn't a great choice for a single though.... [Edited 5/21/09 5:54am] This is not an exit | |
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Sorry quoted instead of editing! D'oh! [Edited 5/21/09 5:54am] This is not an exit | |
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havent got round to hearing the new album yet but EVERYTHING MUST GO is one of my fav albums of the 90s...i liked the holy bible as well ....one of the best groups to come from the uk in the last 20 years.... | |
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I like the Manics a lot, especially "Know your Enemy". Haven't heard the new album yet, but read a very bad review...anyway, i will buy it tomorrow. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
My Name is Dita...I'm your mistress tonite... | |
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 another visit to the wrecka stowLion -- Go Peter go!! | |
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The more I listen, the more I like!!
To my ears it sounds like a sister album to 'Know Your Enemy'. The best albums are the growers. | |
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Saw them last night. Great show - never seen a band do the whole of their new album in sequence before, but it worked a treat. Here's the setlists:
Peeled Apples Jackie Collins Existential Question Time Me and Stephen Hawking This Joke Sport Severed Journal for Plague Lovers She Bathed Herself in a Bath of Bleach Facing Page: Top Left (Acoustic) Marlon J.D. Doors Closing Slowly All Is Vanity Pretension/Repulsion Virginia State Epileptic Colony William’s Last Words ===== Motorcycle Emptiness Your Love Alone Is Not Enough No Surface All Feeling You Love Us Tsunami La Tristesse Durera Faster If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next Little Baby Nothing Australia You Stole The Sun From My Heart Sorrow16 Stop In the Name of Love into Motown Junk Autumnsong A Design For Life This is not an exit | |
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rocknrolldave said: Saw them last night. Great show - never seen a band do the whole of their new album in sequence before, but it worked a treat. Here's the setlists:
Peeled Apples Jackie Collins Existential Question Time Me and Stephen Hawking This Joke Sport Severed Journal for Plague Lovers She Bathed Herself in a Bath of Bleach Facing Page: Top Left (Acoustic) Marlon J.D. Doors Closing Slowly All Is Vanity Pretension/Repulsion Virginia State Epileptic Colony William’s Last Words ===== Motorcycle Emptiness Your Love Alone Is Not Enough No Surface All Feeling You Love Us Tsunami La Tristesse Durera Faster If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next Little Baby Nothing Australia You Stole The Sun From My Heart Sorrow16 Stop In the Name of Love into Motown Junk Autumnsong A Design For Life Lucky you!
Nice set! Although nothing from KYE? How was James' voice? ...By the way, I've digested the album now; and it's #%*king amazing! My only small criticism is that Bag Lady should have been part of the album proper, rather than vanquished to being a hidden track. It's one of the album's best. Almost single worthy. But of course there are no singles from this album... The guy couldn't write a bad melody if he tried. | |
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TyphoonTip said: rocknrolldave said: Saw them last night. Great show - never seen a band do the whole of their new album in sequence before, but it worked a treat. Here's the setlists:
Peeled Apples Jackie Collins Existential Question Time Me and Stephen Hawking This Joke Sport Severed Journal for Plague Lovers She Bathed Herself in a Bath of Bleach Facing Page: Top Left (Acoustic) Marlon J.D. Doors Closing Slowly All Is Vanity Pretension/Repulsion Virginia State Epileptic Colony William’s Last Words ===== Motorcycle Emptiness Your Love Alone Is Not Enough No Surface All Feeling You Love Us Tsunami La Tristesse Durera Faster If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next Little Baby Nothing Australia You Stole The Sun From My Heart Sorrow16 Stop In the Name of Love into Motown Junk Autumnsong A Design For Life Lucky you!
Nice set! Although nothing from KYE? How was James' voice? ...By the way, I've digested the album now; and it's #%*king amazing! My only small criticism is that Bag Lady should have been part of the album proper, rather than vanquished to being a hidden track. It's one of the album's best. Almost single worthy. But of course there are no singles from this album... The guy couldn't write a bad melody if he tried. Oh totally agree about Bag Lady, yes! James was on TOP form last night, I have to say. His voice was really strong, hitting all the notes, really powerful performance too. His guitar playing was the best I have seen from him too, by some way. He used to almost be embarrassed to do guitar solos properly, so he'd sort of mash them up or just play noise but last night he nailed everything perfectly - really impressed. And the energy the guy has when he's on form is immense. He was all over the stage, pogo-ing, spinning, jumping... Sorry to rub it in, but you really did miss a great show. My workmate was upstairs in the stalls and had a fifteen minute chat with Sean Moore's parents! How bizarre! [Edited 6/2/09 6:31am] This is not an exit | |
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rocknrolldave said: TyphoonTip said: Lucky you!
Nice set! Although nothing from KYE? How was James' voice? ...By the way, I've digested the album now; and it's #%*king amazing! My only small criticism is that Bag Lady should have been part of the album proper, rather than vanquished to being a hidden track. It's one of the album's best. Almost single worthy. But of course there are no singles from this album... The guy couldn't write a bad melody if he tried. Oh totally agree about Bag Lady, yes! James was on TOP form last night, I have to say. His voice was really strong, hitting all the notes, really powerful performance too. His guitar playing was the best I have seen from him too, by some way. He used to almost be embarrassed to do guitar solos properly, so he'd sort of mash them up or just play noise but last night he nailed everything perfectly - really impressed. And the energy the guy has when he's on form is immense. He was all over the stage, pogo-ing, spinning, jumping... Sorry to rub it in, but you really did miss a great show. My workmate was upstairs in the stalls and had a fifteen minute chat with Sean Moore's parents! How bizarre! [Edited 6/2/09 6:31am] Sounds great! Good to hear they can still put on a good show. | |
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