Most Typical Manics song?

[deadmartyr]

A hard answer but I'm thinking From Despair to Where or La Tristesse Durera - rock songs which have their most typical pace, a range of JDB vocals from the delicate to the loud, a great riff, and the strings in the former or the solo of the latter.

[StunnedFox]

Originally Posted by tzb

Jackie Collins Existential Question Time perhaps? It has a bit of everything...


Agreed on both counts.

Or perhaps there's a b-side out there which "typifies" both the melodic and caustic Manics?

Broken Up Again, maybe? Jackie Collins is a good call too, especially given the closing section of the track.

[Dac X Lee]

Most typical song? That's a hard question because... well... all explained at the opposite thread. Too many different styles. But if I give it a try...... Ehm, I'd have to split it into eras first.

1. The Richey era: I'd set Motown Junk here. it carries the ambitious spirit of a group of cute and rebellious boys on the quest to change the world. Also, containing shocking yet cleverly written lyrics and musically it is a lively rock'n'roll-ish song with roaring guitars and yet a melody which is kinda acceptable to ears of common taste. So typical for the young Manics.

2. The post Richey era (until There by the Grace of God): This is most difficult because this is the era when they experimented the most and were at their best with it. So I'd need to put two songs here - The Masses Against the Classes, defining song of the lively and groovey classic mood packing up political lyrics; There by the Grace of God - summing up musical experimentation in a chilled and melancholic way, containing reflexive lyrics.

3. The Return (God Save the Manics, Lifeblood): Empty Souls for its drammatical yet beautiful sound and, again, reflexive lyrics.

4. New Manics (until Postcards): This is an era with less musical experimentation compared to the post Richey one, signed by distorted guitars and sounds widely acceptable to the ears of the majority, I'd dare saying. Even Journal is, compared to The Holy Bible, a lot more fitting to common taste, although the album might be some kind of exception compared to the other two. Anyway, somehow I feel It's Not War may be the rappresentative here, I feel this is kind of a cheerful sounding era.

5. Recent stuff (from Rewind the film): Okay, the latest two albums are a little different from one another, so it's another hard task. However, maybe Divine Youth can sum these albums up, for its collaboration with an external singer and, once again, experimental sound, which is half-acoustic, ehm, if you know what I mean.... And, of course, nostalgic lyrics.

I tried my best.

Originally Posted by tzb

If you had one track to demonstrate the Manics' sound to someone, which would you pick?

Now, that's a different question. I'd probably choose one of the classic top hits such as Motorcycle Emptiness, Design for Life or Tolerate, because I'd find it educative.