Album 14

[Son of Stopped]

And thanks to The Gutless Wonder's post, this is Album Of The Week on R2.
So maybe this week won't quite see the drop off as others are seeing.
It won't be number one, but hopefully another week in the top ten.

[tzb]

It'd be a nice epilogue to see Steps crash out and Manics show staying power in light of what the Steps fans were saying to the contrary last week, but I'll believe it when I see it...

[Suicide Aldi]

Originally Posted by Dancing Kirby

Pro tip. Everyone might want to sell their Lifeblood vinyl before 2024. eBayers go silly for it even though it’s a terrible pressing.

I’m gonna bundle mine with a Manics Heart tee in November.

Thanks for the tip, Im now £200 richer!!

Really hope it gets re pressed on dpuble vinyl now though.....

[*Found That Soul*]

Originally Posted by tzb

It'd be a nice epilogue to see Steps crash out and Manics show staying power in light of what the Steps fans were saying to the contrary last week, but I'll believe it when I see it...

I'd be surprised if they're not top 10 in the midweeks - seems to be selling fairly well.

[*Found That Soul*]

6th in the midweeks

[everlasting]

Suppose it might hang on for top 10 if it's lucky. Depends on if casual fans pick up the album over the coming weeks.

[cs]

Ok. My take on the album...

1. Still snowing in Sapporo. Hmm. Had high hopes for one. Not the real epic hymn i was hoping for. But a decent starter. I give it a 7.

2. Orwellian. Love it. 8.5.

3. The secret he had missed. Love the female voice. Love the guitar solo. 8.

4. Search for ancient colour. Best song on the album. Love the Bowie style. Absolute 10.

5. Dont let the night divide us. Abba all the way here. 7

6. Diapause. Love it. 9

7. Complicated illusions. Weird one i give it an 8.

8. Waves of love. Cross between the smiths/Belle and Sebastian... A 6...

9. Blank diary entry. Love the verse, not so much the chorus. I give it a 6.

10. Happy bored alone. What a fresh song! Love everything. Absolute 9.

11. Afterending. Lovely afterending. 9

Cheers from Norway..

[IntlDebris]

What I'm finding with this is that, after a week, I'm not finding myself particularly eager to put it on. Which is the first time I've been that way with a Manics album since PFAYM.
Jealous of everyone having such a positive reaction to the record!

[Jayseph]

My second thoughts aren’t as coherent as some, but here goes.

I’m still not entirely sure I like this album; have I listened to it so many times because I’m such a fan of the music this band writes? But at the same time I wake up each morning with a different musical passage going about my head, which doesn’t happen with other new albums I listen to a lot.

[beautifuldistortion]

Sapporo 9
That's some way to open an album!
Gives me little Everlasting type chills.

Orwellian 6
It's pleasant enough.
Quite like the lyrics.

Secret he had missed 8
It's really grown on me.
Gets me singing loud!

Quest for Ancient Colour 9
Now the album shows it's true potential!

Don't let the night 7.5
Not a bad song at all. Just struggles to keep up with two tracks either side of it.

Diapause 10
Pure Manics. This is why I love the band. I know they are still and always will be capable of these moments of beauty

Complicated Illusions 8.5
Absolute tune when played loud

Waves of Love 8
Singalong Manics

Blank Diary Entry 6
It's just not clicking with me yet.

Happy Bored Alone 9
Sounds like something found on an Everything Must Go era bside and that's awesome

Afterending 10
Probably the best closing track they've done for years.
It's simply up there with their best stuff.

This album took me a while but I've grasped the whole idea of it I think.
And it's definitely in the top half of their albums.

So melodic and accessible

[Vancouver]

My copy arrived today in Vancouver all the way from Resident Records in Brighton. That's pretty quick! Glad I didn't use the official store this time.......except Resident only sent my vinyl not my Deluxe CD. WHY IS THIS BAND CURSED FOR PREORDERS?

[Oldland Manic]

Track 1. "Still Snowing In Sapporo".

What a blinding track to start! Brilliantly built song that crashes into life part way in & holds you enthralled from start-finish, not knowing what's coming next. IMO, second best song on the album. Quite emotional too.

Rating: 9/10

Track 2. "Orwellian Times".

First single released off the album; no wonder, it's superb. Cracking Nicky Wire lyrics that seem to fit "these days" perfectly & there's a JDB guitar solo near the end that gives me goosebumps, no idea why but I just love it.

Rating: 8.5/10

Track 3. "The Secret He Had Missed".

Second single released off the album and a classic chart hit. They always seem to nail their duets with female singers, this is no different with Sunflower Bean 's Julia Cumming the perfect foil for JDB.

Rating: 8.5/10

Track 4. "Quest For Ancient Colour".

Unusual song & a real grower on me. "I used to make sense but now I am confused" could be my epitaph, hence the song has indeed grabbed me. Quite a catchy tune with a few well placed "aahhs" in the background.

Rating: 7.5/10

Track 5. "Don't Let The Night Divide Us".

Not sure on this one, there's no build up to this, straight into first verse which I'm not too keen on but the words "Don't let those boys from Eton suggest that we are beaten" leap out at you as you listen.

Rating: 6.5/10

Track 6. "Diapause".

Strange song this. Has quite a haunting melody to it and it's quite likeable, I just don't quite get it yet. Probably the first one I'd fast forward if I didn't have time to listen to the whole album.

Rating: 6.5/10

Track 7. "Complicated Illusions".

What a cracker this is, just when you think the album's going one way, this belter comes out & takes you another. Catchy, melodic, sweet and shows full range of JDB voice. Quite choir-like in places too, a real beauty.

Rating: 8.5/10

Track 8. "Into The Waves Of Love".

Another one I'm not quite there yet with but maybe it's a grower. It's a nice enough song but it doesn't grab you & shake you like the singles + Sapporo do. Another one I might end up fast forwarding on my CD.

Rating: 6.5/10

Track 9. "Blank Diary Entry".

Another duet, this time with US star Mark Lanegan. Now this IS growing on me although at present, only from a 6.5 to a 7. Not as good as the Richard Hawley duet on "Rewind The Film" but that was very good. This is "not bad".

Rating: 7/10.

Track 10. "Happy Bored Alone".

Almost pop-like, this one, and has the catchiest chorus on the album (although TSHHM runs it close!). Like this a lot, quite a departure from the Manics I first watched in '93 at MK Bowl (Gold Against The Soul time).

Rating: 8/10.

Track 11. "Afterending".

A stunningly brilliant way to end the album. In all the reviews, not seen a bad word for this fantastic hit, IMO THE best one on the album. Races into my top ten all time Manics songs and one you can absolutely belt out in the car.

Rating: 10/10

[The Gutless Wonder]

Diapause has a Midlake-ish band from a different era (60's/70's) sound whilst still sounding fresh.

[tzb]

^ Richey described it as Grandaddy meets Super Furry Animals, which feels similar

[slop101]

Sucks being a Manics fan in the US.
Beside hardly ever getting to see them live (I think they've only toured the states a total of 3.5 times - ".5" is one they cut short and canceled).

But I haven't even been able to listen to the album yet.
Bought it from Rough Trade (they had the most reasonable shipping rates - since covid, international shipping has gone up something like 4x!), and it shipped the day before it was released TWO weeks ago, but tracking it, it hasn't even arrived in the states yet, much less to me.
And all the songs on youtube are made unavailable to watch in the States.

(though the couple songs I have hear do sound a bit over-produced and too "poppy" for my tastes - but that is de rigueur, I suppose)