KYE revisited

[tzb]

It's 2/3 of a truly classic album, 2/3 of a fucking dreadful album mashed together with no sense of pacing or order. It's about the most representative of the band, I think.

[Flint]

One of their very best albums and creative peaks. Fantastic album. Immense b-sides too.

So many of its songs would be phenomenal live monsters, it's a huge shame that a lot of them have never been performed. Hell, they should at least bring back the Wattsville/Miss Europa duo back to the live stage - those were immensely great (and downright fun) live.

[tzb]

You think? Even at my most devout (around the time they were playing them) I found Wattsville and Miss Europa pure cringe live...

[amnesic]

I think that Watsville and Miss Europa only work on the album because they have been paired together. If they had been on the opposite sides of the album I don't think I would be as fond of them

[Flint]

Originally Posted by tzb

You think? Even at my most devout (around the time they were playing them) I found Wattsville and Miss Europa pure cringe live...

Deffo. There's a lovely playfulness to them that you rarely see the band display, especially these days when they're always so very earnest, and which highlights what a great live band they are; Miss Europa moreso. I wouldn't want to make them concert staples but they, and especially Miss Europa, should definitely see some light of day every now and then.

[darkanddivine]

I think it's more of a missed opportunity than it first presents itself. The band had decided for obvious reasons that they didn't want to play the "sweeping rock god" mode that they were so easily pulling off on EMG and TIMT, however to say KYE is confused is an understatement. However all artists who do 20 years of recording usually have one "card" full of random experimentation and one completely shite album in my book.

The album contains some great songs, they seemed to reconnect for probably the final time with their heavyish sound of the early years. I understand that this excited the old hardcore at the time, however looking at it now, I'd rather their strums in anger were focussed more on the genuinely good rock songs they made around that period.

That makes me think of this as a missed chance of sorts. For every track of quality, there is another of complete guff. Real B-side material promoted just for the sake of being different. I know it's good when bands experiment, but in this case it was on perceived necessity rather than quality of song. The fury unleashed on Masses could have served as inspiration for a genuinely good rock album.

Locust Valley for me being a B-Side is just as criminal as Prologue to History. Masking Tape and Just a Kid are pretty good too and have that harder edged sound to things. Again, material like Close My Eyes could have sat nicely on there too. Perhaps in a way it was more the timing of how it came together, but even though the album proper is a mess, it's what could have been that always makes me think it could have been something quite spectacular if a few things had fallen in a different way.

[hummingbird]

I've said this before but not on this thread so i'll say it again. KYE doesn't work as an album and is 4 songs too long. They really should have stuck to their guns and released 2 as intended. Truth was a number 1 album (i think) and won a shed load of awards so they would've pulled it off methinks on the back of that.

[The Gutless Wonder]

Epicentre!

[Bobafettish]

I do love Miss Europa

His Last Painting is one of the few manics songs I couldn't hum if somebody asked me.

[Librarian On Fire]

KYE is one of my favorite Manics albums. I love the huge, expansive, experiment that it is. There is a real sense of freedom where the band just went and recorded what they wanted too. Yes, in some places it works really well. Other not, but often I felt the criticism towards it has been a little bit harsh. One of my favorite Manics moments is the last two minutes of “The Convalescent”. James’ wailing falsetto is just fantastic. I don’t know why this song and moment gets over looked by so many fans. “Wattsville Blues” is another favourite. I like the low if sound of the song. This sound was latter to be found on Nicky’s solo album and some of the late b-sides from Postcards.

KYE is the album that every time I listen to it, I find something new in it. It remains the one album both fans and the band themselves often overlook and forget. The album (and era) which isn’t really understood enough. I now refer to this era as the “Cuba Era”. Any other names for it?

[Flint]

Originally Posted by Bobafettish

His Last Painting is one of the few manics songs I couldn't hum if somebody asked me.

Weirdly I find it incredibly earwormy.

[Dac X Lee]

Originally Posted by bachelorette

I adore Epicentre and Dead Martyrs and consider Found That Soul the perfect album opener. I'm weird that way!

Dead Martyrs has a such an influencing refrain.... *singing* "got no fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuutre, just dead stars for dead eyes, got no fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuture...."

[amnesic]

Forgot about teh Convalescent, how could I, I love that song!

[AK47]

It's a clusterfuck of ideas and that is what makes it instantly loveable.

[Manualex16]

Originally Posted by Flint

Weirdly I find it incredibly earwormy.

I can't see right from my wrong. I've loved so much that I can't go on...