The "Plague Lovers" Discussion Thread

[ninjal]

I love it. It's my 2nd favourite Manics album (hmm... does that make it my second favourite album?!) and I still feel like I haven't quite got to know it fully yet.

[riot_star]

Originally Posted by counterlanguage

I think I may have caused some offence

It doesn't work for me but you know, each to their own.

I've got to say that for me musically the album is absolutely fucking tremendous, the best sounding album they've ever made.

I don't agree with your views on VSEC....but I agree with you 100% on the album. The vibe from the album is just amazing!

[PCCCP]

Highlights:
All Is Vanity
Bag Lady
Peeled Apples
Facing Page Top Left
This Joke Sport Severed
Marlon J.D.
Pretenion/Repulsion
Journal For Plague Lovers
Doors Closing Slowly (if you count the demo version)

The rest (which are all pretty great still):
JCEQT
Stephen Hawking
Bath Of Bleach
VSEC
William's Last Words

[Mr Richey]

My 3rd favourite Manics album but also the one I listen to the most. A fantastic piece of work.

[Flint]

It's a good album. It's a very, very good album with some fantastic tracks. But I don't really feel it beyond that.

It's probably because at the end of the day it's a Richey album. A personal project for the band, and for many fans something of a return to the old days when spray paint shirts and glitter boas roamed the earth and Richey roared around the valleys. I've never really cared for Richey or his lyrics and no matter how much I enjoy and even like some of the lyrics, Plague Lovers feels a bit distant. I can't really get the sort of big emotional grip to it.

But I don't really want to detract attention away with negative babbling when at the end of the day, it's a really good album. After the autopilot SATT it showed that the band still had life in them and that SATT was just a one-off - it's such a rejuvenated, vibrant album. A lot of the songs, even at their most melancholy, have such a great spirit of the band having fun to them. Plus it seems Richey was going through some sort of a bizarre black humour phase and it works with the songs. It's actually my favourite set of Richey lyrics.

William's Last Words is probably my favourite song, and the Underworld remix is easily one of my favourite Manics remixes. I also adore VSEC - I really can't get how it's the runt of the litter for so many fans, it's just so incredibly fun! You know a song is great when it can turn something as stupid as the chorus lyrics are and turn them into irresistable greatness. The part where the strings come in on This Joke Sport Severed is one of my favourite Manics musical moments, and that song in general has some of the best orchestral work in the Manics catalogue. I'm not too fussed over the big-name production (Albini's never been a particularly exciting name for me) but if he managed to get the band to use live strings again instead of paper-thin keyboard ones, props to him. Marlon JD's bloody fantastic as well.

Actually, song-wise the only complaints I've got are that I prefer the chorus vocal melody that's in the demo of Pretension/Repulsion over what got into the final version, and that the small keyboard figure in the back of Doors Closing Slowly is practically nonexistent in the album version whereas on the demo it's constantly there. Which are tiny things.

TBH it's way too early to talk about it properly, it's only been like a year. Give me half a decade and I'll be more elaborate. But yeah, it's a really good album. I may not adore it as much as other fans seem to do, but I really enjoy it.

[cameron33]

Has grown on me a lot, after being initially let down.

Stand out tracks - peeled apples, jceqt (for the awesome bit at the end mostly), joke sport, marlon jd, bag lady (should be on the album properly).

Worst tracks - Stephen hawking, bath of bleach (boring, 'obvious' chorus) and doors closing slowly (not enough going on and a bit dull tbhl).

Great album though. I initially enjoyed Postcards but now wish they would stick to the heavier/rawer (either or preferably both) stuff for good. I think they've grown out of the likes of It's not War...Just the end of Zzzzz... (certainly many of their fans have!). The whole album just lacks any sort of depth judged by the standras of THB, EMG and JFPL (and various other songs from other albums)

[cameron33]

I would say JFPL is the anti Postcards for me. On first few listens I would have rated JFPL as only a 6 or 7 at best. Now I'd give an 8+.
Postcards however started as a 8+ (due to the seemingly catchy melodies - which after 5 to 10 plays aren't as strong or durable as they seemed at first in most cases - and the basic pleasure of a new Manics album). it's now dropped to a rather sad 6. Can enjoy it when its on - just don't have any specific desire to play it. Still better than most pop/rock music out there but very bland and dare I say it, soulless, by their standards.

[RoseTintedSpecs]

It's probably my favourite Manics album - it was the first one I listened to in full, anyway, and it was an almost instant hit. It's probably the one I listen to the most as well. Although I love THB, JFPL just edges it...I don't know, I just enjoy listening to it more, probably because it's a lot less vitriolic.

Highlights: Peeled Apples, Jackie Collins, This Joke Sport Severed, She Bathed Herself in a Bath of Bleach, Facing Page: Top Left, Marlon J.D., VSEC, William's Last Words

If I could remove one track it'd probably by Doors Closing Slowly. It just doesn't hold my attention and to me is a bit plodding. But apart from that, I love this album.

[The Gutless Wonder]

Bath Of Bleach, Marlon, Joke Sport and M & SH are probably my faves on this record. WLW is my least fave point of the record but still appreciate it's sentiment. In my top 5.

[Dean V]

Originally Posted by riot_star

I love VSEC!

*Sings to self*

Cleaning, cooking and flower arranging.....

PIIIIIGGY VSEC!

So singable, I love VSEC.

The only weak songs on the album for me are Marlon JD and She Bathed Herself.

[The Gutless Wonder]

Originally Posted by Dean V

PIIIIIGGY VSEC!

So singable, I love VSEC.

The only weak songs on the album for me are Marlon JD and She Bathed Herself.

How can you say that Deano?

[Frozendiva]

Marlon JD and Facing Page were the two weakest tracks for me.

[The Gutless Wonder]

Marlon is ace for me!

[riot_star]

Not keen on Marlon but Facing Page is just amazing!

[The Descent]

My favourite songs are Peeled Apples, Jackie Collins, Me & Stephen Hawking, That Joke Sport Severed and JFPL... and Marlon JD & Facing Page are my least favourite tracks!