Am I the only one who thought PFAYM was a bit pants? - Page 3 - Forever Delayed

sofarsideways · #31 02-06-2013, 23:12

Seeing pretty much all of what I feel reflected in what others have said here. I will now waffle at length in spite of that fact ^__^

I really tried with PFAYM, I wanted to like it so much, but it just wouldn't happen. Prior to that album I'd always said I honestly liked everything the Manics had ever done. I can still say there's nothing I truly actively dislike, but in a way I think that's further to the detriment of PFAYM - it just doesn't inspire ANYTHING, good or bad. For me the biggest letdown was actually the music. I don't think Wire's lyrics were at all bad for the most part, but soundwise it was an album in a serious rut. The only songs from it that I like and listen to are the singles and TFHBHF, and I much prefer the demo of SKON so I don't really listen to the 'real' version of that. A lot of people seemed to hate SATT when it came out, and more after it had settled - I really liked and still enjoy SATT, it had some real soul under the sheen. PFAYM just felt empty. It tried, and it failed, because it was trying to do the absolute wrong thing.

Weirdly, the PFAYM tour dates I went to were full of all the joy and vigour the album being promoted was missing, and things only dulled down for the songs from PFAYM. I wonder if that was as palpable as it felt to me, if others felt the same, and if the band felt it. They seemed to have gotten past PFAYM by the time it had dropped, in some ways.

I think the band have since acknowledged, in a kinda like y'know way, that they'd hit a bit of a wall and were running on empty, and it does seem like they've taken the approach they needed to with this new album. I really, really hope that's the case. Everyone's allowed a bad day, a bad album. I don't think it's symptomatic of a downward curve at all. They just need a shake-up - JFPL was one, and look how astoundingly that turned out. They just need to realise they can do it, that they don't necessarily need Richey's input, however brilliant it may be. They're just as brilliant and capable of turning things upside down themselves.

amnesic · #32 03-06-2013, 07:06

I no longer own SATT or Postcards. There wasn't a single song on either that I liked. I agree with sofarsideways that the lyrics weren't the main problem. It was the music. I just found that there was no melodies

tzb · #33 03-06-2013, 08:43

The only song I enjoyed on PFAYM was PFAYM itself, which I think was enjoyable enough and musically compelling.

It's Not War on the other hand... I mean I like breakfast television as much as the next man, but that doesn't mean I want to sit and listen to theme tune music.

It's not lunch, just the break of fast
You've got the toast, I've brought some poptarts
It's not news, just some light banter
Current affairs, sports and the weather
Carol Kirkwood with weather

darkanddivine · #34 03-06-2013, 08:54

I didn't particularly "try" with PFAYM, the opening few tracks are alright but then it descends into true by numbers territory pretty much whichever way you spin it.

When I saw them live they seemed on a real low, especially when it came to playing the songs off the album (and they only did a handful too.) James seemed quite resigned at that interview for that Dutch?? festival where they seem to have accepted that the album made little or no impact.

Given that with Plague Lovers they felt they could play the album in its entirety, this was almost the exact opposite of that. There was none of the confidence that oozed when they played stuff from SATT, whatever you think of that record, the tour supporting it was full of songs from the record and confidence brimming from the band.

Usually when the band hit one of these moments, they batten down the hatches, stop following some glorious huge manifesto and just make a bunch of music. This generally leads to a very good "backs against the wall" reprise and an album that no-one would have expected, but it's also something that will have diminishing returns as they mellow into Radio 2 land. You can't exactly rebel in those circumstances.

I think as a general fan of music, the Manics are now like just another band to me. If they put out sub par work I'll ignore it, but if it's good I will listen many many times. I don't see the point in persisting with music even if it's my favourite band, when there's so much good music out there, there's just no point wasting time on stuff that's not that good for sentimental reasons.

tzb · #35 03-06-2013, 09:24

I think the fact it followed the sensational JFPL definitely made it harder to like. It was as though the band were saying "Oh, we totally know what you want, and we can do that. But here's this instead."

I imagine the reason I went off them as a band and now like D&D consider them just another band isn't solely down to PFAYM, SATT isn't exactly a classic album and the older I get the more tiresome Wire becomes to me... also I'm in my late 20s now, and not as ready to ignore things by my "big bands" - for example the latest Mew album knocked my previous adoration a fair bit, doubt that would've happened 10 years ago when I'd just have persevered until I found it as good as the rest (*cough*KYE*cough*) - but the fact so many people were in a position where PFAYM became the final straw says a fair bit about the state of the fandom in general I think.

The Gutless Wonder · #36 03-06-2013, 09:43

Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

Win, win for me!

JimmiB · #37 03-06-2013, 12:16

I've lost a bit of enthusiasm for Postcards. I always find it hard to be objective about a Manics album for a couple of years, but for me there's 4 really good songs in Postcards, The Descent, Golden Platitudes and Billion Balconies. Of the rest, the one I rarely listen to is Hazleton Avenue.

But SATT.....I still love it. After Lifeblood, they came back with the storming XFM gig when the played I'm Just A Patsy, and that set the tone. For me it sounds a fresh and urgent record, almost quite defiant.

JimmiB · #38 03-06-2013, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkanddivine

Given that with Plague Lovers they felt they could play the album in its entirety, this was almost the exact opposite of that. There was none of the confidence that oozed when they played stuff from SATT, whatever you think of that record, the tour supporting it was full of songs from the record and confidence brimming from the band.

This is exactly what I think about SATT....a band confident and ready to fight again.

darkanddivine · #39 03-06-2013, 12:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by tzb

I imagine the reason I went off them as a band and now like D&D consider them just another band isn't solely down to PFAYM, SATT isn't exactly a classic album and the older I get the more tiresome Wire becomes to me... also I'm in my late 20s now, and not as ready to ignore things by my "big bands" - for example the latest Mew album knocked my previous adoration a fair bit, doubt that would've happened 10 years ago when I'd just have persevered until I found it as good as the rest (*cough*KYE*cough*) - but the fact so many people were in a position where PFAYM became the final straw says a fair bit about the state of the fandom in general I think.

I think in a sense though, the key difference between those two is that although both directions were pre meditated, Mew created something entirely unique and theirs which redeems that album somewhat. I actually really liked it at the time and had it on repeat, although I can understand others who might not.

The Manics however ploughed a furrow that they had already utilised, which made the whole thing a bit tiresome. One of the reasons I think Lifeblood and KYE are met with a more positive outlook from the hardcore fans is that for better or worse, the band were doing whatever they wanted, and hence it sounded natural to some extent.

Europa Gluten Free · #40 03-06-2013, 13:40

PFAYM was overproduced pants.

Enjoyed the threads on here in summer 2010 when it was being released and I was stuck up a mountain in the hills of southern Spain.

Littlesue · #41 03-06-2013, 13:46

I wonder if the Band are aware its not a fan's fave or would they just wallow in all those good reviews they got for it.

bachelorette · #42 03-06-2013, 13:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by sofarsideways

Weirdly, the PFAYM tour dates I went to were full of all the joy and vigour the album being promoted was missing, and things only dulled down for the songs from PFAYM. I wonder if that was as palpable as it felt to me, if others felt the same, and if the band felt it. They seemed to have gotten past PFAYM by the time it had dropped, in some ways.

That was my impression as well, especially at the European "Postcards" gigs in 2011. The bands was on fire, but they only played the three singles of the album they were supposedly promoting. In contrast, the Swedish band Kent (who are massively big in Sweden) promoted their tenth album by playing 7 out of 10 songs. The Manics did not come across as if THEY like Postcards less than a year after it was release. And together with the fact that the last two singles of Postcards got abysmal, autopilot videos and little to no promotion didn't help. That was obviously not entirely down to the band, the record company won't really have given them much funding I suppose, but it all just felt defeated and cold. Which I found especially sad as I had loved the bragging and bravado before the album's release.

darkanddivine · #43 03-06-2013, 13:56

Which goes to show the confidence in what you are doing. Kent are an exception to an extent, they are so big they can do absolutely anything they want. They get criticised but from the forum posts I read, they don't give a shit

I think they are the perfect, complete example of how a "rock" band should stay relevant and interesting.

bachelorette · #44 03-06-2013, 14:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkanddivine

Which goes to show the confidence in what you are doing. Kent are an exception to an extent, they are so big they can do absolutely anything they want. They get criticised but from the forum posts I read, they don't give a shit

I think they are the perfect, complete example of how a "rock" band should stay relevant and interesting.

I love the way Jocke demolishes some people on the official Kent forum! Maybe Sean should learn Swedish and take some cues?

tzb · #45 03-06-2013, 14:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkanddivine

Which goes to show the confidence in what you are doing. Kent are an exception to an extent, they are so big they can do absolutely anything they want. They get criticised but from the forum posts I read, they don't give a shit

I think they are the perfect, complete example of how a "rock" band should stay relevant and interesting.

Couldn't agree more - Kent are my model of a band ageing gracefully.