Album 15

[rosetree]

On the radio 2 in the park recording, I think James looks amazing in front of the Decline & Fall video.

[Bartek Wyre]

Originally Posted by *Found That Soul*

It’s obviously not to your taste but I love PFAYM and all the albums since

Originally Posted by Donkey

Usually it was...at least I thought.... me saying, the new release is shit and the rest saying something between great and best or..."it's my second favourite Manics album after x" with x being something as ridiculous as Know Your Enemy, Lifeblood or Postcards.

Originally Posted by FacelessSenseOfVoid

Each to their own and all that but Distant Colours is my favourite Manics single but I am well known for my (extremely) hot takes.

Critical Thinking, or whatever this masterpiece of an album is going to be called, is already proving to be quite divisive among fans, and it hasn't even been released yet!

[Scarecrow]

Originally Posted by savemejebus

only wish someone would tell the Manics that so that they'd quit with this 'mass communication' guff. Don't know who they're trying to communicate with anymore but it's not working based on their declining album sales...also wonder what they're trying to communicate.

Yeah, completely get this. And if not 'mass communication' specifically, then at least this idea of chasing chart positions or aiming for songs that they believe are what fans want/a 'classic Manics sound'.

I've not written off the next album or the band but standards are increasingly lower as the years go on. Some albums had a clear direction and some artistic intent behind it, and some albums have felt like a collection of songs they've tossed off. I've been a fan since EMG and with every passing album I've seen fans drop off while generally I was still finding something to enjoy if not love with new releases, still coming to each era as 'a Manics fan' rather than 'someone listening to the new album by Manic Street Preachers'. Even the albums I found faults with, I still found something that hit the right notes, or left gigs on the tour on an absolute high, reminded of what I loved so much about them in the first place.

However, with the exception of JFPL, everything from SATT onwards has gradually led me to this level of expectation (or resignation, depending on your point of view! ):

Liking the majority of an album = a pleasant surprise.
Liking some individual songs = a standard.
Liking almost none of an album = a possibility.

[Bartek Wyre]

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

Yeah, completely get this. And if not 'mass communication' specifically, then at least this idea of chasing chart positions or aiming for songs that they believe are what fans want/a 'classic Manics sound'.

This! The band needs a reality check.

Sean used to post here ages ago. Supposedly.

Sean, if you still lurk from time to time, please take heed!

[savemejebus]

The chasing chart positions stuff is really pathetic at this point. There was a big fuss about TUVL going to Number 1

“It’s amazing to be back at Number 1 after 23 years,” the Welsh band said of the accolade. “It was a titanic chart battle and we are absolutely over the moon. Thanks to all our fans, supporters and Sony for keeping the faith.”

They sold 27000 albums in September 21 to get that, great right (◔_◔) (ignoring that a few thousand of these were people buying the album 4 times to get the different formats).

October 2023 the sales figure is 43762, so 16k extra albums sold in 25 months.

Should have been their needed reality check but nope just continuing on lazy gigs and lazy elevator muzak.

[counterlanguage]

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

Liking the majority of an album = a pleasant surprise.
Liking some individual songs = a standard.
Liking almost none of an album = a possibility.

Yep from PFAYM onwards, also:

• Radio-friendly but disappointing first single before an album with far more satisfying tracks.
• Album will have at least one other track that should have been a single first.
• Lead single will be forgotten by the band after 18 months.

All - highly likely to the point where it's probably written into the band's contract.

[IntlDebris]

At times it still feels like they're still in the 'reeling from Lifeblood' mode that led to SATT - going for a kind of 'typical' Manics sound, something which ignores the fact that all of their first seven albums sound quite different to each other. JFPL and RtF/F were different because it felt like they went in with a very distinct idea to not sound like that, but the rest of the time it's just... greatest hits fodder, I suppose. Songs which will fit seamlessly into their singles-heavy live set. Which, as far as singles go, isn't such a bad thing, as long as the albums contain other stuff, but frankly, the albums are often chock full of the same. RiF still has a great second side for me, but even then I'm baffled by the lack of inclusion of 'Soundtrack for Complete Withdrawal', which is easily the most interesting song from those sessions for me. Same with 'My Drowning World' on TUVL. After just how well Futurology was received, you'd have thought they would have leant into this side more, but I can't help feeling that somewhere in the band there's still this sense of doubt of leaving their comfort zone for fear of fan backlash.

Who knows. There's still the possibility that this album will have its fair share of 'Sleepflower' / 'Removables' / 'Small Black Flowers' type songs that mean it's not all three-and-a-half-minute major key anthems. But I wouldn't be surprised if not.

[Tish]

[QUOTE=Scarecrow;2698656]Yeah, completely get this. And if not 'mass communication' specifically, then at least this idea of chasing chart positions or aiming for songs that they believe are what fans want/a 'classic Manics sound'./QUOTE]

I'd say the exact opposite, it's quite obvious that the band are not remotely interested in giving the fans what they want. If they were they'd be endlessly remaking The Holy Bible, playing tiny B side gigs and wrapping themselves up in the right flags to prove how 'politically 'relevant' they still.are.

But instead they keep making these big poppy piano driven anthems, playing Radio 2 roadshows and big money double header tours and talking about Critical Thinking and Orwellian Times. Sometimes it seems like they are actively trying to alianate the fans, the same way they did with Know Your Enemy all those years ago!

[Son of Stopped]

A small pro-Manics comment to balance out the negativity on this page.
I like the Manics.

[Tish]

So do I! And I like the new song. And I can't wait for the album and the inevitable tour. And I hope they carry on pissing everyone off for years to come!

[savemejebus]

Originally Posted by Tish

I'd say the exact opposite, it's quite obvious that the band are not remotely interested in giving the fans what they want. If they were they'd be endlessly remaking The Holy Bible, playing tiny B side gigs and wrapping themselves up in the right flags to prove how 'politically 'relevant' they still.are.

But instead they keep making these big poppy piano driven anthems, playing Radio 2 roadshows and big money double header tours and talking about Critical Thinking and Orwellian Times. Sometimes it seems like they are actively trying to alianate the fans, the same way they did with Know Your Enemy all those years ago!

Trying to alienate the fans , to do that they'd have to give a shit about the fans in the first place and that's something that's been clear that they don't since JFPL - and I don't mean in the type of music they're releasing, I mean in giving responses like Nicky saying 'so what, just buy the regular as well' when asked by a fan about Bag Lady being missing from the JFPL deluxe edition.

[LA ex]

Originally Posted by IntlDebris

At times it still feels like they're still in the 'reeling from Lifeblood' mode that led to SATT - going for a kind of 'typical' Manics sound, something which ignores the fact that all of their first seven albums sound quite different to each other. JFPL and RtF/F were different because it felt like they went in with a very distinct idea to not sound like that, but the rest of the time it's just... greatest hits fodder, I suppose. Songs which will fit seamlessly into their singles-heavy live set. Which, as far as singles go, isn't such a bad thing, as long as the albums contain other stuff, but frankly, the albums are often chock full of the same. RiF still has a great second side for me, but even then I'm baffled by the lack of inclusion of 'Soundtrack for Complete Withdrawal', which is easily the most interesting song from those sessions for me. Same with 'My Drowning World' on TUVL. After just how well Futurology was received, you'd have thought they would have leant into this side more, but I can't help feeling that somewhere in the band there's still this sense of doubt of leaving their comfort zone for fear of fan backlash.

Who knows. There's still the possibility that this album will have its fair share of 'Sleepflower' / 'Removables' / 'Small Black Flowers' type songs that mean it's not all three-and-a-half-minute major key anthems. But I wouldn't be surprised if not.

I'd agree with most of that. Futurology for me has been the most interesting album they've put out since JFPL, due to the range of styles attempted. I'm not saying all of it worked, but at least it was pushing boundaries.

It's an interesting comparison with post reunion Suede. Whilst their first couple of albums back felt a little generic, The Blue Hour and Autofiction both sound like Suede but at the same time are completely different in ambition and approach, with both of them standing up in terms of quality with the band's earlier output.

[savemejebus]

Originally Posted by LA ex

....The Blue Hour and Autofiction both sound like Suede but at the same time are completely different in ambition and approach, with both of them standing up in terms of quality with the band's earlier output.

This... I'd put KYE, Lifeblood, RTF and Futurology in that class. It's music as proper art, it doesn't always work but it has a soul. The drivel they're putting out now is a pretty lousy attempt at crass commercialism, unintentionally producing the music version of Mockbuster movies crowds like 'the asyum' produce except the band don't get that.

[Son of Stopped]

Decline & Fall sounds like Futurology mixed with a bit of Door To The River. I really thought people here would have got and been more into that. (Futurology synths and So Why So Sad backing vocals)

[Tish]

Originally Posted by savemejebus

Trying to alienate the fans , to do that they'd have to give a shit about the fans in the first place and that's something that's been clear that they don't since JFPL - and I don't mean in the type of music they're releasing, I mean in giving responses like Nicky saying 'so what, just buy the regular as well' when asked by a fan about Bag Lady being missing from the JFPL deluxe edition.

That was 15 years ago! Are you really still narked about that?%