Rate Futurology

[whiterevolver]

Originally Posted by tomd2103

In Olympic boxing terms, Everything Must Go and Holy Bible contest the gold medal (think the former just edges the latter for me) and it's Futurology and Journal for Plague Lovers going for bronze. My only real sticking point with Futurology is the omission of Empty Motorcade and Last Time I Saw Paris, which I would add instead of Sex, Power, Love and Money and Between the Clock and the Bed (which I like, but feel might have been more at home on Rewind the Film). Oh yeah and View From Stow Hill would have been the perfect ending with no need for Mayakovsky.

I totally agree, and I would not contest that points decision. I think THB is a greater piece of art, but EMG is a more complete album. Stranded on a desert island I would be happier with EMG over THB, but as a pairing they are pretty much unstoppable. And I also agree that Futurology did not need Sex, Power, Love & Money on it, and Between The Clock is a decent B-Side for me rather than an album track.

Originally Posted by tomd2103

Taken as a duo, Rewind the Film and Futurology are indeed a very strong body of work. Apart from a Between the Clock and the Bed though, I think the themes of the two albums are quite different even if the titles suggest differently. For me, Resistance is Futile is the follow up to Rewind the Film in terms of theme. I've always thought the line in Builder of Routines "How I hate middle age / in between acceptance and rage" summed up where they were at that time. I think even the title Resistance is Futile suggests that they had moved further towards acceptance, but like the samurai on the album cover still had that sense of pride and identity in a world that had changed.

I'm unconvinced by RIF, but it has been a while since I gave it a go. I still feel that the Manics hit a high peak with the previous duo, and RIF promised much in its intriguing trailers but delivered little, but whilst we are Locked Down I'm sure RIF can get a few more spins.

[Lee]

Originally Posted by Phil C

Futurology is my joint second favourite Manics album along with KYE and JFPL. I don't like Divine Youth (those horrible 80s keyboard stabs), Empty Motorcade should definitely have made the track-listing, and I can never decide whether the two instrumental b-sides should have been chosen instead of the album instrumentals, but it's their album that I've probably listened to more over the last few years than any other.

Agree that Divine Youth is awful.

Swap that for The Last Time I Saw Paris and I think you have a perfect album. Beef Futurology up as well so it sounds like the live version and it’s a classic.

Dreaming A City is brilliant (I never liked it until I saw it live) but the last song could be improved upon. The Manics always finish strong on their last track but that one isn’t great.

[Lee]

1. Futurology (live version)
2. Walk Me to the Bridge
3. Let's Go to War (live version)
4. The Next Jet to Leave Moscow
5. Europa Geht Durch Mich (feat. Nina Hoss)
6. Blistered Mirrors or Empty Motorcade
7. Sex, Power, Love and Money
8. Dreaming a City (Hughesovka)
9. Black Square
10. Between the Clock and the Bed (feat. Green Gartside)
11. Misguided Missile
12. The View from Stow Hill
13. The Last Time I Saw Paris

Perfect

[IntlDebris]

It's my fourth favourite Manics album (behind TIMT, EMG and Lifeblood), and overall I find it difficult to fault. Sex, Power, Love and Money is probably the only song I don't think quite works, and I definitely think Empty Motorcade should have been on there, so swapping them would be the only real change I'd make.