#1
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Why is “Fragments” so disliked?
“Fragments” is genuinely one of my favourite moments from Lifeblood. To me, it’s very beautiful and tender. I’ve always found the instrumentation to be wonderfully meditative with a slightly ambient tone, whilst the lyric feels quite heartfelt, as does James’ performance of it. Yet it seems to be universally disliked amongst my fellow Fucking Manics Fans (#FMF). Anybody prepared to explain their disdain for me?
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This Is My Truth So Shut Your Face Last edited by Mr Richey; 18-09-2021 at 15:05. |
#2
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None from me, Fragments is one of my favourite Lifeblood songs.
If I remember, it was this very forum that ruined it for me with "Tiny massive cock" which at times I have imagined the song goes. It's really unfair. Sometimes no think I can see which lines Nicky wrote and which were from his brother. #We all remember your brother wrote Fragments# from TSHHM. |
#3
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I like it as a track but less on the album. It feels extremely underpowered between SSI and Cardiff Afterlife. "Tiny massive hands" definitely ranks amongst their worst lyrics pre-PFAYM. The chorus feels underwritten, as in, they needed to keep developing it into something worth hearing multiple times as a chorus.
Like I say, I like it, especially when I'm in a reflective mood. But those are my complaints, especially when so many stronger tracks were left as b-sides. Everyone Knows/Nobody Cares would sit nicely in its place.
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#4
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Underpowered is definitely the word. I don't dislike the song, it's got a nice production and doesn't sound it is trying to imitate something they've done in the past. At the same time it's a bit plodding and doesn't seem to go anywhere. The chorus and outro just lack umpf. Always/ Never sort of haves the same problem but is saved by the slap bass.
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#5
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Quote:
I’ve never really got on with fragments, always found it a bit plodding as well although I’m more partial to it these days. That instrumentation is quite lovely melancholy. Interesting comparison to always/never because I am such a fan of that one and james’ weary, resigned vocals.
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#6
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I've always felt it was one of the weakest, if not the weakest track on the album, but I don't particularly dislike it or anything. It's just got nothing really going on throughout. Saying that, as I type this I am humming it in my head and I can't get it out haha!
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#7
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I love fragments! So beautiful and serine.
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#8
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I have no problems with Fragments. A beautiful song! ❤
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"Former glam-punk rocker James Dean Bradfield now looks like your friendly, slightly rumpled Welsh uncle who always brings you chocolate when he visits. That's not a bad thing." - Allister Thompson aka The Gateless Gate (Canadian musician) |
#9
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I definitely don't dislike it but do find it to be the weakest on the album.
I feel the song does express my own thoughts itself though as "the Fragments fail to hold me"
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#10
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That vocal take when James goes "the fragments fail to hold mee-hee-eee" before the solo (which is also great) is incredible. I always feel elated by it. Fragments is a great song. Tiny massive hands are mysterious to me, sure its silly, but I've heard it so many times and the rest of the lyrics are super nice and evocative.
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#11
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This has never been a song I’ve felt the need to moan about over a series of 1000 posts.
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#12
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Also, I was under the impression it's Emily that's widely disliked here. For the record, I also think Emily is great. The sound in the verses is incredibly detailed and features some juicy little sfx. The lyrics are great, the solo is stellar, again. There are no "weak" songs on Lifeblood. Always / Never is also great, a much needed return of the bass heavier TLORN darker-hued sound. The slap bass is amazing, the lyrics which people have problems with are simple associations that work as a cool abstract exercise. If Lifeblood has one problem it's that (the otherwise great) To Repel Ghosts has an underwhelming mix that sounds smaller and more cramped than the rest of the album. The album is uniformly amazing in sound, but this one song doesn't have enough going for it. The chorus doesn't fill out as majestically as it ought to, the verses lack air. (Amazing song otherwise)
Although the album features their (imo) best b-sides, there's not one I would exchange for an album track. Everyone Knows / No One Cares comes closest. It would put another (somewhat needed) instance of a dancey cold electronic New Order track there, to counterbalance the warmth. Someone here said it would be a good replacement to Fragments? I get it, near the end, a counterweight to TLORN as track 2. And its sinister and cold and cool and the lyrics are great. But I don't miss it too much. |
#13
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Along with Emily and Glasnost, it's more acoustic-based, which is very slightly at odds with the shimmering electronic/electric production, so I sort of get why they tend to pop up among the album's least popular tracks. I like all three, but I think some of the b-sides are better (Everyone Knows / Nobody Cares and Everything Will Be in particular). But on the whole, even though it's not my favourite album (in third position behind TIMTTMY and EMG), it's my favourite era, and there are only a couple of songs of the 27 released that I don't at least really like.
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#14
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I never got the hate either, it’s an incredible song. So much of the album is about age, introspection and the band coming to terms with their long and troubled journey, and to me Fragments has always been the song that in sound reflects that harmony and stillness of accepting everything that had lead up to this point, including the pain. “This is the place where peace exists, this is the place where my mind resists”, etc.
I’m… not a big fan of the Patrick lyrics (which I always assumed was the first verse given how drastically it differs from the rest of the song) and if it wasn’t for the infamously quotable ‘tiny massive hands’ I think people might appreciate the song more in general. I think it’s perfectly placed on the album as well: between the epic heights of Solitude and the emotional closure of Cardiff Afterlife, you have this dream-like piece that really nails down the serenity, longing and emotional resignation of the album which also in terms of arrangement bridges the two songs. Absolutely fantastic layered drum track as well. Though the album version is incredible, one of the reasons I really loved them doing this live at the time is because Sean had to simplify the drum part and in turn made it more dynamic: the studio version is a blissful moment in stillness, the live version is driven with additional energy. Just love it.
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#15
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Other than the aforementioned lyric, I don’t dislike it in the slightest. It’s a beautiful song.
And give me a melodica over an ABBAesque piano any day.
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