That's basically the Manics promotional photo for album 30!

:D

There’s only 12* notes, it’s what you do with them that counts.

*generally, micro-tonal pedantry aside, but we’re surely all waiting for Sean’s 36-micro-tone masterpiece.

I'd agree with most of what you've said here when it comes to the regular album (and doubly so to the James sung singles and the stupid U2 bit in out of time revival) but and a big BUT the demos are for me worth the price of entry. They show that underneath the sonic clutter there are good songs beneath.

Also, I think that the demo of 'Hiding in plain sight' is as close to the "Nebraska" album idea that they harped on about years ago as they'll ever get.

I haven't heard the Piano versions yet but I'm happy to ignore the standard edition and just count the demos as the new record and be happy with that as an album.

Tried and failed to use Quote for Savemejebus and their perspective on some cringey Manics songs, but to wit:

The cringe part, I certainly get that more and more. Never had it with older songs that some hate but it started creeping in with Autumnsong and Hazelton Avenue, got worse with Together Stronger and International Blue, reached a new low with Orwellian and now I skip Decline and Fall. I would honestly feel embarrassed to play those to people who know I'm a big fan, I've had apologetic conversations like "no, wait, I promise they've made good music too!"

I get some of the criticisms - Hazelton Avenue is not a good song, but International Blue is one of their best singles since their glory days. I don't find it cringe in the slightist. Great riffs, really interesting subject matter (to someone like me who isn't European and not steeped in art history), and a killer final chorus. Maybe the keyboard part is a bit cheesy but they've *always* been a bit cheesy. What do you find cringe about it? Also maybe my perspective is different as I'm American and probably have a different emotional relationship with the band than people in the UK, but just curious.

Post mortems usually happens after it charts!
Great stuff only two songs haven't clicked.
Dear Stephen and surprisingly OneManMilita.
Love People Ruin Paintings, Being Baptised and the closing three before the final track.
I would have released Out Of Time Revival instead of Decline&Fall.
Can't rate any lower than 7. There's great Manics songs on here. It could be hearing aid batteries soaked in tea when in the packet a month ago talking. But I'm enjoying how it clatters more than the other albums. The writing does seem a step back from TUVL.
Is this the Manics "Heathen Chemistry"?
No, miles better than that. I was stuck with TUVL on release because I thought it was their best album.
I'm not getting that immediately from CT_ but I'm getting more than enough to play it again when it finishes rather than another album.
EMG more friendlier. Impossible part of the post that goes nowhere: Timeslip of Hypothetical.
This album got released in 2001 instead of KYE?
Ah bollocks. It's early evening so will have to be quieter listens on YouTube.
8/10? Question mark because it's only February. Got the rest of the year and summer to play against when Oasis return.

I’ve listened to it a few times now….

Critical thinking is either one of the best or worst they’ve ever done as a track. Can’t make my mind up, but “what happened to your critical thinking” is on a constant loop in my head.

Decline and fall is the Manics at their glorious best. Love this track.

Brushstrokes is good. Decent chorus

Hiding in plain sight is a really tough listen for me as I was diagnosed with cancer on the day it was released so have that association sadly.

People ruin paintings is radio 2.

Dear Stephen is a decent listen. Love the lyrics about hate and being kind.

Being baptised is a great track. Love it

My brave friend is shite. Skip

Out of time revival should have been the second single

Deleted scenes is alright but filler for me.

Late day peaks is a banger

OneManMilita is the best song on the album- there I said it


It’s a decent effort. Doesn’t get in their top 10 albums but it’s better than RTF, Postcards and TUVL

Ever heard of toxic positivity ? It's a thing, google it! Lotsa peeps barfing rainbows here and in the Decline & Fall youtube comments section. But yeah, each to their own.

My wife keeps teasing me about the Manics being the odd one out band, clearly sticking out from the other stuff I listen to, so I get the "no, they've made some good music as well, really!" sentiment :lol:

Oh, as for the album, I gave it one listen so far. Dig the title track, hate D&F. Prolly gonna play it more than UVL or PFAYM, which I've listened to like maybe 5 times, but that's about the only positive thing I can say about it.

The album is an absolute belter. Not a bad song for me. The piano versions are a nice addition also.

Am I going insane or is the instrumental break in Dear Stephen actually the melody to Words by The Bee Gees (Or boyzone, depending on your preference)?!

Nope you're spot on, sligtly sped up but it's the melody to Words alright.

Another cribbing to add to the Beautiful Day bridge and police intro in Out of Time revival and the (at a minimum) auto-intoxication, symm and more self cribbing in Being Baptised.

Sorry to hear about your troubles, Kyle.
Have strength.

Bought the Piano Versions. Was able to download to my devices. Time will tell what gets used for ringtone. But it's going to have to beat Silent Hill 3's End of Small Sanctuary.

You would have thought they'd crib a smiths melody to go with the 3 different lyrical "quotations", rather than a random, unrelated song. Bizarre!

100% this.
Such uninspring album, just as TUVL.
They really can’t write tunes anymore. There are glimpses in there, but not much more.
But, it’s so just half done.

I’ve been a huge fan since 95-96 and second those thoughts entirely.
I actually liked the albums and the song writing up until(and included) RIF, except for Futurology which was all about style/sound opposed the brilliant song writing the band’s always been about.
Which since TUVL pretty much is gone.
So, your last sentence doesn’t say much to me since Futurology together with TUVL are the only albums I rate worse than CT :)

I agree with this. I heard it played in a store full of people browsing indie music when I collected the album. It was completely stunning blasting loud and unique to any other band. I really hope it gets to number 1 in the charts.

Haha yeah, toxic positivity indeed.
I laugh at the rates people give these songs - 10/10, 9,5/10 etc.
I can’t fucking believe anyone rating anything on there amongst the very best songs from the Manics.