I'd push back back on this. Critical Thinking guitar harks back to similar influences on THB like PiL. Decline and Fall has some synth work and Brushstrokes has the momentum of a Cure song. Probably more in there that I missed, The reliance on 80's influences has been pretty consistent from Futurology though RiF through Exile through TUVL to Critical Thinking, and might go some way to explaining some folks dislike of the last three albums.

I also hear THB sounds in the album. I know James has explained most of the songs. I get how Critical Thinking is unrestricted it doesn't need to fit criteria or a theme. I mean Nicky's songs are real, melancholy and punky who could do that like him? I also love how the music runs with the lyrics.

While I don't worry about the future of the band, I worry that their ability to change course is impacted by the limited sales. Having their own studio is boon to the studio because it probably means that band eats some of the cost of recording an album. If the sales of each album are subject to diminishing returns then I don't expect the publisher to pony up the extra funds needed to record somewhere else with a different or more expensive producer. Time will tell but I'm nearly certain all this urgency about recording a new album will evaporate over the next two months. Hope to be wrong of course.

The fact that the Manics own a whole damn studio stifles their creativity yet all it takes to make some fresh, innovative tunes in 2025 is a bedroom and a laptop. Go figure.

"Tried to clap my hands in time".
I did "Jazz" clapping out of time at that gig years ago...
*Rainfall at night and dramatic music as I suddenly become Italian-American
"James... I'm sorry!!"
*Dark car speeds off into the night seemingly floating into the air.

I agree. Everyone has their own pair of earholes, and perspectives, but it surprises me that some folks can't detect the common aural thread running through CT that ties everything beautifully together. There are even synth effects during the outro of OneManMilitia that sonically hark back to sounds heard elsewhere throughout the album.

It's funny you mentioning the Cure as I listed to the Head on the Door (Cure's pop masterpiece) and Critical Thinking back to back on my car journey home earlier. They're very different albums but actually complimented each other nicely and made for excellent listening bedfellows.

The CT sales dropping off a cliff are disappointing as the album deserves way better, but is more likely endemic of the state of the music industry and the way people consume new music now.

I love CT but all of this makes me very intrigued for what comes next - surely it's time for an album that is 100% a pure artistic statement from the boys, with absolutely no commercial sentiment behind it. Crikey, they're at a stage now where they've earned the right to put out an album of JDB fart solos if they deem that the truest representation of where they're currently at musically, but I'm sure we'll get something a lot more interesting to listen to.

Naaaah, we'll just get another last shot at mass communication.

I'd love it if they signed off with a genuine 'destroy rock and roll' moment. Nicky sometimes talks about the idea of destroying the band. Ending their career with something bold that gets people talking, rather than another average poppy album, would be truly excellent.

Some artists have made late career digressions and been stronger for it, the last albums to date by The Divine Comedy and The Jesus and Mary Chain for example, even Swans pre-breakup. The last Lou Reed album (Lulu, with Metallica) alienated a lot of people but I love that he went out with one of his most ugly, bombastic, and universally hated releases.

Are we going to skip the "Second Thoughts On CT_" thread like TUVL?
At the minute I don't need it because the listen has now just blended. A pleasant stream of Manics music.
Nothing skipped. Streaming but unstoppable ad of 1 and 2 took me out.
Given it's already downloaded as well.
Still can't distinguish when Deleted Scenes starts.
But Late Day Peaks is the one I've been running back to. That song and People Ruin Paintings are the best two examples of what the Manics do these days for me anyway.
And maybe for Random Thoughts, but I'd rather the Manics split then touch brass big band!
Orchestration fine. They probably couldn't afford the extra tour members.
So cardboard cutouts with Big Band versions of Manics songs is my Room 101 I could spend my data being in fear of happening.
So... Couple of hours time on a Friday.
A third week in the physical charts?
A more pleasant tension for our current world.
Not sure how many times I've heard the album start to finish. But want to spend the rest of the years listening to it until they do something more amazing.
Approaching Album Obsession Overkill Stage.
It is what it is and it's still a lot better than what it could have been "phoned in". You can hear the work.
I think the corner hasn't been fully turned yet and the rocket's ascending.
But yeah, it's taking ages to load up Official Chart website.

Edit: Oh! Forgot! This thread is now one or two pages longer than Futurology album thread and I think TUVL's as well.
And they said the forum was dead!

26. But that's three weeks! Not sure if that's a Gillian compilation or box set? No Laughing In Heaven full length version is amazing!
https://www.officialcharts.com/chart...-albums-chart/
I think TUVL had four weeks but better Top 100 performance.
Really thought Doves would have topped the chart.
That's a lesson in leaving it too long between albums?

I am away on a work trip now for one month so no CT listening for me until I get back.

Am I in a secluded part of the world, you ask? Am I too busy to listen? No - it's just that I went on a particularly stressful work trip when RiF came out and listened to that album for those few months and now I can't listen to it as it takes me right back to that time in 2018! I wish I was joking ha! At least I'm not missing much - though I did have a soft spot for the demo version of In Eternity, especially the main chorus line.

But I've really enjoyed CT - with all the promo stuff and the interviews this has been my favourite era since JFPL. So don't want to tarnish that! One month isn't so long! Might treat myself to the vinyl when I get back.

Blood records did a special zoetrope edition for Sabrina Carpenter. If they’ve done that for us, we might have got number one.

https://blood-records.co.uk/products/manics ?

Anyway I like the album.

A couple of weeks into it, I really don’t get most of the comments here. Obviously, we all have different opinions, and I totally get that, but I don’t understand the negativity surrounding the release of this beautiful album.

Although I don’t think this is the most groundbreaking album of all time, it is absolutely a joy to listen to. The b side is the strongest side I think. I don’t know about the 80s influence or whatever I just hear the Manics.

More please

For anyone else who had audio issues with the piano versions: I e-mailed the customer support about it and it should now be fixed if you re-download the album.