The strings on The Descent remind me of "The Sun And The Rain" period Madness. Has this been said before?
It's not a bad thing!

Was telling some colleagues today about the gig and one of them said she didn't realise the Manics were still going! :lol: From all of the 'You're brave going by yourself!' comments I had a more positive 'Good for you!' comment today, which cheered me up!

Why don't you go with someone from here?

Hoping to bump into some FD'ers at the venue, don't mind travelling over myself.

Having my doubts about this statement. The album is still growing on me now; I think it is actually a really strong album. The trouble you have when you first get an album is your perception of what you expect from a band and what it is you like about them. Initially I felt the album was cheesy and very lightweight due to the strings and choirs. Then I started enjoying some of the songs. Now it has been out long enough for me to listen to it on its own merits.

The result is that I think it is a pretty strong album and it is more interesting musically than I first thought. The first time I listened to I think I Found It the Spanish guitar made me cringe, now I think it is brilliant and really makes the song. I know some people find SKON to be a too forced attempt at an epic ballad, but I listen to it and cant help but enjoy it. I think Golden Platitudes is going to be one of my favourite Manics songs; probably helped by the epic performance of it in Edinburgh. ABBFTS is such a typical mid/late 90s sounding Manic's certainly nothing new, but for me it has much more of an edge than something similar like You Stole The Sun From My Heart. Also despite my criticism of the choirs I think they manage to save The future has been here 4ever and make it an enjoyable song. The only tracks that really do nothing for me are (INW)JTEOL and All we make is entertainment.

Not bad though for an album that I thought was going to be a cheesy through away.

I was seriously considering going to Birmingham so I could meet you but decided that would be a little silly. Even if you don't meet FDers I'm sure you'll make friends in the queue.

Dont listen to it at all.

I get that all the time...

"Oh, are they still around?" :hmmm:

"They used to be really big didn't they?" :hmmm:

"Is that the 90s band where the singer killed herself?" :hmmm:

"I prefer their early stuff to the recent stuff like Design For Life" :hmmm: (In fairness most fans do this too, which I find really annoying, since the Manics have now been around for twenty-odd years, and EMG and TIMTTMY came out before the halfway mark in their career, and y'know, they did 3 albums with Richey and have made 7 without him, but yeah, ok, whatever...).

Regards,
Marwood.

I have to say I hate that one too, especially when they haven't bothered listening to anything since EMG or TIMTTMY.

Well yes exactly! :) "I prefer the early suff even though I've heard almost none of the later stuff and in actual fact wasn't even aware that the five most recent albums really existed"... :hmmm: sheesh!

Regards,
Marwood.

The more I listen to it, the more I'm persuaded that it will be seen as a classic Manic album in time.

First I've thought that it's a bit cheesy and too easy to consume, but, surprisingly, it has grown a lot on me. I really love it!

A friend of mine, who's well aware of my musical preferences (I mainly love complex song structures and arrangements...), was utterly surprised that I'd managed to cherrish this album. On his side, he's loving the album a lot , though he ususally listens more to simplistic and dull stuff like "Oasis", "Arctitic Monkeys", "The Smiths" or "Pink"...

Is it better to love an album then go off it or the other way round......

Aaaaaaw! That would have been great Franny! :D I might see if I can spot the wee Scottish girl I chatted to at Birmingham 2007 if she's still living in the city. Might have moved on to other things by now. That was her first Manics gig so I wonder if she went to any others.

I wasn't here for the album's release, so just let me say...
I LOVE IT!

Best Tracks - (It's Not War) Just the End of Love; Some Kind of Nothingness [my personal favorite]; A Billion Balconies Facing the Sun; All We Make Is Entertainment; and Don't Be Evil [almost tied as my personal favorite].

I also think it's an awesome travel album and I listen to it on my bus ride to school.

I hate all you UK FDers who are getting the tour now :(

The Smiths? Have you never even been that bothered to listen to Johnny Marr's guitarwork?