Anybody heard the album yet?

[manicspain]

After the first listen, the worst manic album. Only save People give in, international blue, distant colours . The Last is the Best song since 1998

[manicspain]

After two listens go better ,my puntuation is 7. Incredible People, broken , vivian, hold me and distant. Ver y good international and the rest medi ocres. Very bad the left behind and dylan

[danc]

My initial ratings:

People Give In: 8
International Blue: 9
Distant Colours: 7
Vivian: 6
Dylan & Caitlin: 7
Liverpool Revisited: 8
Sequels of Forgotten Wars: 7
Hold Me Like A Heaven: 9
In Eternity: 10
Broken Algorithms: 7
A Song For The Sadness: 8
The Left Behind: 6

Overall it's a great album and for me it's the best since JFPL

[Frozendiva]

One listen so far. Musically accomplished. No review yet - need another 2 listens or so.

[James1985]

how are people listening to this album?

[Dancing Kirby]

I’d score most of the songs a 9, maybe an 8.5 for one or two of them and an 8 for Distant Colours.

[sculptureofabloke]

Originally Posted by Dancing Kirby

I’d score most of the songs a 9, maybe an 8.5 for one or two of them and an 8 for Distant Colours.

April Fools?

[Dancing Kirby]

Dammit.

[Marat Sar]

Originally Posted by James1985

how are people listening to this album?

Yeah -- really? How? I'm guessing it's some kind of mp3 or stream thing, low quality?

I don't really want to listen to it until I have flacs... (not being a snob here, just can't any more -- hifi's like upping your heroin dose; the normal thing doesn't feel like heroin any more, even the best albums sound bad)

[Son of Stopped]

Think my speakers are out of phase, so I'll have to listen to it on a TV through a PS3.
Well it's been a good couple of decades since I got that Technics system. We had great times!
No, not heard the album yet.

EDIT: Damn! Just worked out the system was around when TIMTTMY came out! Invest in a new one? Or just see how it goes?

[Winterlovers]

Wow! After one listen I don't really know wheter I love it or hate it... It sounds between classic and weird.
Don't know how to describe the album since it causes me two juxtaposed feelings!

People Give In: 7
International Blue: 9
Distant Colours: 8 (I love the acoustic version, a fuckin' 10 for me)
Vivian: 6
Dylan & Caitlin: 6.5
Liverpool Revisited: 6
Sequels of Forgotten Wars: 8
Hold Me Like a Heaven: 9
In Eternity: 8
Broken Algorithms: 8
A Song for the Sadness: 7
The Left Behind: 7.5

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

A bit more from me about the album.

People Give In - one of the best tracks in years, a mixture of Lifeblood, TIMT and EMG, given the orchestral sweep, production and synth style of those albums. Synth riff is very much Solitude Sometimes Is. You'll know what I mean when you hear it. Very catchy and it baffles me why this wasn't one of the first few singles. Hope it's played live.

International Blue - Great energy, sounded better at the Absolute Radio session so the live version should be even better. Not the best song on the album, surprisingly.

Distant Colours - Sublime, almost perfect. Could have been on TGW. James' best Manics song for me. Like People Give In, another classic.

Vivian - Brilliant vocals, chorus reminds me of Emily. Lovely middle 8 too. One of my favourites on the album.

Dylan and Caitlin - Good song, not amazing. Love the strings. No need for them to play it live as there are way better songs on the album.

Liverpool Revisited - Bit of a grower, sounds like Nicky wrote it as it sounds like pretty much his entire solo album, in particular Break My Heart Slowly. Didn't like it at first but now I think it's a good song. Shame the bit from the trailer is part of this one as it's a bit wasted here.

Sequels of Forgotten Wars - Absolutely love this song. Even my wife was humming the guitar riff. It has shades of a GT era track and also Love Letter To The Future in some ways, with that cowbell. Can see this being a live staple.

Hold Me Like a Heaven - A bit light and poppy but sounds a bit like a Lifeblood era track. Lots of woah woah vocals in the chorus. Has an 80s sound which also sounds quite contemporary. The pitch shifted guitar solo is very much 1985-esque. Reckon this will be a marmite track between fans. Could sound a bit empty if they played it live.

In Eternity - Love the lyrics to this one, the effects on James' vocals can make it difficult to understand what he's singing at times. The chorus is really catchy, not one of my favourites but great nonetheless and really hope they play it live.

Broken Algorithms - I want to really like this one but I can't get into it as much as some of the other songs. The opening sounds like the generic rock tracks you got in 90s video games - usually Sega racing games. It does get better though, but can't imagine them playing this one live given the amount of energy needed for those crazy drums.

A Song For The Sadness - A very unusual sounding song which could have fitted on Lifeblood. Instrumentally it sounds like a lost Duran Duran track from 1984. Lots of things going on in the song. I absolutely love the shimmering synth through the song, I think it's an Omnichord. One of my favourites. Hope this one is played live.

The Left Behind - A bit dull, a chore to listen to and easily the worst song on the album. Reminds me of something but I don't know what. The production is good on this one, just a shake Nicky's singing spoils it. They could have done without it.

[Useless Soul]

Well now, bit late to it, but anyone know if I have and where I have a chance of getting a listen to it? Thanks!

[Europa Gluten Free]

Ok. So I've listened to it once on my travels today. Here are my first reactions:

People Give In - Sounds fantastic on the verses. But they had to go orchestral on the choruses? Also Jimbo's vocals a bit lost in the mix? Still, an interesting starter. (Although veers too close to PFAYM production for me).

International Blue - Heads and shoulders above other songs on the album. This came late, but thank goodness it did.

Distant Colours - Gorgeous, even more so within context of album.

Vivian - Bloody awful for me. Again, interesting verses and then a weird guitar sound on chorus. Not one of my favourites.

Dylan and Caitlin - Bit overproduced for my liking. (Again bloody strings). The Anchoress' mouthing of "America" in her second go round is the sexiest moment on the album.

Liverpool Revisited - Ok. Jimbo's stutter/repeat in the chorus is probably the only ear catching thing in it. Again, would have been better as a more subtle song? (Did I mention Eringa and Jimbo's production/love of strings?)

Sequels of Forgotten Wars - This is where the album starts to save itself from PFAYM era production and songwriting. Fantastic guitar ideas and sounds. Solid enough lyric.

Hold Me Like a Heaven - Love the 80s sound on this one. The album is now sounding more interesting to me.

In Eternity - Pretty catchy. I have perked up at this point.

Broken Algorithms - This is prob my fav listen first time round. A lot going on here. A more sophisticated Intravenous Agnostic. I have a weakness for Jimbo spelling out words in songs and the b-r-o-k-e-n gets me here.

A Song For The Sadness - Yeah, an ok song. I actually can't remember too much about it.

The Left Behind - Really? Why? In the running with Don't be Evil for being the worst Manics album track of all time, never mind worst final track on an album.

All in all it is 3 star album. Better than PFAYM (thankfully as that was my worry with these "no concept" Manics albums) and less patchy than RTF and Futurology, but still just ok. Looking forward to listening to it more and listening to it properly once released. Don't know if it's enough for me to go and see them in London. I thought the album might have pushed me towards going, but it didn't blow me away. There are only so many times a person can hear You Stole the Sun in their lifetime.

[Manic Street Lurker]

Okay, I've hunted high and low for RiF and have got nowhere, I give in. Someone please help!