RTF - (hysteric) reactions, ranking...

[Marat Sar]

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[The Crow]

Actually the LP should be called 'Rewind The B Sides (Again)'

[Radiomanic]

Listening to it on Spotify, first time not off the radio. It's instantly brilliant, no need to wait for the songs to seep him as they already have! Three years ago i was afraid they were finished as PFAYM was so terrible in comparison. Tremendous album, so beautiful. The only thing i will say is Sullen Welsh Heart sounds way better live, when James sings it on his own. Haven't bothered with the demos, don't think i will until i'm really bored. Don't see the point of them, why not just put B-Sides on the other disc?

The start of Manorbier really reminds me of the start of M62 Song by Doves, the album does in it's most tender moments remind me alot of early Doves (Lost Souls-era).

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Originally Posted by Radiomanic

Listening to it on Spotify, first time not off the radio. It's instantly brilliant, no need to wait for the songs to seep him as they already have! Three years ago i was afraid they were finished as PFAYM was so terrible in comparison. Tremendous album, so beautiful. The only thing i will say is Sullen Welsh Heart sounds way better live, when James sings it on his own. Haven't bothered with the demos, don't think i will until i'm really bored. Don't see the point of them, why not just put B-Sides on the other disc?

If you like the live version of This Sullen Welsh Heart then you're going to like the demo. The 3 Ways To See Despair demo is pretty good too, there's a kids choir on it! I probably prefer the Running Out Of Fantasy demo to the finished version, there's a lovely little bassline that's not on the final version. The rest are pretty average....

[Radiomanic]

Originally Posted by FacelessSenseOfVoid

If you like the live version of This Sullen Welsh Heart then you're going to like the demo. The 3 Ways To See Despair demo is pretty good too, there's a kids choir on it! I probably prefer the Running Out Of Fantasy demo to the finished version, there's a lovely little bassline that's not on the final version. The rest are pretty average....

Yeah well the rest of their demos have been average at best, never been worth the extra cash but i guess it's about having it in the collection. At least we get some live tracks, although they surely should think about releasing the whole O2 gig. Would love a copy of LSE live.

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Originally Posted by Radiomanic

Yeah well the rest of their demos have been average at best, never been worth the extra cash but i guess it's about having it in the collection. At least we get some live tracks, although they surely should think about releasing the whole O2 gig. Would love a copy of LSE live.

I think we will see all of the O2 tracks get some kind of release if not during this then certainly the next album's campaign (and the one after, perhaps if they're still around).

[Zee]

Still trying to wrap my head around this album. It's got far more "guest" vocal appearances than any other Manics album I can remember. There are songs that I liked right away, and others that i'm not so sure about. Not ready to dismiss this just yet, like other Manics albums I find I need time to digest, listen and digest some more. Took me forever to love THB when it was first released.

[mr bowlase]

the more I hear 4 lonely roads the more I love it.


Plus the 02 tracks sounds really good, especially Revol. What a night it was!

[deadmartyr]

Last night I sat down and listened whilst reading the lyrics for the first time (normally do this on my first listen of an album but forgot) and on that third listen it finally clicked for me and I love it now. A play of it on the train into Cardiff from Bristol today combined really well looking out of the window. I like every track, but Tokyo Skyline is the one that's not stood out as much for me as I was expecting, based on comments on here.

[roi]

Really like Anthem for a Lost Cause after a few listens, reminds me of Slade's slower songs eg Far Far Away, How Does It Feel (I mean this in a good way).

3 Ways to See Despair has a great, dark chord change which redeems the John Lennon lyric.

[Jay]

Originally Posted by Marat Sar

I agree that the first three tracks are harder on the ear than the rest, sequencing-wise. But from "Builder of Routines" on, to the very end, this is just pure ear-candy. A smooth, colorful flow of impressions unlike any tracklist I've heard before. Very special indeed. I wouldn't break this up for anything. AHATS is perfect where it is - if it comes right after Tokyo Skyline without "Anthem's" dullness ruining it, and has the radio promo version's intro (that Beefheart sample). Even if the beginning was better with AHATS as #2 (and I agree, it really is) it would mean I lose this moment here, which is much better than a better beginning.

It just has a spiky start, that's it. Not only is SMTW quite brutal, but RTF is too long. But that's what it is and there's virtue in it. You get this symphonic, 14-minute emotional rollercoaster and then settle into a smooth groove, and the end with ROOF-Manorbier-30YW again mirrors the beginning's ups and downs.

The most important thing about the beginning is spot on, though. The very first song - TSWH - is inviting and seems there are things to discover in it, despite having very few elements. The chance of getting to listen to it really draws you into the album and that's an oipeners job well done.

Well I was talking about "Anthem" actually ...despite some criticism, it's a song with a big radio appeal and if they've put it at the start it would've been more fitting..like "ok those were the singles, now listen to the real deal"....nobody would blame it for "spoiling the mood" as I read somewhere.

I'm listening RTW with this alternative TL which is pretty good to me...I know I'm splitting hairs but, still, if you can't stand that start you may give it a try

1 This Sullen Welsh Heart
2 Anthem For A Lost Cause
3 Show Me The Wonder
4 Rewind The Film
5 Builder Of Routines
6 4 Lonely Roads
7 (I Miss The) Tokyo Skyline
8 3 Ways To See Despair
9 As Holy As The Soil
10 Running Out Of Fantasy
11 Manorbier
12 30 Year War

[Mr Richey]

Just had a chat with my brother about the new album, now that he's finally heard it. He likes it a lot and says it's great to hear them do something so different after playing it safe with PFAYM. On that note, he asked me to pass along the message to those of you who called RTF a safe album that you're out of your bloody minds He also said that after an awesome album like JFPL, this album would've been the one that proved to him the Manics still had somewhere new to go with their music. Instead, he'd basically given up on them thanks to PFAYM but now he's interested in seeing where they go next.

[hummingbird]

Originally Posted by Mr Richey

Just had a chat with my brother about the new album, now that he's finally heard it. He likes it a lot and says it's great to hear them do something so different after playing it safe with PFAYM. On that note, he asked me to pass along the message to those of you who called RTF a safe album that you're out of your bloody minds He also said that after an awesome album like JFPL, this album would've been the one that proved to him the Manics still had somewhere new to go with their music. Instead, he'd basically given up on them thanks to PFAYM but now he's interested in seeing where they go next.

cool. I got an email from my cousin saying *finally a manics album i really like*

[Carson]

Unlike most people, especially the record-buying public it seems, I really like SMTW. In fact, I love the first three songs. Unfortunately, it goes downhill after that. Tokyo Skyline (I'll ignore the pointless parentheses) and ROOF are decent, the rest are B-side fodder. 4 Lonely Roads is pretty nice, but I can't ignore the horrible bassline/tambourine mismatch that drowns out the rest of the mix. I looked forward to Manorbier after the Amazon tasters but on listening to the full thing it's actually pretty dross. The waltz time of AFALC seems spot-on for a Strictly rematch.

[hummingbird]

I'm suddenly worried about the chart placing for this. Fuck knows why cos it doesn't matter right? RIGHT??