Futurology

[AK47]

Originally Posted by Europa Gluten Free

Well this is my track-by-track of the album. I'd like to preface it by saying that the Manics are most definitely the critics' darlings. I don't know if the middle-aged critics see themselves or want to see themselves in the middle-aged band. The album is not particularly forward thinking or edgy or experimental. It is in fact very safe and straightforward.

Futurology
The opening track is wonderful and a highlight of the album. It's funny how the Wire penned tracks turn out to me the most simple and yet melodic. I do think it's missing the pre-chorus guitar bit from the live version but while the lyric is not particularly deep it is admirable.

Walk Me To The Bridge
Joint best song on the album both musically and lyrically. The lyric is clever in on one level being about Wire's trip across that bridge but on the other level being about Richey and the band.

Let's Go To War
Incredibly cheesy and embarrassing. The "let's go to war" chant is cringeworthy. The chorus riff is not much better. The only decent thing about it is Wires bassline. One of the worst on the album. I don't get it at all.

The Next Jet To Leave Moscow
Another highlight. The song feels less pretentious and deeper and more meaningful rather being another pastiche of Bowie in Berlin. The melody and phrasing of the main chorus line is very pretty and catchy.

Europa Geht Durch Mich
The other best song on the album. All the ideas come together in this song. A truly original Manics' song rather than being a cheap Bowie knock off like some of the other tracks.

Divine Youth
Again musically it is very pretty. But what is it about really? I haven't a fucking clue. And why is it on the album? Boring.

Sex, Power, Love, and Money
Another mid-paced dad rocker. Embarrassing on every level. And they don't use the oxford comma in the title so I'm out. This is truly cringeworthy. Seriously how can the critics say this is one of their best albums?!?!

Dreaming A City (Hugheskova)
Fantastic Jimbo baseline. Nice synths too. But two instrumentals on one album? Yawn.

Black Square
Uninspiring phoned-in mid-tempo PFAYM-esque album track.

Between the Clock and the Bed
What is the point of the duet on this? The other fella just sounds like Jimbo drunk. Again its all very pretty but makes little impression. The album is struggling now and I just can't wait to get to the end.

Misguided Missile
Again a great bassline but the lyrics and the delivery of the lyrics are half-arsed. Another boring album track.

The View From Stow Hill
A more interesting track at last. The twitter and Facebook lines are a little forced but at least they are saying something. But again an album track and nothing more. What a shame.

Mayakovsky
Another instrumental?! Really?!!? Yawn yawn yawn.

As I had expected, the album is being hugely over-appreciated by the critics. I don't get it. Are they all mates with the band? Do they all drink with Jimbo in London town? Are they too afraid to say how average it is? It is just another SATT type effort - all style and little substance. Walk Me To The Bridge and EGDM are the standouts as they truly incapsulate the ideas of this project and stand up to any Manics' track, but all in all the album is an average effort. 6/10

edited - Nicky plays all Bass.

[Europa Gluten Free]

Originally Posted by UEF

Do we have a definitive list of who wrote what?

He said he wrote the music and lyrics in the Q track by track.

[Europa Gluten Free]

Originally Posted by AK47

edited - Nicky plays all Bass.

I'll bet you any amount of M&Ms that Nicky didn't play every bassline on the album.

[Mr Richey]

Just finished my first full listen to Futurology. In short, it's brilliant. I'll have a big, long winded review later in the week.

[The Quatercircle]

Originally Posted by AK47

Those odds, for me, are way out. I love the album so no Sub nothing for me, sunshine.

You reserve the right to change your mind though right

[ZiZi]

To be fair, I understand all critics. It IS a brilliant album.

Moscow, Lets Go To War, Black square, the single and Europa are highlights. For the first time I can say there's no weak track on a Manics album.

9/10

[The Quatercircle]

Originally Posted by ZiZi

To be fair, I understand all critics. It IS a brilliant album.

Moscow, Lets Go To War, Black square, the single and Europa are highlights. For the first time I can say there's no weak track on a Manics album.

9/10

The most sensible review we've had is coincidentally the shortest.

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Pretty sure that Nicky doesn't play all bass on the album, Nicky said something about James' bass on Dreaming a City in the track-by-track.

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Originally Posted by ZiZi

To be fair, I understand all critics. It IS a brilliant album.

Moscow, Lets Go To War, Black square, the single and Europa are highlights. For the first time I can say there's no weak track on a Manics album.

9/10

I think we both agree on this! (although for me Let's Go To War is a great song but not amongst the best )

[Bathtub]

Originally Posted by Europa Gluten Free

The album is not particularly forward thinking or edgy or experimental. It is in fact very safe and straightforward

I would tend to agree with this, I expected and hoped for a more radical departure from their usual sound. I know Wire always spouts a load of nonsense about heavy metal Motown and such, but I got quite excited by their whole concept for this album (which I think has been better realised than most), and it just doesn't quite match, for me, what I thought their ambition for the record was.

I do though, think it is a very good, well put together album that I can see myself coming back to, probably more than most of their efforts since LB (with the exception of JFPL which is a different kettle of fish really considering how it came about).

[Takk]

Can I remind people that we do not allow links or offers of leaks on here, thanks.

And now I got spotify to work

[AK47]

Originally Posted by Europa Gluten Free

I'll bet you any amount of M&Ms that Nicky didn't play every bassline on the album.

He is a BASS player, is he not? he's actually 100% better now than what he was during KYE when James did a lot of the bass.

[Oldland Manic]

Having listened to "Black Square" several times, I predict it will end up in my all time top half a dozen Manics hits. Love it, absolutely love it.

[Takk]

Nicky might well be playing some of the guitars, we know he writes music as well regularly.

[Oh Nick...!]

I'm waiting for my deluxe to arrive, hopefully tomorrow, and can't believe how good everyone's saying it is! I mean literally can't believe, but from the 'groundswell of opinion' it sounds like it could be true - can't wait!

From what I've heard in the sampler etc I also don't think Nick played all the bass, especially as John Harris's Guardian piece was talking about the period when he couldn't get to Berlin and James and Sean were there doing stuff without him.