Futurology

[allisvanity]

Originally Posted by Son of Stopped

Yay! Managed to pick up a copy from Asda. The standard version. It was at number 14 and the number one album according to Asda was Kasabian.
Sadly, there was too much of a queue at the checkout for me to buy a single bottle of something so I could buy it, check out and then return to the Entertainment section, take a swig and then spit it out in disgust going "Those fucking gobshites at number one?!!".

Times have changed Aaron, it's not the 90's anymore...

[The Gutless Wonder]

Originally Posted by allisvanity

Times have changed Aaron, it's not the 90's anymore...

I have to say I do miss the dash to Virgin/HMV and searching for the 'M' section before finding the album and then showing it off to the shop assistant as you paid for it! Those were the days!

[The Quatercircle]

Originally Posted by The Gutless Wonder

I have to say I do miss the dash to Virgin/HMV and searching for the 'M' section before finding the album and then showing it off to the shop assistant as you paid for it! Those were the days!

I do too miss those days.........but then I remember how much money you'd get fleeced for.........wanna buy an import? Damn you're gonna pay son!!

[Son of Stopped]

It might be due to the live versions and singles being too familiar, but I'm finding the later half of the album more enjoyable than the first few tracks.

[cdrw1992]

So having played Futurology a few times here's my thoughts on the album. This is the first time I've done any sort of review and my opinions will probably change and you're all entitled to tell me I'm typing rubbish! If you don't want to read an essay please skip to the next post!

………

Futurology is a great way to kick off the album, though I accept those who think the forwards looking aspects would have suited as a closer. From the opening bars you know it's going to be classic as the track whirs into life and despite some solemn lyrics there's still pages to be turned and anyone who has any doubts about the Manics longevity going forwards is surely silenced.

Walk Me To The Bridge is so damn catchy! Whether you believe it's about Richey or more abstract - I like the idea of bridges representing transitional identities but I'm still debating it. However the chorus is a fantastic slice of simple minds-esque work and while it'll never be my favourite track you can understand why the band chose it as the lead single.

I'd love if Let's Go To War was a bit heavier a la the Brixton videos but you can't deny the powerful atmosphere of defiance created by taking inspiration from Slavonic Dance and Hall of the Mountain King. It may be the final part of You Love Us/Masses trilogy but its evident the Manics will keep fighting for as long as they can.

I wasn't all that convinced by Last Jet To Leave Moscow when I heard the sampler but I am now! Obviously a big contrast to what precedes it, the music is beautiful, absolutely giving the impression of movement and as I view it the lyrics of a person still plying their trade after many years whilst regretting past misdemeanours such as Cuba or lamenting as the world changes around them. Anyway it's great!

I almost feel Europa Geht Durch Micht would have been best as the opener. While it is simplistic lyrically you feel like aspects of Europe and European society are being simultaneously rammed down your throat by the incessant beat by James or Nina Hoss in solidarity with one another regardless of language - same hymn sheet idea etc.

Divine Youth has a quasi pastoral quality and is perfectly pleasant, Georgia Ruth has a very nice voice but I can't help feel looking at the introspective lyrics lamenting the digital age it should have been on Rewind The Film - maybe it's a deliberate link?

Sex, Power, Love and Money is going to be divisive, the band knew it'd be the marmite track. Despise it if you wish but I like to see it as 3 minutes of sheer fun and while punchy, punk, generation terrorists style doesn't really fit on the album maybe it's looking at how they were when they first toured and how much has changed?

Dreaming A City must go down as their finest instrumental by a long way. I liked Manorbier but Hugheskova is on a different level entirely with all its style and tempo changes from rocky to electronica, synthy. It really feels like you're on a journey through an ever-changing industrial history and hits home when I read today how Donetsk is slowly turning into a ghost city.

Black Square and Between the Clock and The Bed are two of my favourite tracks hands down. Maybe I have a thing about MSP and art - I love His Last Painting off KYE. Anyway I was immediately grabbed by the first verse of BS, the music again gives the impression of an artistic journey and changing opinions from the painting being rubbished to appreciated - the middle tempo change - but this is more biographical? I'm still working this one out, especially with the demo lyrics.

As for BTCATB, I know it's been debated but I think Green Gartside's sweet-style vocals suit the track perfectly as a contrast to James's voice. I really feel transported into the Munch painting, in fact it's almost personified over the song. On one hand you have the description of the art itself on the other you have the ramblings of the mind trying to make sense of it all and come to terms with the realities of life. Both tracks are sonically and lyrically brilliant.

Unfortunately after such a strong set I feel there's a slight dip. Misguided Missile is definitely helped out by a catchy, rocky chorus but apart from that it's lost on me. The lyrics are ok but it ironically all feels a bit pedestrian. I'm willing to be convinced though.

The View from Stow Hill has been very slowly growing on me and there are a few lovely sections, particularly the intro into 'look up to the sky' etc. The Facebooking line is clunky (albeit every Manics album has its cringer) but it's an important message that everyday we're walking over ground where historical events have taken place yet normally we pay no attention in our daily life.

On the other hand Mayakovsky just doesn't do anything or seem to go anywhere for me at all and which is a shame to end the album on a poor note. Also if you're going to finish with a fading excerpt from EGDM, perhaps the album should have begun with it as an overview? Maybe after repeated listens like Stow Hill it'll have more of an impact.

As for the bonus tracks, Blistered Mirrors is nothing special or perhaps it's because Empty Motorcade and the absolutely frigging fantastic mix of piano and guitar in The Last Time I Saw Paris are so good and should have been included on the album, bolstering the spiky theme. With Germanic and Scandinavian links throughout I thought it was missing some Francais - then again I'm a francophile so I am biased!

Overall while not a bonafide masterpiece, these genuinely small issues shouldn't detract from what is one of the Manics' strongest albums, overwhelmingly so in the first two thirds and when you add at least TLTISP. Anyone who hoped the whole album would be dark, mysterious and spiky will be a bit disappointed but if you consider the album on its merits and in its own right as yet another version of the Manics there's plenty to get your teeth into and some absolute gems.

8.5/10 as is, 9/10 with bonus(es).

…...

Many thanks if you decided to read on, hope you weren't bored out of your mind! At least you won't have to put up with one for another three years!

[The Quatercircle]

Originally Posted by Son of Stopped

It might be due to the live versions and singles being too familiar

I'm in the same boat and I think that's what it's down to. Time will tell anyway.

[MSPKYE]

I've lived with the album now for 24 hours and given it a fair few run throughs, and what can I say, I adore it. Like Lifeblood and JFPL before it I don't want to skip a song. It doesn't sound like anything they've done before, and it's almost White Album levels of experimentation, you don't usually get this kind of constant reinvention from a band on their 12th album. My stand outs are Black Square, Dreaming A City and Between The Clock & The Bed, such beautiful melancholia. The latter should be released as a single so it can be used on a montage of Britain's next sporting disappointment and the DAC (H), well it's just a shame they don't do encores cos that'd be the perfect song to come back on stage and play.

And I love the bonus tracks, especially LTISP

[cdrw1992]

I reckon there's a good chance they'll use Dreaming A City as the intro music, like they did with Manorbier for RTF tour.

[Nikolai]

This album is absolutely bloody fantastic! I love how it manages to feel like classic Manics but also encompasses a brand new sound for them. The bass and drums really drive the sound in a thrilling way. A truly wonderful new Manics album is such a thing of joy and beauty.

Without going into too much depth, here's my little track by track:

Futurology: An exciting and uplifting start to the album. A lovely duet between JDB and Wire and, to my ears, this song is a great way to kick off the album. Also, an immediate indicator as to how key the bass is going to be as a driving musical force of the whole record. 8/10

Walk Me to the Bridge: Massive, massive chorus with huge thumping drums, bass and synths. A brilliant song and very much a modern Manics anthem. 9/10

Let's Go to War: Wow! THAT bass-line just absolutely kills. I love the pounding, marching rhythm, the intent of the lyrics, the amazing guitar lick that bridges into the chorus, and the little military march flourishes. I could listen to this on loop endlessly. A great song for blasting out to psych yourself up for something! 10/10

The Next Jet to Leave Moscow: I love the Chariots of Fire style opening and, yet again, it's a song on which the bass propels the tune. Great lyrics (by Bradders apparently?) and a wonderful catchy high point of the album. 9/10

Europa Geht Durch Mich: This is just glorious stuff. I love how powerful and thumping it sounds when bursting out of the speakers and it's just a stomping great sing-along of a tune. Nina Hoss nailed it at Glastonbury by the looks of it too. Love this one. 10/10

Divine Youth: A lovely duet and a solid album track, but this one just hasn't really grabbed me yet. I like it, but I'm not sure it's a song I'm ever going to love. 7/10

Sex, Power, Love and Money: I can understand why this has divided opinions, but I really like it! It's great to hear JDB cutting loose on the Gibson, it's fun, acts as a nice upbeat balls-to-the-wall rock moment on the record and the last minute of solos and crashing drums make it a must have on Futurology for me. 8/10

Dreaming a City (Hughesovka): Have the Manics ever produced another piece of music just simply as achingly fucking cool as this? Again, an absolute killer bass-line, cool guitar licks and the sort of song that I'd expect to hear booming out whilst cruising around on a futuristic monorail train above an alien city or whilst playing something like Out Run in an 80s video game arcade. Ridiculously good. 10/10

Black Square: One of those classic Manics 'uplifting melancholia/hairs on the back of the neck' songs. Absolutely gorgeous stuff. 9/10

Between the Clock and the Bed: I must confess that I thought Scritti Politti were fucking atrocious when I saw them supporting the Manics at Brixton a few months back, but Gartside's co-vocals are superb on this. It's a lovely 80s style pop tune and I can't help but really like it. 8/10

Misguided Missile: Where to start on this one? Musically and lyrically I think this is one of THE great Manics moments. It's absolutely sensational and sounds stupendously massive. The moment at the start of the song where the drums suddenly kick up a notch and propel the tune forward are a favourite moment of mine on the whole album. 10/10

The View From Stow Hill: For me, this is the only song on the album that doesn't feel essential and demand its place on there. It's a nice enough tune and I don't mind the lyrics, but it just feels a little inconsequential when compared to all of the other greatness on here. Might well be a grower over coming weeks. 6/10

Mayakovsky: Great bass and guitar licks and a fun, enjoyable listen. I actually find something quite 'climatic' about sections of the song, too, so I do actually think it works pretty well as an album closer. 8/10

Overall, I'd give Futurology a 9/10. I find it a joy to listen to, can't stop playing it and definitely think it belongs amongst the very top tier of Manics albums.

[nocultureicons]

Originally Posted by The Gutless Wonder

I have to say I do miss the dash to Virgin/HMV and searching for the 'M' section before finding the album and then showing it off to the shop assistant as you paid for it! Those were the days!

Did they change the order of the alphabet often?

[Useless]

Also... You know how Dreaming a City is f**king huge?

Anyway, THAT.

[1986_and_all_that]

Originally Posted by cdrw1992

I reckon there's a good chance they'll use Dreaming A City as the intro music, like they did with Manorbier for RTF tour.

Was thinking this earlier. It's got to happen

[SeanOfTheDead]

Speaking of intro music, does anyone know what the track was that played on the Futurology tour?

[everlasting]

It's apparently sold 11.2k as of today. Hmmm. I think it'll make the top 10, say No.7, then drop badly like Lifeblood did I hope it does better though but where's the promotion been for it? Apart from a few radio spots I've listened to from links fans have posted on here I've heard / seen sod all.

[starstruck]

played the album today. i like it much, very good work boys. and girls involved.