Time to cut the strings and bring back the rock?

[Scarecrow]

What I would ideally like from the next album is for them to be completely honest and unburdened when they write and record it.

With Tigers and Postcards being conscious efforts at the commercial anthems and Journal being burdened with the responsibility of doing Richey's lyrics justice (not a criticism by the way, sure most of us agree that turned out amazingly), I'm gonna stick my neck out here and claim that Lifeblood was their last completely honest effort. And I love that album, and I do think part of that honesty contributed to it being a unique album in their back catalogue. So without copying what they've already made in the past, I'd like them to forget returning to this album or that album, remember how much they love rock music, and just make something honest. They're a unique band and I think not trying too hard to do a particular thing serves them well.

[andy]

im a big fan of strings and also mike hedges so emg has a great sound for me

however the strings have to augment the base instruments

as an example - adfl is great on record with the strings and live without (using keys to replace the string section). The subdued strings on sbftgits sound great - the harp is awesome - but it can be played adcoustic solo and again sounds ace.

Where pfaym lets itself down is the strings INSTEAD of base instrumentation. Ie. look at PFAYM the song itself live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRnjBHhIlcw there is nothing in the verse but open space asking for something more

[Flint]

More usage of studio as an instrument plz. Layers! Deep production! Sod this back to roots rock stuff! And live environment should never dictate what a studio album sounds like. Alternatively just continue on the path they've already hinted they're going, ie stylistic experiments and whatnot. That sounds swell too. And really, the best thing I could wish for is everything NasalScarecrow wrote a few posts back re: not trying to write songs with a specific goal in mind and instead simply just create.

I don't really mind the strings per se, the problem (or wonk or issue or whatever you want to call it, it's nothing that bothers me enough to protest) with Manics' strings is that they're often fairly uninteresting; your typical rock band simple sweeping sounds that are more or less glorified keyboard notes rather than anything more interesting or special. There are exceptions in the catalogue of course.

[sculptureofabloke]

Originally Posted by AK47

I've been listening to both EMG and PFAYM this weekend and found myself noticing for perhaps the first time that the strings are quite overbearing on both albums. I actually found myself hearing less of the raw instruments and more of the string work. Sure, it sounds good and adds an extra layer to the music but I feel that it is now time to stop using them and go back to basics. What do you guys think?

I presume that the next album will be a bit more raw. Since EMG every album seems to be a reaction against its previous one, which I suppose makes for an interesting back catalogue... Also, "going back to our roots" seems to be a favourite soundbite of theirs.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by sculptureofabloke

I presume that the next album will be a bit more raw. Since EMG every album seems to be a reaction against its previous one, which I suppose makes for an interesting back catalogue... Also, "going back to our roots" seems to be a favourite soundbite of theirs.

I'm tired in regards to each new album being a reaction to the last. It's boring!

[Porco]

But my guitar is never more quiet than when it's had its strings removed, how would they rock without any strings?

Seriously, I love strings and I think they work great within rock, and especially with the Manics tendency towards the epic / bombastic / 'big' sounding work.

I don't think strings and rock are mutually exclusive at all. But then I'm the guy who probably rates S&M as my favourite Metallica album so...

[AK47]

I enjoy strings a lot and for years I had not found any issue with EMG but I found myself getting irritated quite quickly as TGWWTBG kicked in.

[The Gutless Wonder]

What is wrong with the sound of the strings? (in reference to posts a bit further up!) Fair enough if you don't like strings but not sure what the problem is with the actual sound of them? But then again I'm not one for focusing on production a lot of the time any way!

[andy]

Originally Posted by AK47

I enjoy strings a lot and for years I had not found any issue with EMG but I found myself getting irritated quite quickly as TGWWTBG kicked in.

tgwwtbg?

[Nature's Discontent]

Bring back Triple H I say. That's where it was at

[The Gutless Wonder]

Originally Posted by andy

tgwwtbg?

The Girl Who Wanted To Be God

[andy]

manics - masters of the abbreviations

[The Gutless Wonder]

Originally Posted by andy

manics - masters of the abbreviations

They have to many long song tiles, that's their problem!

[dora]

Originally Posted by andy

Where pfaym lets itself down is the strings INSTEAD of base instrumentation. Ie. look at PFAYM the song itself live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRnjBHhIlcw there is nothing in the verse but open space asking for something more

But then the acoustic is awesome!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWj4uTIiX74

[Porco]

Originally Posted by The Gutless Wonder

They have to many long song tiles, that's their problem!

A.K.A.

THTMLSTTTP!