Postcards From A Young Man Thread

[hummingbird]

Originally Posted by jl45

I think its a fine album, those against it are always vocal, there are much worse albums like SATT or JFPL. Love Hazelton Avenue and The Descent.

Troll

[darkanddivine]

Originally Posted by Joel

For all the hate vented about Postcards (and It's Not War in particular), I bet so many people on here were gobbling it up at the time. In fact, I'd really like to read people's initial reactions to both INWJTEOL and the album.

Originally Posted by darkanddivine

I am relatively underwhelmed.

"I liked it but now I hate it" certainly never happened for me with this one.... The singles were decent but the rest of it is naff unfortunately.

[Abstract Unknown Girl]

Originally Posted by Abstract Unknown Girl

So, overall a bit of a mixed bag. I can't really say I'm disappointed, because my expectations weren't massively high to begin with. I know this has all been said before, but I wish they hadn't bothered with the whole 'mass communication' stuff. Whatever everyone here thinks of the album, I don't think those outside of the fanbase are really going to give a shit about it and well, It's Not War doesn't look like it's going to set the charts alight tomorrow. This is all totally fine by me; I'm not a fan of this band because I need them to have number 1 singles or whatever. I just wish THEY didn't seem to care so much at this stage of their careers. I hope this is indeed a 'last shot' at mass communication and they just make music for themselves and if we all like it, then hey great and if we don't, then no big deal. Sony might not be up for that approach, but I don't think the Manics even need Sony anymore. It's not as if they've done a sterling job of promoting this album anyway. This band frustrate me more than anything sometimes. To some people this might come across as constant moaning, but I can assure you it's only because I care and know they are capable of much better than seemingly making an album aimed at a misguided notion of the 'masses', who probably actually existed over a decade ago rather than right now.

I think I stand by my opinion from 2010 as well. I didn't mind the singles, but the rest of it was extremely forgettable and I don't think I've listened to the album in full since around the time it was released. Thankfully my expectations of them since Postcards have pretty much been fulfilled with RTF and Futurology and my faith has been restored.

Of course there are those that did and still do enjoy Postcards, but it really did put a lot of people off the band, either permanently or for a while at least. A lot of old forum regulars never came back, although obviously that could be for other reasons as well.

[Bathtub]

I thought at the time that it was a pretty sub-par effort, and I'd probably say the same thing now. I think it was more the shitty videos, the crap gigs and the Strictly Come Prancing debacle that makes me hate that whole era rather than the actual album.

[hummingbird]

i liked strictly… James wore a tie

[Dancing Kirby]

I cringed when I saw how many posts I'd contributed to this thread. No wonder I annoy everyone. God, that must have been a lot of moaning to get through. Except all I could find was posts like this...

Originally Posted by Dancing Kirby

Is there anyone else out there who got this carried away with their preorders? I've let my Pokemon habit get the better of me.

WHAT. THE. FUCK?

It's quite an achievement, you know, to make something like this a grower. Just to clarify, the single is still shit IMHO.

I. DON'T. UNDERSTAND.

The 'will you let some hope come into your life?' bit is possibly the second best moment on the album behind SKON's build-up.

Both written by Nicky, obviously. He should pack his bags and join Beady Eye. James is just holding him back these days. Sad but increasingly true.

Well, at least I had to keep putting stings in the tail. But still... IS. THIS. A. PARALLEL. UNIVERSE?

The Don't Be Evil demo allows you to pretend they're back with Albini and doing a follow-up to JFPL!

FFS. NUKE THIS THREAD.

I'm going to need therapy.

[hummingbird]

DK you've been outed. YOU'RE A FRAUD

[Routine Builder]

So the 10 year anniversary of Postcards For a Young Man came and went without even a fart on here. Probably a testament to how forgettable it is.

Had a listen yesterday. Felt a bit more forgiving about it but the back and front ends are in conflict with each other. The front end with all the singles feels like the last shot at mass communication that Nicky proclaimed it to be, too bad there wasn't that much to communicate. The back end feels like a collection of interesting b-sides reminiscent of the mid section of Know Your Enemy.

I'll still die on the hill of All We Make is Entertainment being the standout of the era. It's musically effervescent and the lyric bares more truth with each passing year.

[ForeverDelayed.com]

I also haven't listened to it in a while, but when I do it's always a great listen. I rarely skip.

I agree with the "KYE b-sides" comment, and that's a good thing.

[Lee]

Has it been ten years already?

A strange era. For “one last shot” etc it was quite a quiet affair and a small tour if I remember correctly?! I saw them in Soton on that tour and they were in great form but the hits got the better reception (I remember MASH, La Tristesse and RITH getting an airing - pretty sure FDTW was also played at the same gig with James using a gold top).

Album isn’t one of their best but neither is it as bad as people portray it to be. SKON, Balconies, All We Make... Some good b-sides too.

[everlasting]

Jesus, 10 years. I popped the CD on the other day and really enjoyed the musical journey. I don't get the complete disdain that so many people have for it. I like it. I still to this day say that Balconies should have been a single! Some very good b-sides from this period, too, which I listened to the other day as well on CD singles

[Europa Gluten Free]

I hate it. Bottom of the list for Manics albums for me. It is the ultimate Jimbo / Dave Eringa album - loud, shouty, overproduced, awful.

Worst lead single of any era as well. I remember so well listening to whatever BBC station had the first play and thinking strings? Really? Again? What the fuck are these lyrics? Just awful. Everything was just a bit shit around this era. I can't think of one good thing. Maybe the SEAT thing when they did a cool version of This Is Yesterday and Ocean Spray? Was that this era? Anyway completely forgettable. Even the O2 gig in 2011 felt weird to me. Felt like the end of something.

[Suicide Aldi]

Originally Posted by everlasting

Jesus, 10 years. I popped the CD on the other day and really enjoyed the musical journey. I don't get the complete disdain that so many people have for it. I like it. I still to this day say that Balconies should have been a single! Some very good b-sides from this period, too, which I listened to the other day as well on CD singles

Yeah its fine. Sure it isnt the best album, but its not awful. All we make is entertainment should have been the lead single I always thought, and Golden Platitudes is great.

[savemejebus]

10 years ago I said that this was a woeful album devoid of inspiration, emotion and worst of all effort, designed with the purpose of appealing to as bland and broad a fanbase as possible.

I pointed out ripping off Lenny Kravitz, Suede, Bruce Springsteen and Sheryl Crow and not even directly Chic but fucking Steps.

Of course 10 years is a long time and with that in mind i sat down to listen again to give it another chance and wouldn't you know it....I was fucking right 10 years ago.

As bad a manics apologist as I am there was no excluse for that shite. Describing it as a Heavy Metal Motown sound is as true as saying it's a passable album.

[Bobafettish]

I think there's some good stuff on it, but after SATT and JFPL, it seemed they'd really re-captured mainstream and the music mags attention (they promoted JFPL on Radio 1 with Zane Lowe if I remember right??). Then PFAYM comes along and they basically doomed themselves to Radio 2 forever. I remember them playing Some Kind of Nothingness on Kerrang and them saying it sounded like a knock-off Take That. Harsh really, Progress by TT was a much more creative and musically interesting album...