Distant Colours

[Tim]

Originally Posted by revcheese

I'm not fussed about that bit, it's just hilarious that someone who pines for Old Labour turns up his nose at the closest resemblance to it in decades. He's a cynical old man, that Wire.

I find that bizarre as well. Corbyn might be a leaver at heart but he supports remain because he knows it’s the right thing to do and the younger voters who supported him overwhelmingly are remainers.

Also, can we now put to bed that wire is a remainer? I’ve read some doubt about that in the past on here.

[UEF]

Originally Posted by sculptureofabloke

Rough Trade was a hell of a gig though eh?

Loved it. Solid gold.

[UEF]

Originally Posted by Tim

I find that bizarre as well. Corbyn might be a leaver at heart but he supports remain because he knows it’s the right thing to do and the younger voters who supported him overwhelmingly are remainers.

My sides

[Automatik]

Originally Posted by Europa Gluten Free

Some of the comments in here are ridiculous and need a bit of perspective.

Originally Posted by Tim

Don’t you love the phenomenon on comments threads of people not posting anything for months on end (since may 2017 in your case) to show up and absolutely must tell us all how much they hate a new track? You don’t like it or any of their recent stuff, we get it, we do. But saying nonsense like it’s “enabling” or nobody outside the fandom liked rewind the film or futurology (plainly not true as pointed out by others) needs to stop. Time to move on maybe?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It's a discussion forum. A little disagreement does nobody any harm whatsoever.

Those that like the new single have said why; those that dislike it have said why. Both are interesting arguments and, personally, I enjoy reading different perspectives.

[Takk]

Originally Posted by Routine Builder

Foremost, it sounds like it was written, recorded and engineered within one day. Which isn't a terrible thing but the faults (i.e. the songs lyrics) stand out. Also it means the song blends into the band's previous releases and one struggles to recall what it sounds like a day without hearing it. I think it's fair to say that the Manics are a working band able to write and record songs with efficiency that other bands lack. This is the kind of song that the band could come up while sitting on the loo and recording before the flush finishes.

All of these... and i love their bsides. This just doesn't sound like a stand out song, it's a filler song on an album, an interesting but forgettable bside. And totally different to International Blue in that respect. I don't think it's bad, i just have no interest in hearing it again, which is not what a single is meant to do - and by contrast I found myself quite addicted to International Blue, so i'm not saying they don't still have it. It's a poor choice to reveal, imo.

[Takk]

Originally Posted by Tim

Don’t you love the phenomenon on comments threads of people not posting anything for months on end (since may 2017 in your case) to show up and absolutely must tell us all how much they hate a new track? You don’t like it or any of their recent stuff, we get it, we do. But saying nonsense like it’s “enabling” or nobody outside the fandom liked rewind the film or futurology (plainly not true as pointed out by others) needs to stop. Time to move on maybe?

Personally I'm just glad people are taking the time to post, no matter what they post. It's nice to see some activity, and that the music is still causing a reaction. I don't see why it 'needs to stop', it's just as much as a valid opinion. Would be boring otherwise.

[junkymotown]

Nice song, but didn't have the impact International Blue had - definitely the weaker of the two

[Marat Sar]

Originally Posted by tzb

Well, we have two singles here, so... and RTF and Futurology were atrocious records to all but the echo-chambered-up fandom too. You'll note they hardly made a ripple outside of, well, FD.

People here have strange metrics for success, yo. Just because their new singles don't have The Chainsmokers numbers on youtube doesn't mean they're not straight up one of the biggest bands of all time, known by tens of millions of people around the planet. There are a ton of people "outside FD" who know and even like RTF and Futurology. I personally know about 4 who do. The manics can go and play a place like, say, Estonia and it'll be a good concert with plenty of people.

Your run of the mill successful band isn't even allowed to record at this point, audience interest doesn't even pay the studio bill. Heck, most aren't even allowed to get past their 4th LP

EDIT. I now realize people already dug into this and tore it to bits so I feel a little daft for trying to do it too, but hey.

[Automatik]

A quick search of Google Trends, and the user statistics of this forum, would show that the band have been declining in popularity steadily since SATT.

There are numerous reasons for this - changing music tastes, changing consumption habits leading to less exposure (it is perhaps not coincidental that the band's popularity stopped spiking when downloads and streaming started to be counted in the charts), an association with an older fan base, just to name a few. It's a self-fulfilling cycle, too.

Tbz is actually right about RTF and Futurology: they're excellent albums but - look at the Google Trends data again - they did not register the spikes of interest that previous albums (including PFAYM), and media interest consisted mainly of the obligatory reviews from music publications. RTF and Futurology did not win the band many new fans, regardless of how good they were.

A song as mediocre and unchallenging as Distant Colours is unlikely to halt this trend - in fact, it will simply accelerate it.

I don't have any answers, incidentally, I am merely describing all-too observable shifts in how the band are perceived, marketed and how their music is consumed.

[sculptureofabloke]

Originally Posted by Automatik

A quick search of Google Trends, and the user statistics of this forum, would show that the band have been declining in popularity steadily since SATT.

There are numerous reasons for this - changing music tastes, changing consumption habits leading to less exposure (it is perhaps not coincidental that the band's popularity stopped spiking when downloads and streaming started to be counted in the charts), an association with an older fan base, just to name a few. It's a self-fulfilling cycle, too.

Tbz is actually right about RTF and Futurology: they're excellent albums but - look at the Google Trends data again - they did not register the spikes of interest that previous albums (including PFAYM), and media interest consisted mainly of the obligatory reviews from music publications. RTF and Futurology did not win the band many new fans, regardless of how good they were.

A song as mediocre and unchallenging as Distant Colours is unlikely to halt this trend - in fact, it will simply accelerate it.

I don't have any answers, incidentally, I am merely describing all-too observable shifts in how the band are perceived, marketed and how their music is consumed.

Course they're not as popular as they were 20 years ago, very few bands with their kind of longetivity are and like you say there are plenty of reasons for that.

What I think is absolutely ridiculous, is the idea that a band can piss on their legacy by releasing a few albums you don't like later on in their career. As if anything they release in the future can change anything they've released in the past. I dunno, does it happen with films too? Do people watch the new Star Wars, decide they don't like it and let it ruin the original for em? Cos that sounds ridiculous to me. I'm totally baffled by the idea of anyone thinking that just cos the band aren't what they used to be (and who the fuck is anyway? I'm not the same person I was when I fell in love with the band either), they should call it a day. How entitled can you be? We don't own them and they owe us nothing. If they're happy doing what they're doing, good for them. It's been a privielge for half my life to listen to them and see them live and nothing can take that away, not even a couple of shit albums. Yeah, they're my favourite band and I do have higher hopes of them than anyone else but got to be realistic, I'm not going to love everything anyone does, even them.

[Automatik]

Originally Posted by sculptureofabloke

What I think is absolutely ridiculous, is the idea that a band can piss on their legacy by releasing a few albums you don't like later on in their career. As if anything they release in the future can change anything they've released in the past. I dunno, does it happen with films too? Do people watch the new Star Wars, decide they don't like it and let it ruin the original for em? Cos that sounds ridiculous to me.

Yes, I agree - such a view doesn't make any sense to me either.

Quality goes up and down, too. For example (using the last 10-15 years), I thought Leviathan was incredible, but then came parts of SATT that I don't like, but then I loved JFPL, and was then disappointed by PFAYM, thought RTF was a bit too brass band but then adored Futurology.

Distant Colours is fairly clearly not their best work but I have faith that they'll wow me again yet.

[Routine Builder]

Originally Posted by Automatik

Yes, I agree - such a view doesn't make any sense to me either.

Quality goes up and down, too. For example (using the last 10-15 years), I thought Leviathan was incredible, but then came parts of SATT that I don't like, but then I loved JFPL, and was then disappointed by PFAYM, thought RTF was a bit too brass band but then adored Futurology.

Distant Colours is fairly clearly not their best work but I have faith that they'll wow me again yet.

Once I heard the sample video samples Resistance is Futile, I knew I would love the album that came afterwards. All I want for this period is winter tour of smaller regional venues. And Prologue to History...

[hummingbird]

I couldn't give a shit if they're less popular than they were.. I still like what they release RTF is one of my favourite manics albums... could not give a fig what anyone else thinks.
Always interesting to read opinions provided they're not condescending to others.

[Abstract Unknown Girl]

I think it's inevitable you're not going to like everything released by a band that has been around as long as the Manics have and I don't think people need to take it personally if something hasn't met their expectations; it's bound to happen.

When you're a long standing fan of anything you have to take the rough with the smooth...or if there's really nothing left for you to enjoy about it at all, it probably is best to move on and let others enjoy themselves rather than sneering at them for something you once felt the same about. That's not to say fans can't criticise or dislike things etc. (one thing this forum could never be accused of is sycophancy ) but for me, hobbies and interests are supposed to be fun. If you genuinely find no enjoyment in something anymore, I don't know why you'd bother tbh. I've fallen out of love with lots of past interests; I remember them fondly but for whatever reason they just don't represent who I am anymore and that's fine. The lowest point in the Manics' career for me was PFAYM (I actually don't think I've listened to it since around the time it was toured), but there are plenty of other albums of theirs I enjoy, so that's why I'm still here.

As for popularity, since when was that the only measure of quality? If it was, we would all be in agreement that artists like Ed Sheeran were the greatest musicians of all time. I'd like to think the Manics are passed that phase now; of course it's nice to be liked, but there must be enough interest to make them want to keep going. This forum isn't exactly an accurate representation of their fan base any more either, seen as forums have been largely replaced by Twitter and Facebook for fan discussions.

[Bambi]

Hello FD! *waves* Haven't been on in a while. Might be healthy to have the odd break from a 13-year habit, I suppose!

The song's a bit dull, but the acoustic International Blue being a thing of loveliness makes up for it. It's the Manics: first they giveth then they take it away.

Anyway, good to see people arguing again. Good for the soul.

Bambi x