Album 15

[Lee]

Definitely get the Emily vibes and that’s a good shout about Hands of Violeta.

It’s nice but as bit too ploddy and nowhere near as good as the other two singles.

I predict it’ll be dropped halfway through the tour, never to be played live again.

[Mumbojumbo]

Its kinda just.... there, isn't it? (I like the title though)

[Marat Sar]

I'm surprised to find myself liking this. Great lyrics. Really nice chord progressions. The chorus even has a nice wide filling in in the mix.

I love Emily of course, so...

Wait what the hell... Listening to Decline and Fall after this and I'm beginning to like that crap...

[sofarsideways]

Originally Posted by Routine Builder

And? These are American artists facing a completely different set of circumstances.

What do you want from the Manics?

I've seen the band support causes like the NHS, libraries and record shops. Do you want them to start wading into the Palestinian - Israeli conflict? Northern Ireland independence? Fly over to America and lecture about reproductive rights? What influence do the band have and what causes should they be using it for?

Would you be here posting if James had voted for leaving the EU using the leftwing arguments or is it simply because he didn't explicitly vote remain?

They’re artists with much more to lose and much less of an expectation to speak up doing so regardless. I don’t think it matters that they’re American or where the issues they address affect in the point I’m making. Which is that they stand for something. They talk about issues in interviews and songs. They don’t just say ‘I’m political’. They DO the being political.

I think you’re being disingenuous to suggest I want them to do the exact things I mentioned others doing as examples of actively giving a damn. And your framings… calling it ‘wading into the conflict’, at this point? There’s a huge call for ceasefire from every conceivable direction, you don’t need to ‘wade into’ anything to join that. But that’s veering into a different discussion, I guess.

I want them to stand for something. The Manics have been getting by on what they have done, what they used to be, what they used to say. It’s great they HAVE done things. But what ARE they doing? I want them to put their reputation where their mouth is. They’re intelligent, informed men who have made political engagement one of the calling cards of their career. Why is it apparently controversial to want them to have a meaningful opinion, mention ANYTHING that’s happening in the world right now?

I have seen Nicky repeat that he feels he’s got nothing to write about, nothing to say. All your questions - they’re good ones I wish the band, and indeed fanbase, were wrangling with. The band just don’t engage. What do I want from them? I want what they claim to be and love being lauded as. I want one of the defining features of them as a band; I want one of the big things that made me love them and shaped my view and expectation of what the artists I admire could do and be. I don’t see why that’s such an odd ask.

I may well be here talking about however James or any of the band had voted, but at least I wouldn’t be talking about his/their apparently terminal apathy. It’s not that I want them to agree with me, or ‘perform lefty’, or tick certain boxes, or whatever else anyone wants to turn my words into. Is there any point in me re-explaining what is just being misconstrued?

I think whoever said they want the Manics that the Manics aren’t anymore may be on point. What frustrates me is that I feel they COULD be that Manics. I feel they’re actively choosing mediocrity and disengagement, and that is such a miserable outcome, one that I never would have predicted.

[TheUglyLie]

Feel like PRP is missing some personality to really make the song stand out. I don’t mind that it ‘plods’ along, but it just sounds like a better produced JDB demo (even to the point of some of the lyrical shoe horning).

[rosetree]

I love the new song it's got elements of their other songs and after listening to the new songs again, it gives a real feel to the album.

[Routine Builder]

Originally Posted by sofarsideways

I think whoever said they want the Manics that the Manics aren’t anymore may be on point. What frustrates me is that I feel they COULD be that Manics. I feel they’re actively choosing mediocrity and disengagement, and that is such a miserable outcome, one that I never would have predicted.

I'm struggling to see what this form of the manics was? Are we talking about GT-THB Manics. They said a few things but they never did anything other play one anti-racist gig in 1994. When they talked it, they never really walked it. They were content to see their record label spend millions on music videos and recording studios. The THB era is the closest they ever became to becoming 'that' band but that's only because the label stopped throwing money at them at that point. They were never Billy Bragg or Rage Against the Machine. The Manics might have been a lot of people's introduction to the political but they've never been an ideal to emulate as they admittedly never had a sound coherent political platform. Again, they've only been against stuff, it's much harder been for something and working actively towards.

I don't think I'd like to see them opine on stuff like Israel/Palestine which they have absolutely no personal connection with. I'm not sure I want to see myself opine on it and I have a literal degree in Middle East politics. Unless you a have a lived experience with something, it's hard to say or write anything sincerely about it (equally applied to left wing and right wing thoughts).

It's also worth stating that the Manics supported and raised money the NHS in their comeback gigs in 2021. It may not be sexy or put their commercial sales on the line but they do come out sometimes on things important to them.

[savemejebus]

I think the Cuba visit put paid to any further notable political statements from them. I think Nicky realised that his politics degree was only good for playing checkers while the real world politics plays chess.

I have been and remain critical of James's gaffe but to give the band credit it would have been really easy for them to get a big profile boost by making a big empty gesture and re-releasing tolerate along with a video against either the Ukraine situation or Gaza. It would have been easy and benefited them more than either cause but fair play they didn't.

[manicbill]

Beautiful track. Production is A+.

[Marconi Delorian]

I think the new single will be a grower. I'm already enjoying the bluesy guitar sound; the riff is very catchy (so may get annoying shortly) and love the solo - like a cross between Black Dog, Blank Diary Entry and Glasnost. I like the Chorus(?) effect as well - his McGeoch influence coming through again.

[Glyn]

Agree with those who have said it has an Even in Exile feeling about it

[Mumbojumbo]

And another fascinating image video on the TikTok... https://www.tiktok.com/@manicsoffici...861408?lang=en

[Europa Gluten Free]

I actually think these lines are great:

"Take the nihilist out of the desert
Take the flag from the Sea of Tranquility"

Nice consonance with nihilist and desert (choice of desert is very good here actually symbolically and in terms of sound), and then nice constrast with the "sea" in the next line.

This lyric is very carefully considered. And the music as well is quite clever and thoughout.

I'm really enjoying this one. And comes nicely in the tracklisting of the album after Wire's bombastic "Hiding in Plain Sight"

[blackflower]

Do the Manics even refer to themselves as a political band these days? Genuine question as I don't really keep up with interviews, I'd be interested to know when they last referred to themselves as such.

Love the new single. I may have an advantage when it comes to enjoying the new tunes as I'm a big pop fan, so have no issue with them going for accessible tunefulness or poppy arrangements. My favourite album of 2023 was Take That's "This Life" and it's not too far away musically from what the Manics are doing now (and actually sonically more adventurous in parts!)

[Scarecrow]

Originally Posted by TheUglyLie

Feel like PRP is missing some personality to really make the song stand out.

I'm leaning towards this. It has a familiar vibe to it but doesn't remind me of anything more specific than the sound and style of the last two albums, as if they're just tossing off releases in a state of inertia: the predictable little keyboard or guitar runs, the vocal that just sounds like James decided to wing it instead of crafting a melody, the generic video.

My favourite of the three singles so far, but more a 'least worst' position than something I thought was decent.