JFPL in GIITTV's top twenty albums of 09

[BloodFlowerBill]

17. Manic Street Preachers – ‘Journal For Plague Lovers‘

When most albums are announced there’s usually only a very small range of reactions on the internet; either “I loved their last album, this’ll be awesome OMG!”, “This band sucks ass lolol” or a uninterested shrug. Reactions can also be influenced by the inevitable empty rhetoric that goes with each album announcement since it’s very rare for a front-man’s quote about this one being the best album actually being true (I’m looking at you Bono). When the Manic Street Preachers announced Journal For Plague Lovers though, there was both a tangible excitement and an ominous sense of foreboding.

For the first time in fifteen years the Manics were using lyrics written by Richey Edwards, their “guitarist” and lyricist who disappeared shortly after the release of their magnum opus, The Holy Bible. At the time, Nicky Wire said: “The brilliance and intelligence of the lyrics dictated that we had to finally use them. The use of language is stunning and topics include The Grande Odalisque by Ingres, Marlon Brando, Giant Haystacks, celebrity, consumerism and dysmorphia, all reiterating the genius and intellect of Richard James Edwards”.

http://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/co...&type=Features

[wireobsessed]

Was and is a brilliant album. Glad it got the result but I reckon it deserves higher.

[Son of Stopped]

I seriously thought this thread was called "JFPL un GMTV's top twenty albums of 2009"? And was wondering "Well at least it'll get exposure from their viewers?" until I realised it was the online magazine god is in the tv...

[looke]

Bill in glorified advert post shocker.

[The Everlasting Chaos]

Should have been in the top ten imo...

[Alt.Duck]

Originally Posted by looke

Bill in glorified advert post shocker.

this made me lol like no other lol has made me lol before.

lol

EDIT: I like Bills post but I also agree it maybe should have been a fraction higher.

[allofwho]

like everyone else, I'm glad that it made it into the list but it should have gotten higher.

However, I'm surprised at the quote about William's Last Words being possibly their best work - it's one of my least favorite songs on the album, let alone their whole catalog. Does everyone else like this song a lot more that I do?

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by allofwho

However, I'm surprised at the quote about William's Last Words being possibly their best work - it's one of my least favorite songs on the album, let alone their whole catalog. Does everyone else like this song a lot more that I do?

Well it's been much discussed in other threads. I think the general consensus is that's very touching and rather beautiful, unless you're in the hate-Nicky-on-vocals camp. Whether it's possibly their best work or not is debatable, but it's certainly a fitting composite of their past and present and a lovely, heartfelt ending to the album.

[tzb]

Originally Posted by Bambi

a fitting composite of their past and present

I really don't see this. Musically it has more in common with the EMG b-sides than anything they did in the last decade, lyrically it's a Richey song completely hacked to bits and virtually rewritten (to fit a conventional song structure - unlike what Richey actually wrote - and certainly given an entirely new significance) by Nicky... I can't think of a less fitting way to end the album to be honest. To me it represents everything they'd set out to avoid in the project; a mawkish, plodding and overtly sentimental mess spelling out a farewell note Richey never left.

[The Gutless Wonder]

It's alright.

[tzb]

Originally Posted by The Gutless Wonder

It's alright.

Christ, coming from you if that's not damning with faint praise I don't know what is!

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by tzb

I really don't see this. Musically it has more in common with the EMG b-sides than anything they did in the last decade, lyrically it's a Richey song completely hacked to bits and virtually rewritten (to fit a conventional song structure - unlike what Richey actually wrote - and certainly given an entirely new significance) by Nicky... I can't think of a less fitting way to end the album to be honest. To me it represents everything they'd set out to avoid in the project; a mawkish, plodding and overtly sentimental mess spelling out a farewell note Richey never left.

I'm too tired to debate this, so we'll just say I'm right and leave it at that.

[tzb]

Ah sleep, the last refuge of the terminally incorrect

[allofwho]

Originally Posted by tzb

I really don't see this. Musically it has more in common with the EMG b-sides than anything they did in the last decade, lyrically it's a Richey song completely hacked to bits and virtually rewritten (to fit a conventional song structure - unlike what Richey actually wrote - and certainly given an entirely new significance) by Nicky... I can't think of a less fitting way to end the album to be honest. To me it represents everything they'd set out to avoid in the project; a mawkish, plodding and overtly sentimental mess spelling out a farewell note Richey never left.

Totally agree with the "overtly sentimental mess" description - that's what made me dislike the song so much, the lyrics are cheesy, for lack of a better word. I'm hoping/assuming that this is a result of poor editing choices and not what Richey had intended when he wrote this.

[The Gutless Wonder]

Disagree that the lyrics are cheesy.