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Post by burberrybassist on May 20, 2009 15:12:04 GMT
thepremierbanksy - seriously, if you like THB you will love the new album, although they've "matured" as song writers, there is still that real dark, gritty vibe to the album. Also, the new album features some of Richey's best lyrics.
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Post by Trouserdog on May 29, 2009 19:33:16 GMT
Desite my initial excitement, I've only just got round to actually buying and listening to this album. (Gone are the days when I would have the time or the inclination to visit record shops at 9am on release days....sadly)
While it isn't as good as any of the first four albums, "Journal for plague lovers" IS a lot better than everything they've released since "Everything Must Go", and I think the upturn in quality is almost entirely down to them using Richey Edwards' lyrics. I do think Nicky Wire's a very good lyricist, it's just that his phrasing is a bit more traditional, a bit easier for James Dean Bradfield to sing...and that's one of the reasons why the Manics have ended up trundling along into Dadrock territory.
Richey, although clearly a nut job, was an absolute genius of a lyricist, and his punchy, sloganistic lines mean that at times JDB is once again almost spitting out awkward phrases like "Riderless horses in chomsky's camelot". It just makes everything sound that much more urgent, and for a few moments on this new record, the quality is indeed up to "Holy Bible" standards. (I particularly like "Peeled Apples", "Jackie Collins Existential Question Time" and the title track.)
It isn't all great, a couple of the acoustic tunes on there are pretty dull, and the closing track is a stinker (but then letting Nicky Wire, a man who makes me sound tuneful, take lead vocals is always going to end in disaster) However, I'm pleased to say that it is indeed a return to form.
What would be a good idea now is if the Manics packed up and ended on a high, rather than churn out a few more "If You Tolerate This then your Horlicks and Cardigan will be next" type albums.
That is unless Rickey has another suitcase full of lyrics somewhere?
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Post by GlennA on May 29, 2009 21:17:49 GMT
Agrees strongly.
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