Manic Street Preachers Announce New Album!

zimovain

I loved the last few records, here's hoping this one is as good!

http://www.nme.com/news/manic-street-preachers/51309

MSP have announced details of a new UK tour to coincide with the release of their forthcoming new album.

The group's 10th studio album, 'Postcards From A Young Man', is out in September. A UK tour starts in Glasgow on September 29.

Frontman James Dean Bradfield said that the album would be an unashamedly pop-orientated affair following 2009's bleak 'Journal For Plague Lovers'.

"We're going for big radio hits on this one," he told NME. "It isn't a follow-up to 'Journal For Plague Lovers'. It's one last shot at mass communication."

British Sea Power will support the band on the tour.

Manic Street Preachers will play:

O2 Academy Glasgow (September 29)
Aberdeen Music Hall (30)
Edinburgh Corn Exchange (October 2)
Carlisle Sands Centre (3)
Hull City Hall (5)
Sheffield Academy (6)
Liverpool University (8)
Blackburn King George's Hall (9)
O2 Academy Leeds (11)
Derby Assembly Rooms (12)
Manchester Apollo (14)
Lincoln Engine Shed (16)
Norwich UEA (17)
Southampton Guildhall (19)
Southend Cliffs Pavillion (20)
Bournemouth Academy (22)
Newport Centre (23)
Bristol Coulson Hall (25)
O2 Academy Birmingham (26)
London O2 Academy Brixton (28, 29)
Leicester De Montfort Hall (31)
Cambridge Corn Exchange (November 1)

homerun_homer

Love the Manics. The "one last shot" part worries me but I'll not lose sleep over it"

maccored

they remind me of Codes. Or is that the other way around?

qwertplaywert

Fantastic news, even if its not the near masterpeice Journal for Plague Lovers was, still looking forward to it, Send Away the Tigers was a great little pop album!

Anyone else tempted to go to one of the uk dates?

hyperbaby

surely there will be some irish dates announced?

I love the manics...

Dozen Wicked Words

British Sea Power supporting a Manics tour on the back of a new album Win/Win/Win.

JerryHandbag

I like the Manics best when the guitars are deafening and the lyrics contain swearwords. So I'm a little bit meh about them going pop. Mind you, Lifeblood did have some nice pop moments.

zimovain

I prefer the darker stuff ala 'The Holy Bible' but Il buy anything the Manics release, one of the bands I truly love.

Placid_Casual

Wow, that's a pretty quick turnaround from Journals For Plague Lovers. Not too enthused about the pop reference, when the Manics do pop they can be a bit bland. They're at their best with their darker stuff, a la The Holy Bible or Journals.
Mind you, Everything Must Go was a great rock-pop album. If the new album is to that what Journals was to The Holy Bible i'll be happy enough.
Also, Manics plus British Sea Power on the same bill sounds pretty good. Wonder does that mean a new BSP album too?

JerryHandbag

I wonder does the comment "one last shot at mass communication" mean they are calling it a day. Though I do remember them saying something similar in 2001 and yet they are still going strong nearly 10 yrs later.

ronano

One last shot at communication is just saying we're aiming to get into as many peoples heads/hits with our poppy singles. I'm hoping for an irish date otherwise tis off the liverpool

I can't see them adding any Irish dates to this tour - same as the SATT UK tour which excluded NI and the Republic. They did do a tour later the same year that included two Dublin dates at the Ambassador. Guessing there will be a larger scale tour announced after the release of the new album which should include Ireland. I would have gone to a few of these UK dates if I knew I could afford it when it came round. Missed a gig in Cardiff a few years ago because even though I had tickets and had flights, I had no cash. Will do Bristol, Sheffield or Liverpool if I can get tickets later in the year, have mates to stay with in any of those places.

Look forwards to the new album, I doubt it'll be their last. I believe it's one last attempt to break into the mainstream that they're referring to.

Odaise Gaelach

I really enjoyed Send Away The Tigers, so I'm hoping that this will be just as good - if not better.

ronano wrote: »

One last shot at communication is just saying we're aiming to get into as many peoples heads/hits with our poppy singles.

Bingo.

I mean, releasing Generation Terrorists was the time to split up (like they said they would). When Richey disappeared was the time to split up. After Lifeblood knocked them on their backsides was the time to split up. And yet, here they are...

Odaise Gaelach

More information:

Digital Spy wrote:

Ex-GN'R bassist features on new Manics LP

Manic Street Preachers have revealed a number of details about their upcoming album Postcards From A Young Man.

The group told NME that one track, 'A Billion Balconies Facing The Sun', features ex-Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan.

Three other tracks are said to feature a gospel choir, while the band's Nicky Wire quipped "back of the net" when told that the title track sounded like Queen.

Frontman James Dean Bradfield said: "We're going for big radio hits on this one. It isn't a follow-up to Journal For Plague Lovers, it's one last shot at mass communication."

Wire added: "We've always been about infiltrating the mainstream. It was a conscious decision this time to want to hear ourselves on the radio. Our mantra at the start was, 'If you've got something to say, say it to as many people as possible'."

A potential lead single is titled 'It's Not War Just The End Of Love' and Wire claimed: "I believe in the tactile nature of rock 'n; roll. There's a generation missing out on what music meant to us.

"You can only elaborate on the stuff that compels you to. But 'It's Not War...' is kind of saying, 'Alright, we're not 18, but even at 40 the rage is still there'

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a223960/ex-gnr-bassist-features-on-new-manics-lp.html

homerun_homer

Odaise Gaelach wrote: »

Lifeblood knocked them on their backsides was the time to split up. And yet, here they are...

Yeah but why should a band that has been around as long as the Manics and have such a varied history quit on a low? I don't think this is the last album as when you read the full article that comment has a better context than when quoted alone. Whenever they do decide to call it a day they should do it on a high.

Odaise Gaelach

homerun_homer wrote: »

Yeah but why should a band that has been around as long as the Manics and have such a varied history quit on a low? I don't think this is the last album as when you read the full article that comment has a better context than when quoted alone. Whenever they do decide to call it a day they should do it on a high.

True. It'd be more of their style as well, to go out with all guns blazing.

zimovain

Excellent album and the bonus disc of the album demos are also top notch!

Alan Noir

I've never been so let down by a manics album. It's just wall to wall waffle. The manics are supposed to set you on fire. Sounds like a bad pub band 'inspired' by them.

homerun_homer

Alan Noir wrote: »

The manics are supposed to set you on fire. Sounds like a bad pub band 'inspired' by them.

They'll be a pub band on Arthur's Day:)

Can't be bothered by now!

JerryHandbag

Gave it a listen today....its no Know Your Enemy thats for sure, seems to be getting great reviews, not sure I agree with them.

Placid_Casual

Listened to the album for the first time this evening and, frankly, it was worse than I was expecting - and my expectations were not high. Everything drowned in strings, the gospel choir on Some Kind Of Nothingness, the singalong lalalas on Golden Platitudes and some typically dodgy Wire lyrics. Its all a bit cringe-inducing. So disappointing after Journals but, I guess, not unexpected. The ironic thing is, for all their talk of trying to reach the masses, I don't see this album being a hit at all.

However, there is part redemption in the bonus tracks, essentially the entire album in demo form. It was much more enjoyable hearing the songs in their raw state without all the unnecessary elaboration. I think i'll be giving that much more of a listen than the album itself.

homerun_homer

Placid_Casual wrote: »

The ironic thing is, for all their talk of trying to reach the masses, I don't see this album being a hit at all.

Currently #1 in midweek UK chart.

Placid_Casual wrote: »

However, there is part redemption in the bonus tracks, essentially the entire album in demo form. It was much more enjoyable hearing the songs in their raw state without all the unnecessary elaboration. I think i'll be giving that much more of a listen than the album itself.

Is this on disc or where can it be got, I just saw it as part of the box set (on cassette).

Generation Terrorist

F*ck the begrudgers - this is an excellent album.

My personal highlights are the title track, Auto-Intoxication and Dont Be Evil.

Some Kind of Nothingness for next single please

Xavi6

I think it's a pretty poor album but really glad they made it as it means they're touring and I get to see them in November

Placid_Casual

homerun_homer wrote: »

Currently #1 in midweek UK chart.


Is this on disc or where can it be got, I just saw it as part of the box set (on cassette).

There's always going to be strong initial sales due to the size and loyalty of their fanbase. But I just don't see this album pulling in the casual listener, which is what they are aiming for. I'd be surprised if the album sold significantly more than Journal For Plague Lovers.

I downloaded the album from itunes and the bonus tracks came with the download.

homerun_homer

Placid_Casual wrote: »

There's always going to be strong initial sales due to the size and loyalty of their fanbase. But I just don't see this album pulling in the casual listener, which is what they are aiming for. I'd be surprised if the album sold significantly more than Journal For Plague Lovers.

Lifeblood sold only 100,000 copies and the band have risen in sales and popularity again since then, so the fans aren't always loyal. This album will sell better than Journal and bought by more than just their fans because they are relasing singles and videos to promote it instead of leaving it up for die hard, longterm fans and anyone who discovers it through late night radio.

paddylonglegs

maccored wrote: »

they remind me of Codes. Or is that the other way around?

Codes recorded their album in Wales and was mastered by same guy that works on manics material afaik

me-skywalker

Wish people would just forget Lifeblood that album was an aberration and should just be culled from all Manics references.

Im liking the new album its big, its loud its grandoise in scope and theme. Love Hazelton avenue and Some kind of Nothingess.

homerun_homer

me-skywalker wrote: »

Wish people would just forget Lifeblood that album was an aberration and should just be culled from all Manics references.

I actually like Lifeblood. It's not a bad album at all, but in Manics rock terms and how it fits into their whole body of work it's certainly different. Screw the naysayers I say.

Odaise Gaelach

I'm definitely getting to like it more and more. There are some flashes of brilliance and on the whole it's very good, but it feels quite unfocused at times. Not as immediate or as engaging as Send Away The Tigers was.

Lifeblood wasn't their best, but it had its moments: 1985, Empty Souls, Solitude Sometimes Is... It's far from their worst (Know Your Enemy, I'm looking at you!).

panama

The album is superb if you have the take the time to get to know the songs.

Deserves to be number one. Looking forward to hearing them live again.
Immense.

tailgunner

Dunno about it being superb, but it's growing on me a bit. Auto-Intoxication is a great song.

Birneybau

Gold Against The Soul.

Gold won !!!

laros

Is this on disc or where can it be got, I just saw it as part of the box set (on cassette).

hi homerun-homer

The album is also available as a 2 disc edition in a book packaging

homerun_homer

laros wrote: »

hi homerun-homer

The album is also available as a 2 disc edition in a book packaging

Ya see I got the gimmicky box set (so not worth the price, let alone additional VAT costs) and it only comes on tape so I'm not spending any more to be a completist.

laros

Bummer....You think for €100+ they would have included a cd of the demo's as well,I seen the box set advertised but couldn'tjustify it at the moment.

Lar

column

Here's my opinion

I hated Lifeblood at the time, I hated it for ages and was frankly embarrassed by it. But I grew to like it after a few years. A Song For Departure wasily makes it on to a best of for me.

Unlike Send Away the Tiger, Joural or this new one there was never a point when you're listening to it that you end up shouting at the stereo for the band to stop being a parody of them selves. I find Send Away the Tigers to be their weakest album - apart from Your Love Alone it's throwaway. Journal was slightly better but the first half was a disgrace.

Again Postcards is ok - Golden Platitudes is the best thing on it. I wish they'd stop releasing the same songs over and over again - A Billion Balconies sounds like several other song. Not something you could say about anything on Know Your Enemy.

My ratings

GT - 4/10
GATS - 4/10
THB 10/10
EMG 8/10 (used to be 9 but I've overplayed it)
TIMT 7/10
KYE 7/10
LB 6/10
SATT 3/10
JFPL 5/10
PFAYM 5/10

For clever (and talented) guys they don't have much a of world view of music any more unlike their peers Radiohead or Blur.

Still my fave band though.

column

homerun_homer wrote: »

Lifeblood sold only 100,000 copies and the band have risen in sales and popularity again since then, so the fans aren't always loyal. This album will sell better than Journal and bought by more than just their fans because they are relasing singles and videos to promote it instead of leaving it up for die hard, longterm fans and anyone who discovers it through late night radio.

It's in line for their best first week sales since KYE.

However, I dont think it will be in the charts by the end of Oct unless they have a big hit with the second single.

tailgunner

column wrote: »

I find Send Away the Tigers to be their weakest album - apart from Your Love Alone it's throwaway. Journal was slightly better but the first half was a disgrace.

I thought Journal was utterly excellent - probably their second best album for me. I went through a phase of being completely obsessed with it.

The first half is a disgrace? I think Peeled Apples, Jackie Collins and This Joke Sport Severed are some of the best songs they've ever written.

I implore you to give it another go!

me-skywalker

column wrote: »

My ratings

GT - 4/10

KYE 7/10

Huh?? Woah....

Odaise Gaelach

column wrote: »

I find Send Away the Tigers to be their weakest album - apart from Your Love Alone it's throwaway. Journal was slightly better but the first half was a disgrace.

For me, it's the exact opposite. I think Send Away The Tigers was a smashing album (apart from Your Love Alone and I Am Just A Patsy). I also have to agree with tailgunner about Journal for Plague Lovers - the whole album was excellent.

column wrote: »

I wish they'd stop releasing the same songs over and over again - A Billion Balconies sounds like several other song. Not something you could say about anything on Know Your Enemy.

That's true, but that didn't stop Know Your Enemy from being extremely messy and embarrassing in a lot of places. No Manics song since has had Nicky Wire saying "Brain dead mother****ers" over and over again.

I think the Manics are much better at being a parody of themselves rather than being something they're not. At least then they've got some idea of what they're doing.

savemejebus

Wow, what a disappointment of an album. I'm a huge manics fan but i can't get away from the fact it's just pure and utter shíte and that's before mentioning:

- Hazleton avenue ripping off it ain't over till it's over and she's in fashion
- All we make is entertainment ripping off 'Badlands'

and that muck of a single sampling Chic/steps.

Then to top it off i get emails and tweets begging me to buy it to 'help the band get to number 1'. So much for rock n' roll...

JerryHandbag

Good interview here....

http://iheartau.com/articles/in-depth-manic-street-preachers/

me-skywalker

Im actually starting to wear wit ha couple of songs while a few otheres are growing on me big time!!

A Billion Balconies Facing the Sun amazing! Some ripping guitar here...
Hazelton avenue is getting wrose with every listen....

smackbunnybaby

savemejebus wrote: »

Wow, what a disappointment of an album. I'm a huge manics fan but i can't get away from the fact it's just pure and utter shíte and that's before mentioning:

- Hazleton avenue ripping off it ain't over till it's over and she's in fashion
- All we make is entertainment ripping off 'Badlands'

and that muck of a single sampling Chic/steps.

Then to top it off i get emails and tweets begging me to buy it to 'help the band get to number 1'. So much for rock n' roll...

[feeble defending]The whole ripping off thing..do you think they did it on purpose?

As in they declare they are looking to make a 'mainstream' album and consciously 'borrow' well known hits as they have been tried and tested in the past..[/feeble defending]

'I think I found' it is basically the Soak up the Sun chorus from Cheryl Crow

panama

savemejebus wrote: »

Wow, what a disappointment of an album. I'm a huge manics fan but i can't get away from the fact it's just pure and utter shíte QUOTE]

B*****ks it is. I'm not having that.

There's a reason it's been critically acclaimed.

"pure and utter ****e" are you kidding me?

It's a superb album, everyone's entitled to their opinions but
I've heard plenty label it as poor only to come back after giving it a proper
listen and have a completely different view.

The title track, A Billion Balconies, Hazelton Ave, and my personal favourite Golden Platitudes are all excellent songs and lyrically strong.

savemejebus

All my opinon now but:

It is a woeful album devoid of inspiration, emotion and worst of all effort. It is an album that was designed, let me just say that again, DESIGNED with the purpose of appealing to as bland and broad a fanbase as possible. There is no art there just formulaic songwriting of the worst calibre that shíts on any potential of the lyrics.

It is overreliant on (bad) production and badly mixed. There is no sense of the manics identity stamped on it, unless of course you consider the manics identity to be that which is embraced by the tabloids that consider "A Design for Life" as a drinking song.

The title track is absolutely destroyed by a the inclusion of backing singers and a choir, i've actually had to edit the files to exclude the last 20 seconds or so on my mp3 player.

A Billion Balconies is just a limp wristed attempt at a palatable rocker for the masses.

Hazelton Avenue is a shameful rip off of Lenny Kravitz and Suede that manages to sound worse than both original songs.

Golden Platitudes is possibly the only song on the album that sounds like a 'real' manics song but unfortunately it sounds like a B side.

I'm so disgusted with this entire album.

And then to make things worse you have the unashamed 'sucking of satan's cóck' that the manics have engaged in with their widespread spamming to 'try to get it to no 1 for the boys' and their production of a multiple versions that aim to scalp Manics fans who are usually OCD completists. (Justify a €100 box set containing a 2cds a scrap book and a cassette to me please.)

As for critical acclaim, at a time when bland, unoriginal muck being lauded is the rule rather than the exception i'm not at all surprised.

panama

savemejebus wrote: »

All my opinon now but:

It is a woeful album devoid of inspiration, emotion and worst of all effort. It is an album that was designed, let me just say that again, DESIGNED with the purpose of appealing to as bland and broad a fanbase as possible. There is no art there just formulaic songwriting of the worst calibre that shíts on any potential of the lyrics.


Golden Platitudes is possibly the only song on the album that sounds like a 'real' manics song but unfortunately it sounds like a B side.

I'm so disgusted with this entire album.

And then to make things worse you have the unashamed 'sucking of satan's cóck' that the manics have engaged in with their widespread spamming to 'try to get it to no 1 for the boys' and their production of a multiple versions that aim to scalp Manics fans who are usually OCD completists. (Justify a €100 box set containing a 2cds a scrap book and a cassette to me please.)

As for critical acclaim, at a time when bland, unoriginal muck being lauded is the rule rather than the exception i'm not at all surprised.

Disagree on all points. What widespread spamming?
And these so called rip offs are of Suede songs? Come off it.

Journal For Plague Lovers was the complete antithesis to this album and was as MSP as anything they have ever done, now they revert to the Wire lyrically inspired sounds of Send Away the Tigers and Lifeblood, and you call it devoid of effort and inspiration etc without any real reasoning to support your claims apart from that you feel it's badly produced.
I'd much rather listen to anything on this album than 'Your Love Alone' or 'Autumnsong' for instance.

Why shouldn't they be entitled to self-promote their album??

I think the backing vocals add to the album, each to their own though eh?

Also ''manics fans who are usually OCD completists" - what's that about?

No one's forcing you or anyone to buy any boxset, why are you so bothered by it? It's become the norm to see such releases, most people nowadays will have downloaded the new album for free anyway before the cd is even in the shops.

Looking forward to seeing them perform the album live very soon.

savemejebus

panama wrote: »

What widespread spamming?

Emails asking fans to buy the album and help them reach number 1, tweets doing the same, including links to various stores. I got 2 emails essentially point me in the direction of shops where if i bought the album it would count in the UK charts

panama wrote: »

And these so called rip offs are of Suede songs? Come off it.

I'm sorry, has it become ok to rip off Suede, they're fair game? What about Lenny Kravitz, Bruce Springsteen? How about the direct lifting of the melody from Steps Stomp which in itself was lifted from Chic's 'everybody dance'

panama wrote: »

Journal For Plague Lovers was the complete antithesis to this album and was as MSP as anything they have ever done

You are 100% correct, Journal For Plague Lovers was the complete antithesis to this album. It was good, some would say great.

panama wrote: »

now they revert to the Wire lyrically inspired sounds of Send Away the Tigers and Lifeblood, and you call it devoid of effort and inspiration etc without any real reasoning to support your claims apart from that you feel it's badly produced.

Pull the other one, it has bells on. Just a reminder that Nicky wrote all of 'This is Yesterday' and half of 'Faster' from the Holy Bible amongst many other quality lyrics and contributed to good tunes. I have not and will not try to attribute the insipidness of Postcards from a Young Man to his lyrics. In fact there are some promising lyrics on the album that are just wasted because of the dire music.

Now, i called it devoid of effort and inspiration after pointing out the musicians that the band plagiarise on this album, i would have thought that that was support enough. The over production was, to me, the icing on the cake but if you would like more elaboration here goes:

This album was put together in the words of the band as "One last shot at mass communication" so they essentially looked at their two most successful albums, Everything Must Go and This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours and decided that they would take what they thought made these albums hits, try to write songs using these elements and hey presto! create a super-commercial shot at mass communication. The trouble is that this is a hyper-cynical attempt to sell units rather than make good music and as a result the abum sucks hairy balls. Also, they didn't get Mike Hedges to produce it and so it sounds like muck. Dave Eringa didn't reign in the worst tendencies and as a result we have pointless orchestration, choirs and faux inspirational choruses.

panama wrote: »

I'd much rather listen to anything on this album than 'Your Love Alone' or 'Autumnsong' for instance.

if you replace 'Your Love Alone' with 'Winterlovers' i'd agree with you but the trouble is at the end of the day you're just listening to one type of shít over another and it will remain shít.

panama wrote: »

Why shouldn't they be entitled to self-promote their album??

Promoting an album is different from begging fans to buy it to make it number one. Promoting an album generally involves making people aware of it's existence via singles and radio play and counting on the quality of the music to encourage users to purchase it. Not emailing and tweeting saying 'ooh we want to be number one, buy this record cos we say you should'

panama wrote: »

I think the backing vocals add to the album, each to their own though eh?

Exactly, i'm glad you like the album, I wish i did.

panama wrote: »

Also ''manics fans who are usually OCD completists" - what's that about?
No one's forcing you or anyone to buy any boxset, why are you so bothered by it? It's become the norm to see such releases, most people nowadays will have downloaded the new album for free anyway before the cd is even in the shops.

Manics fans have a tendency to support the band by buying everything put out to complete their collections, by following them from gig to gig on tour and generally be scarily devoted (check out www.foreverdelayed.org for proof) and the record company and the band exploit this. For example there were two versions of Journal For Plague Lovers. One regular CD and one deluxe. Now the deluxe edition came in a lovely presentation booklet and had a CD of demos with it. However, it excluded the hidden track 'Bag Lady'. This was only included on the regular CD. So the deluxe edition was missing a song and as a result any fan that wanted to have the complete package had to buy the regular CD too. I doubt it was accidental that the record company just happened to leave that track off the deluxe edition. Now with Postcards From a Young Man there is the regular edition, the deluxe edition (with demo disk and nice presentation) and this fancy box set, which they fill with junk (tshirt, mass produced imitation scrap book) to up the price ot €100 and put extra songs on so that it becomes a necessity for someone that wants a complete collection.

You are 100% correct that no one is forced to buy it but it is essentially the record company and band exploiting the nature of many of their fans who you would think they would reward rather than exploit. Plus the box set seems crap value alongside other similar items from other bands/artists (David Bowie comes to mind http://www.amazon.com/Station-Deluxe-5CD-DVD-3LP/dp/B003UTUQ3O)

panama wrote: »

Looking forward to seeing them perform the album live very soon.

Good for you, i genuinely hope that you enjoy them, i haven't seen a bad show from them in the 16 years i've been listening to them. However i don't think i'll be going to see them on this tour. I don't think i could stomach their keyboard player synthing all this albums strings.

I do wish i could have seen them at the king tuts show as they have always shone more brightly live when stripped down to a 3 piece (well, since the Richey thing obviously).

savemejebus

smackbunnybaby wrote: »

[feeble defending]The whole ripping off thing..do you think they did it on purpose?

As in they declare they are looking to make a 'mainstream' album and consciously 'borrow' well known hits as they have been tried and tested in the past..[/feeble defending]

'I think I found' it is basically the Soak up the Sun chorus from Cheryl Crow

Wow that's another to add to the list, i'd never heard that song but how did they think they could get so many obvious lifts.

As for it being on purpose, i'd hope it was more subconscious but on 'All we make is entertainment' James counts in in the same way as the Boss does on badlands.