Group: Manic Street Preachers
Album: Journal for Plague Lovers
Songs: This Joke Sport Severed, Peeled Apples, Jackie Collins Existential Question Time, Me And Stephen Hawking, Marlon JD, Virginia State Epilpetic Colony .
Having been active for many years Manic Street Preachers are said to be mostly a band of singles, as they have released 39 singles and many of them were successful (see Motorcycle Emptiness, If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next, The Everlasting , etc.). In recent years I think the band was at a turning point, quite sensible for a band of 23 years of presence.
Having heard many times "Journal for Plague Lovers" I am sure that the Manics turned page, found their doctor and have created a very strong album.
Do not expect major changes in the sound of the band. In many moments one can imagine that some pieces belonged to previous albums (Peeled Apples, Jackie Collins Existential Question Time, Me And Stephen Hawking, All is Vanity). But there are very special tracks for Manics, as one of the best songs I have heard this year, the "This Joke Sport Severed", which gives a different note on the disc with its lyric finish. One more of the interesting moments of the "Journal for Plague Lovers" is "Marlon JD", which comes from the 80s with influences from Joy Division, with regard to tempo and not of the Chorus.
The "Doors closing slowly" is a classic ballad of Manics, the "Virginia State Epilpetic Colony" is made to be single and brings in mind the band James, especially at the end and Chorus "Williams Last Words" is the lyrical section of the disc with the violin having the prominent role.
The features of the album are the monologues found in the end of most songs and the lengthy titles, as is certainly evident.
Overall, I would say that the " Journal for Plague Lovers " contains songs chained together in making one of the best albums of the band and even if it doesn't have hit-song, the overwhelming majority of the songs are at a high level.
The stars:
Peeled Apples - * * * *
Jackie Collins Existential Question Time - * * * *, *
Me and Stephen Hawking - * * * *
This Joke Sport Severed - * * * * *
Journal for Plague Lovers - * * * *
She Bathed Herself in a Bath of Bleach - * * * *
Facing Page Top Left - * * *, *
Marlon JD - * * * *
Doors Closing Slowly - * * *, *
All Is Vanity - * * * *
Pretension / Repulsion - * * *, *
Virginia State Epileptic Colony - * * * *
William's Last Words - * * * *
Bag Lady - * * * *
Our grade: 8 / 10
Presentations of the album in other sites: Q (5 / 5), NME (8 / 10), The Times (4 / 5), Pitchfork Media (7,8 / 10).
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