Manic Street Preachers; Journal For Plague Lovers

The Manics guide to to writing a good album,

1. Great riffs and licks from guitar god James Dean Bradfield.
2. Superb complex lyrics from the late Richey Edwards.
3. Jenny Saville painting as a cover (it worked on The Holy Bible, it will work again)
   

This is the album we were never going to get to hear, the lyrics so long on the shelf the expert editing of Bradfield and Wire work to turn the most complex of lyrics into hummable sing a long tunes. From the opening with the classic quotes and pieces of movies playing the songs in echos of albums past ringing in your ears. Solid bass and drums set the stage of the guitar and then like a song bird Bradfield comes to life and the hairs on your neck stand up. This album doesn't feel new you haven't heard the songs before but it feels so comfortable and like an old friend welcome you to the fold. Richey Edwards complex and intelligent lyrics take you on an extreme journey in the mind of a trouble mind of rock star.

Every song is a highlight the spine tingling metaphors but Me and Stephen Hawking stands out for the comedy lyrics about their sexual prowess and a review can't be written with mentioning 'Williams Last Words" sung by Nick Wire, as my eyes filled up I can listen to this note again and again.


On Saturday Night James and Nick talked about the new album on Channel 4 click on the link below to watch the programme for the next 28 days.

The new album from Manic Street Preachers; Journal For Plague Lovers is out now on CD, 2CD deluxe edition and to download.