User Tag List

Results 1 to 57 of 57

Thread: Listening Group Week 5: The Holy Bible by the Manic Street Preachers

  1. #1
    The Rosk
    Guest

    Listening Group Week 5: The Holy Bible by the Manic Street Preachers

    From the age of about 12, I became obsessed with music. Almost all of my money went on the weekly copies of NME & Melody Maker, Q Magazine, CDs and cassettes, ending up with hundreds of albums from several different eras. Whilst my mum raised me playing The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel on endless loop (both of whom still remain among my favourites btw!), my first “living love” was probably Oasis at the height of Britpop. They gave me a real feeling of belonging to something, and music became a real escape for me.

    Then one band completely knocked me for six.





    I first heard the Manic Street Preachers when A Design For Life burst on the radio on a school trip in 1996 – an anthem about class conflict, and working class identity in the UK. The band were (effectively) a three piece, all childhood friends who grew up together in a small town in Wales.

    James Dean Bradfield (far left) is without question one of the most underrated lead guitarists/singers of his generation.

    Nicky Wire (far right) is a fantastic wordsmith and a cool as fuck bassist.

    Sean Moore (second from the left) is a bloody good drummer and not bad with a trumpet.

    The fourth member (third from the left) was Richey Edwards. I’ll get to Richey later a bit more in depth, as he is extremely relevant in this discussion.

    After I bought the album Everything Must Go off the back of hearing A Design For Life, and after practically burning the CD from listening to it constantly, one of my very best friends at the time insisted that I should get their previous album The Holy Bible, as he said it would “change my world”. Kids eh.





    The Holy Bible was their third album released in 1994. Their first two albums (Generation Terrorists and Gold Against the Soul) both had some fantastic songs on there (eg Motorcycle Emptiness, Stay Beautiful, From Despair To Where), but in general were quite hit-and-miss as full pieces of work. Both of the lyrics from these albums were co-written by Nicky and Richey, whereas the words in The Holy Bible were almost entirely written by Richey.

    The band were intellectual, yet glamorous. They never wrote a simple love song. They were nihilistic, political and unashamedly aggressive in showing their beliefs and challenging everyone who listened, whilst wearing mascara, leopardskin and balaclavas. I was enthralled. As you can see from the titles of the songs on the album cover above, this is not a pop album. It came out in the UK bang in the middle of Britpop in its glory, and it stands out as a giant contrast to what was “in fashion” at the time.

    Given that the stunning, complex and often brutal lyrics on this album were mostly written by Richey - I need to tell you a little bit about him at this point, because it’s so important to know before you give it a listen.





    Richey

    Beautiful boy.

    Richey could barely play the guitar (he often was muted onstage because he couldn’t stay in rhythm). However, he was a true master of words, brilliantly able to convey his unhappiness and relationship with the brutality of the outside world. He was a highly intelligent, well-read, self-harming, depressed, bulimic, anorexic, tortured soul. He fell into drugs, and wrote most of The Holy Bible in rehab.

    When the band’s integrity and genuine was brought into question in a 1991 interview with Steve Lamacq, Richey famously pulled out a razorblade and carved “4 REAL” into his arm in front of the journalist. Everything he did via his words, in my eyes, was the only true way he could find to express himself, and so the Manic Street Preachers was his release.





    Less than 6 months after the release of The Holy Bible, Richey Edwards went missing in early 1995. His car was abandoned near the Severn Bridge, a known suicide site. His body has never been found. He was declared “officially dead” 8 years after his disappearance.

    Richey’s personal spiral goes hand in hand with The Holy Bible. It has almost become known as “the Richey album”, a eulogy about a man who we no longer have in our lives, and whose disappearance has only added to his mystique, putting this work at an even higher level of intrigue. The lyrics feel like mayhem, bashing through a wall of breathtaking music.

    Richey said once in an interview that he’d love to run away and live with his dogs on the coast. There have been multiple “sightings” of him reported all over the world, but nothing conclusive. I choose to believe that he made peace with himself, and that “our poet” is now somewhere happy.

    ...

    The songs themselves take on all form of subject matter. There’s an anorexia diary (4st 7lbs) that screams with internal anguish, yet also showcases an unwanted feeling superiority over the “fat scum who pamper me so”. There’s a song about the death penalty and the glorification of serial killers that challenges your perception of those that kill (Archives of Pain). American consumerism and gun law (ifwhiteamericatolditstruthforonedayitsworldwouldfa llapart). Prostitution (Yes, opening the album with a chorus of “In these plagued streets of pity you can buy anything – for 200 anyone can conceive a God on video – he’s a boy, you want a girl so tear off his cock, tie his hair in bunches, fuck him, call him Rita if you want”) . Tackling how the Holocaust happened, and how it could still in the modern world (The Intense Humming of Evil and Mausoleum “Prejudice burns brighter when it’s all we have to burn”).

    Most of the songs also have intros of voiceovers (eg quotes from 1984, a snippet from an interview with a serial killer victim’s mother) that are relevant to the subject title which adds masterfully to the build up for each piece. The lyrics are so brutal and intentionally not simple, and I spent a lot of time looking up all these cultural references and learning more and more as I kept listening. No other album has made me do that ever before, nor since. If you choose to read through the lyrics, they're accessible here: https://genius.com/albums/Manic-stre...The-holy-bible

    The Holy Bible was so out of place, so out of time, and still resonates to this day as more than just an album to me. I still listen to this quite regularly 20+ years on, and it’s still as haunting and challenging now as it was when I first put it on my CD player as a virginal teenager. With the way the world has now become, it seems, if anything, more relevant than ever, and I feel that the world sorely needs a band that can stick their necks out and make a true statement like they did in 1994.

    It remains the Manic Street Preachers' most iconic piece of work. They carried on after Richey, and have just released their 13th album. They've done some great stuff since then, but nothing that touches the creative levels of this. They were young, fucked off with the world and had no boundaries. The Holy Bible remains the darkest and most truly intense album I own - one I never get tired of listening to, one I could talk about all day, and one I hope you find even a fraction as intriguing as I have done.
    Last edited by The Rosk; July 30th, 2019 at 7:39 PM.

  2. #2
    The Rosk
    Guest
    Fuck, fucked the bloody week number up @Pablo Diablo, @Cewsh, @mth, @!Rhyno! could you please edit 4 to 5 for me? Thanks xx

  3. #3
    Administrator
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    49,720
    Mentioned
    181 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    220877

  4. #4
    World Champion
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    17,139
    Mentioned
    25 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    39306
    A band I've heard mentioned numerous times, but had literally 0 knowledge about. Great write-up that has me excited for this one.

  5. #5
    Intercontinental Champion Melly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    2,479
    Mentioned
    109 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    721964
    canada
    Sweet. Give it a spin tomorrow or Thurs. Tragic story attached too.

  6. #6
    Not asleep The Beer Monster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    10,048
    Mentioned
    59 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    237267
    uk
    Love the Manics, but haven’t sat and listened to this all in one go for a very long time, looking forward to it.

  7. #7
    I'm always watching you.. MMH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Posts
    34,174
    Mentioned
    131 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    236457
    I know this album like the back of my hand which is handy.

  8. #8
    the Omniscient Grimario's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    'straya
    Posts
    26,989
    Mentioned
    54 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    261144
    australia
    I can honestly say I don't ever remember listening to anything by Manic Street Preachers and not even sure why or how I have heard of them. Possibly from being on here and seeing Rosk talk about them in the past.

    This is hard listening and not because I don't like the music or the vocals - they're good. Really confronting and brutal lyrics. It's almost disconcerting the way they are able to paint the bleak picture of each song.

  9. #9
    Legend Mik's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2001
    Posts
    72,312
    Mentioned
    55 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    359625
    I’ve always found the Manic Street Preachers to be overrated. This might be a slog.

  10. #10
    Not asleep The Beer Monster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    10,048
    Mentioned
    59 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    237267
    uk
    Started listening in the car, realized I actually don't think I've listened to the whole thing before.
    Initial impression is, having looked the lyrics up I'm glad James Dean-Bradfield went to the Kurt Cobain School of enunciation cos those lyrics are dark, its not really a sing-along vibe.

  11. #11
    The Rosk
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by The Beer Monster View Post
    Started listening in the car, realized I actually don't think I've listened to the whole thing before.
    Initial impression is, having looked the lyrics up I'm glad James Dean-Bradfield went to the Kurt Cobain School of enunciation cos those lyrics are dark, its not really a sing-along vibe.
    Yeah - oddly enough, I went to the Holy Bible 20th anniversary tour a few years ago. Think it was my 10th gig of theirs I've been to in my life, and I couldn't believe how for all the songs, the crowd were screaming the lyrics, jumping arm-in-arm. Expected something very different. Whilst A Design for Life and Australia and You Stole The Sun From My Heart and If You Tolerate This and You Love us etc etc are always mass sing-a-longs, these always got the biggest and most emotional reception whenever they've been played live.

  12. #12
    I'm always watching you.. MMH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Posts
    34,174
    Mentioned
    131 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    236457
    Quote Originally Posted by Grimario View Post
    I can honestly say I don't ever remember listening to anything by Manic Street Preachers and not even sure why or how I have heard of them. Possibly from being on here and seeing Rosk talk about them in the past.

    This is hard listening and not because I don't like the music or the vocals - they're good. Really confronting and brutal lyrics. It's almost disconcerting the way they are able to paint the bleak picture of each song.
    That's what being Welsh does to you.

  13. #13
    WWF Champion
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Posts
    25,941
    Mentioned
    111 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    556306
    This whole thing was a ruse to force people to listen to the Manics.

  14. #14
    I'm always watching you.. MMH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Posts
    34,174
    Mentioned
    131 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    236457
    I have an odd history with the Manic Street Preachers, I have always been a fan but have never totally been in to them at the same time. I have seen them live 5 times, never as the main act, always as support or lower down in a festival card and have managed to miss Design for Life (not quite my favourite song of theirs but deffo one to sing along to) every time I have seen them either by being in the toilet or being at the bar....

    I was looking forward to Rosk's selection as I think from the list of people involved in this project he is the one who I have the most similar taste.

    And its fair to say I was not disappointed as he has hit it out of the park with this one....

    Quite simply one of the greatest albums of the 90s, maybe even of all time.

    Probably one of the lesser known Manic's albums in terms of mainstream publicity (everyone knows the album cover I would imagine...)

    What I love about this album is it works on a couple of levels like most Manic Street Preacher albums. On the surface it's your typical 90's British alt rock album, the songs although not known in the main, are familiar, you can pop the album on in the background and just tap along to it without giving it any thought.

    On the other hand if you listen more closely this is a DARK album. There is a bit of political commentary in here as you would expect from the band and songs about prostitution, the holocaust and serial killers shouldn't lead to a fun sounding album but they somehow pull off some powerful lyrics without sounding too miserable (something I think they were guilty of later on in their career).

    But the darkest part, almost somewhat morbid in fact is the fact that most of the album just takes Richey Edwards head and cracks it wide open, the ramblings of a suffering man Listening to the album too closely can actually be quite a hard task as there is some very personal and out there stuff lyric wise which makes it well worth the effort.

    I will probably bounce all over the place giving my thoughts on The Holy Bible as I know it well so wont be listing my thoughts track by track as such like the others...

    The album starts off with a tremendous riff reminiscent of late 70's early 80's alt rock/punk bands like Wire or even Husker Du and I love it. They don't waste any time at all in showing where this album is going, they drop a C bomb on the 4th word and the main refrain of the opening track "Yes" is "He's a boy, you want a girl so tear off his cock" but what I find fantastic is the fact that it doesn't make you sit up and think "there is no need for that", I am quite a prude on the sly, instead you just keep listening as its good and the song has a message to portray, and then just one throw away personal line hits its mark, "Everyone I've loved or hated always seems to leave". Christ...

    Going into "Of Walking Abortion" I am wondering to myself why I have not listened to this album for a decent while. I remember my mate from school (and co RFF team manager, before it was RFF obviously) Pilko giving me this album on a cassette to listen to one summer and I didn't leave my room for days. I kind of miss the days of discovering music like that so this thread has been great so far for that kind of thing.

    White America (effort typing the full title) is still totally relevant almost 20 years later and what a tune. More alt/punk rock stuff a proper dirty almost sexual song.

    4st 7lb what to say about this one? I think its the least enjoyable brilliant song ever if that makes sense? It is obviously a massive shout to Richey's anorexia problems (I think 4st 7lb is the target weight nobody wants as it means you are pretty much fucked right?) and as such the lyrics make it really hard to listen to but its fucking brilliant too. I just feel really weird singing along to it (which I always do) when it has such a dark personal meaning. Depending on my mood I have this down as the best song the Manics have ever done (Their cover of Suicide is Painless doesn't count as they didn't write it..) There is sadness, a weird dark humour, anger, resentment, pity and every other emotion you can fit into a song. It's an epic song.

    Out of the three songs that charted from the album "She is Suffering" is probably the most accessible, it is a typical Manic Street Preachers song sound wise.

    I always remember Faster from their Top of the Pops performance where James Dean Bradfield got a load of bad feedback for wearing a balaclava whilst performing the song. Thank god nothing else dodgy ever happened on the set of TOTP eh? I love Faster its a proper rock song with some interesting lyrics that Bradfield spits out almost in Lydon (PIL era) fashion.

    The third charting single from the album Revol follows a similar suit, grindy punk music with more Lydon style lyrics with quite an impressive list of dictators being spat out. It's probably the weaker of the 3 "known" songs but its still very good.

    I said in the album Simon posted that I don't really like "skits" between songs, skits is certainly the wrong word for the intros to most of the songs on the album but they are really good in this case. The news footage from the Yorkshire killer case before Archives of Pain is chilling and sets up the song brilliantly.

    Mausoleum is a grower. I remember not really liking this song originally. I thought it was fine but nothing special. The more I listened to it though the more I loved its subtle shifts in speed and the constant, almost menacing guitar track that pumps throughout the song.

    Die in the Summertime is similar to 4st 7lbs in it being a very personal and quite horrific insight into Richey's state of mind. I dont think it's as strong a song as 4st 7lbs but it has a grimmer message about self abuse and suicidal thoughts and looking back to brighter times. Knowing Richey's story after the event (and indeed at the time, he never really hid his feelings) makes it a hard listen.

    Was never a huge fan of "The Intense Humming of Evil". I think I was let down by it having the greatest name of any song ever but not quite delivering. It's a very strong attempt at making something different but it doesn't quite deliver. It's still good, it just doesn't stand up to the rest of the album for me.

    This Is Yesterday is brilliant. Lovely upbeat pop tune with a dark underbelly (again!) The opening two lines "Do not listen to a word I sayJust listen to what I can keep silent" show the genius at work here. Good tunes and meaning, how music should be.

    I think that just leaves me with PCP. A fantastic merging of punk, rock and pop. All that I love about the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Husker Du, Wire but with a singer who could sing. It's a fucking great song.

    So cheers Rosk, you just took me back twenty years to when times where much easier (for me anyway, maybe not for the band) and I now have a huge nostalgia rush. I forgot how much I loved this album and this era in general and I have just enjoyed the past hour (which is rare for me to say recently) listening to it immensely.

    Some albums are good, some are great, for me the Holy Bible is more than that, its essential listening not only to people who enjoy music but people who have an ounce of humanity in them. ts dark, its powerful, its eminently listenable and to me I would even go so far as saying they should teach this shit in schools. Listening to it can tell you more than reading a bunch of books on similar topics.

    Seminal stuff.

  15. #15
    The Rosk
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by MMH View Post
    I have an odd history with the Manic Street Preachers, I have always been a fan but have never totally been in to them at the same time. I have seen them live 5 times, never as the main act, always as support or lower down in a festival card and have managed to miss Design for Life (not quite my favourite song of theirs but deffo one to sing along to) every time I have seen them either by being in the toilet or being at the bar....

    I was looking forward to Rosk's selection as I think from the list of people involved in this project he is the one who I have the most similar taste.

    And its fair to say I was not disappointed as he has hit it out of the park with this one....

    Quite simply one of the greatest albums of the 90s, maybe even of all time.

    Probably one of the lesser known Manic's albums in terms of mainstream publicity (everyone knows the album cover I would imagine...)

    What I love about this album is it works on a couple of levels like most Manic Street Preacher albums. On the surface it's your typical 90's British alt rock album, the songs although not known in the main, are familiar, you can pop the album on in the background and just tap along to it without giving it any thought.

    On the other hand if you listen more closely this is a DARK album. There is a bit of political commentary in here as you would expect from the band and songs about prostitution, the holocaust and serial killers shouldn't lead to a fun sounding album but they somehow pull off some powerful lyrics without sounding too miserable (something I think they were guilty of later on in their career).

    But the darkest part, almost somewhat morbid in fact is the fact that most of the album just takes Richey Edwards head and cracks it wide open, the ramblings of a suffering man Listening to the album too closely can actually be quite a hard task as there is some very personal and out there stuff lyric wise which makes it well worth the effort.

    I will probably bounce all over the place giving my thoughts on The Holy Bible as I know it well so wont be listing my thoughts track by track as such like the others...

    The album starts off with a tremendous riff reminiscent of late 70's early 80's alt rock/punk bands like Wire or even Husker Du and I love it. They don't waste any time at all in showing where this album is going, they drop a C bomb on the 4th word and the main refrain of the opening track "Yes" is "He's a boy, you want a girl so tear off his cock" but what I find fantastic is the fact that it doesn't make you sit up and think "there is no need for that", I am quite a prude on the sly, instead you just keep listening as its good and the song has a message to portray, and then just one throw away personal line hits its mark, "Everyone I've loved or hated always seems to leave". Christ...

    Going into "Of Walking Abortion" I am wondering to myself why I have not listened to this album for a decent while. I remember my mate from school (and co RFF team manager, before it was RFF obviously) Pilko giving me this album on a cassette to listen to one summer and I didn't leave my room for days. I kind of miss the days of discovering music like that so this thread has been great so far for that kind of thing.

    White America (effort typing the full title) is still totally relevant almost 20 years later and what a tune. More alt/punk rock stuff a proper dirty almost sexual song.

    4st 7lb what to say about this one? I think its the least enjoyable brilliant song ever if that makes sense? It is obviously a massive shout to Richey's anorexia problems (I think 4st 7lb is the target weight nobody wants as it means you are pretty much fucked right?) and as such the lyrics make it really hard to listen to but its fucking brilliant too. I just feel really weird singing along to it (which I always do) when it has such a dark personal meaning. Depending on my mood I have this down as the best song the Manics have ever done (Their cover of Suicide is Painless doesn't count as they didn't write it..) There is sadness, a weird dark humour, anger, resentment, pity and every other emotion you can fit into a song. It's an epic song.

    Out of the three songs that charted from the album "She is Suffering" is probably the most accessible, it is a typical Manic Street Preachers song sound wise.

    I always remember Faster from their Top of the Pops performance where James Dean Bradfield got a load of bad feedback for wearing a balaclava whilst performing the song. Thank god nothing else dodgy ever happened on the set of TOTP eh? I love Faster its a proper rock song with some interesting lyrics that Bradfield spits out almost in Lydon (PIL era) fashion.

    The third charting single from the album Revol follows a similar suit, grindy punk music with more Lydon style lyrics with quite an impressive list of dictators being spat out. It's probably the weaker of the 3 "known" songs but its still very good.

    I said in the album Simon posted that I don't really like "skits" between songs, skits is certainly the wrong word for the intros to most of the songs on the album but they are really good in this case. The news footage from the Yorkshire killer case before Archives of Pain is chilling and sets up the song brilliantly.

    Mausoleum is a grower. I remember not really liking this song originally. I thought it was fine but nothing special. The more I listened to it though the more I loved its subtle shifts in speed and the constant, almost menacing guitar track that pumps throughout the song.

    Die in the Summertime is similar to 4st 7lbs in it being a very personal and quite horrific insight into Richey's state of mind. I dont think it's as strong a song as 4st 7lbs but it has a grimmer message about self abuse and suicidal thoughts and looking back to brighter times. Knowing Richey's story after the event (and indeed at the time, he never really hid his feelings) makes it a hard listen.

    Was never a huge fan of "The Intense Humming of Evil". I think I was let down by it having the greatest name of any song ever but not quite delivering. It's a very strong attempt at making something different but it doesn't quite deliver. It's still good, it just doesn't stand up to the rest of the album for me.

    This Is Yesterday is brilliant. Lovely upbeat pop tune with a dark underbelly (again!) The opening two lines "Do not listen to a word I sayJust listen to what I can keep silent" show the genius at work here. Good tunes and meaning, how music should be.

    I think that just leaves me with PCP. A fantastic merging of punk, rock and pop. All that I love about the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Husker Du, Wire but with a singer who could sing. It's a fucking great song.

    So cheers Rosk, you just took me back twenty years to when times where much easier (for me anyway, maybe not for the band) and I now have a huge nostalgia rush. I forgot how much I loved this album and this era in general and I have just enjoyed the past hour (which is rare for me to say recently) listening to it immensely.

    Some albums are good, some are great, for me the Holy Bible is more than that, its essential listening not only to people who enjoy music but people who have an ounce of humanity in them. ts dark, its powerful, its eminently listenable and to me I would even go so far as saying they should teach this shit in schools. Listening to it can tell you more than reading a bunch of books on similar topics.

    Seminal stuff.
    Loved reading this and getting your take on it. Thank you.

    Really love 4st7lbs - yes, that's the weight that it becomes impossible not to die or something.

    Lyrics:


    How Bradfield made this such a beautiful effort musically with these as a backdrop is beyond me. Genius.
    Last edited by The Rosk; July 31st, 2019 at 6:33 PM.

  16. #16
    Intercontinental Champion Melly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    2,479
    Mentioned
    109 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    721964
    canada
    Listening tomorrow.

  17. #17
    Banned
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    54,201
    Blog Entries
    2
    Mentioned
    51 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    0
    usa
    This is the first record so far that I don't think I have heard. Will check it out tonight.

  18. #18
    Simon
    Guest
    I came into this with a knowledge of MSP's commercial releases but no real opinion on them either way. This album feels alien and yet weirdly familiar, the overall tone and James Dean Bradfield's voice are unmistakably Manics, but it has a dirty sound to it that sounds a little bit grunge to me. Yes is just barmy, a tune that sounds like something from the indie pop era of a decade later but with these bizarre, self-loathing lyrics. Both are great in their own right, but I don't think they go together at all. Maybe that's more about my expectations though, I associate 'difficult' lyrics with difficult music in general, so it seems weird to hear a tune you could imagine being played on Radio 1 with a bloke singing about chopping off someone's cock.

    The next song...stupid title, obviously. Now this sounds like something completely different - at times it doesn't even sound like Bradfield to me. Love the tune and the lyrics, although I had to look them up as they weren't easy to follow. I'm guessing it's deliberately given the theme, but this sounded like a much more American tune.

    A couple of songs that I found to be tedious dirge, then Archives Of Pain which has a fantastic driving riff, and really has an epic feel to it. A chorus comprised entirely of the names of mass murderers is a bold move, but it somehow worked. Revol sent me in another direction again, the drums reminded me of Incubus, which is not something I expected to be saying. Wasn't a fan of this one at first, the filter detracted from the soul in Bradfield's voice, but as it went on I began to enjoy it more, and this was the first time I was hearing something I recognised as a typical Manics song.

    4st 7lbs...Christ that brief voiceover at the start is heartbreaking. Another one where it feels like a typical radio rock song until you tune into the lyrics, horribly bleak and depressing.

    Will come back to the second half later.

  19. #19
    Intercontinental Champion Melly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    2,479
    Mentioned
    109 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    721964
    canada
    So very dark...the whole thing with Edwards makes it even worse. Beautiful voice. Reminds me of Queen's Mercury. I like the beats a lot too. Good choice, something completely new for me.

    A few songs in right now. I'll listen more later.

  20. #20
    Intercontinental Champion Melly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    2,479
    Mentioned
    109 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    721964
    canada
    So sorry leaving on a trip today, didn't have time to listen to the full album!

  21. #21
    Defiance is a four letter
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    word spelt with a finger
    Posts
    29,806
    Mentioned
    102 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    1048500
    I am purity. They call me perverted.

    I'm in Brighton right now, waiting for Kylie to pop on stage. I listened to most of the album in the car in the way up with my best friend, who is possibly the second biggest Manics fan (after Rosk) talking to me about meanings behind lyrics, Richie's troubles etc.

    It's difficult to listen to. It's also fucking wonderful.

  22. #22
    KIKI MUTEMBE BBF's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Viking Country
    Posts
    35,664
    Mentioned
    287 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    443559
    Similarly to Simon I was aware of MSP and have more than likely shouted A Design For Life with my mates in a shithole club in Southampton but that was it really. I wasn't aware of any backstory, I couldn't even tell you the lead singers name.

    But FUCK ME I know them now. I've been down the rabbit hole with this album and the band, searching for loads of info. I'm not going to review song by song because I don't think I can do it justice but the album as a whole is...I'm not sure what the word is. It feels wrong to call it great or amazing or incredible because its not. Not because of the work that went into it or the music or the lyrics but because it felt like it was personal. It felt like a little bit of 4 blokes instead of an album.

    The feeling you get from songs like 4st 7lb doesn't really have a word. Richey's awareness that he has a problem and the acceptance he has of it almost turns it into a positive, as though he's got something over everyone else. but at the same time its harrowing.

    Again I can't say I enjoyed it because can you enjoy something like that? And I'm not sure I'll ever play the album again because its a lot but the amount I'm taking from the album is probably more than I've taken from any other. Its all a bit at the front of my mind at the moment.

    A really interesting choice, Rosk and I guess...thank you for it.

  23. #23
    Turning back time Kdestiny's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    We haven’t become anything — we simply are as we are
    Posts
    21,134
    Mentioned
    330 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    1167179
    usa
    Most of these I have listened in the background (or attempted to) while doing other things.

    For this one I listened through it, and freaking loved it but felt like I didn't listen to it the right way. So I am going to definitely give this one a more detailed breakdown. Probably by Monday, closing a show this weekend. This is really interesting stuff though and super glad I was introduced to it

  24. #24
    WWF Champion
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Posts
    25,941
    Mentioned
    111 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    556306
    Some of this I like and some I don't really care for. Their lyrics are far better than the music IMO. More details tomorrow.

  25. #25
    Football manager? Peter Griffin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Completed it mate!
    Posts
    23,481
    Mentioned
    240 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    1495104
    uk
    Just putting this here to remind myself to listen tomorrow

  26. #26
    The Rosk
    Guest
    Awaiting feedback from @Canuck @GOLDBERG’S BEST FRIEND @Peter Griffin @MikeHunt @Morrison @Donald @Cewsh

    More coming from @Simon, possibly @JP and @kdestiny and @Melly hopefully.

    The next person will be informed shortly.

  27. #27
    Turning back time Kdestiny's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    We haven’t become anything — we simply are as we are
    Posts
    21,134
    Mentioned
    330 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    1167179
    usa
    Yup, getting another listen in today!

  28. #28
    Not asleep The Beer Monster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    10,048
    Mentioned
    59 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    237267
    uk
    I won’t go track by track dissecting how the drums are bangy and the guitars are made of strings, but I will give my general impression.
    I wasn’t as familiar with this album as I first thought, I guess I like my Manics a little more accessible.
    I can’t imagine many people saw a Glastonbury headline slot 5 years in the future for them when this came out. Saying that though, I do like the album. Faster is the track I know the best, it was on an excellent compilation album called Rocks Off which I played to death.
    The thing that really stands out the most to me is James Dean Bradfield’s ability to take lyrics that when you read them, seem to lack any musicality and actually sing them.
    I wonder if Richey was still in the band where they would have gone?

  29. #29
    The Rosk
    Guest
    I DID IT I GOT THE FUCKING BEER MONSTER TO LIKE AN ALBUM

    IM RETIRING

  30. #30
    Not asleep The Beer Monster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    10,048
    Mentioned
    59 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    237267
    uk
    Rocks Off is better though.

  31. #31
    The Rosk
    Guest
    Honestly no idea where they would have gone had Richey not disappeared. I feel the whole situation mellowed them out afterwards. They’d still sing about stuff like the Spanish Civil War, rape and suicidal Pulitzer Prize winners, but it was never as dark as this - and without the rather graphic lyrics which would hold them back from getting on TOTP every other month.

  32. #32
    World Champion Donald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    25,552
    Mentioned
    440 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    3153132
    usa
    Listening now @The Rosk. Will have my thoughts up soon.

  33. #33
    Football manager? Peter Griffin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Completed it mate!
    Posts
    23,481
    Mentioned
    240 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    1495104
    uk
    Right then, Obviously I have heard of the manics and am familiar with there bigger hits but outside of that, Clueless. Rosks description however filled in the personal element to them especially Richie and his issues, That for sure adds a whole different layer to their music.

    Having said I knew nothing outside the hits, Somehow the whole of this album seemed instantly familiar and I loved near enough every second.
    To pick a few out as favourites I woud say:

    Yes, Archives of pain, Faster, This is yesterday and Die in the summertimee with the last three being a great stretch at the back end of the album.

    8/10

  34. #34
    World Champion Donald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    25,552
    Mentioned
    440 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    3153132
    usa
    Really didn't enjoy this album until the final four tracks. My word This Is Yesterday was brilliant. I was listening at work and that was the song that got me hooked.

    I've heard of the Manic Street Preachers, but honestly have never, ever heard anything by them. I was excited when I saw theis week's pick as it gave me an excuse to finally put them on. Not too impressed, but I have a feeling this may be one of those albums I didn't like too much at first, but it will slowly grow on me over time. Definitely going to add this to my list of albums to listen to more often.

    I'd give it 5/10, 3/10 for first half, and 8/10 for the second half.

  35. #35
    World Champion
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    17,139
    Mentioned
    25 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    39306
    Quote Originally Posted by The Rosk View Post
    Awaiting feedback from @Canuck @GOLDBERG’S BEST FRIEND @Peter Griffin @MikeHunt @Morrison @Donald @Cewsh

    More coming from @Simon, possibly @JP and @kdestiny and @Melly hopefully.

    The next person will be informed shortly.
    I've listened a few times. Still digesting it, I think. I'll try to get some thoughts together tonight.

  36. #36
    Turning back time Kdestiny's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    We haven’t become anything — we simply are as we are
    Posts
    21,134
    Mentioned
    330 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    1167179
    usa
    Yes is a really good way to start it. It was perfect to get me lured in and (Somewhat) ready for the rest of the album.

    Ifwhiteamerica... was a really nice change up and set the tone I think for the rest of the album. One of the most interesting things of this album is how it switches back and forth between major and minor keys. I love it even music, or any form of entertainment, takes you on a true journey and the style and lyrics really takes you through it.

    Wasn't the biggest fan of Abortion. It was fine, but was a level before the rest in my opinion.

    A lot of the rest reflects my current thoughts. Right when it starts to feel repetitive they change things up in some way. It is interesting to the ear and continues to do so.

    Standouts for me were White America, 4st 7lb, and PCP. The entirety of the album is very good though because it flows really well and I didn't really tire of listening to it.

    Very well done

  37. #37
    World Champion
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    17,139
    Mentioned
    25 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    39306
    Ok, let's see...

    My first go around on the album was mostly for the music. I found the lyrics hard to pick out which may have been the accent to an extent, but also because Richey seems to sing words at varying lengths which I had to pay more attention to. It was different for every track, but I found it fairly easy to ignore what was actually being said/sung throughout the album. So strictly from a musical point of view I was a fan. Love the riffs.


    When I sat down and actually listened (and read along) to the lyrics, a lot of the songs changed for me. What I sometimes thought were boppy, upbeat songs, now had a much darker undertone. I've been listening to a lot of Scott Hutchison's work over the years (will probably show up in one of my selections), so I thought I'd have an idea of what I was in for. I expected subtle but from what I've gotten through so far it is a bit (a lot) sombre. It doesn't necessarily take anything away from the music apart from finding some lyrics choppy at times, just changes perspective a little. I've still got a few songs I haven't researched, but I don't think it's going to get much happier.

    Also, I don't really have a lot of music to compare with, but listening to this album did bring me back to my Billy Talent loving days for some reason.

  38. #38
    WWF Champion
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Posts
    25,941
    Mentioned
    111 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    556306
    Too drunk to do a proper review but Yes, ifwhiteamerica..., She is Suffering, Revol and PCP all get thumbs up. Good album. Thanks The Rosk.

  39. #39
    Football manager? Peter Griffin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Completed it mate!
    Posts
    23,481
    Mentioned
    240 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    1495104
    uk
    Weekday drinking, I like your style.

  40. #40
    WWF Champion
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Posts
    25,941
    Mentioned
    111 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    556306
    In Greece mate

    - - - Updated - - -

    Not that I don't do it in Scotland. It's just that I'm on 'holiday' so I can 'drink' 'more' '.'

  41. #41
    The Thinking Man's Idiot Simmo Fortyone's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Andre giant once eat kid hot dog at arena. He then laugh. I never forgive that fat motherfucker for that
    Posts
    19,710
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    284641
    Gave this a listen. My only familiarity with this band was This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours because If You Tolerate This... was a mid-sized hit here, so I had them pegged as a soft-ish rock band.

    I was not prepared at all for how many bangers were on this album, wowee. Ended up listening to Everything Must Go and Gold Against The Soul immediately after. And after reading through this thread I'm going to go back and listen to them all again and pay closer attention to the lyrics.

  42. #42
    the Omniscient Grimario's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    'straya
    Posts
    26,989
    Mentioned
    54 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    261144
    australia
    My usual music choices are phenomenal musicianship, fantastic vocals or banging singalong tunes. This is none of that. It's not even good background music to me. The vocals aren't good at all and there's nothing to singalong to. It's not until you actually read the lyrics (since some of them aren't exactly clear) that you realise the brilliance of it all.

    I don't think this will be in my regular rotation. The album is so bleak and I would have to be in a very specific frame of mind to want to put it on. I might not even listen to it again but I can certainly appreciate how good it is.

    Cheers Rosk, this has been the pick of the first 5 weeks.

  43. #43
    The Rosk
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by kdestiny View Post
    Yes is a really good way to start it. It was perfect to get me lured in and (Somewhat) ready for the rest of the album.

    Ifwhiteamerica... was a really nice change up and set the tone I think for the rest of the album. One of the most interesting things of this album is how it switches back and forth between major and minor keys. I love it even music, or any form of entertainment, takes you on a true journey and the style and lyrics really takes you through it.

    Wasn't the biggest fan of Abortion. It was fine, but was a level before the rest in my opinion.

    A lot of the rest reflects my current thoughts. Right when it starts to feel repetitive they change things up in some way. It is interesting to the ear and continues to do so.

    Standouts for me were White America, 4st 7lb, and PCP. The entirety of the album is very good though because it flows really well and I didn't really tire of listening to it.

    Very well done
    Quote Originally Posted by Simmo Fortyone View Post
    Gave this a listen. My only familiarity with this band was This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours because If You Tolerate This... was a mid-sized hit here, so I had them pegged as a soft-ish rock band.

    I was not prepared at all for how many bangers were on this album, wowee. Ended up listening to Everything Must Go and Gold Against The Soul immediately after. And after reading through this thread I'm going to go back and listen to them all again and pay closer attention to the lyrics.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grimario View Post
    My usual music choices are phenomenal musicianship, fantastic vocals or banging singalong tunes. This is none of that. It's not even good background music to me. The vocals aren't good at all and there's nothing to singalong to. It's not until you actually read the lyrics (since some of them aren't exactly clear) that you realise the brilliance of it all.

    I don't think this will be in my regular rotation. The album is so bleak and I would have to be in a very specific frame of mind to want to put it on. I might not even listen to it again but I can certainly appreciate how good it is.

    Cheers Rosk, this has been the pick of the first 5 weeks.
    Cheers guys, that oddly means a lot. Glad you found it interesting.

  44. #44
    Legend Mik's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2001
    Posts
    72,312
    Mentioned
    55 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    359625
    Quote Originally Posted by Grimario View Post
    My usual music choices are phenomenal musicianship, fantastic vocals or banging singalong tunes. This is none of that. It's not even good background music to me. The vocals aren't good at all and there's nothing to singalong to. It's not until you actually read the lyrics (since some of them aren't exactly clear) that you realise the brilliance of it all.

    I don't think this will be in my regular rotation. The album is so bleak and I would have to be in a very specific frame of mind to want to put it on. I might not even listen to it again but I can certainly appreciate how good it is.

    Cheers Rosk, this has been the pick of the first 5 weeks.
    I think that I agree with most of what Grimario has said, but with less effusive praise. I listened to the album 4 times through, the first two times were on a shuffle, the third in chronological order and the fourth was listening to the album while reading the lyrics. The songs definitely grew on me over those different listens and the final listen with the lyrics certainly helped contextualise a lot of them, there are a good few that I sing along in my head after they have finished. However, it's just not necessarily my kind of music, I felt that it was too lyrical based and not enough to do with the musicianship and the arrangement of the songs. Sometimes it feels like they are just trying to cram as many words into a line as possible, which makes it really difficult to hear what they are singing.

    I didn't grow up listening to this, so it never spoke to me and I kind of knew the story of Richie without really caring that much for the band, so that didn't resonate too strongly. Generally irrepressibly bleak is not necessarily what I'm looking for from music, unless the grimness is contrasted with a tune that I find catchy and engaging, whereas I didn't find these to be a case of that. I was impressed by the heart and rage and passion and sadness, the lyrics drip with it all, but I just don't love the music.

    I didn't dislike it by any means and I will keep listening to the album, but it just didn't capture me the same was as it has so many of the rest of you on here.

  45. #45
    The Rosk
    Guest
    We should all agree to not listen to albums on shuffle I reckon. Imagine listening to Abbey Road on shuffle. Hurley even mentioned the other week that he accidentally listened to a person's choice on shuffle and it was better when he listened to it in order.

    BE CAREFUL WITH THE SHUFFLE ON SPOTIFY BOYS AND GIRL

  46. #46
    Intercontinental Champion Melly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    2,479
    Mentioned
    109 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    721964
    canada
    So sorry, on vacation! I can review later this week.

  47. #47
    Donde esta la biblioteca Pablo Diablo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
    Location
    Canada, Eh?
    Posts
    27,438
    Mentioned
    263 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    1066362
    canada
    So once again I did an initial blind listen then read the posts in here and listened again along with the lyrics. I think going forward that's the ideal way for me to listen to these. For this album it was very important as the first time through I could barely understand what was being sung. The guitar for many of the songs having the right tone was basically all I took away to begin with. Then when I listened to it again with the lyrics in front of me, especially sitting down at a computer instead of my phone so it was easy to click on the genius annotations for all the references changed the album completely.

    Fuck me is it a heavy album. 4st 7lb was probably my favourite of the bunch. Loved the way the music slowed down for the final verse a bit obvious sure, but loved it all the same. They didn't all hit home for me but I'd probably say the majority of them affected me in some way once I understood what was being said. I've never really listened to them before and from what you say this album isn't really indicative of their later work but either way I probably wouldn't have listened to it without your recommendation so kudos for that. I probably also wouldn't listen to the album again not just because of how without having the lyrics in front of me I don't think I'd be able to pick up what's being said but because it's just too damn heavy.

    Also P.C.P. would probably be a favourite based on the content for some people on these boards. Hell almost felt like a targeted attack on mods. That's why you tagged us to fix your "Accidentally put the wrong week" isn't it. Hah.

  48. #48
    World Champion
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    17,139
    Mentioned
    25 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    39306
    It's like you're listening to an album in a foreign language and thinking "yeah, fun, loving this" and then someone translates...

  49. #49
    Intercontinental Champion Melly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    2,479
    Mentioned
    109 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    721964
    canada
    Home now! Will finish album & review tomorrow!

  50. #50
    you either die a hero... Morrison's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    or live long enough to see yourself become a dumdum.
    Posts
    27,450
    Mentioned
    198 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    1634110
    so admittedly i've really neglected british rock music post-late 1970's pretty heavily, outside of the new wave of heavy metal, for whatever reason. big acts from the 80's like the cure, duran duran, the clash, the pogues, joy division, new order, the smiths, primal scream and the stone roses just didn't connect, and something about britpop of the 90's activated a slight musical gag reflex in me. i don't know that i could ever really put a reason for it down in words, it was more just feelings. or i guess more so the things i DIDN'T feel when listening to these acts. they felt distinctly removed from me and the space i occupied in the world at the times i ever tried getting into them. i think maybe you could chalk it up to cultural differences spanning across the pond, but older british acts didn't seem to have that trouble for me, so why should these newer ones? it's always been one of the things about my musical tastes i've found curious.

    my last couple years of high school and through to my early 20's, a friend of mine was super into the cure, to the point of her getting a big lower back piece inspired by the band. she was also big into the british post-punk and goth rock acts like the psychedelic furs and bauhaus. music was a mutual love of ours, so she tried, most times in vain, to get me into these bands. she managed to turn me around on the cure, but that was about the extent of it. little over a decade ago, another friend of mine, who i've since lost contact with, loved britpop. pulp, blur, suede, elastica, oasis and a lot of post-britpop from the early to mid-2000's. like before, try as she might, i just wasn't receptive.

    in the years between then and now, the only real exception to this managed to be morrissey's solo stuff. having really disliked what i had heard of the smiths when i tried them, i was quite shocked by him managing to be the one to slip through the cracks.

    i'd heard of the manic street preachers, but i think it's pretty safe to assume i never bothered trying them. i certainly lumped them in with every other britpop band that never blipped my radar, so this selection was the first one we've had where i was like 'oh no...' i was certainly open to listening, i just put the cart before the horse and was expecting the same outcome, so it felt like an impending exercise in futility.

    i think i might have to pave over and redo my foundation building process for britpop and britpop-adjacent acts, if this album is anything to go by. i really do think i had some less than stellar reactions to some stuff and painted the ever loving hell out of most everything even slightly whiffing the same area with the same brush. i truly don't know what i was expecting to hear when i hit play on this album, but it certainly wasn't what actually came through my headphones. you can hear the overt joe strummer influences right off the bat. it comes right out of the gate feeling bombastic and exuberant, almost celebratory; a stark contrast to how dark a lot of it's subject matter is. i keep coming back around to 'yes,' whether it be to listen to again or because i'm playing the chorus in my head while waking up or doing any number of other menial tasks throughout my day. it's one of the greatest opening tracks to an album i've ever heard. such an openly painful album, presented so vividly with bracing and invigorating high energy, is quite the musical unicorn, and when done like this, one worth taking up a white whale over. it's funny that an album that, at the time, was deemed 'too english' for an american audience is one that effects me as much as it does. despair is universal.

    the second half of the album doesn't necessarily blow my hair back as much as the first six tracks do, but boy, do those first six put in work. 'yes' is my absolute favorite track on the album, by a wide margin. i love the sing-songy vocals on 'of walking abortion.' the influence of grunge, namely nirvana, comes through on 'archive of pain' in a big way. those are definitely my top three standouts.

    much like melly's bjork choice, i'm finding out that i enjoy when selections move the needle for me in some unexpected way.

  51. #51
    the Omniscient Grimario's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    'straya
    Posts
    26,989
    Mentioned
    54 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    261144
    australia
    I think Morrison and Beer Monster reviews are the highlight of this activity.

  52. #52
    Not asleep The Beer Monster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    10,048
    Mentioned
    59 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    237267
    uk
    I can’t imagine not liking Brit pop, I feel lucky to have grown up at a time when there was so much great music coming from here. I understand if you grew up elsewhere I guess, but still my brain has a little trouble thinking people hated it.

    Slight side point, The Manics are Welsh, so never going to sound “too English”

  53. #53
    Intercontinental Champion Melly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    2,479
    Mentioned
    109 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    721964
    canada
    Haha I can listen to it this week

  54. #54
    Donde esta la biblioteca Pablo Diablo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
    Location
    Canada, Eh?
    Posts
    27,438
    Mentioned
    263 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    1066362
    canada

  55. #55
    The Rosk
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Melly View Post
    Haha I can listen to it this week
    She bloody lies lads. Once she's done Bjork she can't be arsed anymore, what a bastard.

  56. #56
    The Rosk
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Pablo Diablo View Post
    “I think that if a Holy Bible is true, it should be about the way the world is,” Edwards told a Swedish television station in 1994. “That’s what I think my lyrics are about … [the album] doesn’t pretend things don’t exist.” It’s that simultaneously abrasive and fragile quality—an escape from escapism, a denial of denial—that still rings out on every track. In a moment when the vast majority of rock music has deliberately evacuated any pretense of seriousness or larger meaning, The Holy Bible seems like an ancient relic: a towering monument to displeasure. It is hard to say, exactly, who an album like this for. But it is undoubtedly, for real.

    Fuck me, I wish I could write like this. Thank you
    Last edited by The Rosk; September 3rd, 2019 at 12:46 PM.

  57. #57
    Intercontinental Champion Melly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    2,479
    Mentioned
    109 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    721964
    canada
    Quote Originally Posted by The Rosk View Post
    She bloody lies lads. Once she's done Bjork she can't be arsed anymore, what a bastard.
    I've listened to some! I just never went back to this one. #notsorry haha

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •