Journal for Plague Lovers [Special Edition]

It seems so long ago, 19 years ago, half my life ago, I held a copy of "Motown Junk" in my hand. In the days when vinyl held rackspace and CD's were new and shiny wonders, no internet, and four
television channels. A lifetime ago, and yet, still clearly in my mind. I had no idea what the Manics were singing then, but it felt true : the inarticulate rage of the heart and the literate fury of the soul in three minutes, raging against the placebo of dumb love songs to keep a population unquestioningly servile. The sound of a literate, questioning yoof in the wreckage of Fatcha's Britain.

Fourteen years after the Manics Year Zero - the disappearance of their guitarist and barometer Richey Edwards - their latest album "Journal For Plague Lovers" is an odd, strange beast. Taking the final batch of prose penned by Edwards in the final moments of his public life, the Manics have created a sort-of sequel to their epochal "Holy Bible". Where this differs from that is simple : "The Holy Bible" was a record of furious discipline in the face of imminent collapse, a project seemingly created to focus the mind away from the cliff edge. "Journal For Plague Lovers" is altogether less compelling, more the sound of a psyche unravelling in dense words that are some kind of jigsaw, a puzzle, an enigma that oeprates on so many levels it's more a mass musical literary achievement than anything as simple as an album.

All this relies on the music being stunning. And it is... and it isn't. There's nothing here that grabs the listener by the scruff of the neck and demands attention NOW. Not in the way that "Faster" or even "A Design For Life" commanded the listener to stop whatever they were doing and experience the roar of the sound.

But "Journal For Plague Lovers" is something more than that. It's a virus, an infection : a slow burner, a record that, like "The Holy Bible" uncurls its full depth and intricacy with repeated exposure. The first few listens it is a hard, uneasy listen, a maze, a complex, and then slowly, after a short while, the record - and it is just that a record, a document, an artifact - gels in the mind, like some kind of difficult philosophical concept. But ultimately, it rewards the dense artistry. The opening "Peeled Apples" is a tension wire, and the beyond-parody title of "Jackie Collins Existential Question Time" and "Me And Stephen Hawking" are, in many ways, clear precursors or foreshadows of our current age : a time of celebrity scrutiny, useless information overload, and morality lost in trivia. The death of a moron garners more column inches than a pandemic apocalypse, we focus on nothings whilst civilisation crumbles.

It's not "The Holy Bible 2", nor is it an instant classic. Nor is it that mythical lost 'fourth' Manics album. It is, instead, some kind of appendix. The songs are solid, strong, shorn of the instant killer hit single that birthed every Manics album before : and therefore lacking overall the sense of narrative a great album has. In one way it feels like a bunch of songs lacking a central musical theme, and in another way the theme is clear that of absence. The band are whipping up a storm around the eye of it, the calm, the missing Edwards. (As they always did, Edwards barely played on a Manics album, instead being a presence without a sound, a minister without portfolio).

The record rampages on, with occasional interegnums (breathers such as "Facing Page:Top Left" and the title track recall other, superior songs from a decade past), lacking the claustrophobic discipline of the past yet also some kind of apathetical, habitual state of war. Guitars growl, not bite. Bass sweeps but not strike. Drums seem curiously restrained. And, the central tenements of the obvious echo of "The Holy Bible", the well chosen soundbite from history, are repeated here, but here, they seem more repetition than pointed comment. The album builds slowly to some kind of exhausted crescendo, the sound of a hand letting go of a sword after a lifetime of struggle, soundtracked by semi-PiL tones and seemingly meaningless/meaningful repetitions : "It's a fact of life sunshine.", "Mummy, what's a Sex Pistol?", "Only God forgives".

And then, the coup de grace, the hammer blow. "Williams Last Words". Sung atonally by Nicky Wire, this song is a massively condensed version of Edwards final piece of prose, the reflections of a man at the end of his life, looking hopefully and fondly on those whow ill out live him, jealous in a way of their continued adventures and also at peace with the path that brough him here. The words cannot help but read like an epitah, a farewell, and wether they were Edwards intentions to exit on those notes or not, these words are an abdication. It is hard to listen to for any fan with any memory of Edwards himself.

A success, a failure, all in the end the same. "Journal For Plague Lovers" exists, a statement in itself, a closure, and a new beginning. Whilst The Manics will never reclaim their brief few years as stadium-fillers, what matters is not how many records you sell, but how much each record means to people who listen to it. Art is great not by numbers, but by the ability to communicate. And this is nothing other than a success on those terms.

I am a fan of the manics both old and new - but quite frankly, this is their best album since The Holy Bible and is set a world apart from the commercialistic 'Send Away The Tigers' and ranks in their top three albums of all time, and that is not easy to do.

It is easy to see where Richey Edward's influence comes in and the whole album is mesmerising from start to finish - a welcome return to the old Manics !

I never thought I'd see the day when the Manics made a better opening track than 'Sleepflower'. Straight away 'Peeled Apples' sucks me in - I wanted to know what the next note and word was going to be. Now having heard the song several times the track still has the same effect on me.

When the first track manages to incapsulate you I suppose you have to wonder;- how the next will compare... 'Jackie Collins Existential Question Time' is in many ways a classic Manic Street Preachers song. It's as if 'Autumn Song' gave birth. The two songs sound so similar (particularly the intro's). It's also as beautiful as 'Autumn Song'. The (what I beleive will be) infamous line "Oh mommy what's a Sex Pistol" seems to cling to my memory (as others who have found me singing the line many times will confirm). Every Album from the Manics have had an element of pop and 'Journal For Plague Lovers' is no different in that respect.

'Me And Stephen Hawking' is a song with some very strange lyrics (there is no getting away from that), but musically it's rather different. Somehow the track is very epic but also pretty slow and calm (the chorus will prove this). 'This Joke Sport Severed'. A beautiful song played acoustic with beautiful strings. Although if you prefer songs with more volume I'm sure the second half will be more to your liking.

With most people expecting a dark album reminiscent of 'The Holy Bible', this record so far makes it difficult for me to see where people's expectations came from... Until I read and hear 'She Bathed Herself In A Bath Of Bleach'. Initially it seems as if you're in for a medium paced song but before you know it the chords speed up and they launch into the chorus, then James Dean Bradfield does what he's know best for... Magnificent singing.

There's probably no song on this record as beautiful as 'Facing Page: Top Left'. For the second time an acoustic guitar is the choice. I suppose that is quite strange for the Manics and you might expect the fast dynamic of the album to be altered... But its not, this is thanks to the next track; 'Marlon J.D'. You could probably argue that it's just like most other Manics songs, but with a catchy chorus and awesome guitar solo surely 'Marlon J.D' offers something for everyone, not just Manics fans.

Richey James Edwards shows just how great his ability to write astounding poetry can be in 'Doors Closing Slowly'. Some of the verse's ("That shadow is a cross okay. Judgement must willing today. Silence is not sacrifice. Crucifixion is the easy life") make me think how people with mental health problems can often think more cleary then others, maybe thats just my opinion I don't know. Like 'Facing Page: Top Lef' this song is slow but very moving and ends with some tension.

Things are not typical as far as 'All Is Vanity' is concerned. In the verse's of the song the guitar sounds almost identical to an Artic Monkey's song (not that that's bad). Then once again the chorus changes the song dramatically. This is probably one of the best chorus' the Manics have ever made. The song is so unbelievably catchy! For the first (and last) time this album has two tracks that are very similar patched closely together. 'Pretension/Repulsion' is just as vicious as 'Peeled Apples' and 'All Is Vanity'... if not more. Again, the chorus is amazing and very catchy (despite the lyrics being quite complex), and as usual the singing is top notch.

I never thought there would have been any tracks on this release that would sound similar to songs from their 2001 album 'Know Your Enemy'. 'Virginia State Epileptic Colony' quote clearly tells me I thought wrong. The whole song apart from perhaps the pre-chorus sounds like it could have easily been on 'Know Your Enemy'. Still the song is very good and once again the singing is brilliant.

It's been eight years since Nicky Wire has taken on main vocals for a Manics album. 'William's Last Words' shows how Nicky Wire's singing has improved since then. Even though he's still not the best vocalist in the world, his clamming voice deffinitely adds something that James Dean Bradfield's voice couldn't have. Musically it tends to have the effect of uplifting you although lyrically it's rather difficult. I suppose the lyrics could be interpreted as Richey's suicide note... However you interpret the words you'll probably (surprisingly) like this song. Even though I think 'William's Last Words' is a great song I feel it's badly placed on this album. I personally think that it should have been the bonus track, intead of'Bag Lady'. I can't understand why they have put what's probably one of the best tracks on the album as a bonus track... Still, 'Bag Lady' is one of the heavier songs on the album. Parts sound very similar to 'Archieves Of Pain' from 'The Holy Bible'. The song will probably be welcomed by the old school fans.

As for this Edition you get alot for a small amount of money. The Deluxe Edition is about a pound more expensive then the standard Journal For Plague Lover album but you get more for your money. Rather than one CD you get two. One with the normal album and the other a demo version of the album.

The demos give you a great insight into how the songs progressed and how the band still experiment 24 years on. Songs like 'Marlon J.D' and 'She Bathed Herself In A Bath Of Bleach' are sung by Nicky Wire rather than James Dean Bradfield. This gives the demo version of the album more variety.

The booklet is interesting to. Lyrics and artwork all by Richey James Edwards. Reading the lyrics you will see the band have dissected his lyrics alot (unfortunately).

The only thing that lets down the Deluxe Edition is that Bag Lady (the bonus track) is not included on the normal album version or the demo album version. I can only assume it is missing because there was no demo version and the band wanted people to see the symmetry between the normal songs and then the demo versions.

This album portrays anger and aggression but still manages to stay beautiful and eloquent. Dispite that I couldn't call it a classic Manic Street Preachers record. So if you like Everything Must Go or This Is My Truth than this album my not be suited for you.

I personally think The Manic Street Preachers have reaffirmed their youth and found their voice again with this record. It's brilliant and definitely worth the buy.