Jubilee Offer: Patriotic Classics for £2.50 |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The first album the Manics wrote entirely as a three piece was the first to gain a large portion of criticism, both from the press and their own fans, seen by many as veering dangerously towards MOR territory. Certainly, the lyrics "The world is full of refugees / They're just like you and just like me" from "The Everlasting" is a bit Phil Collins, and "S.Y.M.M". (about the Hillsborough disaster), while an important subject, comes across as something Nicky Wire wanted to approach but had no idea how to. Still, "Tsunami" about the two infamous silent Welsh twins locked up for petty crime, is majestic and sweeping, while "Ready For Drowning" takes on Wire's feelings for his birthplace, Wales, and "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next", taking it's cue from Orwell's Homage To Catalonia discusses the Spanish Civil War with beautiful melancholy. It may be the Manics' least brilliant album, but it's still better than most of its contemporaries. -Emma Johnston
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
to say the manics do not vary their music is like saying the manics are garbage. this proves to be the most mature and varied album they have produced. it is an album that you would never get tired of listening to. the stand-out tracks are 'you stole the sun...', 'i'm not working', 'be natural' and 'tsunami'. a very progessed album
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Contrary to popular opinion, the Manics' most successful album is also one of their finest and a very worthy addition to their canon. It saw the band building on Everything Must Go with a more diverse selection of songs incorporating string sections, piano, organ, cello and sitar, among various other instruments. Overfamiliarity may now burden singles such as 'If you Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next' and 'You Stole the Sun from my Heart', but there are many more gems to unearth such as 'My Little Empire', which is as dark and disturbing as anything on The Holy Bible in terms of lyrical content, albeit in a palatable form. 'Black Dog on my Shoulder' and 'Ready for Drowning' are two stunningly observed compositions whose lyrics take on dual meanings, soundtracked by some of the most accomplished music the band produced. After this musical pinnacle, it is understandable that the band went in the opposite direction for 2001's raw follow up Know Your Enemy.
Despite its reputation as being too radio-friendly for its own good, this is an album layered with thoughtful introspection and a depressive, morbid air. A theme that cuts through the album is 'the void', a phrase that Nicky Wire uses on a number of songs, and the three remaining Manics filled the void left by missing member Richey Edwards with their most dignified and mature work, which in turn remained as passionate as anything that went before it.
Too often remembered as a time of bloated arena/stadium shows and multiple Brit awards, this album is the cause not the effect.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
(I bought this album a long time ago, when it first came out with the limited edition embossed CD case -woohoo!)
Please ignore the overly negative 1 star reviews here, they are not in my opinion very balanced.
Okay, the manics started off as a brilliant young band, with the usual youthful nihilistic vision and associated political agenda. (Yes I thought Generation Terrorists was great, and still do!).
But this album sees the manics getting, alas older. The lyrics here are more reflective and there is a loss of innocence vibe pervasive in tracks like the Everlasting.
For me this is a pretty well balanced album, with a nice variety of tracks and tempo. From memory this album was recorded in the South of France, and there is a very french feel on some of the instrumentation on tracks like Born a Girl. For me very pleasing has a whole.
So please ignore the negative reviews here, all bands inevitably grow up, cannot remain young punks forever!! The important thing is that in maturing as people they continue to make great innovative music, rather than reverting to compromised dad-rock (like U2 for example!!!). This is definitely an innovative album both lyrically and musically.
So please just give it a fair audience and make up your own mind.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A great album!
I think that the reason for the love it/hate reviews that this album has generated is that many Manic fans would like this album to be devoid of any poppy sounds. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mark
MY truth about this album
Wow! I have never seen such split opinions about an album - everything from 1 to 5 stars here! And I noticed something else - every other reviewer is extremely passionate about... Read more
Published 10 months ago by theone&only
Everlasting
So many good songs. This is an amazing album with a brilliant sound. The Everlasting is the stand out track which is amazing and one of the best songs around. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Ben Nicholson
Their Most Disapointing yet
I'm a huge Manics fan but to be honest I can tell you my truth.. This album sucks, it's so poppy and mediocore I cant stand it! Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2009 by A Customer
Some Beautiful Moments
This album, along with 1996's 'Everything Must Go' brought the Manic Street Preachers firmly into the public consciousness, bringing them chart and commerical success, whilst... Read more
Published on 4 July 2007 by J. Roberts
Their best album
Was never a great fan of "Everything must go", as I felt it only had 2 or 3 great songs on it, and rest were far from being anything special! Read more
Published on 16 Mar 2007 by Mr. Clark Gillies
A beautiful album full of different moods and sounds.
The Manics are one of those bands that always seem in transition, moving from one stage to the next, like from their original glam-rock polished phase to their bleak hard-hitting... Read more
Published on 18 Jan 2006 by Mr. S. J. Jouanny
Not a bad album
this is not an appalling album as some reviewers will force you to believe. it is perhaps the most underrated album of the Manics career. Read more
Published on 6 July 2005 by James Wilkes
not so bad
i'm sorry but those of you who believe this is a crap album are wrong.
there is nothing about this album that is to dislike, i mean ok, so it might be little commercial. Read more
Published on 9 Jun 2005 by "roulettedares_thehauntof"
USELESS - AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE
This is a very rare thing - a bad Manics album. Despite the two great singles of If You Tolerate This and You Stole The Sun this album sucks! Read more
Published on 4 Nov 2004
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
