Nicky Wire: Avid Dress-Wearer and Michael Stipe Hater!
Richey Edwards: Patron Saint of Thai Hookers and Razor Blades!
James Dean Bradfield: Balaclava Wearing Rude Rocker!
Sean Moore: The One That Doesnt Talk!
Yes, those Manic Street Preachers were a wild bunch, claiming to be the worlds sexiest, most intelligent band on Earth. Their debut
Generation Terrorists was an onslaught of pompous guitar riffs and solos. Despite saying that it would outsell Guns N Roses
Appetite for Destruction, the album flopped in the Slash n Axl loving USA. Their second album, an overproduced Americanized version of
Terrorists, didnt pick up that much anywhere (at least Japan loved them...) Their third album however, proved to be one of the bleakest, brilliant and unique albums of the 90s
The Holy Bible. Those three albums were the epitome of the Manics nihilistic, rebellious edge. But after their musically challenged fourth member Richey Edwards disappeared (the self-abusive, alcoholic, anorexic, rhythm guitarist dude that penned half of their lyrics and most of The Holy Bible,) the remaining three were left with the tough choice whether to continue without their good friend. They did, with bassist Nicky Wire taking over all lyrical duties. Since then, Manic Street Preachers have been less rocking, less intense music, though still fired up by politically and literarily inspired lyrics.
Lifeblood reinvents the Manics, after 2001s
Know Your Enemy a wannabe-epic-but-turns-out-disastrous album that attempted to recapture the Preachers earlier fury combined with their current Arena Rock-like sound. Most critics hated the album, it ended up sounded as an awkward attempt to mash together a ridiculous amount of songs with misplaced passion. Anyone hearing
Lifeblood for the first time that cringed at Know Your Enemy, gave a sigh of relief to this more grounded and laid back record. Manic Street Preachers didnt seem to try to simply undo the damage that Know Your Enemy had done by returning to 1998s
This is My Truth, Tell Me Yours, they unveiled a completely new Manic Street Preachers.
Lifeblood instantly hits as an easier listening album, as if Wires lyrics are sang as understatements by Bradfield compared to previous albums where his visceral voice grabbed one with an intensity.
The Love of Richard Nixon sounds like something that would be delivered with some sort of fury, but instead a smooth, cool song is delivered. Perhaps a bit too smooth. The Manics new production of squeaky clean, polished and glazed sound sucks the life out of it, making it sound too sterile. Then again, the main idea of
Lifeblood was not to make twelve tracks of energetic, pompously political songs, but to make a more introspective, personal and emotional album. Look closer and
The Love.. is actually about how people are remembered more for their bad things than good, quite misleading at a first glance. Still, the song couldve used more energy, and Richard Nixon
was a big as
shole.
The presence of New Wave style synthesizers is what sound seems to stand out the most on this album. The Love of Richard Nixon is layered with elegant backing vocals and poppy, sleek synths as the song is carried through a dance beat and bassline.
1985, arguably one of the best songs on the album, is driven purely by keyboards. Bradfields rockin guitar seemingly non-existent through the songs glamorously synthesized sound, besides the energetic outro, where his guitar sounds just as polished and dreamy. The result is a sound somewhere between the pop side of David Bowies
Low and Abba. Thats right. I said Abba. Other songs rely more on piano, or acoustic guitar to across the serene feel of the album. Theyre usually more relaxed, but equally as melodic as the synth driven songs. Songs like
Fragments arent really defined by instruments, but by its placid mood.
Lifeblood is a return to more pop-oriented music like
This is My Truth, Tell Me Yours, but with a fuller sound. The resonant sound sometimes backfires, making songs too overproduced, another trait of 80s music! Its a solid record, with delightful hooks with every song. Yet nothing stands out too much in the album, every song is an elegant, melodic, sensitive work of pop. But theres just enough variety to become captured in the harmonies and Bradfields endearing vocals. Theres really no surprises, a startling turn from
Know Your Enemy. Im still not sure if thats a good thing. Have these Manic Street Preachers finally come to accept mild-mannered adulthood?
