September 23, 201113 yr In retrospect the Manics should have followed New Order's example and rebranded themselves after Richey went AWOL. They haven't been the same band since. Yes, they've had their moments but everything about them has been different since. Not all bad just noticeably different Yeah, I'd agree with that... They've just become a completely different band, clearly The Manic Street Preachers were defined by Richie's personality as much as Joy Division was defined by Ian Curtis, so, what's the point in trying to think you can continue using the same "brand" when it's clearly not really the same music that's coming out. Breaking with the past probably would've been the best thing for all concerned.... There was never gonna be a better Manic Street Preachers album than "The Holy Bible", I dont know why they even thought they could top that one....
September 23, 201113 yr They've announced a second Greatest Hits to be released in November: On the heels of their breakup announcement, the newly disbanded R.E.M. will put out yet another greatest hits compilation. Consequence of Sound points to an Amazon listing that the band's publicist confirms is accurate: the comp will be called Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982-2011 and it'll be released on November 15 via Warner Bros. Though since the last one, "In Time", that covered '88-'03 I don't think they really need a new one to cover the 'great' hits from 2003 onwards..
September 23, 201113 yr What is a song? A melody plus a lyric plus backing music? The Holy Bible wins on two of those counts - lyrics and music. The melody is not as obvious but it's there for me and I dont tire of listening to it whereas I went off EMG and TIMT ages ago. And I'm what is termed a new fan so I can only guess at the disappointment that old fans must have been experiencing. I remember listening to the Holy Bible for the first time in Oct 1996. I remember saying I'd never love it. I think I liked Yes the most. But over time it grew and grew and I started to appreciate different aspects of it - the disgust at mankind's behaviour, the harshness of the music, the fact that it came after the American sound of Gold Against the Soul, the fact that it has an impact that no other album I've heard has. Now it's my favourite album ever. Like I said, there were two eras, Richie and post-Richie and because I grew to like them after he went missing the latter means me more. About songwriting, I was talking about popular music of course...the style they crystalised on EMG and polished on TIMTTMY. Maybe I find the musical brilliance of The Holy Bible some day. I do appreciate the lyrics. But there is no right way to be a fan of any artist. I adore Belle and Sebastian's stuff from the noughties and can't believe that there are people who dismiss it all. People who think they haven't released anything good since 'Arab Strap'. They're a different band, yes, but fantastic nevertheless. And yes, U2 of all bands should quit. I can't even hum any of their songs since Vertigo.
September 23, 201113 yr U2 should have given up after All That You Can't Leave Behind. They've been nothing like relevant since then and it was the last time they had a batch of decent songs on one album. Whilst we're at it and at the risk of going off topic this lot should all do the decent thing too Coldplay Stereophonics Placebo Smashing Pumpkins Primal Scream
September 23, 201113 yr U2 should have given up after All That You Can't Leave Behind. They've been nothing like relevant since then and it was the last time they had a batch of decent songs on one album. Whilst we're at it and at the risk of going off topic this lot should all do the decent thing too Coldplay Stereophonics Placebo Smashing Pumpkins Primal Scream While I may agree with you on most of the above, but Primal Scream?? I really liked Beautiful Future and I think they could still come up with the goods providing Bobby doesn't indulge his Stones fetish again.
September 23, 201113 yr Manics were totally different band after Richie went missing. Of course fans who were fans before Everything Must Go think they were at their best back then but for me, again, This Is My Truth is the most important album personally and Know Your Enemy was brilliant too. I didn't listen to their older stuff until 2002 or so and whilst very good (especially lyrically) I prefer their post-Richie albums. Is there someone who can objectively say that The Holy Bible contains better songwriting than Everything Must Go? Brilliant lyrics, yes, but better songs? No way. But if The Holy Bible is important to you personally, it's only natural to think it's their best. I do consider myself to be an old fan of The Manics, having every single they released up to Let Robesen Sing (apart from Suicide Alley) and I don't mind EMG, in fact i think it does a decent enough job of shoe horning Nicky and (some of) Richie's lyrics into a form that anybody could get into. But it is no way a patch on The Holy Bible, which, BTW has melody in floods combined with some of the most brutally aware lyrics ever to hit the album charts.
September 24, 201113 yr U2 should have given up after All That You Can't Leave Behind. They've been nothing like relevant since then and it was the last time they had a batch of decent songs on one album. Whilst we're at it and at the risk of going off topic this lot should all do the decent thing too Coldplay Stereophonics Placebo Smashing Pumpkins Primal Scream Coldplay - HELL YEAH, boring, turgid bunch of old stadium cock.... Stereophonics - They're still going...??? Placebo - I dunno, they're still doing decent albums Smashing Pumpkins - Actually did do the decent thing and called it a day after "Machina", but then Billy Corgan realised that no one really gave a toss about 'Zwan', so made the stupid mistake of reactivating the Pumpkins with an absolutely shite album and just pissed on all our good memories of them.... Dunno how on earth anyone could really claim it was actually Smashing Pumpkins anyway with no James Iha and no D'arcy (oh, and no Jimmy Chamberlain either now).... Primal Scream - Hmmm, yeah, beginning to think they should just go...
September 24, 201113 yr I can't say I've ever really liked R.E.M. enough to investigate more than the singles I know. I do like most, but I don't think any are that great really, 'Orange Crush' is my favourite of theirs. U2 should have given up after All That You Can't Leave Behind. They've been nothing like relevant since then and it was the last time they had a batch of decent songs on one album. Whilst we're at it and at the risk of going off topic this lot should all do the decent thing too Coldplay Stereophonics Placebo Smashing Pumpkins Primal Scream U2 will never quite music whilst they can still make so much money. 3/4 of a BILLION dollars their recent tour grossed, that's an insane amount! I'd disagree over Coldplay because I thought their last album was their most musically interesting, and whilst a lot of people don't like them, they're people who've never liked them. They've got at least two decent albums left I think. Stereophonics I'd definitely agreed with a couple of years ago but perhaps not now. They were the first band I ever really loved, their first two albums I still think are great, and whilst they did go massively off form, their last album 'Keep Calm And Carry On' is for me, easily their best since their 90s material.
September 24, 201113 yr I can't say I've ever really liked R.E.M. enough to investigate more than the singles I know. I do like most, but I don't think any are that great really, 'Orange Crush' is my favourite of theirs. U2 will never quite music whilst they can still make so much money. 3/4 of a BILLION dollars their recent tour grossed, that's an insane amount! I'd disagree over Coldplay because I thought their last album was their most musically interesting, and whilst a lot of people don't like them, they're people who've never liked them. They've got at least two decent albums left I think. . Not true, I actually thought they showed a bit of early promise with "Parachutes", but time has seen them just get more and more turgid and awful.... A bit like Oasis....
September 24, 201113 yr Fair enough, I'd certainly agree Parachutes certainly has that something about it that the next two albums didn't have but I honestly don't get how people could say Viva La Vida was less interesting or as bland/run of the mill as X&Y was. It was a vast improvement in quality, it actually made me interested in Coldplay again.
September 24, 201113 yr Fair enough, I'd certainly agree Parachutes certainly has that something about it that the next two albums didn't have but I honestly don't get how people could say Viva La Vida was less interesting or as bland/run of the mill as X&Y was. It was a vast improvement in quality, it actually made me interested in Coldplay again. I saw what Viva La Vida was attempting to do, but there were just so many other albums and bands around at the time (Editors, White Lies, The Horrors to name a few) that were way more interesting, IMO.....
September 26, 201113 yr Jesus, I thought the White Lies album was awful. I actually think this next Coldplay album could be their downfall. The quality of the released tracks so far is poor compared to the lead tracks from any of their other albums. I never really loved their album but I think they make a fine singles band. Placebo still do quality albums? Their last good one was 13 years ago. I stopped bothering after the one they released in 2006, though.
September 26, 201113 yr Jesus, I thought the White Lies album was awful. I actually think this next Coldplay album could be their downfall. The quality of the released tracks so far is poor compared to the lead tracks from any of their other albums. I never really loved their album but I think they make a fine singles band. Placebo still do quality albums? Their last good one was 13 years ago. I stopped bothering after the one they released in 2006, though. Placebo only got better imo, their last couple of albums Meds and Battle for the Sun have been their best, while their first two :puke2:
September 26, 201113 yr Placebo only got better imo, their last couple of albums Meds and Battle for the Sun have been their best, while their first two :puke2: I firmly disagree with this. Meds was a solid album but Battle For The Sun was basically them re-treading previous ideas and they even borrowed some of their old lyrics too, plus they re-packaged the album with the worst song they ever recorded bar none. I consider them my favourite band but that album has made me lose interest in them, the first two albums are unbeatable.
September 26, 201113 yr I fainted in my local Brick Lane takeaway when I heard the news that they split up - that was me in the korma.
September 26, 201113 yr Again, Placebo is one of those bands who have two careers: the teenage one (including Nancy Boy etc) and the grown one (including their latest work). You can like both, dislike both or like either one. Personally I think their highlight was with Without You I'm Nothing and Black Market Music eras (98-01).
September 26, 201113 yr I fainted in my local Brick Lane takeaway when I heard the news that they split up - that was me in the korma. :lol: :lol: My friend died of shock when they heard, that's him in the Coroner.... ;)
September 26, 201113 yr :lol: :lol: My friend died of shock when they heard, that's him in the Coroner.... ;) :D
September 27, 201113 yr Wow, this thread had gone a bit off topic :lol: With regards to R.E.M, it's very sad from my point of view as they were one of those bands I really wanted to see (here's hoping Incubus and QOTSA don't go the same way any time soon). "Automatic for the People" is the only album of theirs I genuinely love but they've been remarkably consistent singles-wise given their first album preceded that of The Smiths (what a bizarre thought that is!) and they knocked out one LP every year until 1988. Later period-wise "Supernatural Superserious" was a great tune and I will be buying the new compilation, songs like that coupled with an extensive journey through their '80s output (I only really know "The One I Love" and "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" pre-"Green") will make it well worth investing in despite me already having "In Time". On the subject of "Shiny Happy People", I always thought it was intended to be ironic? "Orange Crush" is their standout for me, that alongside "Man On The Moon" and "The Great Beyond".
September 27, 201113 yr The tracklist for their forthcoming collection: Disc 1: Gardening At Night Radio Free Europe Talk About The Passion Sitting Still So. Central Rain (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville Driver 8 Life And How To Live It Begin The Begin Fall On Me Finest Worksong It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) The One I Love Stand Pop Song 89 Get Up Orange Crush Losing My Religion Country Feedback Shiny Happy People Disc 2: The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite Everybody Hurts Man On The Moon Nightswimming What’s The Frequency, Kenneth? New Test Leper Electrolite At My Most Beautiful The Great Beyond Imitation Of Life Bad Day Leaving New York Living Well Is The Best Revenge Supernatural Superserious ÜBerlin Oh My Heart Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter A Month of Saturdays We All Go Back To Where We Belong Hallelujah So Shiny Happy People included but the following 15 UK top 40 hits are not... 27 Near Wild Heaven 28 Radio Song 11 Drive 15 Bang and Blame 09 Strange Currencies 23 Crush With Eyeliner 13 Tongue 04 E-Bow The Letter 19 Bittersweet Me 06 Dayseleeper 26 Lotus 24 All The Way To Reno 33 Animal 26 Electron Blue 27 Wanderlust (with chart positions)
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