Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Not a bad album per se but I hated it and had a miserable time listening.
This album should not have been on this list and instead they should have put on an album by a WOMAN!! does the author of this list know what that is???? I miss LADIES people saying this sounds like oasis?? I'm taking offense on Stirling's behalf This isn't probably as bad as i'm about to rate it but i'm just annoyed. Also i didn't like it lmao
I enjoy power-pop and britpop, I honestly do, but this album is just no good. The vocals are grating, the lyrics are cringy and the production is somehow both over done and bloated while also being thin and cheap sounding. Hard pass for me
Not my jam at all and I like Brit Pop
mehh
LET'S GOOO MANICS
Great album. Love it. No complaints.
There are the classic Britpop albums, the ones everyone listens to. This is the one that they should Aspire to. It has a gorgepus clean sonic base, with many of the tracks having their own foibles and signatures. Lyrically, it's diverse and intellectual curious. And yet, it is an album about the common human life, even as it occasionally explores individual figures. It is a wonder to behold.
Bloody hell it must be about 20 years since I’ve listened to this one. I used to love the Manics but stopped listening to them when I went full Metalhead lol. I really enjoyed revisiting this, I might have to delve into their discography to see what I’ve missed. Top Track - Kevin Carter
Bombastic and gritty 90s britpop, a radical departure in sound and feel following the disappearance of guitarist Richey Edwards (which is in and of itself a pretty fascinating story). I was immediately drawn in by the big, loud feel of "A Design for Life" and was more than happy to go along for the ride for the whole album. A really excellent introduction to this band IMO.
Love the melancholic chord progressions. Clever and interesting throughout. Kevin Carter what a gem. Didn't know many of their hits were crammed onto this one album! 5/5
Energieke Britpop met een maatschappijkritisch randje, daar ben ik helemaal niet tegen. Lang niet gehoord, deze muziek, 'A design for life' was ik zowat vergeten, en dan had ik het destijds nog verkeerd verstaan ook (ik dacht altijd dat ze zongen 'I'm designed for her life', wat veel zegt over de manier waarop ik dit soort muziek luister). Hoe dan ook, ik kan de manische straatpredikers deze keer goed hebben, en ik ben (mede daardoor) goed gemutst vandaag.
We hebben al eerder een album van de Preachers gehad en die viel me iets tegen, die vond ik maar meh. Maar dit album bevalt me veel beter. Misschien ook vanwege de rest van de albums die ik hier omheen moet luisteren, waar ik te vaak geen lijn in kan ontdekken of wat gewoon reteslecht is en ik me enorm stoor aan de keuzes van de snobs. Hier krijgen we tenminste gewoon liedjes, die een lekker catchy refreintje hebben, of een fijne gitaarriff. Dat mag gewoon, je hoeft echt niet artsy-fartsy te doen, of quasi-ongeintereseerd te zingen. Toch zitten ook hier regelmatig wat extra instrumenten in, er is muzikale omlijsting, of aparte drumfills. Dus ook de snob komt aan zijn trekken. Ik hoor de eerste paar nummers voor een tweede keer, omdat ik eergisteren het album niet af kon luisteren en ik heb album in zijn geheel opnieuw gestart heb. En die eerste paar tracks zijn al bijna 5 sterren waard. A Design for Life en Kevin Carter zijn echt top en kunnen zo in een playlist op Spotify, als ik dat zou hebben. Ik kan hier buitengewoon van genieten en dat is ook wel een keer wat waard tijdens deze uitputtende queeste van 1001++ albums. Laat ik dan ook niet moeilijk doen en op dat vijfje rossen.
Discazo
Echt heel leuk
I was a fan of this band because of this album.
There seems to be a lot of hate for this album, and probably MSP in general. That's a real shame. The first album after Richey's disappearance, yet can you tell? Maybe, but his presence still lingers here and with melancholy effect. This album marked a period of reinvention and of course resilience. They did it big and they did it well and in the process pathed their way for glory. Their audience grew, they climbed the charts and earned themselves a wider household name. "A Design for Life", "Kevin Carter", "Enola/Alone" all with their strong themes and powerful messages are music to my ears. A great album from a great band at a trying and unfathomably difficult time.
I love Manic Street Preachers SO much. This may be my favorite album, though my favorite song of theirs is on the next one... I hope that one is on the list as well. Not a dud song on the album. Amazing performance considering this was the first album they released without Richey Edwards after his disappearance.
One of your main lyric writers and tortured genius totems goes missing and is presumed dead and all you have left is a binder with a bunch of randomn lyrics in. What do you do? You step up and use the lyrics (along with your own) to create a powerhouse stadium rattling indie rock album. It'll blow the cobwebs away while stroking that 4Real scar. Best Tracks: A Design For Life; Interiors (Song for Willem De Koonnig); All Surface No Feeling
7/10
A rebirth, excellent in it’s sad fury.
Ah yet another beloved Manics album on the list. The contrast between this album and The Holy Bible is so fascinating, this is much more of a "britpop" album. It's like therapy after the depressiveness of the previous album. You can feel both Richey's influence on some tracks he still contributed to but also the impact of his disappearance on other songs. It's just all so bittersweet 5/5
Manics are a firm favourite in our house and we love this album. Listen to it often. Excellent lyracists.
Tämä löytyy useana eri versiona omasta levyhyllystä ja bändi on sen parikymmentä kertaa nähty livenä. Tykkään! Tämän levyn ehdoton suosikkibiisini on ”Kevin Carter”.
Love it so far a dreamy mix of rock and pop.
very unique, kinda like ween but less ween if that makes sense
Jättebra!
I really liked this album. It started like a soft melody and then everything started to amplify in the sound, emotions were growing. It's pretty much like hard rock music. Thanks for that one anyway.
Really good album. Probably 4.5. A design for life is an amazing song.
My late father in law was a huge fan of Manic Street Preachers. We lost him recently and unexpectedly so this was really hard to listen to for me. Great nonetheless and he would've definitely given it 5 stars
I guess I’m revising my stance on Britpop. Who knows what it really is? I thought Oasis and Blur were emblematic of the scene at large, and it turns out that may not be the case. Whatever. I LOVED this album. It has elements of U2, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Radiohead. It’s a wonderful blend of rock sounds from all across the spectrum. The lyrics are downers even when the songs are anthems. The guitars are loud and interesting. The singer freakin’ wails. This was my introduction to the Manics and I may be in for a long process of discovering their discography. So good. Five stars. Must-listen #82.
The best!
Hello, and welcome to another edition of George's Over Emotional and Never Ending Reviews. First, a bit of context: I think this was the first ever album I can remember having a release date. I was 12 when this came out, and had a friend who was two years older than me, who was terribly excited. So I remember its arrival as an event. I think I remember the first time we listened to it, on tape of course. The opener starts so weirdly, and is a generally slightly surprising first 30-45 seconds until the brilliant chorus comes in. Then you get smashed in the face with Design for Life and all bets are off for the next 40 minutes. A tiny dip for tracks 3 to 5, despite the brilliance of Enola/Alone, until Small Black Flowers cuts you off at the knees with its perfection. It feels like a final brilliant coda of Richey's lyrics. Australia sees you through another slightly less good section (although I've warmed to Removables a lot) and the whole thing is finished with No Surface, the best of the lot and a very, very meaningful song for me. It's not actually perfect, and it loses some points for the presence of Further Away. It's not a bad song in and of itself, but it's a love song, and I'm afraid that's broken the Manics' constitution, and Richey would be spinning in his grave/Vietnamese beachside hut.
Я себе добавила, надеюсь, приживется
Excellent. I'm stunned I've never heard this before. Great mid-90s rock that feels slightly ahead of it's time. Exists perfectly alongside Oasis and predating some of the more poppy Foo Fighters efforts. Loved it.
Love love love, still have the CD in my car. Great tunes and uplifting
This is the best album I've had so far from this project that was never on my radar before. Never heard of the band or any of its members, didn't know anything about them, none of the songs were familiar to me at all. And I loved it. Singer reminded me of Jim Ward of Sparta. Songs took interesting detours. Just great.
Superb. Spawned a couple of huge hits, and the rest of the album holds up well too. Excellent stuff!
Haven't listened to a manics album all the way through since the holy bible,boy have I missed out ,this is a stone cold classic,don't know what he's singing about half the time but whatever it is it sounds good, loved every bit of this record.
Harp
I love their sound. Great singer. Catchy melodies. Great guitar sound. I don't think I've ever heard a bad song by Manic Street Preachers. I should buy more of their albums, including this one.
I'm genuinely bewildered how I've lived most of my life with alternative/indie rock as my self-proclaimed favorite genre and never encountered these guys on the radio, Spotify, YouTube, etc. The algorithm let me down.
I liked this when it came out, and it still sounds good. Excellent return after the loss of Richie. 3 well-known songs, and the rest do not disappoint.
If a comeback from adversity has ever been as epic and successful as this, I'm unaware of it. The record that catapulted the Manics into a Brit Award winning, platinum selling, mainstream band and established the sound that they are best known for and have returned to intermittently ever since. Most of this album comprises huge anthems characterised by sweeping strings, soaring choruses and concise, personal, sad lyrics written by Nicky Wire. Notably it includes themes of moving on, getting away from things and apologising for letting go of previous ideals ('Everything Must Go' and 'Australia'). However, there is also a part of the album that shares DNA with the Holy Bible. 'Removables' in particular wouldn't be out of place on the previous record ("Killed God blood soiled unclean again, Killed God blood soiled skin dead again"), 'Kevin Carter' and 'Interiors' are jagged edged numbers and 'Small Black Flowers that Grow in the Sky' could be read as a song about the Holocaust. It's no surprise that these are lyrics written by Richey Edwards. Both sides of the album deliver the Manics' favourite trick of disguising smart, sad, politically and socially conscious lyrics in an anthemic, accessible package. For example its singles crashed the top 10 with songs about the misperception of working class characteristics, and the dilemma of being a journalist observing a disaster area. The combination of sad lyrics as soaring anthems and the underrated amount of variety and weirdness are a big part of what makes the MSP my favourite band. Long live the Manics. Rating: 5/5 Playlist track: A Design for Life Date listened: 04/07/24
Revelatory. Their previous album ("The Holy Bible") was a mix of good and ... not good ... but this blew me away - the music is so vastly different from their previous release - obvious reason being a tribute to their bandmate who tragically went missing. Massively anthemic yet subtly complex - I always see it classified as Britpop but it's more than a little wrong to lump this in with Pulp/Oasis/Blur - no offence whatsoever - this is rock with grandiosity yet lacking any cliche. The musical head-turns on this album - e.g. in the chorus of "Kevin Carter" that 3rd guitar chord is just so goddamn cool and unexpected - are what propels it throughout. The vocals were much more palatable this time around, and I weirdly hear echoes of Jellyfish in some of the higher-register vocals of James Dean Bradfield. I love the guitar work with the aforementioned unexpected and/or unusual chords, the strings add a ton to these soaring songs that upon closer listen (i'm not that observant apparently) are way more dark than they sound. Love that dichotomy. There are distant echoes of The Bends - maybe that's a simple reach being a pair of UK bands - I'm a big Radiohead fan but this is the better album. A band I'm sorry I missed the first time around and no idea how I did - I've been wavering between 4 and 5 on this but the perfect runtime, virtually every song of quality (might except "Removables" here - everyone's allowed a slight hiccup), and the story behind the tragic creation of this album easily push it to the top for me. 10/10 5 stars.
Brilliant. Everything Must Go will always have a special place in my heart as it reminds me of a childhood friend that died too young. It is perhaps the only song that I will make me stop whatever I am doing and listen to it in full. If anything interrupts me while listening, I will immediately restart from the beginning. It might be silly, but it's my way of honouring and remembering my friend, Dave "Beans" Jackson. RIP
Fantastic Album !!
give me a string of songs that are better than the first 5 on this album. this one is an absolute beast. top two in the book, easy.
More of this, please. This is a group I have never heard of from an era that is not represented much in this list that had me engaged the whole time. These are thoughtful songs that have unique instrumentations and poetic lyrics. My favorite here has to be A Design for Life, though Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky isn't far behind. I was thinking about this album a couple days after my first listening, which is impressive given the nature of this 1001 album task.
Never heard of these guys. Really enjoyed
classic
Definite 5 before I even hear a note - possibly the best and most consistent album by one of my all time favourite bands. After listening - six stars! I absolutely love this album, there's barely a note out of place, and it comes as close as anything to having no songs I would ever consider skipping. Flawless. could only have been better if richey had been around to see the success they had with (partly) his lyrics
One of the greatest albums from one of the greatest bands ever!
Excelente
Great pop rock album!
W̶a̶s̶h̶e̶d̶ ̶u̶p̶ ̶W̶e̶e̶z̶e̶r̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶a̶ ̶p̶a̶r̶a̶l̶l̶e̶l̶ ̶d̶i̶m̶e̶n̶s̶i̶o̶n̶.̶ Warm and poppy, jokes aside. "Everything Must Go" is pretentious but not overly bearing. Great string arrangements too. I especially adore "A Design For Life" and the title track. I'll probably return to the Maniac Street Preachers in the future. Edit (07•30•2025): Thanks to 1001 Albums, I am now a Manics fan. Waiting patiently for "The Holy Bible" to be generated! I knew 1001 Albums had something in it! >:)
Hidden Star Attack- Tolles Brit-pop Album mit tollen Klängen der 90er. Es mach Spaß es zu hören und ist angenehme Mischung aus Petshop Boy, the Cure und REM. Kaum Schwachstellen aber dafür einige Highlights. “Design for Life”, “Australia” und mein Favorit “Small Black Flowers That Grow in The Sky” 😊
Maybe nostalgia talking but this is One of my all time favourites. This was my first MSP album and I've played it to death. Hearing it again reminds me just how great it was. Perfect mix of melody, atmosphere and aggression across the whole album. I could never click with the holy bible and I feel like they went a bit soft after TIMTTMY, so this for me is peak manics and a SUPERB album
A perfect way to triumph after tragedy
very good album, brings back memories of being 19 and chatting with a MSP obsessive, but slightly disturbed young lady from the isle of wight on MSN who used to send me completely unsolicited pictures of her in her knickers, was all fun and games until she sent me a picture of ENOLA scrawled on one arm and ALONE on the other bare disguising the cut marks on her arms from self harm. five stars
Highlights - a design for life is so good, Enola alone, the orchestration of everything must go is great. Further away. Honestly there isn’t a song on this album I don’t like, it was all amazing, Didn’t like - nothing not to like, loved it all. Overall - I hadn’t heard much msp apart from the singles, I really like this album and absolutely will listen again. I like his voice. Sad I didn’t know about this album as a teenager because I was super into stereophonics and the influence is clear.
Long time favourite
LOVED revisiting this!!
REALLY GOOD???
My second favorite MSP album after The Holy Bible. The backstory is that their guitarist had disappeared during the lead-up to this album, so the rest of the band was dealing with the loss behind his likely death. The album has a lot of pretty melodies and thoughtful lyrics. I never get tired of listening to this album.
This really was one of my favourite albums of its time so have listened to this a lot in my life. So the 5 rating was a pretty impulsive response to seeing it appear on this list today. With the gift of time to be able to listen again properly, it was great to revisit it and see whether I had my nostalgic head on when throwing out a 5. But it still sounds great! As well as the big anthems such as Design for Life, it has some really enjoyable quirky and non conventional little tracks like Kevin Carter and some lovely little bop along pop songs too. Much more commercially accessible than their previous more punky offerings and some wonderful melancholy obviously shaped by the tragedy they had to go through. Great song writing and musical compositions. Everything delivered with emotion. Still a 5 rated album all day long.
I haven't listened to the Manics for a while....shame on me! I loved this, thank you for giving me the nudge to listen again.
The title track alone is probably 5⭐️ There are so many other tracks on this album that are equally strong (All Surface No Feeling being the other song that I feel has really stood the test of time)
Love the manics and one of their best albums.
Besides maybe when I got dummy, I don’t think I’ve ever been as drawn in by a vocalist as I have by this guy on this list. He struck the perfect balance between yelling and emotion and range and it’s great. The first half of this album is excellent, especially Enola/alone, and I enjoyed the second half too. Overall, non British UK music delivers another a banger of an album that I hadn’t ever heard of before.
Great album, I knew them from one song before but this record is an amazing listen, good for walks in nature, working on code, or vibing. Very energetic.
This is the Manic's I know and love, beautiful sad rock music.
I like the sound of this album a lot and want to listen again soon!
This was a banger, start to finish. I loved this one, vibes off the charts.
This was really good. Erica liked it a lot. This was super solid and I'll add it to my playlists.
One of my favourite albums, and probably most listened to! I'm not even a big Manics fan, just something about this album got me and stuck with me throughout my late teens all the way up to now.
Excellent! I've never even HEARD of these guys, and they rock. Very Supergrass sounding (that's a compliment).
love it
I didn’t really click with the first three tracks, but from Enola / Alone i onwards I was sooo into this. A lot of the time with this list I can appreciate good music as good music, rather something high and then never return to it, but I would definitely return to this/add to playlists. Favourites: Interiors, Everything Must GO, Enola / Alone (SUCH A GOOD TRACK).
Four years ago, I did a trial run on YouTube of reviewing music that was just turning 20 years old. The very first album I reviewed This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours by the Manic Street Preachers. That’s not today’s album of course, it’s just a fun little nugget of information. Songs I already knew: A Design For Life, Everything Must Go, Australia Favourites: Australia, All Surface No Feeling, A Design For Life I can honestly say that there are no bad songs at all on this album. Before listening, the only track title that I recognised was A Design For Life, but I found that some others songs were familiar because they still get frequent radio play, which shows a lot for the quality of the music. The vocals are excellent throughout, with a sparse use of any distorted shouting which makes it all the more effective when he does shout, and you feel really feel the emotion coming through. The guitar licks are catchy throughout, and the tones when the heavier distortion kicks in are exquisite. Overall, there is nothing at all that I can fault about this album. I love it.
I'm not at all familiar with this band and even after listening to Everything Must Go, from what I read about them, I still don't know much. This record plays like a concept album or a rock opera à la Green Day's American Idiot but I guess it's not? Almost every song feels epic. I loved many and disliked none. Very glad to have made its acquaintance today.
I’ve heard of this group but couldn’t name any of their songs. I enjoyed this album a lot, especially on the second listen! The songs are often epic with great swells or strings and synths that really appeals to me. I couldn’t catch all the lyrics as I wasn’t listening in a place conducive to that, but the ones I did were intelligent and interesting and makes me want to investigate them further. A great album, one I’m glad to have in my library.
Wonderful, right up my alley
Maybe I’m being too generous as this album does have some filler but it’s a 5; all of the singles are amazing and the last three tracks (all not singles) are a treat. You’ve also gotta appreciate how they went from an album so grim (but still amazing) holy bible to something this polished after the disappearance of a member which I would’ve thought would’ve made the music more harsh but this more mainstream direction is great. Oh yeah also the top review for this album (the “britpop is shit one”) is just stupid.
Their commercial peak, so really great songs. I'm tempted to remove a star for Australia, but the rest is just so good.
REALLY CATCHY ALBUM! I LOVED THE WHOLE ALBUM! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT! ONE OF MY FAVORITES NOW!
Love this album. I always felt that the Manics flew under the radar for most people, but this and The Holy Bible are peak Manic Street Preachers. Cannot fault a single track.
Great album
Still rules. The band keeps getting better even after tragically losing Richie. Banger after banger.
Amazing start, amazing to the end.
Really liked this one! Definitely going back to it!
Fantastic. I loved the guitars, the creativity in the compositions, the conviction, the vibe - this is a classic album
I had never heard of these guys before and I am now a huge fan. Can't believe I've never come across these guys before. Excellent brit-power-pop that combines great songwriting and interesting song structures with a little 90s punk edge.
Hope they fired their marketing and release team in the 90s
Really nice surprise. Perfect album.
This album deftly oscillates between post-punk, Britpop, British alternative, and even grunge. The Manic Street Preacher’s command of song structure shines through on this album, the first following the disappearance of Richey Edwards. The result is a punchy engaging coherent album that reflects the best of what was happening musically in the rock scene. The lyrics are intelligent and the anthemic quality gives this album a sense of triumph and grandiosity.
Would definitely listen again
Excellent.
Pretty chill music. Loved Small Black Flowers. It has a nice melody and stands out on the album which is predominately alt rock.
Brilliant
9/10. Wow, I gave this band's other album an 8/10 and forgot about it entirely. But I'm going to have to go back and listen to more of there stuff, because this was swell.
Hay que checar las letras de todas las rolas, muy brutal.
Clever lyrics, beautiful melodies and such a great recording. I loved this album from start to finish, a classic
Creo que sólo ubicaba una canción de ellos que además me gusta mucho. Después de la primera vuelta de este disco me sentí un poco mal por haberles puesto atención hasta ahora aunque bastante feliz por haber escuchado esta chulada de disco. Solos discretos, riffs muy agradables y pegajosos, letras no tan obvias pero tampoco tan rebuscadas hacen de este disco un gran descubrimiento porque aunque tenga 26 años del disco, realmente parece poco escuchado si tomamos como referencia las reproducciones de Spotify. 4.5 que subo a 5 porque en verdad lo disfruté. Songs: Kevin Carter, Australia, A Design for Life
No me esperaba ver a esta banda aquí. Me gustan mucho, pero siento que es de esas que la gente siempre ha ignorado un poco y a mi me parece que tienen mucho que ofrecer. Me gusta que son rock muy honesto, directo de la época del Brit Pop, pero a la vez tan distinto al mismo Brit Pop que quedan en otra categoría. En una época en la que sonar "rough around the edges" (o incluso peor) y tener actitud de borracho y malhumorado, llega este disco que está muy bien pulido en toda la instrumentación y en el que la voz y la pronunciación sí están cuidadas.
Classic
It all went and came together
Leuke Britpop-rock. Lichtjes leunend naar de hardrock toe. Erg genoten van dit album waar ik geen enkele song van kende op voorhand
Great sound! Can't believe I haven't heard of these guys.
Hier ist der Stoff, feinster britischer Pathos, vernäht zu einem wärmenden Umhang gegen den kalten Wind der entfesselten Märkte. Hier warf sie noch nicht hin, die junge rote Socke; auch später gab man sich optimistisch kämpferisch, obschon mir bei der Konsequenz unseres Nicht-Handelns das Blut gefriert, denn wir haben alles toleriert, sodass unsere Kinder als nächste dran sein werden, die Ungleichheit weiter aufrechtzuerhalten. Aber zurück zum vorliegendem „Everything Must Go“. Ab dem ‚Entwurf fürs Leben‘ helfen Streicher entsetzlich schönen, lauten Gitarren und empört rauer Stimme James Dean Bradfields eine schiere Perfektion vom Stapel zu feuern, bei der sich Wucht und Songwriting Hand in Hand auf den walisischen Klippen stehend allem zu trotzen bereit ist. Erstaunlicher als diese geschmiert laufende Hitmaschine war damals für mich nur der Umstand, wie brachial diese Perlen live über die Marshalls in die Crowd geknüppelt werden - ganz zu schweigen von den nicht nur vorderen Reihen härtester Pogo-Kultur unterm Drachen Banner. Seit dem Erlebnis müssen alle Songs der Manics ein, zwei Tacken lauter gespielt werden. Un-Removable 4.9
Thumbs all the way up!
Faves!!!!
Jos Oasis oli teinivuosien ykkösbändi, niin tämä oli sitten varmaan kakkonen. Viimeiseen 15 vuoteen tämän kuuntelu sitten onkin jäänyt melkein nollaan. Kenties bändin uudempien levyjen kehnous on karkoittanut minut myös vanhemmasta tuotannosta. Ensimmäinen reaktio nähdessäni levyn listalla oli ehkä jopa negatiivinen - jaa tätä, ei kyllä kiinnosta yhtään enää nykyään. Onneksi ennakkoluuloni osoittautuivat vääräksi, ja tämähän kuulostikin oikein mainiolta ja jopa tuoreelta liian pitkäksi venyneen tauon jälkeen. Varsinkin vähän rokkaavammat biisit (Enola/Alone, Kevin Carter yms) toimivat kuin junan vessa. Vaikkei Everything Must Go ole ollut ihan suosikkilevyni Manicsilta, sai tämä ainakin minut innostumaan taas palaamaan niiden suurimpien helmien (tai ainakin Holy Biblen) pariin. Kovaa painia on nelosen ja vitosen välillä, mutta kun vertaa muihin antamiini nelosiin niin parempihan tämä on.
Everything is gone
Album Generator has allowed me to LOVE Manic Street Preachers and I’m grateful for it. GREAT album however I do not enjoy nearly as much as ‘The Holy Bible’ - I miss the dinginess which made earlier albums so compelling, thus I give a 4, great listen regardless with an all-timer hit single.
Very cool! Never heard before
Pretty good
Large and exciting rock music, which I'm pretty susceptible to
Rösten! Den skulle man känna igen var som helst. Skönt sound, fina melodier. Men för övrigt är det standard indie och inte särskilt minnesvärt. En fyra
Great album. Seen the band many times during my Sony days 1993-1997. Very powerful!
One of the great British albums of the 90s and an amazing comeback after the disappearance of Richie. It does meander a little and isn’t all killer, but the highs are exceptional.
I can’t put my finger on why I liked this one so much. It seemed rather basic at first. I slowly got into this, and repeated it again growing to like it more.
Really liked this - sarcastic Britpop but didn't lose it's edge through the album. Not as strong as some contemporaries but this is up my street. Would go hard in the sun 4 pints down.
Obviously I knew a design for life and knew off the manic Street preachers, but again one that I've never really listened to. But I really enjoyed this album, the lead vocals are wonderfully raspy rock without losing control. Will definately be back
Bombastic yet tentative lyrics and anthemic choruses.
Never heard this apparently-acclaimed album before. Great sound, strong musicianship. Each song is fun in a different way, so it keeps me curious. Sonically, rarely disappointed. Lyrically it doesn’t grab me in a personal or profound way, and maybe that’s a context thing - but not bad…as President Obama once said, “You’re likable enough.” For musicianship, sound, and song craftery, 4/5
Enjoyable but I'm not sure why this is on the list. I feel like I've heard all of this before. Stand outs are Australia and Further Away, and they all have great guitar riffs, but it doesn't feel special! 7/10
Цікаво)
Good album. Good band. 4
Had no idea what to expect going in here -- but it turned out to be some pretty solid BritRock.
Got to admire a band who can open a proper anthemic rock song with "Libraries give us power". I remember writing a list of my 10 favourite music acts when I was about 9 or 10. MSP made the cut, alongside Celine Dion. Would love to remember the rest. I feel like Robson & Jerome could have been on there. And Portishead.
3.5 need to revisit
A Design for Life is worthy of a 4 on its own.
This was entirely new to me, and I'll say it was really fun to listen to. Great stuff, highly enjoyable, I'll go back to more tracks from them.
Blind album and artist. 90s alt rock britpop? I kinda liked it and would consider listening to this band again. I feel like that keeps happening with a lot of these random britpop bands. 4
Dit album voelt iets.minder chemisch als het vorige album dat we kregen. De zang is vergelijkbaar. Het is een licht afwijkende stem, die bij de nummers met iets meer kracht fijn uit de verf komt. In totaal is het album iets minder enerverend, en zou ik iets lager waarderen dan The holy bible. De titeltrack zorgt ervoor dat dit album weer redelijk bijtrekt
I like this one better than The Holy Bible, you can tell they were going Wall of Sound as it sounds really good. Like the melodies, but again nothing sticks. Probably 3.5 for me.
The Pink Floyd of Britpop, in that they persist losing their troubled, magnetic singer a few albums in and get huge. They have the wordplay cleverness of Squeeze, the political brio of the Clash and the firepower of Oasis. Love them.
Here’s a band I totally missed, and I am just now catching up on the backstory leading up to this release. It’s hard to hear this album as a kind of defiant response to the tragedy and loss from the sudden disappearance of their guitarist, because it’s so un-despondent. It’s a rather sunny-sounding and polished set of songs, in fact. I hear a semblance to the punky power pop of Redd Kross on tracks like “Kevin Carter” and “Removables,” or even to the guitar crunch and harmonies of The Posies. The title track plays like an anthem. I will definitely return to this and check out more of their stuff.
Have heard of the Manic Street preachers Had not listened to everything must go in full Had heard some songs (design for life) It a solid album, not sure it really differentiated away from the "British rock" sound of the era to justify its inclusion. To be fair it does have more clever lyrical content and better musicianship than oasis.
I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Figured I was going to feel indifferent at best about it because I really did not like The Holy Bible (thought I rated it 2 stars but gave it 3, might edit to lower honestly). The first song hooked me, and it really didn’t let up. “Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier” and “Australia” were my favorite songs, but all of them were pretty good. Definitely plan on revisiting this album.
Got me through some tough miles on the bike
Simultaneously Melancholy meets euphoric Brit pop . Not their best album but still great .
I liked "no surface all feeling" i also liked the overall vibes of this album
Never heard of this album or band before today. And after hearing this I'm surprised -- this is superb. The sound reminds me of Flaming Lips, though I found this album far more accessible and tuneful than Flaming Lips. There were so many times while listening to this that I found myself pausing and thinking, wow that was really cool. These are just a few: Enola / Alone uses some really interesting extended chords making for intricate harmonies and dissonances that are really satisfying Everything Must Go -- I can see why this is the title track -- it really serves as a cornerstone that themes the entire album. Strings are featured here giving the track a sound like an updated take on Phil Spector's wall of sound. I'm not sure what they did to the drums in this song, but they have a really unique powerful sound that I found infectious. Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky -- melancholy but beautiful down tempo song featuring acoustic guitar and harp? This is the kind of song that transports you to another place. The Girl Who Wanted to Be God -- starts unassumingly with rhythm guitar and hi hat, followed by another rhythm guitar, lead guitar and bass as the snare kicks in... leading into another wall of sound... all of this buildup in the first 30 seconds. There is so much music to explore on this album and thoughtful lyrics. I'm confident that future subsequent listening will yield even more appreciation.
Impressive all-around, great brit-pop, with quality production, passionate performances, and cool lyricism worth diving into further. 1 listen Favorite Track: Design for Life
Expectation: -> Who? After listening: -> Unfamiliar band that sounds like it should have been more famous. Some of this could have easily blended in with radio hits of the 90s. Some Goo Goo Dolls vibes and the lead vocals with a hint of Rod Stewart. Impressive guitar riffs. Track ranking: Design Interiors Enola Australia Surface Everything Elvis Flowers Further Girl Kevin Removables
never heard this before, but i did listen to their album The Holy Bible a long time ago. i remember liking it then, so hopefully this is just as enjoyable Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier - 3/5 A Design for Life - 5/5 Kevin Carter - 5/5 Enola / Alone - 5/5 Everything Must Go - 5/5 Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky - 3/5 The Girl Who Wanted to Be God - 4/5 Removables - 4/5 Australia - 5/5 Interiors (Song for Willem de Kooning) - 4/5 Further Away - 3/5 No Surface All Feeling - 5/5 Average score: 4.3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This doesn't sound like other BritPop to me. Nor did their 'The Holy Bible'. One of the things that I look for in music is authenticity. It's a slippery thing. It's either difficult to define or, as my musicology professor once suggested, may not exist. But it underpins my feeling about 90's British export rock. Both Oasis and Blur feel profoundly insincere to me: Oasis feels like a meth-drenched 70's cover band that had a few moments of lucidity while Blur always sounds like Damon Albarn is making fun of me and anyone else listening. When they're weird, it feels like a costume and when they're emotive it feels sarcastic. Manic Street Preachers feels weird and emotive because they're weird guys using music to emote. Maybe it's because they're Welsh and not inheritors of English delusions of grandeur or something. Maybe that's not fair but it's how I feel. Good album. It usually takes me a couple of listens to really dig Manic Street Preachers, so I imagine this will grow on me. It is a little less weird that 'The Holy Bible', but they lost (literally -- he disappeared) a songwriter after that one, so some change was inevitable. I recommend listening to this so that you can ponder why people liked Blur better. No idea. Wales > England, I guess. 4/5
Cymru am byth! I recognised the complaints people have bout it being fairly generic lads with guitars but it was such an vibe in Wales.
I enjoyed this album, had a great feel to it. I had heard of this band but never listened to any of their songs, it was quite nice.
Saw these play a tech conference once
I was surprised by how much I liked this. Pretty good!
Really solid album
Sounded really great. Some great tunes in here. They had a similar sound to foo fighters back in that time so surprised I never took time to listen to it. Will have another listen again soon!
Overall, I get the impression that the Preachers are the bastard child of Motley Crue and grunge. I say this as a compliment. Rock on!
Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier 3.6 A Design for Life 3.7 Kevin Carter 3.5 Enola/Alone 3.3 Everything Must Go 3.5 Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky 3.2 The Girl Who Wanted to Be God 3.4 Removables 3.5 Australia 3.7 Interiors (Song for William de Kooning) 3.6 Further Away 3.4 No Surface All Feeling 3.6 Score: 3.5
Very listenable, albeit quite samey. I was pretty familiar with several of the songs already.
This group reminds me of Steven Wilson. Lowkey, this is a really good record. I actually found that I wanted to listen to it again when it was finished.
Everything Must Go hits like a band rediscovering its own gravity. From the opening moments, the Manics are locked-in and confident, delivering big, melodic Brit-rock that practically demands finger-tapping and air-guitar accompaniment. The title track soars, “Small Black Flowers…” brings a moment of unexpected, fragile beauty, and the closer “No Surface All Feeling” lands with that perfect mix of triumph and ache. It’s a tight, emotionally legible record with no dead air, just a steady, satisfying ride from a band built for bigger rooms than they ever got here. My Rating: 4/5
é bom mas né bombom
s'alright 4/5
# Album Name: Everything must go # Artist: Manic Street Preachers # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Good album. Takes me back to the 90s. Some good singles on here. # Top Tunes: Australia / DFL / Kev carter / Everything must go / Small black flowers # Would I listen to it again? Yes
It feels like this album bridges, some kind of gap between alternative and pop punk.
Brit Pop ...so much Brit Pop. I had to resort to reading lyrics cause, honestly, the vocalizations evaded me on some tracks. The arrangements though .loved.
Can't understand most of the lyrics, but I like the sound. I did not expect a harp. I'll listen to this again.
This was good but I can't say I fully loved this. I was more of a fan of the more stripped back songs than I was the ones with the more symphonic production. The vocals were also a bit iffy at points. They were mostly pretty good but on a few tracks they did kinda grate on me a bit. Wouldn't return to this in full, but there are a number of tracks here that I would definitely go back to individually. Fav Songs: Australia, Enola/Alone, Kevin Carter, Interiors Least Fav: Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky 7.4/10
I think I need more time with this one
My second favourite manics album, song great songs on here
Honestly really enjoyed this! I especially liked Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier, Enola/Alone, and the Girl Who Wanted to Be God. Oh also Interiors (Song for Willem de Koons). They do some cool deviations from more 'traditional' rock melodies. Listened to it on the bus while looking out the window and I think that was the perfect place for it.
nice little piece of britpop! complete with the cheesy strings and everything, i'm very much britpop enjoyer so this was right up my alley, even though it did feel on the safe / poppy side of the genre in parts. i also liked the nerdy literary / artistic references. had a weird time googling the album afterwards though it was weird to go from 'nice treat of an album' to 'first album released following the WHAT'
This album has The Manics' biggest hit, but none of their brightest moments. Although it says a lot about the band's output when I consider this to be a middling effort - it's the sound of three maturing guys facing up to the trials which brought them this far in life, and proving that they were ready to keep moving along. Favourite tracks: A Design For Life (why not), Everything Must Go, Small Black Flowers, Australia, Interiors, All Surface No Feeling (massive!!)
I have a soft spot for the Preachers. They’re a lot more emo than the rest of the Brit Pop scene from that era. Some punk is showing. They get a generous 4 from me (my fave song of theirs isn’t on this album, that would have taken them to a 5).
Their fourth album. Britpop / Rock. I wasn't a Manics fan back in the 90s. I couldn't quite put my finger on why, I found them kind of a annoying. As I get older my nostalgia gene must be kicking in. Whenever I revisit them now I enjoy the music, vocals and lyrics. This album isn't their best but it is quite anthemic with a big sound. A good toe tapper and sing along album. 90s me was such a music snob, I'd tell him to get over him/my ..self ..
3.5/5
Classic MSP. (That's what the cool kids call it). 4
This is one of those rare albums without a single bad track on it. In the CD era when this came out there was nothing I'd skip, and yet there's nothing really transcendent about it for me either, but I feel like I only give this four stars as that's what I gave Definitely Maybe too and that's got Supersonic on it for God's sake. Sidenote: I didn't realise the lanky girl who plays bass (somewhere) on this record has not one but two solo albums. I listened to a couple of tracks and can comfortably say an album of them hoovering would be more listenable.
This may not be the best album in the world, but it did soundtrack my time at university so it has so many good memories. Enjoyable if a little inconsequential.
Some great songs. Love the heavy guitars and he's a brilliant and unique singer.
1: Australia 2: No Surface All Feeling 3: A Design for Life
Britpop Smashing Pumpkins
I get disproportionately excited when albums by Welsh artists appear. I love the Manics and while this isn’t my favourite of their albums, it has some great singles and two of my other favourites; Small Black Flowers that Grow in the Sky, and All Surface No Feeling. It’s a no skip album that makes me proud to be Welsh.
IMO the second best Album by MSP. It contains the probably best pop song ever written. Fav: A design for Life
Not quite as good as the predecessor but still great. If Holy Bible was a 4.5, this was probably a 3.75
I’m glad I listened to Holy Bible first because otherwise I might not have enjoyed this as much. Not as good as Holy Bible but still very good stuff.
Great rock - like it
Probably not an album I'd revisit, but I didn't mind it, and it gets an extra star for the song Australia I want to fly and run till it hurts Sleep for a while and speak no words In Australia, in Australia
I'm a sucker for the strings in this album. Also it is inextricably linked in my mind to Euro 96, my first big footballing memory, being of the same time period.
By far my favorite Brit pop album allocated so far. Love the guitar sound.
i fear this is my type of music
I absolutely loathed MSP's previous album, "The Holy Bible," which I found tediously dour. So I was leary of this one - but generally these songs are much less likely to make you slit your wrists, so that's a good start. Sonically and musically, this is somewhere between "The Bends" and "Morning Glory," Brit-poppy, with more nuance than Oasis but more blaring guitars than Radiohead. Overall I really enjoyed this. FOUR STARS
Pleasantly surprised by the britpop vibes of this album. It reminds me positively of my favorite stuff by Suede and Pulp. Could be a 5 in the future but right now there are a few extraneous tracks on there for me.
After listening to The Holy Bible, I definitely listened to this album. Didn't stick with me as strong as THB or Gold Against the Soul. That's not a knock on this album. There's a lot of what I love about the Manics here. It's a good deal poppier than their previous albums, with keyboards and strings here and there, but Bradfield and the crew are doing their thing. I really love a lot of what James Dean Bradfield does on guitar. Really interesting riffs and melodies and beautiful tone. Nicky Wire's bass stands out a bit less here, but the tone is great when it does stand out. "Enola/Alone", "Australia", and "Interiors" are high points. This is like 4.5 on the dot. Of course that's not an option, so... Gotta choose one.
This was fun rock and roll. I'd definitely listen again.
also like it
First I’ve heard of this band. I liked the album a lot. Mostly upbeat and more 90s Britpop than alternative rock. Wonder why it didn’t catch on in US. 2 songs added to playlist. Only reason 4 instead of 5 for me is it isn’t a classic for me.
Me la pasé genial. No conocía a los Manic Street Preachers, y me encantaron sus ritmos buena onda y en general su propuesta musical y las letras. Una pena que haya pasado lo que pasó con el letrista, ojalá algún día ese misterio se resuelva. Me dejo de tarea escuchar los discos que sacaron después de la desaparición de Richey Edwards.
I didn't really listen to this back in the day, but it's pretty good. Revisit
I thought Everything Must Go was a really good album. 90s alternative rock will always just have that sound i totally vibe with and this album has that sound in spades. I was surprised with how well the lyrics turned out and how similar they could be in style to their last album even without their old lyricist (who disappeared without a trace one year before this album came out). But of course, the main star of the show of this album is the music, especially the guitars. They were just so heavy and loud and still managed to have such a melodic slant to them which made them absolute heaven for my ears. I'm not sure i can justify a 5 star rating here but i can do a really high 4 star rating. Best Song: No Surface All Feeling Worst Song: A Design for Life
There's some hidden gems on this for sure
pretty good, never heard of them before. Not a very risky album but a nice listen
Way better than I thought this was going to be, I assumed it was going to be comedy album from the first 15 seconds or so. Great vocalist, better than average band. Really cool melodies and runs. I enjoyed this one a good bit. This is one of those joys of the list albums where I definitely never would have heard it but I definitely get why it’s on here.
3.5 stars. better than I expected it to be.
My type of music, one song slaps soooooo hard. Enjoyed thoroughly.
Some songs are bland but only like 2 + some song titles are creative. 4/5
Pretty darn good, reminds me of Pulp with an orchestra and more melodramatic key changes.
Enjoyed this, some great tunes. It's a nice combination of catchy / power pop vocals with quite rocking guitars which I liked. Less interesting lyrically than The Holy Bible, but definitely catchier
Jävla nice ba.
Stark fyra!!
Used to love them, they can be quite annoying now. Design for Life still excellent, No Surface is very good. Australia is bad. Borderline 3-4
Another band that I’ve heard of but never explored. This was good. Deserves more spins.
I've heard of this band but never listened to them before. Sadly, I don’t have much time to write a review as it’s New Years. I really liked this album. It’s pretty basic Brit pop but with a bit of spice to it. It was very noisy and very catchy, with a standout being Small Black Flowers That Grow In the Sky—a very emotional acoustic track written by a missing band member about a zoo tiger who went crazy due to isolation. I didn’t have the time to review this album from a very critical standpoint—especially as I had to keep starting and stopping it—so I’ll rate it from a casual listening perspective: I really enjoyed it but it isn’t something that stands out to me a lot. I am going to try to go back to it later and give it the attention it deserves, but for now, 4/5.
I’d never really listened to these guys before—unless you count the time in summer 2024 when I was being a tourist at Edinburgh castle and walked past them doing an afternoon sound check on my way out through the temporary stadium they’d put up there for a concert that night. They seemed cool—I took some pictures and figured I’d get around to listening to an album or two eventually. Verdict: they are cool! I had fun!
Heard some of their music before but had never listened to any of their albums. I very much liked this album.
God it sucks that I took this long to listen to Manic Street Preachers. This is that Good Shit, like at three tracks in I was checking to see if there were more albums of theirs on the list so I can listen to the albums of theirs that aren't on the list. Not a 5/5, though I feel further listening could change that.
Wasn't expecting much but this was surprisingly fun. Extremely 90s but I'm down with that.
A lot of the songs sound the same, but they have that great Britpop song that I love. Good overall.
Pretty cool mix of punky stuff with almost a classic rock sound. Interesting and engaging.
Honestly, had really no expectations from this album especially as a lot of the Britpop albums that have been picked are not great at all. But this album, is quite vibrant and fun while keeping all of the elements that make the genre what it is. Surprisingly great alternative album!
Kinda liked it
Truly fine rock. I'll need to listen again to give a fair rating. 4/5
Easy jams
Further away, definitely my favorite
Very enjoyable. Australia was my fave track.
Það sem Axel sagði og A design for life er frábært lag. 3,5
𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘎𝘰 marks the rebirth of Manic Street Preachers after the mysterious disappearance of lyricist Richey Edwards. While it’s often lumped in with Britpop, the album really belongs to the Cool Cymru movement — ambitious, emotional, and proudly Welsh. Big, orchestral rock anthems like 𝘈 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 carry both mourning and resilience, as if the band were learning how to exist again. Tragic in context, triumphant in sound.
Marvellous
Melodic progressive rock with dynamic vocal. I'm really starting to dig this band
Really like this, and had somehow never really given these guys a chance. Great vocals and even better guitar work - some really unique chord voicings that I think set this apart from a lot of other 90s alt bands. Actually loved the acoustic "Small Black Flowers" with the harp, and a lot of neat production flourishes throughout - it just sounds great and polished which to me is not a bad thing here. I spent too much time trying to figure out if this was Britpop or not (maybe adjacent?) but you can see how it sort of fits next to Oasis and early Radiohead while still very much carving out its own lane. The closer is amazing, just a fantastic riff. Definitely will listen to more Manics after this!
Expansive, anthemic, melodic. Vocals are interesting and don't always do the expected thing which is cool although im not always crazy about the voice. Guitars sound great. In fact all of the instrumentation is pretty spot on. The songs are really well put together and the overall sound is incredibly unique which is probably the biggest complement i can give. From start to finish there is no doubt who you are listening to. Favourite track - A Design For Life. 8/10
I.would probably upgrade this to a 5 if I could understand what he's saying without reading along to the lyrics.
I know these guys from This is my truth. I hadn't heard this album before. While I was listening to it I was thinking about the passage of time. In particular about the way that time changes the way that we perceive music. I imagine that when this was released in 1996 in was a ground breaking album. The sound is very solidly brit-pop. It feels a little dated now, with the exception of Design for Life which still hits hard and is anthemic.
Album 1/1001 1. Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier (4/5) 2. A Design For Life (5/5) 3. Kevin Carter (4/5) 4. Enola / Alone (4/5) 5. Everything Must Go (5/5) 6. Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky (4/5) 7. The Girl Who Wanted To Be God (5/5) 8. Removables (4/5) 9. Australia (4/5) 10. Interiors (Song For Willem De Kooning) (4/5) 11. Further Away (5/5) 12. No Surface All Feeling (5/5) Total (4/5)
90s rock I enjoyed?? Wow! Favorite song: Everything Must Go and The Girl Who Wanted to be God
A good listen, some really good tracks and some that are just forgettable
kevin carterrr
This was really great. I need time to sit down and listen to it more closely.
The last good Manic Street Preachers album.
"Everything Must Go" is the fourth studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was their first album as a trio after the disappearance of rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards who was their chief lyricist. Rock, Britpop and hard rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The album marked a change of styles from their stark and disturbing "The Holy Bible" to using synths and strings and more anthemic rock. The bandmembers included James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, guitars, piano), Sean Moore (drums, percussion, trumpets, backing vocals) and Nicky Wire (bass, backing vocals). Edwards was involved in the writing of five of the 12 songs. Commercially, the album was a success reaching #2 in the UK and was also critically well received. An acoustic guitar opens "Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier." Bradfield's high tenor voice. The band kicks in. Soaring vocals and more of an anthemic vibe than previously heard from the band. Heck, accentuated harp strings are added. A song about the way the UK accepts and worships American culture. I sure hope that's changed some. The first single "A Design for Life" slows things down. A melodic guitar, a chorus break and strings. A song that builds...nice songwriting and a song about the working class identity. Edwards wrote the lyrics to "Kevin Carter," named after a photographer who filmed the 1993 famine in Sudan. More bouncy and groovy. A trumpet. Complex drumming with time changes. On their second single, "Everything Must Go," the band and producer show us the big sound they were going for. Dramatic with strings. Inspired singing. It's a message to their fans that their music has changed since the disappearance of Edwards. The pace picks up in "Australia." Harder, layered guitars but the song morphs into more a straight-forward Britpop song. They want to go to Australia to getaway from the Edward's disappearance turmoil. "Further Away" is another nice rock-pop song . An additional organ in a happy sounding song. Richey Edwards weighs heavily on this album. He wrote/co-wrote five songs. The band has three other songs about his disappearance - the change in their music, getting away from the emotional turmoil and dealing with the pain of losing a friend. However, they created a big sounding album (Phil Spector-"Wall of Sound") with strings, a harp, horns, synths and soaring vocals. Most of the songs are melodic and uplifting as opposed to the darkness of their previous album. I admit Bradfield's vocals can annoy me at times but they dictate the tone and overall won me over. There's a lot to like here (and I know I'm repeating myself this week) with well-constructed songs and production...but they are and this is an album worth checking out.
The Manic Street Preachers are one of many British bands of this era featured on the list, but they are one of the best ones to listen to. The music is really energetic and catchy while still maintaining a rock edge. I found myself enjoying a bunch of the songs on here, such as Interiors and The Girl Who Wanted To Be God. There's a lot to explore here and a lot to love, I don't think one listen is really enough to give it a fair rating.
Heard of them but don't think I could name any songs. My sort of genre, I enjoyed it, would happily relisten.
4 out of 5. I found this album better than The Holy Bible (lol) Some think it's 90's sound holds it back but I feel otherwise.
pretty original
Great Britpop album that is upbeat and easy to sing along to Highlights: - A Design for Life - The Girl Who Wanted to Be God - Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier
01) Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier - 7,5 02) A Design For A Life - 10,0 03) Kevin Carter - 8,5 04) Enola/Alone - 7,5 05) Everything Must Go - 8,5 06) Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky - 8,0 07) The Girl Who Wanted to Be God - 8,0 08) Removables - 7,5 09) Australia - 8,5 10) Interiors (Song for Willem de Kooning) - 7,0 11) Further Away - 7,0 12) No Surface All Feeling - 8,0 TOTAL: 8,00 (80/100) Current ranking: 195/641
Really good. The production feels kind of dated - I could do without some of 90s guitar effects and tropes. But the songwriting and feel is just so free and direct and un-self-conscious. Love Australia, a design for life, everything must go. All feels more commercial single focused than Holy bible for example and that used to put me off it, but it's all so good.
Everything Must Go (1996) by Manic Street Preachers is basically what happens when a band walks out of a fire and decides to make arena-sized grief rock. It’s loud, glossy, and unapologetically emotional, like a eulogy written in glitter ink and screamed from a stadium. ⸻ 💔 Context Check (because it matters here): This was the first album after the disappearance of Richey Edwards—their lyricist, their razorblade philosopher, their myth. So instead of collapsing, they soared. They turned loss into legacy, and made something that shimmers with defiant survival. ⸻ 🧨 Rating: 4.7 / 5 📝 Short Review: Everything Must Go is grief on a grand scale—orchestral, guitar-drenched, and emotionally operatic. It’s like if Springsteen and Camus made a Britpop record, then lit it on fire.
I really liked this album. Very British, but I can see what the hype is about. Defintely sounds like the era it came from, but really solid overall. Will return. 7.5/10
Good music and good singing. This sounded so much harsher from the band name.
This is #day356 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's my second and final Manics record on the list. While EMG is a great album in its own right, I still think THB (which I got way back on #day125) is the one you must hear before you die. In contrast, this record feels more like a good recommendation. That said, "A Design for Life," "Kevin Carter" (probably one of my wife's favorites, love the way she says that title), and "Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky" (a beautiful hidden gem) are some of the better songs they've penned. What's fun about this record is how the band approached the drum sound, drawing inspiration from the acts they grew up listening to (most notably The Associates, whose album I got just yesterday). Another aspect is the vulnerability of the entire project, given that it was the first Manics record as a trio. P.S. Happy birthday to the drummer Sean Moore, who happens to celebrate it today. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day357.
Pretty good, very britpop 90s gear. Would own the LP
This is first time I've listened to an album a second time because it seemed like it should be my thing. While James Dean Bradfield's vocals aren't my favorite—maybe because they're in a higher register?—there's so much to like here. The second listen confirmed that I liked this, particularly the stretch that starts with "Australia" and goes through the end of the album. This was a lovely surprise. I'm now following Manic Street Preachers on Spotify, just a year before they celebrate their 40th anniversary. Better late than never.
i liked this!! pretty british but in some cool ways
A Design for Life still rips so hard. Fond memories
A fun listen
3 or 4??? I'm leaning up...so I'll go with the higher mark.
Another gem from the 90s and an era of music gone by.
Nice, lacking standouts
Love the vibe 7/10
Enjoyed more than I thought actually - glad I gave it a shot after many years of not bothering
The songs were interesting enough that I went back and listened to the album again to hear what I missed the first time. There are not a lot of albums that I do that for. I loved the production - there was an open, airiness to the songs. The horns and strings on some of the tracks added a sense of glamor to the production. I enjoyed it a lot.
Kudos to The Manics for coming back after the demise of Richey Edwards and for achieving their well-deserved longevity and classic status. And I still love the Cool Cymru movement.
I listened to this as I worked out this morning. As much as that would seem like an opportunity to really focus in, it got washed into all the other sensory input. That said, it was motivating accompaniment, I like this band. Haven’t gone back and listened to our first offering again, but noted I scored that album a 4. Good energy, good vocals, good compositions, I like the general sound of the band. So yeah, good stuff!
It’s not absolutely incredible the way The Holy Bible was, but it’s a fun listen and something I’ll definitely come back to
WOW.
Manic Street Preachers were a band that I tried to get into when I was young. I'd see their name mentioned a lot and I was curious. But their music never did anything for me, from the little I heard. Not terrible, just kind of forgettable to me. So this was my first time really giving them a chance. I did still find some of it less engaging, but there were definitely some great tracks here. "Kevin Carter", "Everything Must Go", "Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky" are all songs that I'd happily revisit. Overall, it's definitely not my favorite Brit Pop album, but it's far from the worst. There's quite a sad story behind this one, with the band's lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards having disappeared early into the recording (eventually to be presumed dead). From the description, it feels very much like the spirit of their lost band member runs through the album. All of the best songs (in my opinion) contain his lyrics.
That is what is great about this project. Would never listen to this and rather enjoyed. A lot of good tunes.
Honestly just incredibly solid and catchy
bastante buono
Better than most Britpop, probably less vapid lyrics, although I listened only once and didn't scrutinize the lyrics. I kinda liked it.
Fabtastic Album owed it for decades it was nice to revisit it
A bit absurd on how every song on this album feels like it could be the closing track. But excellent nonetheless!
I liked it! I haven't had a ton of experience with this brand of indie/pop rock from that era and from Wales apparently. I enjoyed the hard-hitting lyricism and the composition and vocals were right up my alley.
I really liked the lead singers voice, even though it wasn’t necessarily unique or completely outstanding, but I just really liked the sound of it. It was smooth but he also had that grit you know? This album was very upbeat and I found myself bopping my head along to it. I was very happy to see this band is still making music, they definitely deserve more recognition. I added some to my playlist, I liked this one a lot.
Manic Street Preachers have always had their own unique flair, and I can appreciate them for that, but they’ve never been a band that truly grabbed me. Their music is solid and catchy, well-produced, but it sits in that middle ground where it’s good but not groundbreaking. They have moments that stand out, but overall, they feel more like a dependable “B-tier” band never bad, just never quite reaching that top tier.
Better than Coldplay.
surprisingly creative and enjoyable album with pop punk influences and also some radiohead sort of vibes.
Warm and fuzzy.
Nice.
I liked this. Not groundbreaking (at least, not for me), but decent, 90s indiebritpoprock.
Hmm. Yeah, these guys ARE pretty good! Not as many heavy-hitting individual songs as The Holy Bible, but the sound is still there. I also appreciated the more luscious instrumentals, but they didn’t really stick with them after the first few tracks. Crazy that their lyricist disappeared.
These guys are pretty good eh Dom?
Very new to me and very good songs
4 stars. Like the sound and songs. Good band. Never heard of them before, so happy to discover them.
I've been enjoying this. Hadn't heard them before. Feels both in and out of the 90s, in a good way. Some 90s bands are just locked in a VCR. I like how they really go for it too. Some tracks are swingin for anthem/ballad status. Some are romcom soundtrack montages. Pretty much all the songs have a solid arrangement and super solid pop sensibility.
This was a pleasant surprise 3.5 is the number but anything that peaks my interest and causes me to dive a little deeper gets a 4.
Better than expected. Nice, catchy hard pop-rock. Best track: Australia
Finally a band from my neck of the woods I've heard so much about them, but honestly couldn't name you one song of theirs. I did end up recognising a few by the end of this album I quite enjoyed it! But they're more of a band I'd happily watch at a festival, but wouldn't pay for their tour 4 ⭐️
This has the feeling of something I'd be extremely nostalgic for if I grew up with it. Either way it's still good 90's rock, some bangers but also some filler
It's an enjoyable album, but the songwriting is a little on the generic side. I like the string parts though. Low 4.
A Design for Life pushes this up, what a tune, not heard it in years. I had Manic Street Preachers' next album, This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours - I liked that one a lot, but mainly played, If You Tolerate This on repeat. Really great, refreshing 90s indie rock. Didn't realise they were Welsh. Really fun overall.
Never been a big manics fan but they do have some great songs. I've listened to "the holy bible"album before though and was quite impressed. I wasn't convinced by the opening 2 tracks on this, "design for life" doesn't do much for me, it's been overplayed. I do think it got better after this though, Kevin carter is a good track. There were quite a few others I enjoyed to. I might give this another go. Think at least 3.5
Excellent and mature album with brilliant songs, though different to their earlier material.
A very strong 4.
Horrible voice, sadly
Definitely not the Manics strongest work, but still worthy of a generous 4 - I am a particular fan of Kevin Carter and Enola/Alone.
can't tell if I just got used to his voice or it actually got better throughout, but either way its great. I love the heavier guitars on most songs. not much else to say just good, some vocals are a bit weird, not sure how to explain it. Favourite songs: Elvis impersonator : Blackpool pier, Kevin Carter, Enola/alone, removables, Australia, Interiors (song for Willem de kooning), Further away, no surface all feeling. Overall around 8/10
297/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
I think this has some really strong tracks so I definitely will listen again. But other songs fell flat.
A good pick. Definitely enjoyed this better than The Holy Bible which turned up about 45 albums ago for me. Always liked the songs I've heard from the Manics so it's nice to have the opportunity to give them a listen. Would spin this again