Reviews (page 7 of 8)
An enjoyable album. 3*
I was pleasantly surprised by the previous MSP album. This was more like I remembered from the time...
I don’t really like the guys voice or songs. Not the worst but it didn’t really do anything for me.
Totally boring and forgettable. What on earth could make this worthy of the 1001??
I don't know what things to say about the album. My Spotify kept stopping the album so even Spotify didn't want to finish the album.
Its good obviously but didnt warm to it at the time and still dont.
Quality stuff,.this album has been sort of 'always there', so.much so that I hadn't really properly listened to it lately.
It's got some good stuff on, but all sounds very same-y.
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.
not bad, but nothing that really grabbed me with this one. just a bit boring overall.
It was nice to hear 90s rock that I hadn't heard, but this was pretty average.
Was alright. Favorite track: A Design for Life
It's the type of rock I could finish listening...
Elvis impersonator: Blackpool pier - 3/5 A design for life - 4/5 Kevin carter - 3/5 Enola / alone - 4/5 Everything must go - 4/5 Small black flowers that grow in the sky - 4/5 The girl who wanted to be god - 4/5 Removables - 4/5 Australia - 4/5 Interiors - 4/5 Further away - 4/5 No surface all feeling - 5/5 4/5
Some songs sounds just like generic alt-rocks songs that I’ve heard before. Also in half the songs it sounds like the guitar sound is up too high. Maybe just me. Design for Life, Kevin Carter (great trumpet solo), Enola/Alone, The Girl Who Wanted to be God, Australia and No Surface All Feeling. 7/10
normal human music for normal human consumption. its a 2 but im giving it a 3 because it might grow on me and I don't want this to get pavemented.
I like the vocals and the lyrics are interesting, but most of the songs are generic and boring. I felt like I was waiting for the album to be over. I liked Elvis and Flowers. 2.5/5
Excellent! I've never even HEARD of these guys, and they rock. Very Supergrass sounding (that's a compliment).
Good, but nothings stands out. I would probably never seek it out to listen to again.
An easy 3. Love the guitar sound esp. Nothing about this record really resembled a 'hook' though. If I had some nostalgia to mix in maybe this one would feel more important.
Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this, but it was not vibing with me.
Was about what I expected going in, enjoyable.
The Manics are one of the bands I never fully engaged with. Turns out I already know most of these tracks without ever consciously listening to it. They're catchy all right. Anthemic which sets them slightly apart from other 90's British bands (they are Welsh after all...)
Rock noventero un poco soso. Ni fu ni fa.
Bien, un poco cansinos.
Decent
I've never heard of this band before this listen. Now I know why.
I was unfair to the band back when this came out: they’ve some strong tunes with the different bits in the right places, literate lyrics, and can soar with the best. And I’ve a lot more time for Bradfield’s voice. I found it a little monotonous in tone and tempo on the first listen, but I’ve felt more generous to it on second and third goes. Still not sure, but a record with this many strong songs can’t be bad. A provisional three.
Have to admit, I really liked this when it came out - the sound of Euro '96 and associated bad decisions! It's still pretty great although some of the lyrics and the Transatlantic/Welsh vocals can be a bit cheesy. Lots of heart-on-sleeve bangers on here if you like that kind of thing, especially Kevin Carter, Australia, Further Away and the last one. 4 (real)
Another band whose name I've known for years but never listened to. They were OK, but didn't catch my ear enough for a return visit
I listened to this one at work. I don't remember it except for the fact that Amazon music repeats the last track when it gets to the end, so - based on the amount of time I was working - it must have played the last track of this album 4 times. I didn't even notice. That says all I need to say about it I guess.
Noisy and boring, he just sings the melodies.
IT WAS NO SURFACE AND ALL FEELING
It’s ok. I liked some songs but did not ‘feel’ it.
I dislike this album. I find the singer's voice really problematic. And I suspect the lyrics are interesting, but I struggle to hear what he's saying. Is it just me? Couldn't even finish it.
Fun listen but probably won’t listen to it again, sounds like pop radio rock for the time it came out
love it
I had already listened to The Holy Bible and didn’t care for it but I came into this one with an open mind. First track had me optimistic, something different with good energy, great. Then they fell back into their formula of mediocre alt-rock. This sucks, it’s boring and uninspired. Hope this is the last Manic Street Preacher album on this project. 2 stars
Pretty great!
Of all the Brit pop bands so far, this one’s the least favorite
I didn't hate it, and kind of appreciated the overblown cinematic sounds, in the vein of U2 or Oasis. Will not be a part of my regular rotation but I suppose I am glad I listened to it before I die.
I already hated their stuff with Richey Edwards but somehow this is even worse.
Completely average brit-rock. Sounds like their earlier material may sound more interesting to my tastes. Manic Street Preachers is a name I know of, but this is anything but manic nor preachy... unfortunately. It's fine... albeit a bit safe and boring.
i was not expecting this to go so hard
I can see why this one is on the list. There's definitely something about the sound that carried through early 2000s alternative.
Dead-ass dad rock. Meh.
Solid album
Pretty decent Britpop with loud, distorted jangly guitars modeled after Oasis. It's a lot more accessible yet more generic than the gothic predecessor The Holy Bible. Most songs failed to stand out, and the second half felt mostly filler, but they're all decent compositions. Favorites: A Design for Life, Enola/Alone, Everything Must Go, Small Black Flowers, No Surface All Feelings
3.75
Released in 1996, this album marks a significant shift in the Welsh band Manic Street Preachers’ sound, as they move away from their punk-inspired roots towards a more polished, radio-friendly sound. Highlights include the melancholy ballad "Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky" and the upbeat rocker "Australia," which features a catchy guitar riff and sing-along chorus. Also ”A Design for Life," which features powerful lyrics about the struggles of working-class life and the desire for a better future. "Everything Must Go" is a mature and introspective album that showcases the Manic Street Preachers' growth as musicians and songwriters. It's also an album that resonates with many on a deep emotional level. A very decent album from a very interesting band.
Good 8,5/10
This album has an incredibly 90's pop rock sound. I enjoyed the fusion of stringed instruments throughout (electric & acoustic guitars, violins, harps, etc.). The overall sound, especially the guitar work, are reminiscent of early Radiohead, only with louder vocals and percussion closer to the front of the stage. I lost track of the lyrics while listening, and didn't stay captivated the whole time, but the album is fairly solid despite these stretches of monotony. Fave tracks: A Design for Life, Everything Must Go
Pretty standard alt-rock album. There's some good songs on here, interesting lyrics with tight instrumentation, and some others that sound indistinguishable from many others at the time. Overall an enjoyable listen, but not something I will likely be coming back to in the future. Fav Tracks: Small Black Flowers That Grown In The Sky, The Girl Who Wanted To Be God, Interiors
Couldn’t connect with it.
It's alright. worth another listen.
Shit. Hated on it
This was actually really good! I'd never heard of this band or album before, but it was solid. Nothing immediately special on initial listen, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Schrebbelt
HL: "Enola/Alone", "Interiors", "Small Black Flowers...", “No Surface All Feeling” Heard “The Holy Bible” before this one, didn’t expect so much harp 3.5 April 2, 2023
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).
So I found his album to be pretty basic and generic. I can't say I hated it, but nothing really stood out that made me want to take a deeper look into their music. But, the song Kevin Carter kinda stuck in my head, so I had to find out if this is a real person. And sonofagun, this guy was real, he is famous and his story is sad and tragic for all the things he witnessed and photographed through the years. I spent a bit reading his story this morning. Very interesting. This is his suicide note: I'm really, really sorry. The pain of life overrides the joy to the point that joy does not exist. …depressed … without phone … money for rent … money for child support … money for debts … money!!! … I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings & corpses & anger & pain … of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners … I have gone to join Ken if I am that lucky. — Kevin Carter, [Suicide letter] Damn............ Album still gets a 2 for me. maybe 2.5. But I did learn something new, so I'll give the 2.5
Really good Uk rock music. After finding out that this is the first album after primary songwriter and guitarist had gone missing, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to Avenged Sevenfold's Nightmare. While obviously different types of bands I think the two albums share a lot in common. Catchy as fuck, first and foremost. But it also was a return, telling the world that they aren't going to stop. And in the case of both Everything Must Go and Nightmare they came out swinging and released really excellent music despite the odds. 4.5
2.5 I’m not going to lie, I thought these were the guys that wrote that Broken Phone Booth song, so I was disappointed to not see it on this album. Manic Street Preachers, Primitive Radio Gods, it’s not just me, right? Anyway, all that to say I apparently didn’t know anything by these guys. After listening, I learned it’s basically pure 90s Britpop, and I gotta say, the more of the genre I listen to, the more I’m starting to think Oasis is the only band that really pulled it off. Like, it doesn’t sound bad, but after my first listen, I retained nothing. So, I gave it a second listen, and this time really tried to focus in on the individual songs, but I swear every track on this album sounds exactly the same. I thought it was kind of funny that the Wikipedia article mentioned they put a heavy emphasis on the drum production here, because even after knowing that fact, I still couldn’t detect any kind of distinct emphasis or flair on the drum track. In fact, thanks to Wikipedia, the most interesting part of this whole experience for me was when I learned that this is the band’s first album without former lyricist/guitarist Richey Edwards, who straight up disappeared a year prior and still hasn’t been found to date. He was presumed dead in 2008, but apparently there have been sightings of him in India? I digress, the pacing of this album was pretty good and never dragged, but really it’s just mediocre Britpop at best. Would rather listen to Oasis (or maybe some early Supergrass as my Spotify shuffle has been getting me into lately!)
I've heard the name but honestly somehow I don't think I've ever listened. I don't know what I expected them to sound like but it wasn't this. Pretty cool, sounds almost emo. I should explore more.
First, they sound older than 1996. Second, the tracks are quite primitive and sentimentally catchy. Third, I still like it for some reasons.
Less dreary than I thought, though I started to drift away from it about half way through.
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.
Rock alternativo
That was great! The biggest hit of this album - A Design for Life is a total banger with a fantastic message hidden underneath those catchy hooks - the ironic reflection on the way the society looks down on the working class, great stuff. Everything Must Go is another great track. However, I feel like it's a bit too long and repetitive in the middle so then I lose interest a bit and did not have time to dive into the rest of the lyrics over just one day. For now, it's a 4+
A Design for Life, reszta mocno przeciętna
Best hits albumiko... Heh...... En yleensä kokelmalevyistä piittaa..
I did try and give this some extra time, but I couldn't really connect with it. The first four or five songs never made an impression on me with their somewhat generic 90s rock sound. Upon re-listening in the car with others, the album was vetoed and banned before we could get to the two songs I found interesting, "Small Black Flowers that Grow in the Sky" and "The Girls Who Wanted to be God." Based on those, the album goes up a point. Overall, there was nothing I disliked about this album, but not much I really liked, either.
I enjoyed the musical arrangements a great deal. I had never heard of the group, but at least on this album they reminded me of another band I like…so that means I like them too, right?
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.
This is what I'm doing this for, man! A fantastic album that is extremely My Shit, but I would have never thought to listen to it on my own. This is the kind of big, loud pop rock that I am a sucker for. I'm gonna be listening to this all day. Favorite track: Enola/Alone
some good ones just a bit long
álbum genérico, nada especial comparado ao restante dos álbuns alternativos.
Acho que foi o melhor álbum de rock "alternativo" até o momento - não que isso seja um grande elogio, visto que até agora "alternativo" parece ser o título dado a álbuns que falharam na tentativa de revolucionar ou aprimorar um estilo já consagrado. O álbum em si não me chamou muita atenção, nem negativamente nem positivamente - it was aiight to listen to, wouldn't play it myself but wouldn't change the radio station cause of it.
Everything must go yes, like this album. Please stay away from me with all your hundreds of guitars.
Brit pop usually is something I'm okay with however with this I couldn't attach to it.
alt-pop-rock-something with an epic nostalgic cinematic feel. most songs could be an anime OP/ED. 4.5/5
This album put me off of using the site for a long time
Not really anything there for me
Meh.
At first, I was reminded of being in my early 20s and the carefree existence I enjoyed back then. Then I started to remember how pretentious this band were.
So far it's got some crunchy rock bit it's all a bit samey. The lead singer is a hair's breadth away from being painful. Then we get a nice light touch with Small Black Flowers. The Girl Who Wanted to be God had a nice funky bass. Removables starts off like Nirvana Unplugged work the lead singer getting a bit of Kurt, except he doesn't sound funereal.
Rätt trevligt album.
Not my thing, terrible.
Wonderful, right up my alley
From my time in London, I’ve always been fascinated by the Manics. They were in many ways an uncompromising band and somewhat unconventional having their primary lyricist and figurehead in Richey Edwards barely contribute via instrument and then disappear in mysterious fashion. Holy Bible is certainly a cornerstone of the Edwards era and Everything Must Go is the best of the albums after his disappearance. I also always thought of them as very cerebral British and the content on this album definitely aligns with that (see A Design for Life, Kevin Carter, etc) and is sometimes challenging for American ears to digest. I’ve grown to enjoy this album quite a bit though.
Bland and repetitive for most of the album. Some songs were decent though.
This is NOT Brit Pop. Repeat - this is not Brit Pop. It's Brit Bolton. Yes, Michael Bolton invaded 90's music via the Manics. How else do you explain the vocals here - especially on Further Away. I lived in London in the 90s and couldn't ever understand the love the UK music press had for the Manic Street Preachers ( and Menswear). This is a band who would have thrived as a power ballad poodle rock band but were born in the wrong decade. Design for Life is the only thing raising this from 1 star.
Pre-Listening Notes: The first album I’ve actually listened to before this album, although not as visceral and as painful/beautifully aggressive as The Holy Bible (probably due to the unfortunate presumed passing of Richey Edwards), the cleaner and more melodic focused sound with the added touches of symphonic flare in songs such as A Design For Life still make it a fantastically fluid and catchy album with many solid riffs and poignant lyrics. A Design For Life still remains one of my favourite tracks of all time and re listening to this album has only cemented it there further, while No Surface All Feeling is the perfect gut punch emotional closure to wrap up a fantastic album Relistening Notes:
It's hard for me to get excited about a wall of sound 90s alternative album with no standout tracks. Best track: ? They were kind of all the same
Cool
An album filled with such sadness in the wake of the disappearance of Richey Edwards. Such a move away from the metal edged sludge of earlier albums. I love their old dirty glitter but this album has a sense of dare I say maturity
ok
One thing I had vastly underestimated was the sheer amount of britpop that could make the list. Sure, Oasis and Blur seemed like sure shots, but then there's Pulp and Suede which made sense given their respective legacies. By now, I've listened to The Verve, Supergrass, and even Shack. Shack, for god's sake. Over 500 albums in and we're still meandering around britpop. That's not to besmirch the good work of the Manic Street Preachers. They've done a fairly good job here with their symphonic rock dabbling. Everything Must Go has songs that feel larger than life, pretty fitting for the list in my opinion.
Liked the hits.
Rythme, émotion. Ça m’a plu tout de suite. Vais réécouter et découvrir le groupe
Makes me wish there were half-stars because I'd give this a 3.5. It was a good album and though I didn't care enough about most of the songs to say I like them, a lot of them were close I'd say. None of the songs were bad imo and I loved "A Design For Life" for a long while before I set out to listen to entire albums!
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.
Pretty difficult to decide whether or not I like this. The whole thing is kind of a mess in the way that usually comes together as whole to be something good, but this doesn't quite make the mark and ends up just being muddled. Not a fan of the singer's voice or the production. The lyrics are alright as well as the instrumentation. Not a big fan of anything here, but nothing awful either, just not quite sure what to make of the entire thing. 3/5
Favorites: -A design for life -Enola/Alone -The girl who wanted to be god -No surface all feeling Really good
I had enjoy another Manic Street Preachers album on the list - The Holy Bible, but this is not an album I would deem as a must listen. So another instance of the author(s) cramming their BritPop bias down our throats. 2.5/5.
2.75
I'm leary about love at first sight, but I fell and fell hard on my first listen. After 631 albums, THIS is why I keep going. To try a new album I've never heard of from a band or artist I never knew existed and to come out of it something of a Stan.
So mediocre.
Better than average Britpop. Standout tracks - A Design for Life and Enola/Alone. I liked this overall, but all of the strings are leaving me conflicted as they make some of the tracks sound a bit more maudlin than they probably mean to.
Well, that was boring as hell.
A couple of era-defining tunes here, but the album overall has an element of sameyness to it.
It was better than I expected. I like it!
Their commercial peak, so really great songs. I'm tempted to remove a star for Australia, but the rest is just so good.
Not quite my tempo
Typisk tre stjerner
Some awesome chord progressions in here, great vocals and melodies. A surprising find!
REALLY CATCHY ALBUM! I LOVED THE WHOLE ALBUM! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT! ONE OF MY FAVORITES NOW!
Liked this far less than I remember!
Can understand why this is liked but I just don't, really.
Pretty solid alt rock kinda stuff, I may revisit this at some point. 3.5 rounded down.
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.
Ok
Not my cup of tea.
Good vibes
It lacks the intensity and energy that make The Holy Bible such a powerful album, but there are some great songs here. A Design For Life is the obvious highlight and one of their greatest songs, but it's a pretty stacked tracklist and one of their catchiest offerings
I liked the 90s sound of this album. It reminded me a little bit of like Luna, or a band like that.
one of the best Britpop albums I’ve heard, with a heady mix of great vocals and amazing instrumentals. MSP was so talented it’s not even funny!
It's OK '90s stuff.
A well thought out and unique sound. Good soft rock grooves
It's no "The Holy Bible", but then again.. nothing is. You can't really follow up the greatest album of all time. It's hard to put into words how much that album and Richey Edwards' story speak to me, so I'm not going to. Maybe once the generator spits out The Holy Bible. God damn it, this is a pretty heavy one. You can tell the studio was haunted by the ghost of Richey Edwards. It's like the music is trying its hardest to be triumphant, but the melancholy and bittersweetness keeps seeping in. And despite that, it's not a challenging listen. You could give this to a random guy on the street and he would be like "Huh this is a pretty good britpop album". I'm gonna give this a 5/5, but if we expanded the scale, then this is like an 8.5/10 and the Holy Bible is a 10/10.
I generally like Britpop and British 90s rock, but I could never really get into Manic Street Preachers. This is the first full album of theirs I’ve heard from start to finish and it’s ok, but for me there are better 90s rock albums out there. This one’s a little too big, a little too anthemic for my taste.
It was OK. Nothing really grabbed me.
This is an unmemorable album
Another band that I've heard of, but never listened to. My experience with Britpop is pretty limited (when I was 13 or 14, I bought The Verve's 'Urban Hymns' solely for Bittersweet Symphony, and when I was fresh out of college, I bought Oasis's 'What's the Story Morning Glory', thanks to Rock Band), but I enjoyed this album. It's very unique from a lot of the stuff I listen to from the nineties, and I really liked the guitar parts on all of the songs. This isn't the sort of thing that I typically listen to, but I can definitely appreciate how good it is.
I always found the Manics to be a bit “sixth form try hard” poetry.
I know these guys are highly regarded and all, but to my ears it just sounded like polished britpop with hooks that are entertaining but that I ultimately didn't care for.
Not bad, but pretty generic brit pop with some "fancy" arrangements. Had an ok time, but I don't think it will cross my ear canal any time soon.
Nothing too bad, neither too good. Already forgot every single note
Generic alternative rock at its best. I don't remember anything from this record.
What a great name for a group. Too bad about the music.
Just not enough variation for me to enjoy. It’s fine rock, 3.0
yeah, yeah, brit alt-rock. good example, uninspiring to me.
I simply don't like this band. Turned it off halfway through and listened to Nas instead.
Decent rock album, pretty diverse sounds and instrumentation.
A little drab
Man, I’m feeling like a Negative Nancy, but I did not care for this.
Good sounding 90s rock. More gentle/radio friendly than any kind of hard rock. Feel like they could've/should've been a more commonly know group but Iver never heard of them. Good stuff though
Not all bangers, but like their sound
2.5/5 a bit boring and annoying vocals
Good angst levels. Enjoyable.
Good songs good guitar based indie.
Meh
Weezer blue esque or like supergrass
Queen? Weezer? Interesting straight ahead rock nothin fancy.
Brittpop niks voor mij
Can definitely tell this isn't as gripping as it would be to those with nostalgia for this album. Also, the ending track has this annoying pitch that drives me up the wall! (I was listening to the 2016 remastered version, for those wondering) with all that said, "Australia" was my favorite track - I think it has a melodic, hard rock sound to it that I like.
Worth another listen, accomplished rock
I liked that more than I expected. Has some surprising parts.
En del trevliga delar och bitar men helheten va lite eh
Detta album must go!!!
Good emotionally charged alternative rock songs. Didn’t fully click with me unfortunately
Trååååkigt
76/100: This was a pretty decent album, they reminded me of a grunge-influenced The Killers. I would potentially listen to more of their stuff, as I'm definitely interested, but if I were to find this is the best they get, I'd be pretty disappointed. This isn't really an album I see myself listening to again very much in the future; however, it's a sound I could get behind if further matured in their other works. I specifically really liked the song "No Surface All Feeling," I'd definitely love to find more songs like that. I think it's a really cool mix of soft and hard rock with little to no transition between the two when the chorus hits, which is super cool.
It is a decent album that has a few very noticeable highlights. I can't see myself listening to this album again (I have listened to it twice so far), but some of the individual tracks are worth repeating. 'A Design for Life' has a very good melody and solid instrumental backing. The title track is solid too, as is 'The Girl Who Wanted To Be God', with its very catchy melody. The rest of the album, bar a few more decent tracks, feels like filler to me. FAVORITE SONGS: - A Design for Life - Everything Must Go - The Girl Who Wanted To Be God - No Surface All Feeling 3/5
2.5/5
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: A design for life
I never liked the Manic Street Preachers and I was really into indie around this time. Listening now, the instrumentals are actually pretty good, the use of strings and brass is nice, subtle and pretentious or anything. I think it’s the vocals that rubbed me the wrong way. Just shouting the title of the song with a slightly different infection does not make a chorus. It’s all very faux poetry, seems deep and meaningful but as far as I can tell it’s actually silly nonsense. Better that I expected but I’m still not a fan.
Just couldn’t get into this one.
Great album
I'd listened to the first few Manic Street Preachers CDs and like them quite a bit, especially Holy Bible, but had never heard this one. Originally I liked it quite a bit, but it didn't hold up as well on repeat listen, certainly not as well as Holy Bible. The big change vs. their earlier work is that it's much less punk - slower, less aggressive guitar and drums, less aggressive vocals, and more orchestral instrumentation. That's normally OK by me, but the shift just doesn't suit their style as well, and in particular the lyrics are still fairly dark and the tone pretty nasty, so I think a more stripped-down punk treatment would've worked better. The biggest issue I have with the composition is that the translation from lyrics to melody lines is really clunky, the singer ends up delivering a fair number of lines in a very forced style that doesn't sound at all conversational. I don't know if that's related to the fact that this is their first CD without their original lyricist, but it makes the sound overall a lot less smooth. Then they also use a fair number of poorly-motivated harmonic sequences - a great example is on the lead track, where they change keys for a couple bars mid-verse (possibly into two different keys) and then suddenly back again with little in the way of motivation either in the bass or in the extension. That's colorful at least, but it's a little sloppy, and I just think it would've worked better for a punk-rock treatment. This CD is certainly far from all bad though. I liked it quite a bit on the first listen. The more upbeat tracks, especially "Kevin Carter" and the title track, are great, very catchy, and you can hear the influence on later British garage rock. And their singer doesn't have the greatest voice but he does have the courage to really go for it, which works to his advantage. Solid but nothing special.
Greit albi
Bah
Still rules. The band keeps getting better even after tragically losing Richie. Banger after banger.
Not bad.
an ok album. reminds me of Cold War Kids
Amazing start, amazing to the end.
Never really understood the hype about the Manics, but this one, admitted, is quite good
This is alright.
Pretty cool and interesting choices with instrumentation
Really liked this one! Definitely going back to it!
Starts strong, but the second half loses some steam. Still, a nice album by Manic Street Preachers, even though I prefer This Is My Truth .... 3/5
Ok, probably won't listen to it again tho
Shit man, this was really great. Reminds me of the best aspects of Radiohead around The Bends and Ok Computer, just awesome instrumentation and sound. I'll have to relisten, but what a treat that will be.
Chiant mais pas nul, comme souvent
ya pas quelqu’un qui a le meme là du gars qui est pas convaincu qui fait la moue genre en ASCII art ou jsp
Not their best album
I enjoyed this album, I think the songs are some good bops. It's not super unique or have a specific voice, but I'm a sucker for this kind of music. Favorite song: No surface all feeling Worst song: Interiors
I go up and down on the Manics...lyrically interesting, some dodgy production choices hear and there, but at other points perfection. Seen them lice twice, once amazing, once shite so hard to judge. At their worst they sound like estate agent rock at their best their leading the revolution .
The sound appeals to me the most, the lead singer sounds very emotional in his deliveries. The music is also very grandiose in tune. Overall this album delivers a solid punch and is one that I certainly enjoy very much. Enough to give it a 7.5/10.
Wannabe rock stars who cover up their absence of star quality with guitar fuzz, unbalanced mixes, and more yelling than they know what to do with.
I was obsessed with the Manics. This was the album that alerted me to them, but because I was a skint pre teen, I could afford Generation Terrorists and The Holy Bible. This is a far gentler, poppier and more beautiful album, and an amazing reaction to the tragedy of losing Richie. I don't know that if be the same person today were it not for the Manics.
i said this last time we got a manics album on here but i'll repeat myself because why not, it's only me reading these. in theory i should absolutely love the manics and in particular what they stand for but for some reason i don't. This listening of this album however is softening me, i've enjoyed its peak britpop simplicity. it's unlike me to like the most commercially popular output form a band, but here we are.
Tempting to give it a 1 star review just to piss Scott off.
Fantastic. I loved the guitars, the creativity in the compositions, the conviction, the vibe - this is a classic album
I’ve only ever listened to the hits never a full studio album from the Manics. So after popping that cherry with this I can safely say: you’re not missing out on any deep cut gems by only listening to Spotify’s ‘This Is Manic Street Prechers’ playlis . ‘A Design For Life’, ‘Kevin Carter’ & ‘Australia’ are brilliant indie bangers with depth and soul. But the rest just feels like decent b-sides lacking the killer punch of those prior tracks. It’s not bad, but it’s not great: They’re a ‘Best of’ Band
It hasn't aged well ... surprised the Australia Tourist Board never hijacked the track mind.
Quintessential Brit-rock mediocrity featuring cut-&-paste 90's guitar-led indie music with few distinguishing features. Lump it all in with Primal Scream, Sterophonics, Ash, Flaming Lips etc. and let the 'cult followers', who deride you for not worshiping it, tattoo the lyrics on their arms and buy tickets to Reading&Leeds festivals to see them headlining as ‘legends’ - playing to the same people as they were 25 years earlier. If you miss them headlining, fret not, just tune into RadioX and a 50 year old DJ will be playing the same turgid shit whilst pronouncing 'they don't make them like this anymore!'.
Surprised by the hate. This is a great melodic, moody and varied album. I get it sounds a little generic - fair enough. It suffers slightly from the 'wall of sound' production that I think came back into fashion in the 90s. But there's not one bad song on the album. And the album got better as it went along: Enola/Alone, Removables, Further Away are all brilliant indie songs. And then the best song on the album is the last song 'No Surface All Feeling'.
The album following this one is their masterpiece imho. Definitely worth a listen if you’re not familiar with it
Manages to be both pedestrian and painful. Lots of chords, but almost no memorable melodies… the thin and samey vocals stand no chance against a monotonous wall of guitar. Appreciate the album was made in tragic circumstances, but independently of that, the band seem to take themselves incredibly seriously. Not very endearing nor fun to listen to. Prime cuts: A Design for Life (anthem), No Surface All Feeling (riff)
Music sounded good. Could not hear vocals. Worth the listen.
I relatively enjoyed my time with this album, but it was just pretty much 90s alternative rock, and nothing more than that. Nothing bad, but nothing absolutely remarkable either.
Man, I really don't care about this at all.
I mean I didn't hate this but I certainly didn't love it. Just found it a bit cringe... Along the same lines I find Elvis Costello cringe. But it wasn't anywhere near as bad.
Again felt this was too dad music for me but it wasn't too bad, just a little meh
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.
Really good album the singer has a good voice and every song is well produced
Definitely discovered a few songs I liked/had heard before. Faves: No Surface All Feeling Everything Must Go
The last song was good enough to almost change my mind, but I don’t see why this album is on the list. The set of songs are decent enough, but it didn’t strike me as particularly special.
Hm... not terribly impressed. It got much better later, but I won't have any cause to return to it. I read a wild story about their disappearing bandmate tho.
Nostalgía, mjög fínt. Mjög distinktíft.
Interesting tunes. Not too bad.
When the album is good, it's really good. Songs like Everything Must Go and Design for Life really soar... they drive forward with energy and rhythm that is really enjoyable. There's a couple more that approach that energy that make it a very close 4, but there's just a few too many tracks that aren't particularly memorable. Still good.
One of those bands that I think I would have loved had I come across it at the right time. But now I always feel a bit irritated when starting to listen to them, but 5 song in I'm still listening who knows
I will say I was pretty disappointed to see the manic street preachers on here so soon again. But this album is not like the other we listened to. This one starts off with a bang. Actually the first 2 songs are great. This is a very consistent record with some great rock riffs. I was shocked how much better this album is than The Holy Bible. NEED TO RELISTEN. 8/10
Really just don’t like these guys that much
It feels like a shame to rate this a 2, but I don't remember much about the record. I'll have to revisit it.
3.5
It was what I expected from name alone
A Design For Life is a powerhouse anthem and the rest of the album delivers as well. 4/5
This was not bad, but it mist some spice to be actually good. Some songs grew on me during 2nd listen
Meh
bleh
I did really like this.
Some great songs
Big sound
Sounds like a poor man’s Oasis combined with Travis.
Repetitive and generally just okay. Felt like a worse version of Oasis
I lil sink of the heart again as for some reason I took against the Manics in the 00s. I enjoyed this album. Not a full concert but my hate has subsided.
Never heard of them - kinda good, pretty standard. Some stinkers in the second half. Probably won't intentionally listen again. I think you had to be alive in '96 to enjoy this one. 2 stars, just not my thing
Meh
very ok
Some absolute bangers on this. Brought me right back to high school. 4.5 rounded down
Bit forgettable, but alright to listen to.
Don't really know them, but I mostly enjoyed this, probably a 3.5 but I'll round up in deference to Ben
It was okay. Nothing stood out to me.
"Everything must go" you can just chuck out this album.. didn't make my ears blead but I didn't enjoy the wall of distorted guitar and shoutsinging.
I just really didn't think this was good.
really cool gritty record. never listened before!
I'll stick with Radiohead, thanks.
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.
Emo-tinged in a ‘90s way the songs here all combine to form an aesthetic for the band one they perfectly fit in to and incapsulate. This is one you feel and hear.
It's as if an AI was tasked to listen to some 90's alternative/brit-pop radio, and then make an album based on what it heard.
Different than I expected - more rock, less R&B? but good.
Would definitely listen again
I did not enjoy this album at all. It was very bland and boring.
there were a few songs there I really liked but for the most part it wasn’t too special 7/10
This band wasn't even on my radar but the album is solid. Not particularly remarkable but it's a solid, enjoyable album. Glad I got to hear it before I died.
Around the second half of the album, these dudes start sounding like what those corporate Christian rock hacks wish they sounded like. Which is like funny cause of their name and stuff. Somehow, this album is able to make me appreciate that signature bright, sappy but upbeat, oversaturated sound by weaving it through simple yet satisfying and compelling melodies. But much more than that is offered on this well-paced album, where each track feels distinct from the last.
Despite the supposed lethality of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, the memorial album isn't really that common. Or rather, the great memorial album isn't really that common. Everyone can name the most obvious choice: AC/DC's Back in Black, the band's immensely raucous farewell to their lead singer and buddy Bon Scott. But apart from that, very few albums satisfy both qualities. Perhaps the only other major example is this, the indie Back in Black, the Manic Street Preachers' Everything Must Go. Richey Edwards was, along with the bassist Nicky Wire, the Manics' main lyricist; he was also credited as their rhythm guitarist, but his musical skills were rudimentary at best, his guitar left unplugged during most live shows. Richey was also a very troubled young man, prone to depression, self-harm, anorexia and alcoholism. With their previous album The Holy Bible, Richey unleashed his despondent vision, with themes of the Holocaust, murder, consumerism, radical left-wing politics and despair. The band, friends and family had already become seriously concerned with his behaviour when he disappeared on the 1st of February 1995. His car was found near the River Severn Bridge two weks later. It is not known what exactly happened to Richey Edwards; though several sightings have been reported since, none have been confirmed, and the most common assumption is that he jumped from the bridge. He would have been aged 27. He was officially presumed dead on the 23rd of November, 2008. The centrepiece of Everything Must Go is the title track, not A Design for Life, the Manics' most popular song. Everything Must Go is one of the two songs that directly addresses how the remaining Manics sought to cope with the loss of their friend and in-house ideologue. Whereas AC/DC salutes Bon Scott martially with Have a Drink on Me, Everything Must Go is an apologia to Richey, an admittance that the band can't retain his outlook with his departure, and instead has to explore whatever path emerges for them. The chorus is heartbreaking when you realise they're asking their friend to forgive them for no longer being the band he wanted them to be. As anyone who's lost someone will tell you, the guilt you feel for moving on is palpable. But the Manics choose not a sombre tone: they start with the Be My Baby drumbeat. Their commemoration of Richey celebrates his life, expressing their fear of the future, but realising that they have no choice but to keep on walking forward. The memory of Richey appears often throughout the album. Five of the 12 songs were co-written by him. The opener, Elvs Impersonator: Blackpool Pier (one of Richey's creations), mocks cheap, tawdry and pathetic nostalgia; in retrospect, this rejection of the past achieves a greater poignancy. More grimly, Kevin Carter, based on a South African photographer of the Rwandan genocide, concerns a figure who took his own life, and Small Black Flowers that Grow in the Sky explicitly references self-harm (Richey had penned both). But the tracks written after Richey's disappearance reveal a band handling their grief, not wallowing in it. A Design for Life stems far more from Nicky Wire's politics than Richey's: George Orwell and the welfare state rather than Herbert Marcuse and the Weathermen. The sound of the album exhibits a walloping shift from their previous album: string-laden and often bombastic, with little of The Holy Bible's post-punk abrasiveness. The final track, No Surface All Feeling, contains perhaps the album's ultimate message: What's the point in always looking back When all you see is more and more junk? I don't believe the question is wholly rhetorical. Rather, it's a band of friends sincerely asking themselves if reminiscence is worthwhile, given it can engender bitterness as much as consolation. For all their reputation as agit-prop sloganeers, Everything Must Go shows the Manics embracing nuance, of accepting that some of the most important questions might not even have answers. Although not strictly speaking a Britpop album (you'd never see the Manics parading a Union Jack), Everything Must Go is one of the most rewarding albums of British indie in the 90s. The critical consensus regarding the period of The Holy Bible and Everything Must Go is that the Manics never reached such heights again. With the most generous will in the world, one is forced to agree. Sure, you can find the occasional corker in the subsequent decades, but it's those two albums upon which the Manics' legacy stands.
Rough listen.
Mostly just formulaic Brit pop. Feels contained to a box of how it should sound which makes it quite mundane. 4/10
This gets two stars because it wasn't bad. Not great or good but definitely not bad.
3,5
Well, it's a good album if you like the Manics - and I do - but it's not their best and it might not be the best introduction to an otherwise awesome band. Talking from a Manics fan - it's wonderfully arranged and produced - and contains 'A Design for Life', and 'Kevin Carter' - and it's fun to revisit. But in the pantheon of a 1001 albums - it's not among the greatest.
I'm pretty sure this is playing on a loop in purgatory. Offensively Inoffensive.
Competent guitar rock. A little too monotone on the vocals with this being a bit nasal. Good songs but could do with more expressive presentation. No track really stood out from the rest.
Manic Street Preachers just sounds like whiny preaching to me.
I might have liked this a lot if I'd listened to it back in the day! Fun mix of heavy guitars and horns on some tracks. Lyrics are probably worth revisiting.
Goed rock album
Excellent.
A real mash-mash of styles. The Chic one. The Nirvana one. None of it really grabbed me. They always came across as playing at being a punk band, and this album did nothing to disabuse me of that notion. Stodgy riffs with pseudo-meaningful lyrics and whiny vocals. The musical equivalent of Banksy - one dimensional and dogmatic.
This album is so caught up in the times. It made sense in the mid-90's, but not so much now. You forget how much of a mainstream breakthrough it was for the Manics. At the time they were the support act for The Stone Roses at Wembley Arena. No one outside of the music inches had really paid much attention to them. Design for Life remains an anthem, although not one that I would want to keep on singing 25 years later. It's such an anti-ladism song, yet at the time it got swallowed up by the Britpop masses with takes of only wanting to get drunk. It's a decent album, but very, very dated.
Blackpool Pier - 10/10 A Design for Life - 5/10 Kevin Carter - 9/10 Elona/Alone - 6/10 Everything Must Go - 7/10 Small Black Flowers That Grow In the Sky - 6/10 The Girl Who Wanted to be God - 9/10 Removables - 6/10 Australia - 8/10 Interiors - 6/10 Further Away - 9/10 No Surface All Feeling - 10/10
Pretty decent album with some great tracks. Some really good riffs, but I always think their albums are not quite there.
I really didn’t like everything except the last three songs, those were pretty good, but I just couldn’t get into the rest of it
i really vibed with this, something about it just spoke to me.
Oh wow extrêmement solide Prefs: Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier, A Design For Life, Everything Must Go, The Girl Who Wanted To Be God, Removables, Australia, Interiors (Song for Willem de Kooning), No Surface All Feeling Moins pref: Further Away
Simple melodies start off quite a few of the tracks, reminiscent of the early British invasion. Vocals are tinted with a smidge of grudge and angst you'd expect with rock bands in the 90s. What makes this album shine is the bands exploration of sounds between tracks. Notably, the eponymous track comes in with a lo-fi high energy rock song coupled with a string arraignment that would be fitting with a James Bond theme. They follow this up with a harrowing acoustic track (Small Black Flowers) that sucks any energy you might have taken from Everything Must Go by the time the sweeping notes of the harp enter.
Not a massive fan of the MSP. Their themes seem to overreach as much as Bradfield voice. The odd orchestration seems out of kilter too. I admire the ambition as some kind of Welsh punk Springsteen. but it doesn't work for me.
Couple of good songs, not sure I got hook
You can definitely feel the members of Manic Street Preachers have lost someone close to them, both through the lyrics and the music. And while tragic for a band member to be missing and later presumed dead, the emotional tormoil makes an interesting listen. Unfortunaltely I didn't love the album as I only really liked a few songs aside from the imagery. Small Black Flowers and Design For Life were my favourites.
Eh
Pretty chill music. Loved Small Black Flowers. It has a nice melody and stands out on the album which is predominately alt rock.
Generic Brit pop/ alt rock.
Cracker
I remember it being better. Some crackers. Some fillers
Listened Before? N This one was better than the other one I've listened to by this band (The Holy Bible). It's kinda like Smashing Pumpkins and Oasis had a baby. I reckon it's okay. Not my favorite but listenable. Added to Library? N Songs added to Library: A Design for Life
Gran disco con grandes canciones. Al final se han ido disipando y no han terminado en convertirse en una banda histórica al estilo de Queen pero apuntaban maneras. De este disco me gustan las 3 con las que empiez fuerte "Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier", "A Design for Life", "Kevin Carter" y luego "The Girl Who Wanted to Be God". Interesante.
Ha come un suono di già sentito, ma indefinibile.
Promoted above its station. (‘Motorcycle Emptiness’, in and of itself, stands as proof of this.) It’s a better-than-ok album, but (1) its primary utility was to introduce me to MSPs back catalogue, which I was only vaguely aware of before then, and (2) I guess is a ‘narrative’ album - the narrative the press latching on to here being Richey Edwards - the REM palaver, ‘For Real’, and finally his disappearance. Lots of people (like me) knew about all this without actually knowing their music.
It's a greatly enjoyable rock-album and probably the best the Manics have ever made, with the pain from all of them on missing Richey Edwards as a guiding thread through the album, even though the songs are quite hopeful. After a while the 'wall-of-sound' production makes the songs sound alike a bit, with only the real standout songs (especially the first three) jumping out. Still, an album I listened to with much pleasure.
Much more accessible than Holy Bible. Incredible what they achieved during such horrendous heartbreak and turmoil. Great music and stands up well more than 25 years later.
Brilliant
A good easy listening to, brit rock album. Even with the dark undertones, full of lament and asking for forgiveness for moving on from the disappearance of their rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards (who has since been presumed dead). Overall, it has the sentiment of a bittersweet album, wrapped up in an upbeat rock album. Best: Everything Must Go Worst: Kevin Carter
Not really my thing.
Just ok, melhor música: No surface all feeling
Oooh! I like this. The 90s are growing on me lately. Mixing of genres, embracing and evolving the grunge, and in the case of Manic Street Preachers, building nicely on alternative. Songs on this album are typical structure for the 90s, and no filler!
Mais um britpop que não empolga.
Firmly fine Britpop that lacks the ability to do anything but go all out at all times. Sometimes subtlety is nice!
Early 90s, British emo by skinny, white guys who look like they've been locked in a cellar their whole lives.
Great Album - captured the moment perfectly in 1996
'90s British alternative. Guitars with distortion.
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.
Really fun alt-rock with some proto pop punk vocals. 8/10
Voice sounded like Nate Ruess at first glance.
I dunno. Post-grunge with a Cool Cymru twist?