Forever Delayed - The Independent Manics Forum  

Go Back   Forever Delayed - The Independent Manics Forum > Manic Street Preachers > Manic Street Preachers Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-11-2010, 13:39
y2kyle16's Avatar
y2kyle16 y2kyle16 is offline
Bored of being bored
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,556
The "Plague Lovers" Discussion Thread

One poor song on this album for me, and it may be controversial but I cant fucking stand Jackie Collins, too commercial for an otherwise smashing album

Favs: Peeled Apples, Stephen Hawking, Plague Lovers and Vanity

Dont particularly like Williams Last words

The album that was the catalyst for the revival though, and was arguably one of their finest hours

Thoughts?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-11-2010, 13:42
riot_star's Avatar
riot_star riot_star is offline
I live to fall asleep
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lincoln
Age: 30
Posts: 3,862
I agree - this album was their finest hour (for me anyway).

Facing Page: Top Left is just simply amazing. And so is Me and Stephen Hawking, William's Last Words, Peeled Apples, VSEC, She Bathed Herself in A Bath of Bleach, Doors Closing Slowly, JCEQT, JFPL, Pretension/Repulsion, Bag Lady and All is Vanity.


So, basically. I like all of the songs apart from Marlon JD and This Joke Sport Severed

It's probably the only album that I love the majority of the songs on, other albums I like.....but JFPL is definitely second to THB.
__________________
My Facebook
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-11-2010, 13:47
Marwood's Avatar
Marwood Marwood is offline
Knowlede Is Power
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: County Durham
Age: 43
Posts: 1,385
Faultless.

Peeled Apples, Journal..., Marlon JD, Pretension/Repulsion, Virginia State..., William's Last Words... Every track just gets it exactly right.

Regards,
Marwood.
__________________
Ready For Drowning
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-11-2010, 13:52
SeveredJoke's Avatar
SeveredJoke SeveredJoke is offline
Desire on its knees
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 962
Quote:
Originally Posted by y2kyle16 View Post
One poor song on this album for me, and it may be controversial but I cant fucking stand Jackie Collins, too commercial for an otherwise smashing album

Favs: Peeled Apples, Stephen Hawking, Plague Lovers and Vanity

Dont particularly like Williams Last words

The album that was the catalyst for the revival though, and was arguably one of their finest hours

Thoughts?
Took me a while to get into it. JQEQT redeems itself with the complete shift of tone at the end but it is one I tend to skip. Out of the tracks I love 'This Joke Sport Severed', 'Doors Slowly Closing', 'Marlon JD', 'Facing Page: Top Left' and 'All is Vanity'. The latter gave me a chill when I realised where 'Picturesque' came from. 'Peeled Apples' sounds curiously weak as an opener and could benefit from a meatier tone for the main riff.

I'm not a great fan of the repetition in the verses of some of the songs. I think it was particularly annoying because reading the inlay book gave the impression that the lyrics were more in depth than what appeared on record.

As soon as it came out I devoured all the interviews they did about it and was interested in the one where they went through the album track by track talking about the lyrics and the musical influences they were trying to capture. There was a strange moment when they came to talk about 'Doors Slowly Closing' where James just looked at the floor and said "I can't really talk about this one" and then they carried on.

I enjoyed the demo version of 'She Bathed Herself...' more than the recorded one and again whilst 'William's Last Words' seems to bear little relation to the detailed notes in the book it is a great little tune with a lovely understated backing vocal from James!

'Bag Lady' should have been on the album and not just hidden away on the non-special edition CD!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-11-2010, 13:52
starstruck's Avatar
starstruck starstruck is offline
Doors slowly closing
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Home :)
Age: 51
Posts: 9,183
Quote:
Originally Posted by y2kyle16 View Post
Jackie Collins, too commercial for an otherwise smashing album
which makes it all the more infuriating that, despite making a radio edit and a video, they didn't go ahead and release it as a single! it could easily have been Top 10 stuff, then who knows? JFPL may have sold yet more, and thus a knock on effect for sales for the current single and album? ho hum.

it's an album for me that was easily the best of 2009 (and there was some pretty amazing stuff released), and should be on the top ten for the decade. i have played it i don't know how many times and don't ever reach for the skip button.

at the risk of offending/opening a can of worms/indulging in pop psychology, this album throws some light on what might have become of Richey. this was stuff written mostly after THB, yeah? well, if you look at these lyrics, and those that they used on EMG, there's a sense of intensity about them, but not on the dark, repressive plain that a lot of THB sits. if asked, i would say - and i know the issue is far, far, far more complicated than this - that these were not the words of a suicidal man, and thus would move more towards "missing, run away" than "missing, presumed dead".

"an essential album" is a phrase that has been bandied about a bit too much, but JFPL is a reminder of just what exactly an essential, must own album sounds like.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by proevpete View Post
BTW is that a slightly chubby Bono in your avatar?
blog
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-11-2010, 14:08
SeveredJoke's Avatar
SeveredJoke SeveredJoke is offline
Desire on its knees
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 962
Quote:
at the risk of offending/opening a can of worms/indulging in pop psychology, this album throws some light on what might have become of Richey. this was stuff written mostly after THB, yeah? well, if you look at these lyrics, and those that they used on EMG, there's a sense of intensity about them, but not on the dark, repressive plain that a lot of THB sits. if asked, i would say - and i know the issue is far, far, far more complicated than this - that these were not the words of a suicidal man, and thus would move more towards "missing, run away" than "missing, presumed dead".
That's an interesting theory. I was surprised by the content and had been expecting a harsher tone than what was released.

We have to factor in the fact that what made JFPL was what the Manics chose so they may have made a deliberate decision to edit some of the scarier ideas that had been floating around. I vaguely remember Nick talking about a set of lyrics with a line about wanting to cut the feet off a ballerina.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-11-2010, 14:39
Mirbeau's Avatar
Mirbeau Mirbeau is offline
Freed from the century
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: South-East London
Posts: 501
I always found my reaction to this album difficult - I suspect I was slightly let-down by it (which I knew was inevitable) in ways I wasn't expecting. I did listen to it for few months to the exclusion of near everything else, and then frequently after that, but for a while I haven't been tempted to listen to the album (as a whole) at all. The album moves up and down in my ranking of their albums more frequently than any of the others. Ditto with the songs - loved ...Stephen Hawking - now find it needless and i don't listen much to all is vanity cause of the way it was recorded.

The songs sometimes feel somewhat unfinished and under-developed (which does perhaps suit part of the record's theme), and at other times Eringa's production touches stand at odds with the otherwise stark recording techniques used on the album. And although this may sound like heresy to some, Richey's lyrics, and the way the band edited them (totally understandably) were often a let-down, with songs like ...steven hawking and this joke sport severed being far too thin on words for my taste . It is still one of my favourite albums by the band, and in general mind!
__________________
kyckling...

Last edited by Mirbeau; 05-11-2010 at 14:43.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-11-2010, 14:36
beautifuldistortion's Avatar
beautifuldistortion beautifuldistortion is offline
Knowlede Is Power
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dartford, Kent UK
Posts: 1,114
For me, this is essetial Manics.
I rate this album as probably the best. Although I truly think it depends on moods, settings and how many times you listen to an album that gives each one its significance.

Favourite tracks from this being 'SBHIABOB' and 'Doors closing slowly'.
Can't real find fault with it - oh yes I can......I had too buy two versions to get bag Lady grrrr
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-11-2010, 14:47
Bathtub's Avatar
Bathtub Bathtub is offline
Doors slowly closing
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,004
At times breathtakingly brilliant, Marlon JD, Peeled Apples, Joke Sport, Me and Stephen Hawking. The only track I don't like very much is All is Vanity and that's only for the lyrics.

A far better album than any band on album number 9 has a right to be making. It feels particuarly special in that there was the potential for it to be a massive fuck up, a complete embarressment and a fools errand to relive past glories and do THB part 2.

That it was such a success artistically only makes PFAYM seem more dull and pedestrian only a year or so later. A shame to see them play it so safe in many respects with this album and tour, after taking a risk and making their best album in years just before.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-11-2010, 14:53
Frozendiva's Avatar
Frozendiva Frozendiva is offline
Stretched out in the sun
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Great White North
Posts: 10,510
I had the misfortune of hearing the US version first. It seemed unfinished. I liked the album, but didn't love it until I heard the UK original versions. Then it made sense.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 05-11-2010, 16:05
counterlanguage's Avatar
counterlanguage counterlanguage is offline
Hold me she said, Love me to Death
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,886
My second favourite Manics album, only let down by a poor chorus on VSEC and Facing Page Top Left just not being quite right musically - it's too upbeat and doesn't work with the lyrics. William's Last Words is one that I only listen to when I'm in the mood too.

But the rest of the album is so bloody good, they're minor distractions.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 05-11-2010, 16:08
Marwood's Avatar
Marwood Marwood is offline
Knowlede Is Power
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: County Durham
Age: 43
Posts: 1,385
Quote:
Originally Posted by counterlanguage View Post
poor chorus on VSEC
**** you!!!! Love that song. GREAT chorus.

Regards,
Marwood.
__________________
Ready For Drowning
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 05-11-2010, 16:10
riot_star's Avatar
riot_star riot_star is offline
I live to fall asleep
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lincoln
Age: 30
Posts: 3,862
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marwood View Post
**** you!!!! Love that song. GREAT chorus.

Regards,
Marwood.
I love VSEC!

*Sings to self*

Cleaning, cooking and flower arranging.....
__________________
My Facebook
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 05-11-2010, 20:22
Dean V's Avatar
Dean V Dean V is offline
Stretched out in the sun
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Merseyside
Age: 34
Posts: 11,116
Quote:
Originally Posted by riot_star View Post
I love VSEC!

*Sings to self*

Cleaning, cooking and flower arranging.....
PIIIIIGGY VSEC!

So singable, I love VSEC.

The only weak songs on the album for me are Marlon JD and She Bathed Herself.
__________________
Soundcloud

I'm the best in the World, if not the entire Universe.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 05-11-2010, 20:25
The Gutless Wonder's Avatar
The Gutless Wonder The Gutless Wonder is offline
Bored out of my mind
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: World Headquarters of 'Team JDB' and CoJ
Posts: 42,921
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean V View Post
PIIIIIGGY VSEC!

So singable, I love VSEC.

The only weak songs on the album for me are Marlon JD and She Bathed Herself.
How can you say that Deano?
__________________
"Former glam-punk rocker James Dean Bradfield now looks like your friendly, slightly rumpled Welsh uncle who always brings you chocolate when he visits. That's not a bad thing." - Allister Thompson aka The Gateless Gate (Canadian musician)
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 16:54.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.6
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.