I thought I would try my reviewing hand at one of my favourite albums of all time.... No not the Jive Bunny Megamix.... That's next weeks review.........
Let me take you back to May 1996.... Britain was under a Conservative government, with the country was gearing up for Euro 96....when football was apparently 'coming home'. War was breaking out in Chechnya, Aussie Gina G was representing the UK in the Eurovision song contest and Mark Morrison was topping the charts with his song about the safe return of a beloved coat he presumably mislaid. May 1996 also heralded the release of one of the seminal albums of the 1996 - The Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go.
My love of this album began on a jolly boy's beano to France with 4 mates all crammed into a radio less Fiesta on a day trip to France. It was played all the way there and all the way back and every song, every lyric is ingrained into my addled mind like the makers stamp on Swiss cheese. It truly is an album that stands the test of time and marked a controversial turning point in the story of The Manic Street Preachers.
A year prior to its release, the lead lyricist
Richey Edwards decided to do a Lord Lucan and disappear on the eve of their US tour. Here was a brilliant but troubled soul who had a huge influence over the output of the Manics, but before his disappearance (suicide most likely but has been talk of him living as a monk somewhere) he had already been penned some of the of the tracks for Everything Must Go and where Richey left off, James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire took over the writing mantle with absolute aplomb as the album produced is one of epic proportions. Voted 50th best album of all time by GQ magazine in 2002 Everything Must Go, It is an album that stands the tests of time.
Track 1 - Elvis Impersonator - Blackpool pier - If anyone can tell me better harp usage in a rock song then please let me know. Great guitar solo mid way through, this excellent track eases you painlessly into the album 8/10
Track 2 - A Design For Life - Probably their most commercially successful track. The epic orchestral musical arrangement provides the perfect vehicle for the vocal prowess of James Dean Bradfield. Written about the working class struggle this song is simply massive. A true icon and classic of the 90's I defy anyone not to want to belt out the chorus of 'We don't talk about love..... We only wanna get drunk'. 10/10
Track 3 - Kevin Carter. Written by Richey about the Pulitzer Prize winner Kevin Carter, who took a picture of a starving child and didn't help the child then committed suicide years later because of the guilt of not helping this child. This is an edgier track but remarkably catchy with the classically trained drummer performing a trumpet solo midway. Great guitar work on this track too. 8/10
Track 4 - Enola/Alone - superior guitar work and a great display of the vocal range of James Dean Bradfield. This has a very 90's Britpop - oasis type feel about the track but with slightly more substance 8/10
Track 5 - Everything Must Go - Has just as much of an anthem feel about this track as Design For Life. This track gives us more haunting vocals accompanied with a catchy and superb usage of a near full orchestra. Great uplifting track 9/10
Track 6 - Small Black Flowers that grow in the sky - generally regarded as the epitaph to Richey, but actually written about a documentary on animals in captivity. Just James, an acoustic guitar and a harp this track has more atmosphere than space. 9/10
Track 7 - The girl who wanted to be God - about the life of Sylvia Plath, we are taken to a more upbeat, in your face type track here...Catchy Chorus but not the best on the album by a long way and for me the vocals don't quite match the guitar work......7/10
Track 8 - Removables - if Kurt Cobain was to play with Radiohead this is the track they would have made. Darker, with less orchestra than other tracks this is more James Dean Bradfield at his very best vocally. 8/10
Track 9 - Australia - A true rock song. This has heavy guitar in abundance. Fast paced and upbeat, it has a catchy chorus which you cannot help nod your head, tap your feet too. 8/10
Track 10 - Interiors (song for Willem De Koonig) - written about the painter Willem De Koonig, this track has it all... classical accompaniment, haunting vocals, catchy intelligent lyrics and exemplary guitar work...including another excellent guitar solo mid-way through. 8/10
Track 11 - Further Away -. A bit 'poppy' for my liking but still stands up on its own as a quality song. Great vocals, as always, but not my favourite. Still a very worthy 7/10
Track 12 - No Surface All Feeling - Brilliant opening to the final track of the album and the standard doesn't drop throughout the song as it takes us on its journey. An emotive and haunting track this signs off the album in great style. 8/10
Conclusion.
This is a classic album jam-packed with memorable and legendary anthems. Born out of adversity, this is a one off piece of brilliance. No weak track...no need to reach for the forward button. A truly seminal album of the 90's but one for all time. This raised the bar for music and the Manics have not been able to reproduce such a masterpiece since. But that is of no importance, as what they have made in Everything Must Go is more than enough genius in one lifetime.
Thanks for reading... it was my first ever music review.....shall I get my One True Voice singles down and review them??
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Well, that's certainly one of the more unexpected review titles I've ever seen...
kath66-2008 09.11.2008 08:23
Great review, not a big fan though......Kath x
tallulahbang 07.11.2008 16:50
That was a quality 'Return of the Mac' joke you shoehorned in at the start. I don't believe anyone's ever made that joke before. Ho hum. Anyway, The Manics: quite singalongable, but all of them are lost for the want of a damn good slapping. Not unlike you, then. xx
In coming back after the disappearance of guitarist Richey Edwards,Everything Must Gohad ... more
to be special. Thankfully, the album shows extreme dignity in the face of adversity, with its big, Phil Spector-ish production and the pure lyrical perfection of...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
In coming back after the disappearance of guitarist Richey Edwards,Everything Must Gohad ... more
to be special. Thankfully, the album shows extreme dignity in the face of adversity, with its big, Phil Spector-ish production and the pure lyrical perfection of...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
In coming back after the disappearance of guitarist Richey Edwards, Everything Must Go ... more
had to be special. Thankfully, the album shows extreme dignity in the face of adversity, with its big, Phil Spector-ish production and the pure lyrical perfection...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
In coming back after the disappearance of guitarist Richey Edwards, Everything Must Go ... more
had to be special. Thankfully, the album shows extreme dignity in the face of adversity, with its big, Phil Spector-ish production and the pure lyrical perfection...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier A Design For Life Kevin Carter Enola/Alone ... more
Everything Must Go Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky The Girl Who Wanted To Be God Removables Australia Interiors (Song For Willem De Kooning) Furt...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Polished perfection, Welsh lyrical craftsmenship, Driving rock beats and some mellow wonders, Why the manics are my second fave. band Disadvantages: Nothing except the hauting calling for Richey James Edwards
Advantages: Polished perfection, Welsh lyrical craftsmenship, Driving rock beats and some mellow wonders, Why the manics are my second fave. band Disadvantages: Nothing except the hauting calling for Richey James Edwards
Nov 4th, 2008
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