Tag: james dean bradfield
Manic Street Preachers Raid The States
by Niki N. Phaser on Jul.28, 2009, under Music News
NME is informing us about a new Manic Street Preachers tour in the United States and Canada, after a decade since their last official visit there. The first gig will be in Seattle in September and it will be an occasion for the Manics to take their new album, the already legendary Journal for Plague Lovers, to new crowds. The response to the new material has been more than positive in Europe, both in concerts and in the musical press, though their tour has been a bit jinxed by illness. In the beginning, Nicky Wire had some back problems due to a prolapsed disc, which limited his stage movements dramatically. Also, their Japan appearance at the Nano Mugen Festival had to be cancelled because of Wire’s bacterial gastroenteritis. Hopefully, their US shows will go as planned.
Album review : Manic Street Preachers – Journal for Plague Lovers
by Niki N. Phaser on Jun.22, 2009, under Reviews
Well, it is pretty much official: Manic Street Preachers have done it again. Journal for Plague Lovers, their latest album, is neither a comeback, nor a return to early days, despite the several connections between this album and The Holy Bible (1994). It is just perfect. It is true, is less piano, strings and synth than Lifeblood (2004), but the exquisite riffs at the core of their latest effort show that they are more sure of themselves than they have ever been. They are an electric guitar band and Send Away the Tigers (2007) gave them just the right push to embrace that identity.
Still, fans of Lifeblood and This is My Truth Tell Me Yours, there are no reasons to worry. Tracks like This Joke Sport Severed, Doors Closing Slowly and Facing Page: Top Left offer plenty of melancholic moments. We can also include here the closing number, William’s Last Words, with vocals by Nicky Wire. Considering the beauty of older B-side Dying Breeds, the return is more than welcomed. Hopefully, this direction will be further investigated.
James Dean Bradfield – Still a Long Way to Go : the classic you might not have heard
by Niki N. Phaser on Jun.17, 2009, under Non-Single Masterpieces
Before the return to the right track with Send Away the Tigers, Manic Street Preachers went through a period when they seem eager to do anything, but a new album. Fortunately, for us, James Dean Bradfield, the Manic singer, couldn’t keep his creativity bottled up and bestowed upon us the brilliant LP The Great Western, which spawned two singles: That’s No Way to Tell a Lie and An English Gentleman, both honourable mentions.
The real wonder, safely hidden in the middle, is called Still a Long Way to Go, this sweet ballad constructed on what is probably the most endearing riff ever made by human hands. It is then accompanied by Bradfield’s voice, calm and soothing. The chorus, even though a bit more explosive than the verse, is still filled with jingle sensitivity. The lyrics also work great and make you want to dance with someone who is not near you…
It wasn’t a single, but at least Bradfield played it live in the mini tour that followd the release of The Great Western. Still, it is hardly enough for a song that should have been a genuine classic, the kind of tune covered by every r’n'b female singer at the president’s birthday… or something like that.
