Manic Street Preachers - Lifeblood
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Music CD Cover Artist: Manic Street Preachers Edition: Music CD Format: Import CD Release Date: 2004-11-15 Music Label: Sony Soundtracks:
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Free Music Notes for Lifeblood Album
Free Music Review: Fall to the floor, my baby / I no longer believe
Hit: 2 Stars
It's tempting to say that Nicky Wire is a bad lyricist, but that would over-simplify things. Even on 2001's Know Your Enemy, which critics hated, he managed to come up with "Freedom Of Speech Won't Feed My Children," arguably the most nuanced and sophisticated thing he ever wrote. And in any case, he wrote half of the lyrics before 1996 too, and the works of Richey James weren't always divinely inspired either.
But now, Nicky hath declared, "Conquer yourself rather than the world." On this very boring album, he proceeds to say nothing about the state of the world, and instead reveals his innermost thoughts and dreams. And as it turns out, Nicky's innermost thoughts and dreams are not really all that special.
In "1985," Nicky declares that "God is dead, like Nietzsche said." The Manics quoted Nietzsche on their first album, too, but back then at least they put in enough effort to find a more obscure quote. Nicky then reminisces about his youth. What Nietzsche has to do with it is beyond me. Maybe Nicky is trying to encourage his young listeners to read more.
In "Solitude Sometimes Is," Nicky explains that sometimes he likes to be left alone. But he's not antisocial! He just gets tired of other people's company sometimes. One might point out that this is a minor issue that only matters to someone who is happily married and has at least two good friends, and thus wants for nothing in the way of human company. But to Nicky's sensitive soul, it's the kind of philosophical topic perfect for a mid-tempo song towards the end of an album.
Then there's "Emily." It's about Emmeline Pankhurst, who was an important figure in the women's suffrage movement. I remember this from history class. If you don't, then Nicky doesn't like you. Why, you're probably the kind of person who is obsessed with Princess Diana! Nicky doesn't like Diana, because he thinks that her image is "obviously empty." You see, unlike Pankhurst, Diana didn't really contribute to pressing social issues. Therefore, Nicky praises Pankhurst, in an album that completely ignores all pressing social issues. And even then he's just repeating himself, because he already did this in "Let Robeson Sing" on the last album. Back then he complained that nobody wrote protest songs anymore. So naturally, instead of writing them, he prefers to gaze vacuously at the distant past.
Only once on the whole album does Nicky say something sort of topical. This occurs in "The Love Of Richard Nixon," where he attempts to rehabilitate the disgraced president by pointing out his trip to China and his "war on cancer." To which I might add that Nixon supported environmental conservation and ended the war in Vietnam. But that was only after he escalated that war and covertly invaded Cambodia. Nicky, ever the defender of the common man, ignores this. The song is permeated with the self-pity that characterized Nixon. In this one regard, it's actually quite accurate.
In "Glasnost," Nicky encourages his listeners to open themselves up to love. If they do this, he says, they can find their own "glasnost." And afterwards, I guess, their lives can collapse and become governed by gangster capitalism. This is a very tasteless metaphor. Let me guess, Nicky votes Labour, watches BBC News, and likes to eat ice cream. Actually, maybe he votes Conservative now. Is there even a difference anymore? But either way, I'm sure he likes to eat ice cream. Maybe that can be the subject of the next Manic Street Preachers single.
"Cardiff Afterlife" is a wistful farewell to Richey James, the band's former lyricist and rhythm guitarist who disappeared without a trace over ten years ago. The thing is, Nicky already wrote a wistful farewell to Richey James. That was "Nobody Loved You," from the band's 1998 album. Why is Nicky returning to this topic eight years since? Maybe it's the only topic which still inspires him to any genuine emotion. Or maybe that crisis was the most interesting time of his life, and he wants to relive it.
Musically, the band has hopped onto the eighties-retro bandwagon, which allows Bradfield and Moore to use synthesizers, acoustic guitars, echo and other accoutrements. Some of the beats have a bit of an electronic tinge, and Moore's strong drumming adds energy to the right parts. But as the band's technical skill grows - James Dean Bradfield doesn't strain his voice anymore, and it sounds smoother and more confident than ever - the total fatuousness of Nicky's musings becomes obvious.
What does Nicky even do nowadays? In the last interview of his that I read, he made fun of the White Stripes. Now he can add them to his growing list of easy targets. Maybe next time he can make fun of musicians who coast on their decade-old successes and can't think of anything interesting to say.