Search - Manic Street Preachers :: Gold Against the Soul

Good stuff

06/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The fact that my review is the only one submitted by an American is a testament to how unknown this group is in the US. Unfortunately, anyone who lives here knows how pathetic the current state of American music has become- the backstreet boys and britney spears have completely consumed the music industry. With options such as these at home, one is forced to look across the Atlantic. From what I could tell, MSP are very popular in the UK, so I decided to give them a chance. I must confess that my initial listen was made possible through Napster, but I was so impressed that I immediately purchased this CD, and soon after, ALL their others. MSP had a much harder sound at this stage in their career, they seem to have become more pop-sounding with their two most recent albums, but this is in no way a bad thing. On playing the CD, the first thing you will hear is the raw guitar at the beginning of "Sleepflower." Its like a shot of caffeine that immediately gives your pulse and heart rate a boost! To me, the only other group who can really achieve this effect is Metallica. In any case, give this album (and their others) a chance, as I did, and you will not be disappointed. Unless you like the backstreet boys, that is!"

Powerful and Passionate

B. Harris | Washington, D.C. | 01/06/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Manics are nothing if not passionate...that much at least everyone can agree on regarding the controversial Welsh rockers. Beyond that they have been described as being everything from brilliant to worthless. On "Gold Against the Soul", they will do nothing to dispel the notions of those in the latter camp. However, to the fans who have discovered the tremendous talent and emotion of this band, GATS is the epitome of Manics albums.Loud, beautiful, melodic, confrontational...all words could be used to describe this album. From the gradiose, open country feel of opener "Sleepflower", to the psuedo-metal/funk closing title track, the Manics, still with since-missing guitarist/lyricist Richey James, pull out all of the stops. Again, the operative keyword here is *passionate*. When vocalist James Dean Bradfield screams "Gold destroys the soul...destroys the soul...", you KNOW that he means it. Whether you agree with their politics or not (and many don't), the Manics deserve points for their brutal honesty in their songwriting. The songs touch on a broad wave of topics, from international politics, personal relationships, James's ever-increasing inner turmoil and self-loathing (which would go on to be the focal point of 1994's bleak "The Holy Bible"), and even a diatribe about Tourrete's Syndrome. James and his partner in controvserial-songwriting crime, bassist Nicky Wire, tune down the raw outbursts which were evident on "generation terrorists", but the message is as unabashed as ever.If the political rhetoric has remained on par, then the musical output of the band has grown increasingly refined. The Manics dispatch any remaining semblance of their punk band past, and instead embrace a melodic, yet forceful, brand of guitar rock. Bradfield and drummer Sean Moore, the musical "directors" of the band, show their keen sense of melody and arrangement throughout GATS. "La Tristesse Durera" is a funk/guitar-driven melodic sing-along, "Roses in the Hospital" is a shimmering, groove-based anthem, and "Life Becoming a Landslide" is simply beautiful. "Symphony of Tourrete's" is a break from the formula, with the band showing that although they don't turn out Clash-inspired punk like they used too, they can still crank it up. Notions that GATS represents a "sophomore slump" for the band are groundless assertions. Rather, GATS ranks among the band's finest work, and represents a final ray of sunlight before Richey James drove the band down the dark, disturbing path which led to the aformentioned "Holy Bible". No Manics fan should be without this, and those who are curious about the group would be wise to pick it up."

My favorite Manics opus of all time.

scott2233@yahoo.com | Seattle, Washington | 04/25/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When the decade is all said-and-done the Manics will be looked back upon by the congnoscenti of Music (chiefly Music critics and a minority of acute fans) as the Waterboys of the 90's. At least that's my impression of how they will be looked back on by the lucky few in North America who actually got to hear them. The amount of press the Manics have been getting in Western Europe over the last several years is a stark contrast to what they've recived in the States. Frankly, Im perplexed at this. I mean, if there was one foreign import that deserved American audiences attention, it had to be the Manics. Far less quixotic than fellow Brits The Wildharts. Ostensibly more interesting than Oasis or the ridiculous grating German wall-of-noise Rammstein. "Gold against the Soul" was sung with more power and passion than any other Manics opus. To bad MTV and American radio blew it."