Search - Manic Street Preachers :: Know Our B-Sides

Buy Our Mediocrity

David O'Connor | Dublin, Ireland | 08/09/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"For all the massive quality that the Manics are wont to churn out in quick succession, not a lot of it is to be found here. The only vaguely standoutish tracks are the pedalling 'Locust Valley' and the ballady 'Little Trolls'. These stand out as the quality tracks of the album, the rest being what they are, B-Sides, mediocre tracks, ranging from the dirgish 'Groundhog Days', to the noting short of utterly abysmal 'Ballad of the Bangkok Novotel'. Allowing Nicky Wire to sing is a mistake the Manics ararely make, and this song is no exception to the set of painful dirges Nicky Wire is capable of inflicting on us. Stick to the lyrics, Nicky! :)The opening track is surprising, not in the last that it actually sounds as good, if not better then the album version. Although you can hear the Avalanches influence clearly, it's still very recognisably an albumworthy Manics song. Perhaps the only one on this album. 'Pedestal' reminds me of 'Wrote for Luck'. It's a standard Manics B-side, if such a thing were to exist. Nothing to complain about, or write home about. Locust valley is...exciting. It's a nice fast-moving track that doesn't degenerate into stadium RAWK, as they tend to. The Ocean spray remix is also non-noteworthy.Believe me, I love the manics, but this CD, is for collectors. If you simply wish to expand your already-bulging Manics collection, this is for you :)"