Giles

New Richey Edwards-written Manic Street Preachers album due out Spring 2009

November 4th, 2008


Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers plans to release a new album in spring 2009. It will only contain lyrics by Richey James Edwards, the band’s former rhythm guitarist and lyricist who disappeared in February 1995. Edwards had a well-known history of mental problems and was known for his depressing and dark lyrics, especially on the last Manic Street Preachers released before his disappearance, 1994’s The Holy Bible.

The album is tentatively titled JOURNAL FOR PLAGUE LOVERS and the band have recorded nine songs with former Pixies and Nirvana producer Steve Albini. The lyrics were written by Edwards before his disappearance and has since then been kept by the other band members. Bassist and lyricist Nicky Wire told NME.com: “We’ve had these lyrics for 14 years and we all felt compelled that this was the right time to do it” and adds that “It’s a follow-up to The Holy Bible in a lot of ways.”

The band also posted a note on their website revealing that they have been the recordings so far have been done live, and recorded directly to tape. They also added a second possible title to the album, I Know I Believe In Nothing But It Is My Nothing and described the music this way: “in many ways it feels like a follow up to the Holy Bible but there is also an acoustic side – tender, romantic, nihilism, “Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky”-esque. It’s a record that celebrates the genius of his words, full of love, anger, intelligence and respect.”

- Johan A.

(www.onethirtybpm.com)

~

I CAN'T wait !!!

Daytripper

Yeah, me too. Wish I could see this band in my lifetime.

Giles

why they can't seem to do a full on US tour is beyond me.

Daytripper

Were their last two albums even released in the U.S.?

starseed1981

Don't they hate us or something like that?

Giles

actually, yes... yes they were.

Giles

I remember the last time they were supposed to tour the states, someone in one of the band's member's family was seriousily ill, so they had to cancel at the 11th hour, that was unfortunate since I had bought tix for the 9:30 Club DC show - alas it wasn't meant to be.

[side comment: like London Suede, the Manics are but one of the very few bands who wrote b-side songs just as good as the one's that wound up on the final albums. All the extra songs from the 'Send Away the Tigers' cd-singles were excellent IMO]

BDB

*mad*

I should have went to Cuba!

slop101

No. While the b-sides to SAtT were fine songs, they don't hold a candle to the album tracks, not even close.

Giles

here's the tracklisting for the album:

Peeled Apples
Jackie Collins Existential Question Time
Me And Stephen Hawking
This Joke Sport Severed
Journal For Plague Lovers
She Bathed Herself In A Bath Of Bleach
Facing Page: Top Left
Marlon J.D.
Doors Closing Slowly
All Is Vanity
Pretension/Repulsion
Virginia State Epileptic Colony
William's Last Words

there will also be a 2CD edition with all thirteen songs in demo form. According to Nicky Wire, there will be no singles released off the album.

starseed1981

Those song titles are so early manics.

BDB

Awesome titles..

BDB

Peeled Apples is here

http://www.indiepaws.net/archives/msp-peeled-apples

Giles

even with four non-Richey penned songs, I'm surprised there weren't any more songs recorded, hence why there wont be a singles with non-album tracks.

Daytripper

New single. And it ROCKS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWd5mH9LRPk

Poink

Pretty damn good. I'm not naive enough to expect The Holy Bible: New Testament, but this sounds a lot closer to it than I would have imagined!

Here's hoping they enjoyed recording with Albini (in Chicago, I presume) and realized America isn't so bad after all...

Also, here's hoping they didn't do a secret show while here.

slop101

Comes out May 18 in UK.
And, of course, no word on an American release.

Chaza

I ordered the 2 disc version from cdwow. It's doubtful that this will get a release anytime soon in the US. I would love to see them live as well, hopefully they play some US shows soon.

Giles

in all fairness, the last album did come out stateside, just without alot of fanfare or notice