Track Listing

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

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #697 in Music
• Released on: 2009-05-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: CD
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Never shy of talking history, Manic Street Preachers have tackled everything from fellow Welshman Dylan Thomas to World War Two concentration camps in their two-decade history. Journal For Plague Lovers, however, sees the Manics tackling a past even closer to home: their own. With a sleeve painted by artist Jenny Saville and words culled from the notebooks of Richey Edwards, the band’s former lyricist and guitarist who apparently disappeared into the fog back in 1995, Journal For Plague Lovers consciously harks back to the group’s excellently caustic 1994 album The Holy Bible. Journal For Plague Lovers is a softer album than that, one that perhaps imagines The Holy Bible’s razor edges through a sepia filter. But a recording job by Steve Albini leaves songs like "Peeled Apples" and "She Bathed Herself In A Bath Of Bleach" feeling satisfyingly raw and there remains something undeniably thrilling about the pairing of James Dean Bradfield’s vocal--gruff, passionate--and the strange, cryptic imagery conjured up by Edwards’ lyrics: "This beauty a dipping neophobia", he choruses, soulfully on "Facing Page: Top Left", and you remember what a strange, special band the Manics can be when they put their minds to it. ––Louis Pattison

CD Description

Manic Street Preachers return with their ninth studio album, Journal For Plague Lovers. The album follows the hugely successful and critically acclaimed 2007 release Send Away The Tigers, and the induction of the band into the NME’s Hall Of Fame with their naming as the "NME Godlike Genius" for 2008. Produced by Steve Albini and recorded live at Rockfield Studios in Wales during the Winter of 2008, the album features lyrics left behind by former guitarist Richey Edwards across all 13 new tracks. An original piece of Jenny Saville’s art is the cover of Journal for Plague Lovers, whose painting graced the cover of 1994’s ‘The Holy Bible’. Musically the band draw on their classic Holy Bible sound with elements of Nirvana’s In Utero, as well as a delicate, beautiful acoustic side.

Customer Reviews

The Greatest Manics Album Yet
I never thought I'd see the day when the Manics made a better opening track than 'Sleepflower'. Straight away 'Peeled Apples' sucks me in - I wanted to know what the next note and word was going to be. Now having heard the song several times the track still has the same effect on me.

When the first track manages to incapsulate you I suppose you have to wonder;- how the next will compare... 'Jackie Collins Existential Question Time' is in many ways a classic Manic Street Preachers song. It's as if 'Autumn Song' gave birth. The two songs sound so similar (particularly the intro's). It's also as beautiful as 'Autumn Song'. The (what I beleive will be) infamous line "Oh mommy what's a Sex Pistol" seems to cling to my memory (as others who have found me singing the line many times will confirm). Every Album from the Manics have had an element of pop and 'Journal For Plague Lovers' is no different in that respect.

'Me And Stephen Hawking' is a song with some very strange lyrics (there is no getting away from that), but musically it's rather different. Somehow the track is very epic but also pretty slow and calm (the chorus will prove this). 'This Joke Sport Severed'. A beautiful song played acoustic with beautiful strings. Although if you prefer songs with more volume I'm sure the second half will be more to your liking.

With most people expecting a dark album reminiscent of 'The Holy Bible', this record so far makes it difficult for me to see where people's expectations came from... Until I read and hear 'She Bathed Herself In A Bath Of Bleach'. Initially it seems as if you're in for a medium paced song but before you know it the chords speed up and they launch into the chorus, then James Dean Bradfield does what he's know best for... Magnificent singing.

There's probably no song on this record as beautiful as 'Facing Page: Top Left'. For the second time an acoustic guitar is the choice. I suppose that is quite strange for the Manics and you might expect the fast dynamic of the album to be altered... But its not, this is thanks to the next track; 'Marlon J.D'. You could probably argue that it's just like most other Manics songs, but with a catchy chorus and awesome guitar solo surely 'Marlon J.D' offers something for everyone, not just Manics fans.

Richey James Edwards shows just how great his ability to write astounding poetry can be in 'Doors Closing Slowly'. Some of the verse's ("That shadow is a cross okay. Judgement must willing today. Silence is not sacrifice. Crucifixion is the easy life") make me think how people with mental health problems can often think more cleary then others, maybe thats just my opinion I don't know. Like 'Facing Page: Top Lef' this song is slow but very moving and ends with some tension.

Things are not typical as far as 'All Is Vanity' is concerned. In the verse's of the song the guitar sounds almost identical to an Artic Monkey's song (not that that's bad). Then once again the chorus changes the song dramatically. This is probably one of the best chorus' the Manics have ever made. The song is so unbelievably catchy! For the first (and last) time this album has two tracks that are very similar patched closely together. 'Pretension/Repulsion' is just as vicious as 'Peeled Apples' and 'All Is Vanity'... if not more. Again, the chorus is amazing and very catchy (despite the lyrics being quite complex), and as usual the singing is top notch.

I never thought there would have been any tracks on this release that would sound similar to songs from their 2001 album 'Know Your Enemy'. 'Virginia State Epileptic Colony' quote clearly tells me I thought wrong. The whole song apart from perhaps the pre-chorus sounds like it could have easily been on 'Know Your Enemy'. Still the song is very good and once again the singing is brilliant.

It's been eight years since Nicky Wire has taken on main vocals for a Manics album. 'William's Last Words' shows how Nicky Wire's singing has improved since then. Even though he's still not the best vocalist in the world, his calming voice deffinitely adds something that James Dean Bradfield's voice couldn't. Musically it tends to have the effect of uplifting you although lyrically it's rather difficult. I suppose the lyrics could be interpreted as Richey's suicide note... However you interpret the words you'll probably (surprisingly) like this song. Even though I think 'William's Last Words' is a great song I feel it's badly placed on this album. I personally think that it should have been the bonus track, intead of 'Bag Lady'. I can't understand why they have put what's probably one of the best tracks on the album as a bonus track... Still, 'Bag Lady' is one of the heavier songs on the album. Parts sound very similar to 'Archieves Of Pain' from 'The Holy Bible'. The song will probably be welcomed by the old school fans.

This album portrays anger and aggression but still manages to stay beautiful and eloquent. This is why I couldn't call it a classic Manic Street Preachers record. It's not typical Manics, It's so much better than that... So if you like Everything Must Go or This Is My Truth than this album may not be suited for you.

I personally think The Manic Street Preachers have reaffirmed their youth and found their voice again with this record. It's brilliant and definitely worth the buy.

Old-Style Manics
So Journal for Plague Lovers probably isn't as commercial as some of the Manic's more recent offerings. It might not even sell as well as Send Away the Tigers, and probably isn't as radio friendly. But for anyone who enjoys intelligent and emotive lyrics, and songwriting to match, it is a must-buy. I'll admit that I am a HUGE Manics fan, and a bit biased, but I haven't liked a few of their more recent albums quite as much... I've been listening to this one with friends who are not fans, and the general objective opinion is that it's a brilliant album. I'd say it's got reflections of the wonderful Holy Bible, but is not as difficult to listen to.

What amazed me about the album, is that despite its lyrics having been written 14 years ago, the themes and messages are still extremely current and even fresh. Richie's voice shines through, down the years. He was, after all, a genius lyricist.

The album is lighter than The Holy Bible, but also contains moments of sadness, anger and a huge spectrum of other human emotions. The album is extremely listenable, and even if you're not a die hard Manics fan, will be a very worthwhile purchase.

(Be prepared for hours on Wikipedia though, the lyrics contain the usual obscure, convoluted Richie references!)

Essential for Manics lovers...
There was a great buzz of excitement and anticipation when this album was released. After having disclosed that the majority of the songs were written around unused Richey Edwards lyrics, many Manics fans were hoping that this was going to be something special and James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire and Sean Moore haven't disappointed. "Journal For Plague Lovers" is, without doubt, one of the best albums the Manic Street Preachers have ever released. It is as if they have taken the best, highly melodic and catchy elements of their recent, excellent, albums ("Send Away The Tigers", "Lifeblood") and spliced them with the raw, edginess of their mid-nineties classics ("The Holy Bible", "Everything Must Go"). The uncompromising structure of Edwards' writing hasn't quite led to some of the magnificent oddities of "The Holy Bible", but this album is probably the closest they've ever come to replicating the sheer artistic brilliance of the album which I consider to be their creative peak.

The album kicks off at a blistering pace with "Peeled Apples", starting with a Holy Bible-esque spoken dialogue and then bass/drums intro, leading into a slightly menacing verse before exploding into a fantastic chorus with an memorable hook (even if it does remind me slightly of Heaven 17's "Temptation") - it's a punchy and brilliant opener. Even better is "Jackie Collins Existential Question Time", which has to be up there with the best, and certainly most catchy Manic Street Preachers songs ever with the extremely funny "Oh Mummy, what's a sex pistol?" refrain. "Me And Stephen Hawking" continues the high standard of material, boasting some scintillating guitar work from Bradfield and some opaque, but wry lyrics from Edwards, with a particularly strong verse about genetic modification. The music takes a softer turn with the poignant "This Joke Sport Severed", which starts with acoustic guitar and voice but builds up to a beautiful string-laden, swelling climax, featuring the great line, "Jealousy sows rejection with a kiss".

The title track is equally magnificent. The superb music married to powerful lyrics which seem to have nothing but contempt with the predictability and rituals of life and love. "She Bathed Herself In A Bath Of Bleach" is less instantly likeable, musically, but has some gorgeously tragic lyrics. "Facing Page: Top Left" is a fragile and delicate song, slightly reminiscent of "Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky", but doesn't quite hit the same heights. Other highlights include "All Is Vanity", a spiky, stop-start semi-punk song which could have easily found a place on "The Holy Bible" and "Virginia State Epileptic Colony", a typically excellent Manics song - commercial music but uncommercial lyrics. "William's Last Words" is a really lovely song as well, although I join the dissenting voices who question whether it was a good idea for Nicky Wire to sing it. It works - just about.

This album is pretty much a unequivocal triumph, although I do have to acknowledge that, after an extraordinary first half, the album does tail off a little towards the end and the second half of the album is a little more difficult to love. However, this does not prevent "Journal For Plague Lovers" from being one of the Manic Street Preachers' most accomplished, mature and utterly brilliant pieces of work. Exceptionally good.