I was in a conundrum this week. It happens often, but someone normally comes along to bounce my thoughts against. I couldn't decide who to choose for this week's post. Then I logged onto twitter and following a conversation with Alex from CBeebies (yes, you read that correctly!!) I decided upon the Manics. The 'Phonics can wait a few weeks!
My chosen Manics' album is 'This is my Truth, Tell me Yours' (Alex's is 'Generation Terrorists' by the way, I'm his new BFF don't you know 😉 )
It reminds me of the young me; the age that I still think I am.
'TIMT,TMY' was released in September 1998, when I'd just started University and discovered a new sense of freedom. Yes I was still living at home, out of financial choice, but I was enjoying Uni life while having a mother and father to still care for me (and pick up a very drunken me from Newport one night). That was the same academic year that The Stereophonics released 'Performance and Cocktails' following their amazing 'Word Gets Around'. Catatonia had recently released 'International Velvet'. And I was in a Welsh university surrounded by all this Cool Cymru music.
The album ranges massively in style, but in its entirety it reeks of the polished Welsh rock that was apparent at the time. The anthems have to be "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next", a real car-windows-down-sing-at-the-top-of-your-voice belter, and the fabulous "You Stole the Sun from My Heart". While the more slower-paced "The Everlasting", kicks the album off. Nicky Wire borrowed the title from a poem after spending some time trying to think of something similar to Blur's "The Universal" (another of my fave's). James Dean Bradfield's powerful and emotional voice is showcased brilliantly on track 8: "You're Tender and You're Tired".
I haven't listened to a huge amount of albums by The Manic Street Preachers, hardly any at all of late; I'm mellowing in my old age, the teenage angst never really came into fruition! But this remains my overall favourite CD by them.
Cymru am byth!
I like Manic street preachers too! This and Catatonia remind me of the time in the late 90's when my OH and I where first going out and enjoying our child free days.
I still have a compilation album with them in it along side – Radio head and The Spice girls! :))
Great post and great band!! Some of their stuff takes me right back to my student days. Brill!!
XxX
If you tolerate the Manics, your children WILL be next. 🙂
Fab band and album choice. Looking forward to your post about The 'Phonics as I love them too x Think we mus have quite similar taste in music x