Manic street Preachers - Resistance is Futile

May 1st 2018

(CD Album Review)

**** 1/2

The Manics are back on top form

It took me a while to listen to 'Resistance is Futile' by the Manic street Preachers, a band that have made a big impact on my life. I have liked the last few albums, but I have not loved them as much as albums like 'Generation Terrorist, Gold against the Soul, The Holy Bible' and mega hit 'Everything must Go'. So it takes me a little time to sit down, and listen properly to any new Manics albums.

The album opens with 'People give In' a song with very poignant lyrics, about "The Theory of Everything" and the "Immaculate Conception". You will either love this track, or really hate it. I have to say I love the melody, and the fact singer James Dean Bradfield's vocals sound great on it. Some of the melodies take you back to 'A design of Life' and some of the music of the album 'Everything must Go'. It's a very strong opening to the album, and a song I am sure we will hear them doing live for years to come.

The single 'International Blue' sounds like a classic early Manics track, but with even better production. I really love this track and have been playing it loads. The guitar work is incredible, and really shows the Manic street Preachers are back at their best. I really don't know what has happened in the last few years, but this is a track by a band that have really found themselves again. If your a Manic street Preachers fan and you have not heard this yet, then the question is why not. I feel guilty that I didn't listen to it earlier, it's that good.

The heartfelt single 'Distant Colours' shows off James vocals, like love songs from the bands past. With anthemic chorus' that are really big and got them to the stage they were filling stadiums. But with them coming back to venue's such as the Wembley Arena, I think the new album 'Resistance is Futile' the Manics are bringing their well written great music to a new generation... a new audience. They slow things down for 'Vivian', a catchy song about photography and a girl named... Yes you get it 'Vivian'. This has some nice licks in it, and great changes in tempo. Underlined by haunting melodies, that the Manic street Preachers made their name from.

The band are joined on 'Dylan and Caitlin' by The Anchoress who also appeared on the new Paul Draper (Mansun) album 'Spooky Action'. She also did the backing on the previous track 'Vivian', and kind of gives a Texas meets Blondie feel to 'Dylan and Caitlin'. I have to say one of my least favourite tracks on the album, but it does have a certain something to it. It's a good filler, and takes you back to the 90's or maybe even both that.

The next track strangely finds the Welsh band singing about Liverpool, entitled 'Liverpool Revisited'... I think the band must have spent some interesting times there that they thought they had to put into a song. I have to say I far prefer the next track up 'Sequels of forgotten Wars', which seems to mix up their traditional sound with a weird kind of 70's road Rock song. I have to say I love this, when they seem to be putting the tracks uptempo on 'Resistance is Futile' it seems to be paying off. They should have done the whole album like this, their is even a hint of Thin Lizzy in this track.

'Hold me like a Heaven' is a very different track, but has big impact with it's great lyrics and echoing chorus. This chorus is just superb, and makes up a track that could be a big hit for the Manics. Nicky Wire and James Dead Bradfield have always been a great lyricists, and this comes out really well on this song. Even though the lyrics might not be as complicated as other songs on the album.

'It's Eternity' seems to have deep depths, like one of my favourite past singles 'There be the grace of God'. This again has a 90's feel, it's almost sounds a song in places of Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) album 'Future Embrace', but with Classic Soft Rock type Manic Street Preachers vocals lifts and chorus'. I know if I had this track on 7 inch when I was a kid, I would have played it over and over again until I had worn the record out.

The Manics save one of the best tracks off the album 'Broken Algorithms', to one of the last tracks on the record. This sounds like 'Generation Terrorists' Manics meets The Wildhearts, Yes!!! it is brilliant. Love the drum fills by Sean Moore, and the guitar solo is wicked!. This is pure class, I think I will be playing this a lot in the next few months. 'A song for Sadness', which is a classic Manics album track, leads you on to 'The Left Behind'... which I think see's Nicky Wire on leS vocals (This is very interesting indeed). This is an album that you must add to your collection, I think I will be checking the Manic street Preachers out a lot more in the next few months... and I think you should too.