Send Away The Tigers

OK, if you have "done a google" and are at this site looking to download Send Away The Tigers by the Manic Street Preachers, hit the back button and try again. it's not here. sorry if that annoys you.

this album is released relatively soon, and thanks to a tip-off from a good friend, i have been able to hear it. i was somewhat dubious about hearing it, as there have been several negative reviews - some from people who would rather lose limbs than live without the Manics.

is the album any good? yes it is. a masterpiece? no. the worst thing ever done by the Manic Street Preachers? no. is there any point to it? possibly, possibly not.

i have played it through three times now, and the above suggests that i am still somewhat undecided. it is nowhere near as bad as some have made out. but that doesn't make it easy to define.

to compare to aspects of their back catalogue, it's punky but not as punky as Generation Terrorists (punk itself is seldom as punky as that one), not as dark as The Holy Bible (what is?), not as accessible as Everything Must Go, not as frustrating as Know Your Enemy and does not contain any bona fide classics in an otherwise album, a la Lifeblood (1985 being a personal favourite).

their claim that it is about, amongst other things, the liberation of Bhagdad zoo and Tony Hancock, is nonsense. it's a collection of songs rather than an album. each song has its merits of faults, but they are not really well connected; disconnected but not disjointed is the better way of describing it. i mean, it flows OK through the stereo, but it's not an "experience" like other Manics efforts.

dangerously at times they simply borrow favourite bits, be they a guitar rift or bassline, and slap it together to make a new song. In certain instances, and Your Love Alone Is Not Enough springs to mind, they just lift entire lyrics from the past and present them as new. James, Nicky, Sean - you did a song called You Stole The Sun From My Heart, the line was fine in that song along.

standout tracks? nothing thus far has demanded the "back" button on the CD player, but i am just not sure if that's because none are that far above average or if it's just because i am lazy. Autumn Song and I Am Just A Patsy are pretty good, as is the imminent single Your Love Alone Is Not Enough, despite the flaws and borrowed bits.

bad tracks? well, Underdogs is no classic, and i am not at all surprised that this one was given away on their site (see previous posts). and i have no idea what the cover of Lennon's Working Class Hero was thrown on for. there have been many versions before, and this one does not hold its weight against any of them. why does it exist? a dig at someone or other? a dig at Lennon himself? they did, after all, used to sing "i laughed when Lennon got shot" before they got all mature and dropped the line from Motown Junk.

Send Away The Tigers is extremely unlikely to attract many new Manics fans, and it might cost them one or two die hard types. upon release, however, a copy shall be sat on my shelf and it will get played every now and then. the recent solo efforts appear not to have influenced the "new direction" much, save for the odd vocal from Nicky Wire on the album.

overall, i am happier to live in a world where there is a new Manic Street Preachers album. if buying this album keeps the Manics in the world, i request that you then go and buy it. their demise has been exaggerated, there's still something manic and something a bit preachy within them yet.

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!