It’s heartening to see the Manics’ back with one of their finest ever albums, Journal For Plague Lovers. As with The Holy Bible, Journal’s mix of abrasive post-punk and Richey Edwards’ intense, highly literate lyrics has proved a winning combination. The Manics are obviously keen to acknowledge Edwards’ continuing influence on their creative sensibilities, as tonight the first half of the show is devoted to playing their latest album in its entirety.
Opening with the explosive ‘Peeled Apples’, the group are in top form, although a noticeably crocked Nicky Wire (who has been suffering from back problems of late) is unable to perform any of his trademark scissor kicks. However, it scarcely matters, as the band reel through the short and sharp psychic shocks of Journal, which sounds as good live as it does on record.
One of the stand-out moments is the haunting ‘Doors Closing Slowly’, which concludes with the ominous sound of a ticking clock, and an inspired choice of sample from Sofia Coppola’s sublime The Virgin Suicides – “Oddly shaped emptiness mapped by what surrounded them… like countries we couldn’t name.” Another highlight is the album’s final track, ‘William’s Last Words’, a deeply moving goodbye song (sung by Nicky) that serves as a powerful finale to the first half of the performance.
After a short break, the trio (with an additional guitarist) return for a greatest hits set. It is a measure of Edwards and Wire’s potency as a lyric writing partnership that the first lines of the first song, ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’ (“Culture sucks down words/Itemise loathing and feed yourself smiles”), could put the entire lyrical output of Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Kings Of Leon et al on permanent life support.
Even better is the sci-fi melancholy of ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’, for me their greatest song. Sadly, there’s no ‘Kevin Carter’ (another lyrical tour-de-force from Edwards), but there are blistering takes on ‘Faster’ and ‘Motown Junk’.
Writing in this publication last Christmas, I described Blur and Radiohead as the two best British bands of the past 20 years. I am now happy to correct a glaring oversight and add the Manics to the list.