Manic Street Preachers - Rewind the Film (2013) & Futurology (2014)
Out of the vast lexicon of terms used to label the Manic Street Preachers over their 25 plus year career, the word hip never really came up. Even during their well deserved time in the sun during the 90s britpop movement, the band always seemed to be more serious and more sober than most of their peers - lacking both the alcoholic swagger of Oasis and the ironic chic of Blur. However, unlike many of their peers, they are still standing and have made it to this point without any major detours and really only one arguable stinker of an album (2001's Know Your Enemy). But what's truly amazing is that the band, in spite of itself, has finally managed to grow up without losing its fire. Call it middle age, call it making peace with their bizarre past (the mysterious disappearance of their primary lyricist Richey Edwards), or just call it figuring it out, the Manic Street Preachers have at last embraced who they are and let go of all their inhibitions. The result of this is the one-two punch of Rewind the Film (2013) and Futurology (2014), their most original, ambitious, and satisfying works to date - and dare I say it, they actually sound hip.
It's important to note that while both albums are certainly their own separate works (with an even year between them), they are definitely cut from the the same philosophical cloth, or more appropriately, they spring forth from exactly the same point in time and space for the band; they are two sides of the same coin, heads and tails, one looking forward and one looking backward - you get the picture. It's probably not difficult to guess which one's which! Sonically, however, the albums couldn't be more different. Yet, what's truly interesting is that the previous statement not only applies to the two albums themselves, but also largely to the rest of the band's discography.
Starting with Rewind the Film (or "tails" if you've been taking notes), it might be tempting to assume that the band would be revisiting their wild youth... you'd be wrong. As said before, the band is indeed looking back into their past, but they remain rooted in the present, older and wiser. The key word here is reflection, and as such the album is gentle, somber, and sonically unplugged. The band has never been this calm, with a restrained musical approach that verges on acoustic folk - maybe that's why it sounds hip! Without a doubt, this is the most melodic Manics album, by a long shot. The title track is as beautiful as it is personally heartbreaking, a rare intimate window into a band that has consistently put abstract political rhetoric in front of everything. This song alone conveys the band's hard fought and hard won battle out of adolescent rage into middle-age contentment. However, despite the album's overall tone, it's not particularly depressing, no more so than most of their work. Tracks like "Show Me the Wonder" and "As Holy as the Soil (That Buries Your Skin)" have a sense of celebration to them. That being said, this is still the Manic that we're talking about, and there is still the constant sense of caution and critical social observation even if the despair is downplayed by the album glittering finale. It's hazy morning music for sure but intelligent as always, and that's why it's so listenable. But that's nothing compared to what follows.
Out of the vast lexicon of terms used to label the Manic Street Preachers over their 25 plus year career, the word hip never really came up. Even during their well deserved time in the sun during the 90s britpop movement, the band always seemed to be more serious and more sober than most of their peers - lacking both the alcoholic swagger of Oasis and the ironic chic of Blur. However, unlike many of their peers, they are still standing and have made it to this point without any major detours and really only one arguable stinker of an album (2001's Know Your Enemy). But what's truly amazing is that the band, in spite of itself, has finally managed to grow up without losing its fire. Call it middle age, call it making peace with their bizarre past (the mysterious disappearance of their primary lyricist Richey Edwards), or just call it figuring it out, the Manic Street Preachers have at last embraced who they are and let go of all their inhibitions. The result of this is the one-two punch of Rewind the Film (2013) and Futurology (2014), their most original, ambitious, and satisfying works to date - and dare I say it, they actually sound hip.
It's important to note that while both albums are certainly their own separate works (with an even year between them), they are definitely cut from the the same philosophical cloth, or more appropriately, they spring forth from exactly the same point in time and space for the band; they are two sides of the same coin, heads and tails, one looking forward and one looking backward - you get the picture. It's probably not difficult to guess which one's which! Sonically, however, the albums couldn't be more different. Yet, what's truly interesting is that the previous statement not only applies to the two albums themselves, but also largely to the rest of the band's discography.
Futurology, the other side of the coin so to speak, is about as much of a musical about-face as you can get. And while some might expect this to mean that the Manics come roaring back to life by turning up their punk roots, you'd still be wrong. The beats are back and the guitars are very much plugged, but the true surprise comes in the form of electronic flourishes and danceable blasts of krautrock injected into a wider Euro-encompassing vibe. While the band had slightly flirted with this motif on past records, they have never jumped in so wholeheartedly. Even the electro-heavy Lifeblood, released a decade prior, came off more Coldplay than anything, and in no way matched the raw edge of Futurology. The Manics immediately blast off on the opening title track, and they never let up. They march like never before on "Let's Go to War," "Europa Geht Durch Mich," or "Sex, Power, Love and Money." Nor have they equally traded simmer to boil like on "Walk Me to the Bridge." "Dreaming a City (Hughesovka)" is right out of an anime film! Even when they lighten up just a bit for "Between the Clock and the Bed," they still retain a freshness that is so unlike them. It's all incredibly perplexing, but it's excellent and still possesses their political ranting (though that part is buried in the mix more than usual, which is arguably a good thing for the band at this point in their career). Even compared to their excessive trash-rock beginnings, with Futurology they seem to not care and just go for it more than ever. Of course, they have the skill, experience, and confidence to truly pull it off.
In the end, it's anyone's guess where the band will head next. It's been roughly two decades since their biggest albums, so I'm sure some celebration will be in order. Regardless, the twin triumphs of Rewind the Film and Futurology at this point in their career serves as a reminder of the fire that put them on the scene in the first place. But what's more, they can now finally add "hip" to their laurels, whether they like it or not!
McS
McS
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