Manic Street Preachers return this year with their ninth studio album, Journal For Plague Lovers released on May 18th on Columbia Records.
Produced by Steve Albini and recorded live at Rockfield Studios in Wales during the Winter of 2008, the album features lyrics left behind by former guitarist Richey Edwards across all 13 new tracks. An original piece of Jenny Savilles art is the cover of Journal for Plague Lovers, whose painting graced the cover of 1994s The Holy Bible.
Nicky Wire said of the decision to use Richeys words after all this time, "The brilliance and intelligence of the lyrics dictated that we had to finally use them. The use of language is stunning and topics include The Grande Odalisque by Ingres, Marlon Brando, Giant Haystacks, celebrity, consumerism and dysmorphia, all reiterating the genius and intellect of Richard James Edwards”.
The album follows the hugely successful and critically acclaimed 2007 release Send Away The Tigers, and the induction of the band into the NMEs Hall Of Fame with their naming as the NME Godlike Genius for 2008.
Musically the band draw on their classic Holy Bible sound with elements of Nirvanas In Utero, as well as a delicate, beautiful acoustic side.
Track-listing for Journal For Plague Lovers:
Peeled Apples
Jackie Collins Existential Question Time
Me & Stephen Hawking
This Joke Sport Severed
Journal For Plague Lovers
She Bathed Herself In A Bath Of Bleach
Facing Page: Top Left
Marlon J.D.
Doors Closing Slowly
All Is Vanity
Pretension/Repulsion
Virginia State Epileptic Colony
Williams Last Words
A UK tour will be announced shortly.
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