REVIEW: Manic St. Preachers, Gold Against The Soul
- Bob Gajarsky
Gold Against The Soul, the Manic St. Preachers (Columbia) second album, has finally reached the American shores. After their first album produced an amazing 6 top-40 U.K. hits, the Manics have decided to try and conquer the U.S. Unfortunately, their sophomoric release falls short of the high expectations produced by their first effort, Generation Terrorists.
The album opens up with "Sleepflower", pumped up by a guitar reminiscent of Randy Rhoads or Black Sabbath. "La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh)", the album's first single, takes on an almost acoustic sound for the first minute of the song before launching into an attack on those who use personal tragedy to gain pity from others. "From Despair to Where" highlights the Manics at their best - straight-forward guitars, and drums backing the distinctive vocals of James Dean Bradfield. The almost-classic "Life Becoming A Landslide" slows down the tempo just a bit, and is just a touch away from being the song to finally break the Manics in America.
Biting poignant lyrics are still the order of the day, as bassist Nicky Wire and rhythm guitarist Richey James compose songs around escaping reality with drugs, Tourette's syndome, and cries of anguish from the British mining towns. A parental advisory (for explicit lyrics) is included for good measure.
With a sound and image that echoes back to the Clash, New York Dolls, and Sex Pistols, Gold rocks harder than had previously been expected. Does it break any new musical barriers? No. Does it grab the listener and not let go? On select tracks like "Landslide", "Tristesse" and "Despair", the answer is an unequivocal yes. It appears likely, and unfortunate, that American audiences will probably never get a chance to hear this album. However, fans of driving metal or of the first album will not be disappointed by the Manic St. Preachers Gold Against The Soul.
