Manic Street Preachers return with their 14 studio album entitled, ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’ on 3rd September via Columbia/Sony and have announced a tour for this autumn. ‘Orwellian’ is the first track to be released and is classic Manic Street Preachers, dissecting the misuse of words against cascading, glacial melody.
Manic Street Preachers on Orwellian:
“The track is about the battle to claim meaning, the erasing of context within debate, the overriding sense of factional conflict driven by digital platforms leading to a perpetual state of culture war. As with many songs on the record, it was written on the piano by James Dean Bradfield. Musically, it echoes ABBA, the majesty of Alan Rankine’s playing in the Associates and Talk Talk’s ‘It’s My Life’ with a Lindsey Buckingham guitar solo. It felt like the perfect sonic and lyrical introduction to ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’.”
A joyous celebration of piano and upbeat drumming topped with the powerful welsh force that is Bradfield’s voice. The single notes played out on the piano are a stark contrast to Bradfield’s melodic vocals, especially on the chorus. The theme is copied on distorted guitar as the track ends on a rampant high. There is no one who really sounds like the manics quite like the manics.
Check it out, here
Find out more via the bands Website or Facebook
Tracklisting:
1. Still Snowing In Sapporo
2. Orwellian
3. The Secret He Had Missed
4. Quest For Ancient Colour
5. Don’t Let The Night Divide Us
6. Diapause
7. Complicated Illusions
8. Into The Waves Of Love
9. Blank Diary Entry
10. Happy Bored Alone
11. Afterending
Pre-order ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’ from the official store (https://manicstreetpreachers.lnk.to/store) to get early access to tickets for the tour, with a pre-sale starting on Weds 19th May at 10am. Tickets go on general sale on Friday 21st May at 10am – further details here.
26 September, Newcastle, City Hall
28 September, Edinburgh, Usher Hall
29 September, Dundee, Caird Hall
1 October, Stoke On-Trent, Victoria Hall
2 October, Manchester, Apollo
4 October, York, Barbican
5 October, Glasgow, Barrowlands
7 October, Leeds, Academy
8 October, Portsmouth, Guildhall
10 October, Bournemouth, Academy
11 October, Cambridge, Corn Exchange
13 October, Bath, Forum
14 October, Bristol, Dome
3 December, London, Wembley Arena
Previously Announced
16 July, Cardiff, Arena (NHS workers show)
17 July, Cardiff, Arena (NHS public show)
30 July, Pikehall, Y Not Festival
7 August, Linlithgow, Party At The Palace
29 August, Alcester, Camper Calling Music Festival
10 September, Halifax, Live at Piece Hall
18 September, Jersey, Electric Park Festival
No Comment