Search - Manic Street Preachers :: Everything Must Go

As intense a record as any

Bryan Wilson | Lexington, MA United States | 03/31/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"it's simply too hard to argue when you have quality music, lyrics, and emotion. not to mention the circumstances that threatened to destroy this album before it was even done. if you don't know the story on richey, read up, it will help you understand this album. what is most impressive is the fact that depression never really sets in - this is the most joyous and hopeful record the manics ever did. there are angry/bitter moments throughout, for sure, as in "kevin carter" and a handful of others, but the music itself is anthemic and upbeat, especially in comparison to "the holy bible", their previous release. there are at least six or seven singles on here, but that's almost irrelevant, because it just stresses how good the album truly is. "elvis impersonator," despite its strange title, gets everything started, jumping right into the fray with a powerful motif of guitar and harps lurking in the background. "a design for life," is a working-class anthem, and what many consider the best track, though i'm not sure about that. "enola/alone," is perhaps a thinly veiled tribute to their departed bandmate and it's almost as beautiful as the following title-track that asks james forgiveness for continuing without him. it's touching, but not sappy because it's not wallowing in misery or too explicit. one of my favorites is "small black flowers" - it's unlike anything they've done before, as those harps come to the front and create a warm, somewhat mysterious atmosphere that resonates well with the lyrics. "australia" is a well-known guitar-driven anthem, but the real gem at the record's end is "no surface all feeling." it might be the best thing here, with a loud heavily distorted chorus/riff that is countered by the quieter, more contemplative verse. it works surprisingly well. the unity of all these songs is really what drives this into classic album territory. if you insist on having just one manics album, get this one - i don't even think the rumored greatest hits (supposedly within the year) can do them justice, so this is the selection of choice, if not for the power of the songs, then for its beauty and message. to see a band succeed after such despair and come through with so much hope and success is at the very least inspiring as its own statement about the power of the human mind and heart. rip richey."

Accessible Preachers

DiskSpinner | Beaverton, OR | 01/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After Richey's disappearance, the band reduced to a trio, released this album. It goes without saying that it is a far more accessible album than 'The Holy Bible'. 'The Holy Bible' was a very angry, pessimistic and dark album having mostly very good songs and some average songs. Here in this album, the lyrics are not as dark as Holy Bible. The songs are more or less accessible and consistent. Best songs here are 'Further away', (which has a teriffic guitar riff in one place) 'Australia', 'Design for life', 'I'm the girl who wanted to be god'. Songs are enegatic and with orchestral arrangement. They have used 3 violins and 2 violas to create that. A very good album. Not surprising that it features in a lot of top 100 albums of all time charts."

Definitive introduction to the Manic Street Preachers

madforit50 | 06/04/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Though their musical style is primarily hard rock, on each record the Manic Street Preachers have managed to sound different. However, Everything Must Go stands out because it stands out as their most focused effort to ignite their contradictions. On Everything Must Ago, they've added a alternative/grungy sheen to their guitar roar, raw indeed. They've also added strings, harps, and organs on half of the song. Stuff that bands like Embrace, Oasis, and Verve have made popular again since. Moreover, it's never been more clear that the lyrics are the effort of two men, Richey Edwards and Nicky Jones. Where Richey's lyrics rival Kurt Cobain's or Ian Curtis's in poignant bleakness, Nicky's are hard, but fighting reflections. But, the true highlight, and what makes these elements colesce the Manics is singer/actual songwriter/guitar slinger James Dean Bradfield. On this record, he has completely stripped the excesses of previous Manics records and composed 12 tighly written, memorable, pop rock anthems that would make Oasis proud. On his lead, the band plays with the desperation and grit of a band fighting through their ghosts. Which is the point. Even on the string-laden songs ("Design for Life", for example), what comes through is sheer force and intelligence. By paring down excess, the Manics have managed to marry the music and the lyrics more successfully than they have before and as few since, truthfully, Nirvana.For many Manics fans, this is not their best work. But, in the same way that "The Black Album" represents Metallica in essence, Everything Must Go represents the pure aspects of the Manic's body of work. Moreover, it's one of the most bruising, yet exhilirating hard rock records made this decade."