Manic Street Preachers

Resistance Is Futile

Thirteen albums in, it’s an unpredictable event listening to a new Manics album. The four-year gap since their last burst of creativity could allow trepidation to creep in. But if the loss of the band’s Cardiff HQ and move to their own studio did sidetrack their creative union, it doesn’t show. Instead, we find James Dean Bradfield still in love with the guitar on an album that nods to the Manics' iconic eras.

Lead single Internationalblue boasts an Everythingmustgo majestic sweep with heroic Goldagainstthesoul guitar leads. While today's political climate could have fuelled fury, instead there’s joyous pop heart on sleeve in these songs. It doesn’t always make for compelling music – the subject of the Hillsborough families’ fight for justice is delivered with unabashed love on Liverpoolrevisited, but the sincere tribute jars a bit as a song. JDM wears the Bowie/ronson strum and lead dynamic well on Vivian, a paean to photographer Vivian Maier and the prog moves in Sequels Offorgottenwars suite the trio. It heralds a strong trio; Holdmelikeaheaven is anthemic immediacy, Ineternity balances the spirit of Bowie again with a Generation Terrorist chorus before Bradfield goes whole guitar hog with Brokenalgorithms. This is a band who still love what they do. Rob Laing download Sequels Offorgottenwars