Manic Street Preachers
★★★★
The Ultra Vivid Lament COLUMBIA. CD/DL/LP
The Welshmen’s 14th studio LP tips a hat to Björn and Benny – that is, when Mark Lanegan isn’t guesting. WITH ITS pillow-soft edges, Mr Sheen finish and relentless Top Of The Pops circa 1983 choruses, first impressions of might be that it’s MSP’s worstever album. Yet surrender to its flocculent rock-lite universe – while also turning a blind ear to some over-obvious barbs (at “those boys from Eton”, etc) and existential de coeur (the Lanegan sung Blank Diary Entry) – and within a few plays one wonders if it is, in fact, among their very best. Written chiefly on piano, it’s essentially a particularly dark MSP bravely attempting to go a bit Abba, failing miserably, but in the process creating a skewed but alluring new pop persona. Highlights are too many to list, but the infectious Orwellian and The Secret He Had Missed (a duet inspired by Gwen and Augustus John) truly hit the spot, while Still Snowing In Sapporo is an oven-ready MSP anthem of humungous dimensions. A hit.