Album: Postcards From A Young Man – Manic Street Preachers

Postcards From A Young Man is the Manic Street Preachers’ 10^th studio album. In a music industry in which a band is lucky if their second album makes any kind of impression, this is a major achievement and should make the band something of a national treasure (albeit a Welsh one). So how come the Manic Street Preachers appear to have passed so many music fans by?

Praise of the Manic Street Preachers in the media has been almost exclusively high throughout their long career. The band has achieved almost legendary status, thanks in part to a career driven by a commitment to political commentary, coupled with insightful and often highly personal lyrics. Band members James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire have both referred to Postcards From A Young Man as “one last shot at mass communication”.  Although having a reputation for often seeming pretentious, they’re allowed to be, because that’s what the Manic Street Preachers are – and have always been – about.

There is nothing to dislike about this album, it is musically coherent and aurally inoffensive. But it doesn’t excite the soul and, despite the inclusion of both a gospel choir and full orchestra on some tracks, it cannot be described as innovative. In fact the album as a whole would be better at home in the nineties.

This album is, in essence and style, very much like the nine previous albums. Therefore chances are, if you are already a fan of the Manic Street Preachers, Postcards From a Young Man will certainly live up to expectations.

Becca Luck