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Empty Souls Manic Street Preachers

Manic Street Preachers: Empty Souls

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? by Gareth Dobson
  • Type: Single
  • Release date: 10/12/2004
  • Label: Sony
It almost seems too easy to take pot shots at the sitting musical ducks that are the Manics in 2005, but shoot we must…

Coming on like U2 circa ‘New Year’s Day’ – if Bono and co were utterly spazzed out on Mogadon listening to Keane – ‘Empty Souls’ is so tired and deadened, it doesn’t even manage to summon any of the bluster that the band have hidden behind for nearly a decade.

Sufferingly terminally thanks to a weak melody, hauntingly annoying piano riff and hanging, fuzzing guitars that do absolutely nothing of consequence, it's very hard to find anything to exhale about. It is nothing of note, and it’s really getting quite embarrassing now.

Please stop.

  • Manic Street Preachers 3 / 10
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Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

It's worrying that this is the best song on 'Lifeblood'. I still thank the lord I listened to that album before I decided not to buy it.

"Collapsing like the Twin Towers" is possible the worst attempt at being shocking ever, though. It's just a really crap lyric.
Effloresce_Sean | 6 Jan '05, 16:23 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

>"Collapsing like the Twin Towers" is possible the worst attempt at being shocking ever, though. It's just a really crap lyric.

And it has been censored to 'collapsing like dying flowers' for the single. I love the Manics, but this isn't their finest hour.
Damian | 6 Jan '05, 18:10 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

"colossal, endless like a Marathon"

or Snickers, as they're now called...
benrith | 11 Jan '05, 17:47 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

It is? One of the worst I thought (not as boring as Emily), I actually quite like the album and would say that something like 1985 is much better than this
iainf | 7 Jan '05, 14:52 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

i don't get the controversy over the lyric. why is mentioning 9/11 in any way shocking, again?
Zoo1 | 11 Jan '05, 20:30 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

"collapsing like dying flowers"? that's marginally better if you ask me.
Effloresce_Sean | 6 Jan '05, 21:29 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

Richard Nixon was surprisingly good. This, on the other hand, is a miserable dirge of a song. And not in a good way either. Yeah, I'm glad I listened to Lifeblood before buying (or rather, not buying) too!
OceanStorm | 7 Jan '05, 14:45 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

the manics are a funny beast. i think it is positive for them to have moved on from KYE. it wasn't pleasent watching 35 year old, fat men attempting to be themselves when they were ten years younger, ten pounds slimmer and one member more. the manics have done they're job now. they filled the horrible void of music around the time of the arse end of Madchester and the rise of generation x inspired grunge nonesense. they were a band to believe in. they were at the front, making a furious noise, loud, sexy, angry. now they don't need to be. they are happy sitting in the background quietly making the music they want to whilst a new generation of angry young men and women take over. that is, the purists would do well remembering, is what they wanted all along.

still, this song is shit.

mdw4001 | 7 Jan '05, 15:24 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

i can understand all the talk of Keane,but surely this is a bit of a cheap shot- sure the lyrics on the new album are among the worst that Wire's ever penned, which really drags it down- for who they are now, the album is good enough - personally, i can't wait til Bradfield goes solo, should it ever happen- his voice is fantastic
mooseman | 8 Jan '05, 12:02 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

Hmm, that would just be going down the classic-rock route even further though, going solo at over 35 very rarely yields vital music.

Empty Souls is indeed shit, but there are one or two good tracks on the album (1985, Cardiff Afterlife).
alexliamw | 8 Jan '05, 12:31 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

Awfully boring and turgid. Go home.
TheEddie | 9 Jan '05, 23:15 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

i'm surprised by the negative reaction to this. personally i love it, and i am known in every corner of the universe for my superlative music taste. ;)

seriously, i strongly suspect that if this was coming from any band apart from the Manics people would be doing fucking cartwheels in ecstacy. good to see that quickstart indie snobbery isn't just the preserve of the NME.
Zoo1 | 10 Jan '05, 15:20 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

I like Keane a lot and I still dislike this song.
iainf | 10 Jan '05, 19:41 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

This is the only song on the new album I liked...
Effloresce_Sean | 10 Jan '05, 17:44 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Manic Street Preachers - Empty Souls

you are all deaf when the manics are gone all will be forgiven. but obviously you have to wait until time has passed to see this. but yeah fucking great singe shame the reviewer didnt like it. but fair enough you didnt go for the vheap richey shot.

they still piss on half of the bands today im sorry, but they are class, maybe not their finest hour but 1985 is one of the best songs ever.
darkanddivine | 15 Jan '05, 00:01 | Send note | Report this | Reply