Album Review: Manic Street Preachers – Critical Thinking
2 min read
Welsh rockers Manic Street Preachers (or Manics for short) have just released their fifteenth studio album, Critical Thinking via Columbia Records. Initially set for a January release, the album was ultimately launched on 14th February and was recorded between the band’s ‘Door To The River’ Studio in Newport and Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, with long-standing Manics collaborators Dave Eringa and Loz Williams co-producing, and was released 30 years after the mysterious disappearance of former Manics guitarist Richey Edwards. Let’s dive right in!!
Kicking off with the title track, Critical Thinking is an open critique on modernity, with confrontational and abrasive guitars and lyrics. Next up is a welcome step back in time – Decline and Fall feels like a track straight out of their Everything Must Go era, as does following track, Brushstrokes of Reunion (though of a slightly lower quality than its predecessor). The first ever Manics track with lead vocals by bassist and lyricist Nicky Wire, Hiding in Plain Sight has a fantastic guitar solo, and lyrically yearns to be the person they were in yesteryear. Both People Ruin Paintings and Dear Stephen are musically similar, classic 90’s Smiths-esque UK indie rock, taking on subjects such as art (in the case of the former) and (given the musical description, ironically) Morrissey (in the latter). Returning to a more Manics sound, Being Baptised is a metaphorical reflection on a spiritual awakening.
A heartfelt tribute to enduring friendships, I cannot help but think that My Brave Friend is a track made with Richey Edwards in mind, on the 30 year anniversary of his disappearance. A hard act to follow, Out of Time Revival is an upbeat number, with a fantastic guitar solo and melodies, whilst Deleted Scenes is musically more classic rock, and certainly more contemplative lyrically. Edging towards the end of their latest offering, penultimate track Late Day Peaks challenges the principle that youth is the pinnacle of life, whilst ending proceedings we have OneManMilitia, another Nicky Wire vocal performance – a defiant stance on individuality over conforming to the norm – and personally, my favourite track on the album (saved the best for last).
Critical Thinking is a nostalgic throwback to the UK indie scene of the late 1990’s/early 2000’s – well written lyrics over some great melodies. If you’re a fan of the Manics, this will be exactly what you want… if you’re not – it might feel a little dated. I probably won’t be adding more than OneManMilitia to my 2025 playlist, and, honestly, if it was up against a 90’s indie hit list it wouldn’t make the grade. They’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here, and for many that is exactly what they are looking for.
