Manic Street Preachers - Lifeblood: 20th Anniversary [3CD Bookset]

Format: 3CD Bookset
Catalogue No.: 19658843902
Barcode: 0196588439025
Release Date: 12 Apr 2024
Genre: Indie/Alternative

Celebrating 20 years of Manic Street Preachers critically acclaimed Seventh studio album “Lifeblood”; this 3CD anniversary bookset edition features remastered audio of the original 12 album tracks, overseen by James Dean Bradfield on disc 1 while discs 2 & 3 comprise B-sides, Demos, Outtakes and two brand new remixes of ‘1985’ by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and Gwenno. The 3CD bookset also includes brand new liner notes by John Harris and previously unseen photographs by Mitch Ikeda.

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Manic Street Preachers have confirmed the release of a 20 th Anniversary Edition of their seventh studio album ‘Lifeblood’ on 12 th April 2024 for Sony Records. As with other Manics re-issues, the new releases feature many remastered tracks, b-sides, demos and outtakes, new liner notes by John Harris and unseen pictures by Mitch Ikeda. Available on CD, 3 CD bookset, double vinyl, double coloured vinyl, limited artwork prints and digital – two brand new remixes of the lead track ‘1985’ by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and sometime collaborator Welsh artist Gwenno appear on the cd and digital versions. As previously announced, the band will embark on a co-headlining tour with Suede in the summer (dates below).

Described by Nicky Wire as “our most estranged album of all” the record came at a time when the band were reflecting on what they had become and what they could be. The band looked to the music they had liked when they were young for inspiration, New Order circa ‘Low Life’, Prefab Sprout ‘Steve McQueen’, Thomas Dolby ‘The Flat Earth’, early Simple Minds, and the kind of cerebral electronic pop that dominated the early-to-mid 1980s. Wire said at the time "The main lyrical themes are death and solitude and ghosts. Being haunted by history and being haunted by your own past.” James Dean Bradfield commented “I loved making Lifeblood, because it was interesting. I loved chasing these other versions of what we were trying to do.” 

They started work in Cardiff before heading to New York to work with legendary producer Tony Visconti. Next stop was Ireland with Greg Haver, the producer who had worked on their previous two albums. Finishing touches were brought by Tom Elmhirst (Bowie/ Goldfrapp/Adele), the mix engineer who gave the songs a lustrous sheen and sparkle, which combined their backwards glances with a hint of futurism. Mojo Magazine described it at the time as “An album that nails its subtle-but-tenacious hooks with dignity and maturity”.

First single ‘The Love of Richard Nixon’ entered the UK charts at No. 2 but the band were unsure about it being the first music from the album. Nicky Wire explained “It sounds like nothing we’ve ever done. It doesn’t sound like us at all.” The next single ‘Empty Souls’ also debuted at No. 2 and the group finished the year with an arena tour.

Manics are currently working on their 15 th studio album, the follow up to ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’ which entered the UK charts at No. 1 on its release in September 2021. They last performed in the UK last summer when they made critically acclaimed performances at Isle of Wight and Glastonbury festivals. which combined their backwards glances with a hint of futurism. Mojo Magazine described it at the time as “An album that nails its subtle-but-tenacious hooks with dignity and maturity”.

CD 1
1985
The Love of Richard Nixon
Empty Souls
A Song for Departure
I Live to Fall Asleep
To Repel Ghosts
Emily
Glasnost
Always/Never
Solitude Somes Is
Fragments
Cardiff Afterlife
CD 2
Askew Road – B-side
Everything Will Be – B-side
Everyone Knows/Nobody Cares – B-side
Voodoo Polaroids – B-side
Quarantine (In My Place Of) – B-side
All Alone Here – B-side
Dying Breeds – B-side
Litany – B-side
Failure Bound – B-side
No Jubilees – B-side
Antarctic – B-side
The Soulmates – B-side
1985 – Steven Wilson’s Extended Eighties Mix
1985 – Gwenno Mix
CD 3
1985 – Alternative version
1985 – Demo
The Love of Richard Nixon – Drum machine demo
The Love of Richard Nixon – Live rehearsal demo
A Song For Departure – Demo
I Live To Fall Asleep – Cassette
To Repel Ghosts – Demo
Emily – Demo
Solitude Sometimes Is – Demo
Fragments – Demo
Cardiff Afterlife – Cassette
Cardiff Afterlife – Demo
Solitude Sometimes Is – Tony Visconti Mix
Emily – Tony Visconti Mix
Cardiff Afterlife – Tony Visconti Mix
Empty Souls – Live At BBC Maida Vale
The Love Of Richard Nixon – Live At BBC Maida Vale
I Live To Fall Asleep – Live At BBC Maida Vale
A Song For Departure – Live At BBC Maida Vale
Fragments – Live At BBC Maida Vale

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