Originally published by L.S. Media. October 31st 2011.
L.S.Media Rating ****
Perhaps the best way to look at the career of the Manic Street Preachers is not by the albums the band have released, all in their own way a testament to triumph over adversity, but perhaps in the singles the Welsh group have notched up in the time that they have been going.
In 20 years the Welsh rockers and appointed radical thinkers of their genre have released a substantial amount of work as singles that have been released to cover two discs and unlike some bands that muck about with the chronological order in these type of self-reflective albums, The Manic Street Preachers have stayed faithful to the natural order of things in their third compilation album, National Treasures- The Complete Singles.
Its poignant that the album uses the thought of National Treasure, for the band have become that, a group that went from indie obscurity to carrying the thoughts of a generation that had become lost with the failed system that had effected their parents. The band may dispute the depth of feeling for them that is prevalent at any headline or support slot they do, however judge that by the gig tickets that are fiercely fought over and quite rightly so as the group play some very decent and much loved songs in the set list, many from this album amongst them.
From the original Motown Junk through classics such as You Love Us, the anthem-like Motorcycle Emptiness and A Design for Life on the first disc to the present day where the band give brilliant performances on songs such as If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next, the 2001 heart breaking song of Tsunami and onto the charming and attention grabbing Postcards From a Young Man, each song represents a band that has had more than its fair share of knocks but has ultimately become more accepted and loved by all those that give them a chance.
There are a few songs missing, non-chart eligible ones for instance and there were no singles from the album Journal for Plague Lovers but all that really doesn’t matter as the songs that are on offer stand out across the years they were written in and give a perfect account of the band.
As a reviewer I don’t normally advocate albums where it comes across as a marketing deal or an attempt for a band to rake in a bit of cash but on this one occasion, National Treasures-The Singles Collection is an album well worth having for those long journeys, for those late nights beside the fire and for just remembering how important this group is to British music.
National Treasures-The Complete Singles is released on the Sony label on October 31st 2011
Ian D. Hall