Manic Street Preachers releases "Futurology"

Just over nine months since the release of their acclaimed top 5 charting eleventh studio album ‘Rewind The Film’, the Manics swiftly follow with a brand new record, ‘Futurology’, out 7^th July 2014.  Recorded at the legendary Hansa studios in Berlin and the band’s Cardiff base Faster, the thirteen track record sees the band in furious, propulsive, expansive form – a distinct departure to the last record, whilst still inimitably the Manic Street Preachers.  With clear European influences and feel, the first track to be released is ‘Walk Me To The Bridge’. In a recent conversation with the Quietus’ John Doran, Nicky Wire explained how that track’s lyrics were formed some years previously. “People might have the idea that this song contains a lot of Richey references but it really isn’t about that, it’s about the Øresund Bridge that joins Sweden and Denmark. A long time ago when we were crossing that bridge I was flagging and thinking about leaving the band (the “fatal friend”). It’s about the idea of bridges allowing you an out of body experience as you leave and arrive in different places.” James Dean Bradfield describes the track as “an emotional European driving song with early Simple Minds synths and a Heroes-esque Ebow guitar solo.”

The songs on ‘Futurology’ were inspired by travelling through Europe, the pioneering artistic spirit of early 20th Century modernist art and the maverick music of Krautrock and New Pop. Nicky Wire says: “During our last European tour we really reconnected with this idea of travelling on the Autobahns listening to records by Kraftwerk, Neu!, Andy Weatherall, Popul Vuh and Cabaret Voltaire. The idea of being on these endless futuristic roads but being surrounded by these ancient forests at the same time. It’s a magical feeling and it makes you think of soundtracks in your head as you’re travelling through this landscape.”

The album features several special guests, Scritti Politti’s Green Gartside duets with James Dean Bradfield on ‘Between the Clock and the Bed’, a beautiful song inspired by a famous Edvard Munch painting. German film star Nina Hoss appears on ‘Europa Geht Durch Mich’, a stomping disco punk track which received a stunning response on the recent tour. Other guests include Georgia Ruth (winner of the 2013 Welsh Music Prize), Cian Ciarán (Super Furry Animals), Cate le Bon and H. Hawkline. It was produced by Manic Street Preachers, Loz Williams and Alex Silva (The Holy Bible) with additional mixing by Craig Silvey.

The artwork for ’Futurology’ features imagery by German artist Catrine Val (chosen by the band when they saw her work in her book ’Feminist’).

Manic Street Preachers have just finished a triumphant UK tour (“We still love them, and they still love rock, and the rebel visions it allows” 5* Independent) and are due to head to Europe for dates before returning for several festival appearances.

Track Listing:

1. Futurology
2. Walk Me To The Bridge
3. Let’s Go To War
4. The Next Jet To Leave Moscow
5. Europa Geht Durch Mich
6. Divine Youth
7. Sex, Power Love and Money
8. Dreaming A City (Hughesovka)
9. Black Square
10. Between The Clock And The Bed
11. Misguided Missile
12. The View From Stow Hill
13. Mayakovsky