Description
Manic Street Preachers – The Ultra Vivd Lament – Picture Disc Vinyl Record
Manic Street Preachers – The Ultra Vivid Lament (2021) is a richly melodic, emotionally resonant album that marks both a departure and a return for the long-running Welsh rock band. Known for their blend of political intensity, literary ambition, and glam-punk grit, the Manic Street Preachers have explored a wide sonic and thematic range over the decades. With The Ultra Vivid Lament, their 14th studio album, they take a reflective, almost romantic turn—crafting a lush, piano-driven, Scandinavian-influenced pop-rock soundscape that draws on personal grief, memory, and existential beauty.
Released amid the lingering weight of the COVID-19 pandemic, the album was partially inspired by the death of Nicky Wire’s parents and the broader sense of loss, disconnection, and fragile hope that permeated the world. Rather than confronting these themes with anger or political fire (as on The Holy Bible or Resistance Is Futile), the band leans into a gentler, more introspective tone—still intelligent, still emotionally charged, but filtered through a cooler, more crystalline sonic lens. The result is one of the most accessible and elegant records in their catalog, yet still unmistakably Manics.
The Ultra Vivid Lament draws heavily from ABBA, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Roxy Music, with shimmering synth textures, glacial piano lines, and restrained guitar flourishes. Tracks like “Orwellian” and “The Secret He Had Missed” offer infectious melodies and bright choruses, yet hide layers of historical and emotional commentary. “Orwellian,” for example, critiques the digital erosion of truth and nuance, dressed up in ABBA-esque pop. “The Secret He Had Missed,” a duet with Julia Cumming of Sunflower Bean, contrasts the lives of Welsh painter siblings Augustus and Gwen John—a reflection on fame, creativity, and invisibility.
Other standout tracks include “Still Snowing in Sapporo,” a nostalgic, tender recollection of the band’s early days touring in Japan—specifically a memory of the late Richey Edwards. It’s one of the most emotionally affecting tracks the Manics have written in years, filled with aching beauty and quiet reverence. “Complicated Illusions” and “Quest for Ancient Colour” blend melancholy with lush instrumentation, exploring themes of aging, emotional survival, and fractured identity.
Throughout the album, James Dean Bradfield’s vocals are as powerful and expressive as ever, soaring but never overwrought. Nicky Wire’s lyrics strike a balance between philosophical musing and poetic abstraction, often dealing with memory, artistic legacy, and emotional detachment. Sean Moore’s drumming remains subtle and tasteful, serving the elegant production without pushing too hard.
The Ultra Vivid Lament was met with critical acclaim and debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, making it the band’s first chart-topping album in over two decades. It was praised for its maturity, melodic strength, and stylistic shift—proof that the Manics remain capable of evolution without abandoning their essence. It doesn’t carry the confrontational energy of their 1990s work or the bombast of Everything Must Go, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a quiet triumph, a late-career gem that embraces loss, beauty, and reflection with grace and clarity.
The Ultra Vivid Lament is a melancholic pop record disguised as an art-rock elegy. It’s thoughtful, beautiful, and deeply human—one of the Manic Street Preachers’ most refined and emotionally resonant works to date. Let me know if you’d like a comparison to Futurology or This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, or a track-by-track breakdown.
Picture disc vinyl in PVC wallet with hype/information sticker.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Still Snowing In Sapporo
Orwellian
The Secret He Had Missed
Quest For Ancient Colour
Don’t Let The Night Divide Us
Diapause
Complicated Illusions
Into The Waves Of Love
Blank Diary Entry
Happy Bored Alone
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