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NP: Manics - "Forever Delayed"

Scroll down a bit if you don't feel like reading more of my blathering on about music...

Much as with the new U2 best of, I have issues with the tracklisting of this best of compilation. (surprised?) In any case, it would seem simple enough to collect all of the singles, which they've mostly done. I realize that in doing that, the set would've become a double disc, therefore more expensive, less likely to sell, etc. But come on, it's missing a bunch of the singles....Stay Beautiful is a criminal omission, then there's Slash 'n' Burn, Love's Sweet Exile, Roses in the Hospital (not a huge favorite of mine, but still), Life Becoming a Landslide (ehhh), Revol (mostly nonsense, but again, still), She Is Suffering (chilling song, odd single choice, but it was one after all), P.C.P. (excellent song...granted it was a double A-side with Repeat, but it is absent here). Then, of course, there's the slight given to most of the singles from "Know Your Enemy". Granted, the album was very patchy, but the singles were excellent. The best of leaves off Ocean Spray, and Let Robeson Sing, and Found That Soul...the latter being as strong as most of the singles that did make the cut. I dunno, all I'm saying is that for 20 singles that did make the album (well, 19...one of the two new songs hasn't been released as a single, at least not yet), there's another 9 or 10 singles that were ignored. Combining that with the fact that in a lot of cases, you get the radio/single edits of the songs, all makes for a very strange compilation. Oh, and did I mention that the tracklisting isn't chronological? It's very jarring, and lessens the impact of the band's evolution. Putting the tunes in release order makes the thing flow much better. And of course, there aren't any album tracks, really, but then the cover does say "greatest hits", so I figure they are just going for singles. But to say that a Manics best of wouldn't include any album tracks is a bit off.

In any case, that's a whole lot of bitching on my part, considering that the songs there are excellent, and the two new songs are quite good...which gives me hope that the next album (rumored to be a sort of bare-bones, Bruce Springsteen "Nebraska" sort of thing) will be more solid overall than the last.

I know I'm going on a lot about the Manics here, but this band really has been very important to me. Why, you may ask? I'm not a working-class Welshman. I'm not even British, so it's not like I've been experiencing the band's influence on the scene over the past 13 years. But regardless, I'm attracted to their stances and their music. I find interest in their inherent contradicitons...the sloganeering and nihilism of the early years slowly giving way to self-doubt, reticent semi-optimism, and crotchety political criticism. And of course, there's the fact that beneath the makeup of the early days, the whole Richey issue (and the split in the fanbase that occurred afterwards), and everything else, lies the fact that James Bradfield is one hell of a songwriter. Beneath the punk posturing lies a man with musical influences ranging from The Clash to R.E.M. to Guns 'n' Roses, from Public Enemy to '60s Motown singles, and men with lyrics reflecting equal interest in philosophy, literature, politics,and gangster movies. Again, I dunno. All I do know is that the Manics are a band that have always managed to balance well-written music, interesting lyrics, nonsenese, controversy, and genuine emotion, without ever becoming overtly sentimental. I realize they're a very easy band to dislike or even hate, but they are at the very least, unique.

End blathering.

OK, I'm done now. Sorry about that. Though I suppose if you're not interested (what, that's 99.9% of you? Oh.), you'd just have scrolled down anyway.

So far lately, work has been steady but not overwhelming. I've had a lot of meetings lately, as I've been put on a new project that's just starting up. But it's actually rather cool, as my tech lead is a guy in the Virgina office that I've worked with before and like, and the project manager is a guy in my office who's one of the few non-high strung people here. So yeah, it's looking like a good deal of work, but not overwhelming. Which makes all the difference to me.

Erin and I are meeting up with Ryan (the Illinois variety, not the southeastern Missouri variety) on Friday night for dinner and to see the new "Harry Potter" movie. I managed to grab advance tickets last night, which was surprising...I'd have assumed that the 8pm show on opening night would have been sold out already. But then, I don't know much about "Harry Potter", other than what knowledge Erin has instilled in me...is the demand for this movie as great as it was for the first one? Anwyay, yeah...that all should be a great time, since I haven't seen this Ryan for ages, and since our last planned meeting two weekends ago was cancelled due to me having to work. Oh, and I think tonight we're going to see "Bowling for Columbine", which should be interesting. I'm actually a big fan of Michael Moore's stuff..."TV Nation" was a brilliant show, and "The Awful Truth" wasn't far behind. His previous movies have been rather good, though I did think "Roger and Me" was more focussed than "The Big One". Haven't read his current book "Stupid White Men", but I did think "Downsize This" was a great read.

I wish I had some chapstick or something with me, my lips are kind of dry today. I've always had dry skin, though...in general, I rather hate my skin, it's just...weird. I went to dermatologists a lot as a teenager. I dunno, even though it's not really that big of a deal, it's always been one of my least favorite aspects of myphysical appearance.

I wanted to stay in bed with Erin this morning. The alarm went off, and I groaned. I got up, turned it off, and looked out the window. The grass and the cars were covered with frost, it looked cold. I didn't want to shower, I didn't want to get dressed, I didn't want to get in my car and drive. Kissing her goodbye is always the toughest part of my day. And eventually I have to just pull myself away, because I always want to go back in for one more kiss, one more minute with my arms around her, one more time to hear her mumble "goodbye" and "I love you". But then, eventually I do get in the car...I put a tape in the deck, I take a sip of coffee as I get off the exit ramp and onto the interstate. At that point, I start looking forward to the afternoon, to coming home, throwing my arms around her, and not letting go.

then / now