James Dean Bradfield - That's No Way To Tell A Lie (Columbia)
UK release date: 10 July 2006
So is this the end of the Manics? With Nicky Wire about to launch a solo project and this, the first solo single from lead singer James Dean Bradfield, the signs don't look good for Wales' most famous Situationists.
Of course, some may argue that the Manic Street Preachers finished with the disappearance of Richie Edwards and their subsequent transformation from innovative, thought-provoking musicians into bland FM rockers. Bradfield's first solo single inevitably sounds like the Manics, but with rather more of a pop sheen - it's a sound that, rather surprisingly, suits him. Handclaps, string sections and even some 'sha-la-la's all feature, and the song's chorus is one that sticks in the memory.
Bradfield's voice is one that people either love or hate, but it does seem less grating here than on the Manic's last couple of albums. An encouraging return to form then, although expect Nicky Wire's forthcoming solo material to be a lot less accessible than this...
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