'Futurology'

Over the long holiday weekend I wrote a 6 paragraph, almost 1000 word essay on the new Manic Street Preachers album 'Futurology' with a plan to post it today, the album's release date.

After several more listens though it became obvious - my lengthy dissertation could just as easily be summed up in a much shorter review:

I can't think of ANY band who has made an album so stunning, so vital, so exciting and so completely necessary 25 years into their career. This isn't the easy listening, track suit wearing Manics of the last 10 years. It's not the angry, depressed band of 1994. Nor is it the feather boa wearing, glam/punk Manics that started in 1989. It's a band who is finally comfortable with their history and ready to make their mark on the future.

And they've somehow managed to make the most important album of their career.