Manic Street Preachers - Gold Against the Soul

Aussie version of the Welsh alternative rock act's sophomore album originally released in 1993 and currently out of print in the U.S.. Featuring the singles, 'Roses In The Hospital', 'From Despair To Where' & 'La Tritesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh)'. Standard Jewelcase. Album Description

Have to right some wrongs here

I would have given this four stars but I hope my five drags this out of the 3.5 level. I like this album and offer this personal review.

This is not the best Manics album, it is however the one album from their back catalogue that I can listen to why is this...

well, Generation Terrorists is raw and Motorcycle Emptiness apart often too aggressive for passive listening.

Holy bible is far too painfull, this is beauty but in a way its like when you were dumped by your first girlfriend, the pictures of you as a couple are like knives through your corneas.

I overplayed Everything must go and TIMTTMY, and it will be years before I can buzz to it.

Gold is musically very good, Sleepflower is impressive, Life becoming a landslide has major hooks, La Tristesta Deurera, is another impressively produced rock song, however my favourite starts with "...I write this alone in my bed, I poisoned every room in the house..." odd how such obvious words sum up those blue times, sometimes you walk around and just don't what room to walk into, what room you want to go to, or where you will be next. You realise the poverty of your thoughts, but just don't know how to put them right....

This album does not have the pure pain of the Holy bible, but in this it sums up the angst of the modern life, not depression, just angst... in fact the movement from this second album to the Holy bible is a saluatory warning that unchecked simple rage against perceived injustice to you can become self harm.

Suicide is not painless. June 20, 2006

4.5 stars actually

The Manics' second album is always the "forgotten one". However, I think it's actually better than their debut, where every track tended to sound the same after while (and it's a looooooooooooong album!). Gold Against the Soul is tighter, harder, and overall, more enjoyable. It also contains some great songs: Sleepflower is one of their best ever, and Tristesse Durrera, Nostalgic Pushead, Drug Drug Druggy, Roses in the Hospital, and From Despair to Where are great songs. Check this one out. March 30, 2005

Better then EMG, almost as good as BIble

i'd like to know what everyones problem with this album is. i think it's one of the best in the bands whole catalouge. Sure they had alot to follow with terrorists, but still, this album is great. while their debut effort featured very politcally inspired lyrics, gold against the soul seems like its richey slowly crumbling inside. while bible featured richey's last batch of bleak lyrics, which are some of the bleakest in history, this album also has some amazing lyrics. and by the way, the music on this album is great too. heres a track by track rundown and review:
Sleepflower-5/5:amazing opening song , with a great riff to back it. the songs on this album don't speak for themselves like they do on the holy bible, so i don't know what half of the songs on this album are about.
From Despair to Where- 4/5: The music on this song sounds a little too poppy for my tastes, but it features one of my favorite lyrics on the whole album (There's nothing nice in my head/the adult world took it all away)
La Tristesta Deurera- 3.5/5: Alright song, i really like nicky's bass in this one, but not too crazy about the lyrics
Yourself-2/5: maybe my least favorite song on the album. the guitar at the beginning sounds really awful, so that part always kind of drags me away from the song.
Life Becoming a Landslide: 5/5: one of my favorite manic songs. music is great, lyrics are wonderful, and it has possibly one of the best lines in the bands entire catalouge(My idea of love comes from/ a childhood glimpse of pornography)
Drug Drug Druggy- 4/5: I like th guitar in this song, and i really like the lyrics
Roses in the Hospital- 5/5: I'd ive it better odds if i could. Maybe the best street preachers song ever, but i know thats probably not true. some very heartbreaking lyrics, that you know are exatly related to richey(roses in the hospital/stub cigarettes out on my arm) and (roses in the hospital/heroin is just too trendy) the forever delayed part at the end sold me to this song.
Nostalgic pushhead- 1/5: maybe the worst song the manics ever wrote. rubbish.
symphony of tourettes- 3.5/5: the second half of this album is nothing compared to the first, but this is a real good song. great riff by the way.
gold against teh soul- 4/5: good song, good closer, very solid lyrics. way to go.
in other words, this album is no bible, but its better than emg. get the holy bible if you can find it, then come to this one. June 22, 2004

Middle of the classics

I waited a lot for this album because Manic Street Preacher's first album Generation Terrorists was so brilliant. After the listing Gold Against the Soul, I have to say something. I am really disappointed because there are only three fine songs a beautiful Sleepflower, a fine From Despair to Where and an excelent Life Becoming a Landslide. Rest of the album songs are booring and bad ones. This is not a punk alnum anymore! Gold Against Soul is the album middle of the two classic albums! In my opinion, you shouldn't buy this one1 October 27, 2003

One of the Holy Trinity

I wouldn't agree that this is the Manics' "pop"piest album. I'd look to This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours for that. I believe another reviewer already pointed out that there are bootlegs of these songs that pack the punch that the studio recording does not. It is very true. I still enjoy it as a good listen and as a sort of MSP time capsule.

1. Sleepflower: At first I quite liked this, but it gets tired after a bit.

2. From Despair to Where: Yes, there is a sing-along chorus, but it simply feels good to sing it. Maybe it's just me, but it beats singing "Y-M-C-A" at a loud volume.

3. La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh): Most beloved of early Manics singles by the so-called die-hards...it is well-crafted, yes. It is catchy, yes...but after a while it becomes slightly annoying. Favorite lyric: when JDB screams "I sold my metal/It paid a bill/It sells in market stalls/Parades Milan catwalks..."

4. Yourself: "You look at ads all day/Everyone is perfect and you're so lame". Insecurity central. Remember that the Manics were about fashion before they were about the music.

5. Life Becoming a Landslide: Just the line "My idea of love comes from/A childhood glimpse of pornography/Though there is no true love/Just a finely-tuned jealousy". This isn't winning the Pulitzer Prize, but it still gets a point across; one or a succession of those days where everything just seems to fall on you, and you are clawing your way out.

6. Drug Drug Druggy: Catchy. That's all I can say about it. It doesn't quite stand out for me. I prefer the "live" version from Glastonbury '94.

7. Roses in the Hospital: Ditto about the "live" version. The Clash reference at the end gives some lift.

8. Nostalgic Pushead: Kay-tel Records commercial; commentary on the wave of nostalgic wallowing that has gripped us since hopefully-buried decades decided to come back. Can you imagine nostalgia for the '90s? Rico Suave a classic? *shudder* Another one of those catchy chorus-things...

9. Symphony of Tourette: "Children can be cruel she said/So I smashed her in the f*ckin' head/Sorry dear that's the nature of Tourette". Great track, but needed a little more of the sense of unpredictability that is a hallmark of the syndrome.

10. Gold Against the Soul: We wish rock 'n' roll did have a conscience. Musically, not bad. I love the slide towards the higher notes on lead guitar as a suitable backing for JDB's voice. Nice harmony.

Even if this is not The Holy Bible, this album points more in that direction than Generation Terrorists. Maybe this is the Manics' "indicator" album. They were getting there. November 5, 2002

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