Gold Against the Soul [Import]

Manic Street Preachers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 9, 1999)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Columbia Europe
• ASIN: B000025KKX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,434 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Columbia, 4740642, Jewel Case 10 Track 1993

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars OK. So it's not the Holy Bible. SO WHAT?, May 8, 2000

By 

Claudine Ernstzen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gold Against the Soul (Audio CD)

It really gets to me when people whine about this album. If any of you could produce something this good then I wish you'd get on with it because you're guarenteed a buyer. This was the first manics album I purchased and I love it to THIS day. Sleepflower, Yourself, Life Becoming a landslide, Nostalgic Pushead... It's a breath of fresh air before the self destruction of The Holy Bible and after the political genius of Generation Terrorists. No it isn't the most immediate of albums, and no it doesn't carry as clear a message as The Holy Bible, but musically it is as good and worth the same amount of credit. Yes the Manics admit it is their weakest album, but that is what Radiohead said about Pablo Honey and readers of a high profile British music Mag have just rated it Number seven, just below the White Album. If you don't like this album then fair enough but if you discredit it just because it isn't as popular then the others then you have done the Manics and yourself a great disfavour.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars So alright, it's not as great but it has its moments, November 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Gold Against the Soul (Audio CD)

I don't agree with the people who say that it's the Manic Street Preachers' "polished album" or "American album" whatsoever. I've never heard an American band as good as the Manics- The combination of the potent singer, superb guitarist & one hell of a melodicist James Dean Bradfield is; The powerful drumming, occasional trumpet & the cowriting of the music provided by Sean Moore; But overall the intense lyrics you just can't stay oblivious to written by the now departed Richey James & Nicky Wire are just some things no American band I've heard of has ever managed to combine. No American band would ever mean as much as the Manics mean to me & so the comment referred to above is just irrelevant. I agree that this is the Manics' second weakest album (Know Your Enemy is their really weakest album for me) but even @ their worse the Manics are still the best & Gold Against The Soul still has its share of unsurpassable songs such as "Sleepflower", "Yourself", "Life Becoming A Landslide" & "Symphony Of Tourette", all lyrically intriguing & (For the most part) well written songs. Of course there are some problematic songs such as "Nostalgic Pushead" & the titletrack which could've been magnificent songs if only they had a musical skeleton as strong as their lyrics. Just think of this album as Bsides material or something & you should be fine. So all in all- Not their best but still worth it for the few songs I've mentioned (Even though "La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh)" is considered a classic aswell as a fan favourite my personal favourite on this album is "Life Becoming A Landslide" but that's only me so don't let me spoil it for ya hey?).

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ignore the haircuts, enjoy the music, January 15, 2002

By 

Kenton Larsen (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gold Against the Soul (Audio CD)

Not since Billy Idol's early 80s heyday has there been a group of nastier-looking punks making such radio-friendly music.

For all their snarling lips and spiked hair, on Gold Against the Soul, the Manic Street Preachers wanted a hit and wanted it bad. In North America, "Scream to a Sigh", a formula pop song of the highest order, almost did it for them.

Same can be said of "From Despair to Where", which lets the world finally find out what a Styx with talent might have sounded like. And I mean that in a good way...

Lyricists Nicky Wire and Richy James' topics range from depression to, well, depression, offering personal takes on suicide, sickness, separation, drugs, politics and, yes, even Tourette's Syndrome. Surprisingly, the heavy subjects don't come off as heavy-handed, thanks to the upbeat music of Sean Moore and James Bradfield.

Not as strong a CD as the biting The Holy Bible, but an admirable step toward it. Ignore the haircuts, enjoy the music.