Intimism (album)

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Intimism
Nicky Wire - Intimism.jpg
Studio album by
Nicky Wire
ReleasedJuly 3, 2023 (2023-07-03)
Studio
  • Door to the River, Newport, Wales
  • Faster, Cardiff, Wales
Length37:13
Producer
  • Loz Williams
  • Nicky Wire
Nicky Wire chronology
I Killed the Zeitgeist
(2006)		Intimism
(2023)
Singles from Intimism
  1. "Contact Sheets"
    Released: 15 April 2023
  2. "Keeper of the Flame"
    Released: 28 June 2023

Intimism is the second solo studio album by Manic Street Preachers bass guitarist and lyricist Nicky Wire. It was self-released on 3 July 2023.

Contents

Background

In 2021, Wire described the album saying: "It's very fucking fragile. It's got some very off-kilter modern jazz and some C-86 indie vibes to it". [1] The Quietus also commented on the album's influences, also noting the jazz influence (specifically on tracks "Migraine No.1" and "Migraine No.2"), and describing the rest of the album as "anthemic FM rock, arena indie and Americana in its songwriting". [2]

Release

The album's release was preceded by two singles, "Contact Sheets" and "Keeper of the Flame", the latter being available as a free download from Bandcamp. [3]

The album has never been released on a physical format, this was a conscious decision by Wire, saying it "might have been nice for vanity's sake" but decided against it, to keep the album "as me as me can be. [...] I don't want the rigmarole of pretending this album is something that it's not." [2]

The album cover, a polaroid selfie, was taken by Wire when he was a second year undergraduate at Swansea University in the late 1980s. [2]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Uncut 8/10 [4]
Under the Radar Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
XS Noize8/10 [6]

The album received higher critical acclaim than Wire's last work, I Killed the Zeitgeist .

Track listing

All tracks are written by Nicky Wire.

Intimism track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Contact Sheets"3:08
2."Ballad for the Baby Blue"3:16
3."You Wear Your Broken Heart Like a Dress"2:15
4."Migraine No.1"2:42
5."A Perfect Place to Grow"3:15
6."White Musk"2:38
7."Under California Skies"3:55
8."Keeper of the Flame"3:23
9."Tactical Retreat"3:25
10."Migraine No.2"3:06
11."Saudade"2:40
12."As the Light Fades Away"3:30
Total length:37:13

Personnel

Additional Musicians

References

  1. ↑ Trendell, Andrew (9 September 2021). "The Manics talk 20th anniversary 'Know Your Enemy' reissue and Nicky Wire's "jazz-meets-C86" solo album". NME. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Quietus, The (28 June 2023). "Archives Of Back Pain: Nicky Wire Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
  3. ↑ "Keeper of the Flame, by Nicky Wire". Nicky Wire. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  4. ↑ Watts, Peter (October 2023). "Intimism review". Uncut . p. 37.
  5. ↑ Gourlay, Dom. "Review – Intimism". Under the Radar . Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  6. ↑ "Album review: Nicky Wire – Intimism". XS Noize. 1 August 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
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