Lipstick Traces (A Secret History of Manic Street Preachers) | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 14 July 2003 | |||
Recorded | 1989–2002 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 118:18 | |||
Label | Sony | |||
Producer | Various | |||
Manic Street Preachers chronology | ||||
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Lipstick Traces (A Secret History of Manic Street Preachers) is a compilation album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 14 July 2003 by Sony Music Entertainment. It consists of various B-sides, rarities and cover versions and reached number 11 on the UK Album Chart.
It is named after the Greil Marcus book Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the 20th Century and shares its title with a bootleg album of Manics rarities (more simply titled Lipstick Traces). [1]
The sleeve was designed principally by Nicky Wire and contrasted greatly from the simple, graphically precise covers designed by Farrow Design who have done the majority of design work for the band since 1996. Initial copies came in a gatefold sleeve with a basic inlay; further inserts could be downloaded and printed off from the band's official website. [2]
As part of the promotion for the album, the band did a signing tour around the UK. At the final signing session in London they also played a short set of tracks from the album. A video for "Judge Yr'self" featuring early self-recorded clips of the band playing live also played on UK music television channels. [2]
Lipstick Traces was released on 14 July 2003. It reached number 11 in the UK Albums Chart. [3] The compilation also charted within the top 40 in Finland and Ireland.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
entertainment.ie | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Hot Press | favourable [5] |
Pitchfork | 6.3/10 [6] |
Sputnikmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Uncut | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Yahoo! Music UK | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The compilation album received favourable reviews from critics. Sputnikmusic stated that: "But still, if you are willing to go and wade through a B-Side history of the Manic's- which I doubt many do- there's a genuine albums worth of classics to be found, with the second disc a redundant retread of covers that could have been used to make the collection more expansive and valuable. It's a shame the band couldn't be more convenient in delivering their secret history to you." [7]
AllMusic rated the album with a 3 out of 5, saying that: "Some of the Manics' peers did deliver consistently on their B-sides -- Suede and Oasis have B-sides collections every bit as good as their proper albums -- but they themselves didn't. And that's fine -- this collection was put out for the sake of completeness, and for completists, it's a good buy. But less dedicated fans can pass it by." Pitchfork also reviewed the album with a 6.3/10, and said that: "Manic Street Preachers never conquered the world like they wanted to, but it's been a good enough ride that I don't begrudge them for trying, and this compilation, flawed though it is, is sure to please those who'd always hoped they would succeed." [1]
The album received a far more positive reception from fans than the Forever Delayed greatest hits album, which was heavily criticised for favouring the band's more commercially successful singles. The only recurring criticism of Lipstick Traces was the exclusion of the infamous fan favourite "Patrick Bateman" from the "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" single. The band explained that it was excluded mainly because it was almost seven minutes long and simply would not fit on the album. Bradfield has also been very critical of the song in the past, saying that it had great lyrics but the music was "dreadful". Fans also missed "Too Cold Here" from the "Revol" single. The song was very successful in fans' voting on the official site. [2]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Prologue to History" (from "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next") | 4:47 |
2. | "4 Ever Delayed" (previously unreleased) | 3:38 |
3. | "Sorrow 16" (from "Motown Junk") | 3:46 |
4. | "Judge Yr'self" (previously unreleased) | 3:03 |
5. | "Socialist Serenade" (from "You Stole the Sun from My Heart") | 4:15 |
6. | "Donkeys" (from "Roses in the Hospital") | 3:13 |
7. | "Comfort Comes" (from "Life Becoming a Landslide") | 3:29 |
8. | "Mr Carbohydrate" (from "A Design for Life") | 4:16 |
9. | "Dead Trees and Traffic Islands" (from "A Design for Life") | 3:45 |
10. | "Horses Under Starlight" (from "Kevin Carter") | 3:10 |
11. | "Sepia" (from "Kevin Carter") | 3:56 |
12. | "Sculpture of Man" (from "Faster/P.C.P.") | 1:55 |
13. | "Spectators of Suicide" (Heavenly Records version; from "You Love Us (Heavenly Version)") | 5:06 |
14. | "Democracy Coma" (from "Love's Sweet Exile/Repeat") | 3:45 |
15. | "Strip It Down" (live; from "You Love Us (Heavenly)") | 2:42 |
16. | "Bored Out of My Mind" (from "Motorcycle Emptiness") | 2:57 |
17. | "Just a Kid" (from "Ocean Spray") | 3:36 |
18. | "Close My Eyes" (from "The Masses Against the Classes") | 4:29 |
19. | "Valley Boy" (from "The Everlasting") | 5:10 |
20. | "We Her Majesty's Prisoners" (from "Motown Junk") | 5:22 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "We Are All Bourgeois Now" (originally by McCarthy; from Know Your Enemy ) | 4:35 |
2. | "Rock 'N' Roll Music" (originally by Chuck Berry; from "The Masses Against the Classes") | 2:55 |
3. | "It's So Easy" (live; originally by Guns N' Roses; from "You Love Us") | 2:54 |
4. | "Take the Skinheads Bowling" (originally by Camper Van Beethoven; from "Australia") | 2:30 |
5. | "Been a Son" (originally by Nirvana) | 2:28 |
6. | "Out of Time" (originally by The Rolling Stones (from "War Child '1 Love' Compilation (2002)) [10] ) | 3:34 |
7. | "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (originally by B. J. Thomas; from "War Child 'HELP' Compilation (1995) [11] ") | 2:58 |
8. | "Bright Eyes" (live; originally by Art Garfunkel; from "A Design for Life") | 3:14 |
9. | "Train in Vain" (live; originally by The Clash; from "You Stole the Sun from My Heart") | 3:16 |
10. | "Wrote for Luck" (originally by Happy Mondays; from "Roses in the Hospital") | 2:43 |
11. | "What's My Name" (live; originally by The Clash; from "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)") | 1:45 |
12. | "Velocity Girl" (originally by Primal Scream; from "Australia") | 1:41 |
13. | "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" (originally by Frankie Valli; from "Australia") | 3:13 |
14. | "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel" (traditional; famously recorded by Paul Robeson; from "Let Robeson Sing") | 2:07 |
15. | "Last Christmas" (live 20/12/96 TFI Friday Performance; originally by Wham!) | 2:05 |
No. | Title | Length |
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16. | "A Secret Society" (from God Save the Manics ) | 2:53 |
17. | "Firefight" (from God Save the Manics) | 3:43 |
18. | "Picturesque" (from God Save the Manics) | 3:53 |
19. | "Everything Must Go" | 3:09 |
Chart (2003) | Peak position |
---|---|
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [12] | 28 |
Irish Albums (IRMA) [13] | 21 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [14] | 6 |
UK Albums (OCC) [15] | 11 |
Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, in 1986. The band consists of Nicky Wire and cousins James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore. They form a key part of the 1990s Welsh Cool Cymru cultural movement.
Generation Terrorists is the debut studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 10 February 1992 by Columbia Records.
Gold Against the Soul is the second studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 21 June 1993 by Columbia Records. The follow-up to the band's 1992 debut album Generation Terrorists, the record reached No.8 on the UK Albums Chart.
Everything Must Go is the fourth studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 20 May 1996 by Epic Records. It was the first record released by the band following the disappearance of lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards.
Forever Delayed is a greatest hits album and DVD by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 28 October 2002 by Epic Records. The album included three singles which had never appeared on any of the band's earlier albums, as well as two new songs, the single "There by the Grace of God" and "Door to the River".
"Australia" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 2 December 1996 through Epic Records as the fourth and final single from the fourth studio album, Everything Must Go (1996). The song peaked at number seven in the UK Singles Chart and was the fourth consecutive top-10 hit for the band.
"Revol" is a song by the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released in August 1994 by the Epic record label as the second single from their third studio album, The Holy Bible, which was released later in the month. The song reached number 22 in the UK Singles Chart on 13 August 1994.
"La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" is a song by Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released in July 1993 by record label Columbia as the second single from their second studio album, Gold Against the Soul (1993). It reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.
"You Love Us" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was initially released as a single on 7 May 1991 by Heavenly. The song was re-recorded and released on 20 January 1992 by Columbia Records as the third single from the band's debut studio album, Generation Terrorists.
"From Despair to Where" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 1 June 1993 by record label Columbia as the first single from their second studio album, Gold Against the Soul (1993).
Lifeblood is the seventh studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 1 November 2004 by Sony Music UK.
Send Away the Tigers is the eighth studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 7 May 2007 by Columbia Records. It reached number 2 on the UK Albums Chart.
Leaving the 20th Century is a concert film of the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers's performance at Manic Millennium, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales on New Year's Eve 1999. The concert celebrated the 10th anniversary of the band and was performed in front of more than 57,000 fans. The event became international when the final song, "A Design for Life", was broadcast live all over the world via satellite.
"Autumnsong" is a song by Manic Street Preachers and was the third single taken from the album Send Away the Tigers. It was released on 23 July 2007. It peaked and debuted at number #10 in the UK Singles Chart.
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The Holy Bible is the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 30 August 1994 by Epic Records. While the album was being written and recorded, lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards was struggling with severe depression, alcohol abuse, self-harm and anorexia nervosa, and its contents are considered by many sources to reflect his mental state. The songs focus on themes relating to politics and human suffering. The Holy Bible was the band's last album released before Edwards' disappearance on 1 February 1995.
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National Treasures – The Complete Singles is a compilation album by the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 31 October 2011 by Columbia Records/Sony Music. It is the band's third compilation album, after Forever Delayed: Manic Street Preachers, The Greatest Hits (2002), and the B-sides/rarities collection Lipstick Traces (2003). The compilation features one new recording, a cover of The The's "This Is the Day", which was issued as a single on 18 September 2011. The compilation reached number 10 on the UK Album Chart in November 2011.
Rewind the Film is the eleventh studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 16 September 2013 by Columbia Records. The sound is very different from previous records and is more acoustic-driven. It features guests Lucy Rose, Cate Le Bon and Richard Hawley.
The Ultra Vivid Lament is the fourteenth studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 10 September 2021 by Columbia Records.