| The Great Western | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 24 July 2006 | |||
| Recorded | 2005 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 37:19 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Dave Eringa, Guy Massey, Alex Silva, Greg Haver | |||
| James Dean Bradfield chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Great Western | ||||
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The Great Western is the debut solo studio album by the Manic Street Preachers vocalist-guitarist James Dean Bradfield, released on 24 July 2006 by Columbia Records.
The majority of the lyrics are written by Bradfield, who had previously only contributed lyrics to the Manic Street Preachers songs "Ocean Spray" and "Firefight". Bradfield's lyrics feature a theme of looking to the past and are largely personal rather than political. [3] Manics bass guitarist-lyricist Nicky Wire contributes lyrics to the song "Bad Boys and Painkillers", and two songs feature lyrics co-written with writer John Niven. [4] Also included is a cover of Jacques Brel's "To See a Friend in Tears". The album features the drummer Dafydd Ieuan from the fellow Welsh band Super Furry Animals on "Run Romeo Run".
The title refers to the Great Western Railway, which is reflected in the album's artwork. Much of the album was written on the train journey between Cardiff and Paddington. Bradfield uses the train journey as a metaphor for soul-searching while away from home. [5] He refers to his journeys between his home in South Wales to London on the GWR in the song "Émigré".
All tracks are written by James Dean Bradfield, except as noted
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "That's No Way to Tell a Lie" | 3:05 | ||
| 2. | "An English Gentleman" | 3:05 | ||
| 3. | "Bad Boys and Painkillers" | Nicky Wire | 3:49 | |
| 4. | "On Saturday Morning We Will Rule the World" | 3:17 | ||
| 5. | "Run Romeo Run" | 3:24 | ||
| 6. | "Still a Long Way to Go" | Bradfield, John Niven | 3:50 | |
| 7. | "Émigré" | Bradfield, Niven | 3:29 | |
| 8. | "To See a Friend in Tears" | Jacques Brel | Brel | 3:38 |
| 9. | "Say Hello to the Pope" | 3:24 | ||
| 10. | "The Wrong Beginning" | 3:15 | ||
| 11. | "Which Way to Kyffin" | 2:57 |
The album spent two weeks in the UK Album Chart, peaking at #22. [6]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| BBC Music | generally favourable [2] |
| The Observer | [8] |
| Mojo | [9] |
| musicOMH | [10] |
| NME | 8/10 [11] |
| Q |  [12] |
| Uncut | [13] |
The Great Western was generally well received by critics.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic opined that the album is the sound of "a sensitive, vulnerable Bradfield, something that hasn't been captured on Manics albums even when they strayed toward colorless mature-pop." The website further described, "Sonically, this album isn't far removed from This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours —it's anthemic yet soft, dramatic yet hushed—but unlike on the Manics albums since, it doesn't sound labored." [7] Q magazine echoed similar sentiments, opining that the album is "even stronger than either of the last two Manics albums [ Know Your Enemy and Lifeblood ]". [12]
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.
James Dean Bradfield is a Welsh singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. He is known for being the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. His cousin Sean Moore is also a member.
"Kevin Carter" is a song by Manic Street Preachers, released as the third single from their album Everything Must Go in 1996. The song peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart.
"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.
New Art Riot E.P. is an EP by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 25 June 1990 by Damaged Goods. It was the band's first release to feature the four-piece line-up of James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore.
I Killed the Zeitgeist is the debut solo studio album by Manic Street Preachers bass guitarist and lyricist Nicky Wire. It was released on 25 September 2006 by record label Red Ink.
"An English Gentleman" is the second single from the album The Great Western by Welsh singer-songwriter James Dean Bradfield, released on 25 September 2006 on Columbia Records." The title track pays tribute to the late Manics publicist Philip Hall. Also featured on the CD version of the single is a cover Frank Sinatra's "Summer Wind", Bradfield's favourite song.
"4st 7lb" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band, Manic Street Preachers, from the band's third album, The Holy Bible.
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.
"Anthem for a Lost Cause" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It is the second single released from the band's eleventh studio album, Rewind the Film.
"Peeled Apples" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It is the opening track of the band's ninth studio album, Journal for Plague Lovers. Produced by Steve Albini, the song, along with the other tracks of the album, features posthumous lyrics by Richey Edwards, who disappeared on 1 February 1995, and was declared legally dead in 2008.
"Futurology" is the second single released by the Manic Street Preachers from their twelfth studio album, Futurology. The song features keyboards from Super Furry Animals member Cian Ciaran. The single was released on 22 September 2014. It is a duet between James Dean Bradfield, the main vocalist, and Nicky Wire, the band's bassist.
"International Blue" is a song by Manic Street Preachers, released as a single in December 2017. This song is the first single for the album Resistance Is Futile (2018), written by James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire and Sean Moore.
"People Give In" is a song by the Manic Street Preachers. It was released in July 2018 as the sixth single from their thirteenth album Resistance Is Futile.
"Distant Colours" is the second single taken from the Manic Street Preachers' thirteenth album Resistance Is Futile (2018). It was released on 16 February 2018.
"Dylan & Caitlin" is a song by the Manic Street Preachers, released on 9 March 2018, taken from the album Resistance Is Futile (2018), and written by James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire and Sean Moore.
"Liverpool Revisited" is a song by the Manic Street Preachers, it was the fourth single taken from their album Resistance Is Futile. Written by Nicky Wire, it was released on 6 April 2018.
Even in Exile is the second solo studio album by the Manic Street Preachers vocalist and guitarist James Dean Bradfield. The album is a concept album based on the life and death of the Chilean activist, singer and poet Víctor Jara, with lyrics by poet and playwright Patrick Jones. It was released on 14 August 2020 by record label MontyRay, and reached number 6 on the UK Albums Chart.
