More about: Manic Street Preachers

Manic Street Preachers are back today with the lead single from their newly announced 14^th studio album The Ultra Vivid Lament, set for release 3 September on Columbia/Sony.

‘Orwellian’ sees Manic Street Preachers re-examine their classic sound with reference to the music that inspired them in the beginning.

While the sound explores influences as widespread as ABBA and The Associates, the mantra of ‘we live in Orwellian times’ is undeniably modern in its exploration of the ever-blurring lines between fact and fiction. Here’s what the band had to say:

“The track is about the battle to claim meaning, the erasing of context within debate, the overriding sense of factional conflict driven by digital platforms leading to a perpetual state of culture war. As with many songs on the record, it was written on the piano by James Dean Bradfield. Musically, it echoes ABBA, the majesty of Alan Rankine’s playing in the Associates and Talk Talk’s ‘It’s My Life’ with a Lindsey Buckingham guitar solo. It felt like the perfect sonic and lyrical introduction to ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’."

With this new single, they have also announced a UK tour commencing in September, with tickets available from Friday 21 May.

The Ultra Vivid Lament tracklist:

1. Still Snowing In Sapporo
2. Orwellian
3. The Secret He Had Missed 
4. Quest For Ancient Colour 
5. Don't Let The Night Divide Us
6. Diapause
7. Complicated Illusions 
8. Into The Waves Of Love
9. Blank Diary Entry 
10. Happy Bored Alone
11. Afterending 

UK Tour Dates:

September 2021

26 – Newcastle, City Hall

28 – Edinburgh, Usher Hall

29 – Dundee, Caird Hall

October 2021

1 – Stoke-On-Trent, Victoria Hall

2 – Manchester, Apollo

4 – York, Barbican

5 – Glasgow, Barrowlands

7 – Leeds, Academy

8 – Portsmouth, Guildhall

10 – Bournemouth, Academy

11 – Cambridge, Corn Exchange

13 – Bath, Forum

14 – Bristol, Dome

December 2021

3 – London, Wembley Arena

More about: Manic Street Preachers