Pretentious Perfection

A blockbuster in the rest of the English-speaking world, This is My Truth Now Tell Me Yours has finally appeared on these shores almost a year after its initial release. Hailing from Wales, the Manics have only grown stronger since the tragic disappearance of original lyricist Richey James, and This is My Truth, in equal parts political and passionate, picks up where the previous Everything Must Go left off. As you might expect from an album whose first single is called "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next," it's a dour piece. The wrenching anguish in James Bradfield's voice combines with Nicky Wire's lyrics ("I've got to stop smiling it gives the wrong impression") to create an air of bleakness not unlike the vast empty expanse on the album cover. This slips into pretentiousness at times, such as in the final song "S.Y.M.M." ("South Yorkshire Mass Murderer"), but on the whole the Manics have cut a gloriously anthemic album.

Rating: 8 out of 10