Gold Against the Soul

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Gold Against the Soul
Gold Against the Soul cover
Studio album by Manic Street Preachers
Released June 21, 1993
Recorded Outside Studios, Checkendon, England January-March, 1993
Genre Rock, alternative rock
Length 42:58
Label Columbia 47406492 (CD)
Producer Dave Eringa
Professional reviews
Manic Street Preachers chronology
Generation Terrorists
(1992)		 Gold Against the Soul
(1993)		 The Holy Bible
(1994)

Gold Against the Soul is the second album by Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers released on June 20, 1993. All lyrics were written by Nicky Wire and Richey James, all music was written by James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore.

The lyrics of the album are considerably less political than their previous album Generation Terrorists and the album was more reflective of the despair and melancholy of their later work like The Holy Bible, though The Holy Bible was itself highly politicised at times. An exception is the title track ("Gold Against The Soul") which contains lyrics like "Close the pits sanctify Roy Lynk an OBE" and "White liberal hates slavery/Needs Thai labour to clean his home."

"La Tristesse Durera" (literally "the sadness goes on") is the title of a biography of Vincent van Gogh, although the song is not about him, but about a war veteran.

The band themselves have described this as their least favourite album and the most unfocused period of their career, with Bradfield saying "All we wanted to do was go under the corporate wing. We thought we could ignore it but you do get affected." Bradfield has said that they were being encouraged to write more "radio conscious" songs and this is evident, especially in the stadium rock style anthems "Life Becoming A Landslide" and "From Despair To Where". Nevertheless, these tracks have become classics among fans. Incidentally, the band's image had changed to a more mainstream rock band look.

Just prior to the release of Gold Against The Soul, Edwards stated "We want to piss on the floor of Seattle", a reference to the domination of Grunge music at the time. Ironically, many reviews noted a more grungy sound on this album than the Guns N' Roses style metal of Generation Terrorists.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Sleepflower" – 4:51
  2. "From Despair To Where" – 3:34
  3. "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" – 4:13
  4. "Yourself" – 4:11
  5. "Life Becoming A Landslide" – 4:14
  6. "Drug Drug Druggy" – 3:26
  7. "Roses in the Hospital" – 5:02
  8. "Nostalgic Pushead" – 4:14
  9. "Symphony Of Tourette" – 3:31
  10. "Gold Against The Soul" – 5:34

[edit] Personnel

  • James Dean Bradfield - vocals, guitars, backing vocals
  • Sean Moore - drums, percussion, drum programming (tracks 8, 10), backing vocals
  • Richey James - guitar, backing vocals
  • Nicky Wire - bass, backing vocals

[edit] Additional personnel

  • Dave Eringa, Ian Kewley - piano, organ
  • Nick Ingham - string arrangements
  • Shovel - percussion
v • d • e
Manic Street Preachers
James Dean Bradfield • Nicky Wire • Sean Moore
Flicker (Miles Woodward)  • Richey James Edwards
Studio albums
"Generation Terrorists" (1992) • "Gold Against the Soul" (1993) • "The Holy Bible" (1994) • "Everything Must Go" (1996) • "This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours" (1998) • "Know Your Enemy" (2001) • "Lifeblood" (2004) • "Send Away the Tigers" (2007)
Singles and EPs
"Suicide Alley" (1989) • "New Art Riot EP" (1990) • "Motown Junk" (1991) • "You Love Us (Heavenly Version)" (1991) • "Feminine Is Beautiful" (1991) • "Stay Beautiful" (1991) • "Love's Sweet Exile/Repeat" (1991) • "You Love Us" (1991) • "Slash 'N' Burn" (1992) • "Motorcycle Emptiness" (1992) • "Little Baby Nothing" (1992) • "Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless)" (1992) • "From Despair To Where" (1993) • "La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh)" (1993) • "Roses In The Hospital" (1993) • "Life Becoming A Landslide EP" (1994) • "Faster/P.C.P." (1994) • "Revol" (1994) • "She Is Suffering" (1994) • "A Design for Life" (1996) • "Everything Must Go" (1996) • "Kevin Carter" (1996) • "Australia" (1996) • "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" (1998) • "The Everlasting" (1998) • "You Stole The Sun From My Heart" (1999) • "Tsunami" (1999) • "The Masses Against The Classes" (2000) • "Found That Soul" (2001) • "So Why So Sad" (2001) • "Ocean Spray" (2001) • "Let Robeson Sing" (2001) • "There By The Grace Of God" (2002) • "The Love Of Richard Nixon" (2004) • "Empty Souls" (2005) • "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough" (2007) • "Autumnsong" (2007) • "Indian Summer" (2007)
Promos
"UK Channel Boredom" (1990) • "God Save The Manics EP" (2005) • " Underdogs" (2007) • "Ghost Of Christmas" (2007)
Other releases
"Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" (1995)  • "Know Our B-Sides" (2001)  • Leviathan" (2005)  • "The Instrumental" (2006) • "Umbrella" (2008)
Compilation albums
"Forever Delayed" (2002) • "Lipstick Traces" (2003)
Box Sets
Videos
"Everything Live" (1997) • "Leaving the 20th Century" (2000) • "Louder Than War" (2001) • "Forever Delayed" (2002)
Official book
"Forever Delayed" (2002)
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