Months after the release of the harrowing
The Holy Bible
,
Manic Street Preachers
guitarist
Richey James
disappeared, leaving no trace of his whereabouts or his well-being. Ultimately, the remaining trio decided to carry on, releasing their fourth album,
Everything Must Go
, in 1996. Considering the tragic circumstances that surrounded it,
is the strongest, most focused, and certainly the most optimistic album
the Manics
ever released. Five of the songs feature lyrics
Richey
left behind before his disappearance, and while offering no motivation for his actions, they do hint at the depths of his despair.
Nicky Wire
wrote the remaining lyrics, and his songs give the record its weight and balance, confronting the issue of
's disappearance in a roundabout way, never explicitly mentioning the topic but offering a gritty dose of realistic optimism offering the hope that things will get better; after the nihilism of
, the outlook is all the more inspiring. Furthermore,
' musical attack has become leaner; their music still rages, but it's channeled into concise, anthemic rock songs that soar on their own belief. Above all,
is a cathartic experience -- it is genuinely moving to hear
offering hope without sinking to mawkish sentimentality or collapsing under the weight of their situation. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine