Forever Delayed is a greatest hits album and DVD by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released in 2002 by record label Epic. The album included three singles which had never appeared on earlier albums ("Motown Junk", "Suicide Is Painless" and the No. 1 hit "The Masses Against the Classes"), as well as two new songs, the single "There by the Grace of God" and "Door to the River".

Forever Delayed
Greatest hits album by
Released28 October 2002
Recorded1991–2002
Genre
Length155:56
LabelEpic
ProducerVarious (see track listing)
Manic Street Preachers chronology
Know Your Enemy
(2001)
Forever Delayed
(2002)
Lipstick Traces
(2003)
Singles from Forever Delayed
  1. "There by the Grace of God"
    Released: 14 October 2002
Forever Delayed
Video by
Released2002
Recorded1991–2002
GenreAlternative rock, hard rock, punk rock
LabelEpic
Manic Street Preachers video album chronology
Louder Than War
(2001)
Forever Delayed
(2002)

The album peaked and debuted on the UK Album Chart at number 4.[1]

Content edit

The album featured two new songs: the single "There by the Grace of God" and "Door to the River". "Door to the River" was originally recorded in the sessions for the Know Your Enemy album, but the band deemed the song too unfitting to the album's general style. "There by the Grace of God" could be seen as a foreshadowing of what followed the hits compilation, as it features a more electronic/keyboard-heavy style that would eventually be the main style of the band's next studio album, Lifeblood.

Several songs were edited for length ("Motorcycle Emptiness", "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)", "You Love Us", "Australia", "From Despair to Where", "Everything Must Go", "Little Baby Nothing" and "The Everlasting") so that more tracks could fit onto the CD (though not listed as edits in the liner notes).

The title of Forever Delayed is lifted from the lyrics of their song "Roses in the Hospital" (which does not feature on the CD album). A song called "4 Ever Delayed" was recorded for inclusion but ended up not being included. Plans of releasing it as part of a new two-disc edition of the compilation and as CD single were then toyed with but never surfaced. It eventually wound up on the band's following B-sides and rarities compilation Lipstick Traces (A Secret History of Manic Street Preachers) in 2003. The title of the greatest hits package had also been planned for several years previous; Nicky Wire first mentioned it in Simon Price's biography Everything – A Book About Manic Street Preachers, published in 1998.

Release edit

The compilation album reached number 4 in the UK Albums Chart, and spent a total of 19 weeks in the Top 75. To date it has gone Double Platinum (600,000 copies) in the UK.[2] It reached number 7 in Ireland and in Finland, and it also charted within the Top 20 in Denmark. The album has sold more than one million copies since its release in 2002.[3]

The album was promoted by the introduction of new songs such as "Door to the River" and by the single "There by the Grace of God", which peaked and debuted at number 6 in the UK Singles Chart.

The Forever Delayed DVD was released in 2002 together with the greatest hits CD and photo book that bear the same name, and features all the promo music videos from the start of the band's career released prior to the DVD. Along with the promo videos there is a selection of 14 remix videos, where the visual material is taken from clips of the other promo videos as well as backdrop visuals from the band's live concerts.

Reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [4]
BBC Musicunfavourable[5]
Blender     [6]
Entertainment.ie     [7]
NMEunfavourable[8]
Rolling Stone     [9]
Sputnikmusic3.5/5[10]
StylusB−[11]
Uncut     [12]
Yahoo! Music UK          [13]

Forever Delayed is the first of three compilation albums by the Manic Street Preachers, and it was not well received by NME that stated: "So here it is, The Album That Should Not Exist. To the slogan-smothered, soul-bruised, scarred-for-the-cause skunkpunk heroes of 1991 - the scary/beautiful freaks claiming they'll self-destruct after one six million-selling album - this greatest hits would be musical treachery."[14]

Allmusic rated the album with a 4 out of 5, saying: "Manic Street Preachers have always been a band of very specific charms, something that has not translated outside of the U.K. particularly well. Although it boasts a generous 20 tracks, the 2002 compilation Forever Delayed isn't likely to change that situation, even if it has the lion's share of their big singles, since a band devoted to sloganeering doesn't play outside of their province, or era, without some knowledge of their context."[15]

Sputnikmusic made a track-by-track review, finishing with: "Overall I'd say this is a great introduction to the Manics, but it's nowhere near definitive. It's missing songs too many good songs (Slash N Burn especially), and it's far too biased towards This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours."[16]

Track listing edit

Album edit

# Song title Length From album Originally released Producer
1 "A Design for Life" 4:20 Everything Must Go 15 April 1996 (No. 2) Mike Hedges
2 "Motorcycle Emptiness" (Edit) 5:06 Generation Terrorists 1 June 1992 (No. 17) Steve Brown
3 "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" 4:51 This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours 24 August 1998 (No. 1) Dave Eringa
4 "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" (Edit) 4:06 Gold Against the Soul 26 July 1993 (No. 22) Eringa
5 "There by the Grace of God" 3:47 Previously unreleased 14 October 2002 (No. 6) Hedges
6 "You Love Us" (Edit) 3:14 Generation Terrorists 16 January 1992 (No. 16) Brown
7 "Australia" (Edit) 3:42 Everything Must Go 2 December 1996 (No. 7) Hedges
8 "You Stole the Sun from My Heart" 4:21 This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours 8 March 1999 (No. 5) Hedges
9 "Kevin Carter" 3:24 Everything Must Go 30 September 1996 (No. 9) Hedges
10 "Tsunami" 3:49 This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours 5 July 1999 (No. 11) Hedges
11 "The Masses Against the Classes" 3:23 Non-album single 10 January 2000 (No. 1) Eringa
12 "From Despair to Where" (Edit) 3:21 Gold Against the Soul 7 June 1993 (No. 25) Eringa
13 "Door to the River" 4:41 Previously unreleased Not Charted Hedges
14 "Everything Must Go" (Edit) 3:07 Everything Must Go 22 July 1996 (No. 5) Hedges
15 "Faster" 3:53 The Holy Bible 6 June 1994 (No. 16) Manic Street Preachers, Brown
16 "Little Baby Nothing" (feat. Traci Lords) (7" version) 4:12 Generation Terrorists 16 November 1992 (No. 29) Brown
17 "Suicide Is Painless (Theme from MASH)" 3:28 Non-album single 7 September 1992 (No. 7) Manic Street Preachers, Brown
18 "So Why So Sad" 3:45 Know Your Enemy 26 February 2001 (No. 8) Eringa
19 "The Everlasting" (Edit) 4:07 This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours 30 November 1998 (No. 11) Hedges
20 "Motown Junk" 3:59 Non-album single 21 January 1991 (No. 94) Robin Wynn Evans
The Remixes
No.TitleLength
1."La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" (The Chemical Brothers Remix)6:32
2."If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" (David Holmes Remix)9:59
3."Tsunami" (Cornelius Remix)4:07
4."So Why So Sad" (The Avalanches Remix)4:59
5."Faster" (The Chemical Brothers Remix)5:46
6."If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" (Massive Attack Remix)4:55
7."Kevin Carter" (Jon Carter Remix)7:43
8."You Stole the Sun from My Heart" (David Holmes Remix)5:11
9."Tsunami" (Stereolab Remix)6:45
10."Let Robeson Sing" (Ian Brown Remix)5:01
11."The Everlasting" (Stealth Sonic Orchestra Vocal Remix)5:14
12."You Stole the Sun from My Heart" (Mogwai Remix)6:14
13."A Design for Life" (Stealth Sonic Orchestra Remix)4:50

DVD edit

# Song title From album Director
1 "Motown Junk" Non-album single Snub TV
2 "You Love Us" (Heavenly Recordings Version) Non-album single Tony Van Den Ende
3 "You Love Us" (Sony Music Version) Generation Terrorists W.I.Z.
4 "Stay Beautiful" Generation Terrorists Walter Stern
5 "Love's Sweet Exile" Generation Terrorists W.I.Z.
6 "Slash 'n' Burn" Generation Terrorists Van Den Ende
7 "Motorcycle Emptiness" Generation Terrorists Martin Hall
8 "Little Baby Nothing" Generation Terrorists Small and B Swells
9 "Theme from MASH (Suicide Is Painless)" Non-album single Matthew Amos
10 "From Despair to Where" Gold Against the Soul Peter Scammell
11 "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" Gold Against the Soul Josh Taft
12 "Roses in the Hospital" Gold Against the Soul Erik Zimmerman
13 "Life Becoming a Landslide" Gold Against the Soul Martin Hall
14 "Faster" The Holy Bible Chris D'Adda
15 "Revol" The Holy Bible D'Adda
16 "She Is Suffering" The Holy Bible Adolfo Doring
17 "A Design for Life" Everything Must Go Pedro Romhanyi
18 "Everything Must Go" Everything Must Go W.I.Z.
19 "Kevin Carter" Everything Must Go John Hillcoat
20 "Australia" Everything Must Go John Hillcoat
21 "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours W.I.Z.
22 "The Everlasting" This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours Mike Lipscombe
23 "You Stole the Sun from My Heart" This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours Sophie Muller
24 "Tsunami" This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours Romhanyi
25 "The Masses Against the Classes" (live performance taken from Leaving the 20th Century) Non-album single
26 "Found That Soul" Know Your Enemy Jeremy Deller and Nick Abrahams
27 "So Why So Sad" Know Your Enemy Jamie Thraves
28 "Ocean Spray" Know Your Enemy James Frost and Alex Smith
29 "Let Robeson Sing" Know Your Enemy Andrew Dosunmu
30 "There by the Grace of God" Non-album single Hillcoat
Bonus remix videos
  • "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" (The Chemical Brothers remix)
  • "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" (David Holmes remix)
  • "Tsunami" (Cornelius remix)
  • "So Why So Sad" (Avalanches remix)
  • "Faster" (The Chemical Brothers remix)
  • "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" (Massive Attack remix)
  • "Kevin Carter" (Jon Carter remix)
  • "You Stole the Sun from My Heart" (David Holmes remix)
  • "Tsunami" (Stereolab remix)
  • "Let Robeson Sing" (Ian Brown remix)
  • "The Everlasting" (Stealth Sonic Orchestra remix)
  • "You Stole the Sun from My Heart" (Mogwai remix)
  • "A Design for Life" (Stealth Sonic Orchestra remix)
  • "Ocean Spray" (Kinobe remix)

Credits edit

Charts and certifications edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Official album charts archive for 9th November 2002". Official Charts. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  2. ^ "Manic Street Preachers | Artist | Official Charts". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  3. ^ Power, Martin (17 October 2010). Manic Street Preachers. Omnibus Press.
  4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Forever Delayed: The Greatest Hits – Manic Street Preachers | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  5. ^ Pike, Daniel (2002). "BBC – Music – Review of Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed". BBC Music. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  6. ^ Pemberton, Andy. "Blender :: Guide". Blender. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  7. ^ "Music Review | Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed – Entertainment.ie". Entertainment.ie. 11 November 2002. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  8. ^ Beaumont, Mark (12 September 2005). "NME Reviews – Manic Street Preachers : Forever Delayed | NME.com". NME. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  9. ^ Edwards, Gavin (30 December 2002). "Manic Street Preachers: Forever Delayed : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 28 January 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  10. ^ Butler, Nick (14 January 2005). "Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed (Album Review) | Sputnikmusic". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  11. ^ Lindsay, Cam (1 September 2003). "Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed – The Greatest Hits – Review – Stylus Magazine". Stylus. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  12. ^ "Manic Street Preachers—Forever Delayed – Uncut.co.uk". Uncut. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  13. ^ Nine, Jennifer (29 October 2002). "Launch, Music on Yahoo – Manic Street Preachers – 'Forever Delayed'". Yahoo! Music UK. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  14. ^ "NME review". NME.COM. 12 September 2005. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  15. ^ Allmusic review
  16. ^ "Sputnikmusic review". Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  17. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 175.
  18. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  19. ^ "Manic Street Preachers: Forever Delayed" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  20. ^ "Ultratop.be – Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  21. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  22. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Manic Street Preachers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  23. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  24. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  25. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: {{{date}}}" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  26. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  27. ^ "Manic Street Preachers | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  28. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2002". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  29. ^ "British album certifications – Manic Street Preachers – Forever Delayed". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 16 July 2014.

External links edit