Nicky Wire : I Killed The Zeitgeist

<p> <img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/nickywire.jpg" alt=" " />The first solo album by Manic Street Preachers bassist Nicky Wire, <i>I Killed The Zeitgeist  </i>shows off the lyrical talent that has gained him...
7.2 Sony
2006 

 The first solo album by Manic Street Preachers bassist Nicky Wire, I Killed The Zeitgeist  shows off the lyrical talent that has gained him so much notoreity as part of the Manics.  Known as being the mellow one of the group, his album reflects a withdrawn cynicism full of distanced wisdom and melancholy for the outside world.  

There are optimistic jams undercut by magnetizing coldness, creating an impressive blend of unsocial disdain and civil amity.   Zeitgeist has a far-reaching quality from the excellently combined precision of pop-rock, experimentation, and Wire’s noted poetry.

"Break My Heart Slowly", the first single, is a pure acoustic guitar pop, features deep, throaty lyrics and fuzzed-out guitar that keep it out of the cheesy end of the pool.  The album has a Manics’ darkness throughout its ups and downs.  "Withdraw Retreat" is a modernized military march, interrupted by quick-paced acoustic gallops.  "Bobby Untitled" is a beautiful, low-key ballad of a seemingly lost soul ("Broken screams/Can kill your dreams").  

There are multiple parts to several songs, showcasing Wire’s ability to transform a thought into another in stride.  "You Will Always Be Home" is a soft jangling stomp, that ultimately swarms its vocals with rabid guitar screeches.  "So Much For The Future" starts off as a solemn piano moan remnisicient of Pink Floyd’s "Goodbye Cruel World" , eventually erupting into chaotic feedback and wild drumming.

Wire covers a variety of subjects in the thirteen tracks.  "Kimino Rock" may be a potshot at the muddied Manics’ dynamic. ("The boys in the band/They don’t give a fuck/All they want is some kimono rock").  "Goodbye Suicide" recalls Velvet Underground as it delves into despair.  The darkness is perhaps the most compelling aspect of the album. 

Throughout the album, Wire’s vocals are heavy and immersed, keeping a thumb on the pulse, resulting in an assuaging familiarity from his prior accomplishments.  I Killed The Zeitgeist accomplishes a lot in terms of rejuvenating British guitar pop.  There’s accessibility, innovation, comfort, and depth on the same field, and Wire should certainly attempt another such effort. 

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