10 Manic Street Preachers Hidden Gem Songs
5. Send Away The Tigers
The title track from the band's 2007 comeback record has the triumphant swagger of their first comeback album, Everything Must Go, and kicks the album off in confident style. In truth, any track from this or the next two records could have been included in this list, as 2007-2011 saw the band on a creative winning streak that matches their '90s heyday.
The title supposedly comes from an oft-used phrase by comedian and consummate drunk Tony Hancock, usually uttered just before he downed his drink. It was a battle cry for a man constantly at war with his demons. For a band who were just coming out of a creative and commercial slump it's not hard to see this song as their own battle cry, screamed as they enter a fight for their future.
Musically, the band sound like they've turned the clock back a decade, and the record as a whole sounds like it should have been the follow-up to Everything Must Go. It's also worth mentioning that James released his solo record, The Great Western, a year before this, and that album also shared a similar sound. Which all adds to the feeling that this was the band getting back on track and not trying to be something they're not.