Journal for Plague Lovers Journal for Plague Lovers Journal for Plague Lovers is the ninth studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released in May 2009 by record label Columbia. Recorded between October 2008 and February 2009 and produced by Steve Albini and Dave Eringa, it features exclusively posthumous-published lyrics by Richey Edwards, who disappeared on 1 February 1995 and was presumed deceased in 2008. It is the only Manic Street Preachers album in which the lyrics for every song were written solely by Edwards. The album received a very positive critical reception and debuted at number 3 in the UK
Faster (Manic Street Preachers song) Street Preachers song at "The Guardian". Mackay opined "Its darkly rushing chorus is a perfect example of how Bradfield’s music lifted Edwards’ lyrics into something that, though harsh, was also full of an almost joyous energy, a mile-a-minute thrill and a sense of limitless audacity." James Forryan of HMV selected the song as one of the band's 5 highlights, who regarded it as among the best examples of Edwards' "peak of his powers as lyricist." The band performed "Faster" on the BBC's "Top of the Pops", with lead singer James Dean Bradfield wearing an IRA-style balaclava with his first name