Album review: Everything Must Go gets the 20th anniversary treatment

When Richey Edwards, of the Manic Street Preachers, disappeared at the time of their seminal The Holy Bible, no one, including the remaining members, gave the band much hope for the future. So, contrarians that they are, the Welsh rockers regrouped and made their most “punk” move yet, releasing the biggest, brightest and most grandiose album of their career. Everything Must Go(1996) is full of stadium anthems and widescreen ambition; it bristles with working-class rage and powerful pop sensibilities. It is a decidedly different beast to the viscerally ugly Holy Bible. Marking Everything’s 20th anniversary, James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire and Sean Moore embarked on a world tour (next stop for the Manics is Tokyo, on November 8) and released this limited-edition box set. Included, along with the original but remastered album, is a disc of B-sides: remixes by Stealth Sonic Orchestra, The Chemical Brothers and Jon Carter plus a live acoustic cover of Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head. But the blinding power of a 20-year-old classic remains the shining star.