We're a long way from Journal for Plague Lovers here. Where the Manics' ninth album saw them using lyrics by Richey Edwards and returning to a starker sound, this time they have their sights set on the mainstream. James Dean Bradfield describes Postcards from a Young Man as consisting of "big radio hits" – and that certainly applies to these 12 tracks.

Opener and lead single It's Not War (Just the End of Love) sets out their stall – theatrical drum rolls, soaring strings and a chorus that scrapes the sky. The title track might claim, "This life it sucks your principles away, you have to fight against it every day", but it's peformed with the verve of a band winning that fight.

If Journal for Plague Lovers saw the Manics clearing out their creative pipes – and putting some demons to rest – then Postcards rings out like a group having the time of their lives. Thanks to free music streaming service We7, you can have an early listen. So what do you think?

