Review Summary: Manchester Orchestra solidifies their cult following with an overdue mature entry into the alternative music world.
Manchester Orchestra, being the moderately underground modern alternative band that they are, have a certain following.
Their first album, I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child (2006,) resulted in swarms of teary-eyed, ‘misunderstood’ youths that croon along to heart-wrenching lyrics like “Well, don’t stop calling/ You’re the reason I love losing sleep.” Enter hoards of teenage girls.
Their second, Mean Everything to Nothing (2009,) popped out a few singles with semi-regular air-play on college/ alternative radio stations. ‘I’ve Got Friends,’ the first single off the album, becomes a song your guitar teacher shows you how to play. Shows become more crowded, gender balance isn’t so skewed in the female direction. Fans form.
And then Simple Math hits.
Really, nothing noticeably ground-breaking occurs. The album momentarily peaks at #5 on iTunes’s Top Ten Alternative Albums before nestling right back into the bottom of a ‘bands-you-might-have-heard-of-from-your-cool-indie-friend’ kind of swamp.
But, in my opinion and in the opinion of some reasonably like-minded masses, Manny really outdid themselves with this album. Andy Hull comes to terms with the darkest period of his marriage (now apparently thriving) through lyrics that are honest but not overly sentimental, guitar riffs that are fuzzy but professionally edited, and an overall sound that is heartbreaking but still damn catchy.
Best tracks:
-‘April Fool’: just a downright sexy song laced with good ol’ fashioned southern electric gee-tar.
-‘Pensacola’: a couple electronic mixes + some call-and-response choruses= a song you’ll find yourself singing along to under your breath when you should be doing something productive,
-‘Virgin’: tasteful use of children’s vocals in the intro and some orchestral (no pun intended) harmonies in the background make for a creepy hail to constructing an empire you’re not sure you wanted in the first place.
-C.F.
Also, check out the video for ‘Simple Math’ here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaMiVDZu_T4
