Manchester Orchestra

MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Label: Favorite Gentlemen









Website: http://www.themanchesterorchestra.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/manchesterorchestra

It seemed fitting that of the buffet of new music I had to test out, that I would start with Manchester Orchestra, as it was this band that was originally recommended to me to see when they made a stop at the Phoenix in Toronto on March 27. I didn't make the show, but I did check out a few tracks off their myspace page and liked what I heard. I have since discovered that it was but a glimpse of what the band was about until I really dug into their albums.

Started off with their first (full length) Album, I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child (released July 24, 2007). It launched off with a couple of heavier tunes, but eased into some really beautiful and well crafted songs that while not as frantic as their album openers still managed to hold onto a sense of intensity. While the CD maintained it's alt rock throughline, it also had an emotional vulnerability to it that I connected with. Stand outs on the album for me were "Where Have You Been", and "Golden Ticket" that grabbed me immediately, as well as "Now That Your Home" with it's jangly guitar riff punctuating the alternating tempo changes. Just really authentic and well crafted offerings for a debut album.

When I cued up the second album immediately after finishing the first(Mean Everything To Nothing - released April 21, 2009), I was completely unprepared! If the previous album was like a fast smooth ride with some sharp curves, this one was like a big, bad ass roller coaster that had me take hold of the holy shit handles (complete with goofy smile!). It literally blew me away with a big f-ing Whoosh!

This album was a lot more intense than the first. Andy Hull's vocals, smooth and silky at times, raise to a raspy scream as the songs build. But even on the heavier stuff, the band manages to keep it melodic. "Shake it Out", had me finding myself speeding at an alarming rate while driving down the highway while it played...(there should be a warning to the effect of taking caution when operating heavy machinery while listening). But on the flip side, they also serve up some beautifully quiet numbers like "I Can Feel a Hot One", and one of my favorites from the album "The River".

With such diverse song styles on the same album, you might think that the band just hasn't discovered who they are yet, but I don't believe that this is the case at all. While the songs are very different, there is a definite cohesion to them that make the album seemless to listen to start to finish. They are simply telling their story...and like any story, with the really good story tellers, the voice you tell it with raises or softens depending on the subject matter. As Hull tells us in "The River"...."I talk to you best when I sing"....what a hell of a great conversation!

A really great band and so glad to have been introduced to them. Having very serious regret now that I wasn't able to make that show here in Toronto. Can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Check them out....

Golden Ticket:



Shake it out



The River