As soon as it hits the speakers you feel like this song is best represented by driving down a highway with nothing but fields and irrigation pipes surrounding you. Next up there's 'Pensacola', which screams of Virgin-era Manchester. After hearing the album a few more times, I still believe it is one of the better tracks on the album. At first glance, this track was a great stand-out to me. Gang vocals, backing orchestra, it culminates into what you hear as the song fades into an ending. 'Mighty' is that song that conjures up a storm in the verses and every facet of the track to only build up into a pure jolt of energy in the triumphant verse after the breakdown. This track is nothing unlike ManO has ever done before, but there is still a very pleasing element as soon as you hear it and it never escapes as long as the track lasts.Īfter a sweet and genuine track, the record picks up with a gut wrenching guitar riff and it feels as if the skies are darkening. The manner in which Andy Hull utters these words comes across as a letter to his darling and you feel deeply blessed to be able to overhear this cross-country phone call. As with most ManO songs, the lyrics are very sentimental and hold a great weight to them that can be felt with every syllable spoke.

'Deer' is drenched in autobiographical aura and never escapes more than Hull with a guitar and a backing orchestra. Simple Math starts out with one of those slower songs and it sets the early tone for the record. One constant on all the Manchester Orchestra records, is the healthy dose of mellow paced songs that nearly exclusively features frontman Andy Hull. Enough with summarization, let's take a closer look at this new record. Different, heartfelt, and dynamic that's what this record can be summarized as. There wasn't a lot there that kept me listening to METN that is clearly visible when you sit listening to the new record. At first listen, this was a bittersweet record for me. A record that takes the best parts of METN and mixes them into the same formula that they used to create their debut record, I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child. Their album Mean Everything To Nothing still lingers in my brain and has cemented a spot in my heart as one of my favorite albums I grew up with.Īfter just two years, the follow-up record was released and now we have Simple Math. After just one album the band developed a more straight forward rock sound that nearly ditched their southern inheritance in favor for a deeper chamber of rock. A sweet mix of twang-filled guitars, snares, and vocals that boarder on whiny, but never become irritating.

In the beginning, Manchester Orchestra played alternative rock that was soaked in southern rock mentalities. Hopefully one day I will be writing for publications, but until then, this is where you'll see the beginning of a star writer. I will be taking this slightly more seriously because I want this to be a good platform for me when it comes to making a living. SYMAL is back with the reliable opinion and verdict on everything that is music, but with an emphasis in alternative/indie/punk genres. Welcome back everyone, it's good to have you here.

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