![]() Its clear the lack of external pressure from the industry, along with the comfort of their own home has contributed in a positive manner to this recording. Overall the album is brutally in your face, brash, bold and well put together. A slight Radiohead-esque sound to this one, but it isn’t too long until those down-tuned guitars are in full grunge mode, with Hull’s vocals seeming effortlessly sung. We come to title track Cope to bring the album to to a close and things take a turn for the quieter. It’s easy to hear influences such as Biffy Clyro coming through here, and in no way is that a bad band to take notes from. The album continues its all out assault with tightly knit riffs and drum patterns embedding themselves in your ear canals. They obviously have a soft spot for peculiar rhythms, as seen on standout track The Ocean. Choose You and Girl Harbour nicely show off the bands appreciation for dirty riffs yet with a mix of poppy melodies clearly taking centre stage. The album takes on a vast soundscape for the duration. It has a definite groove to it, with Andy Hull’s unique vocals soaring over the top something in line with a Band of Horses record. Lead single Top Notch is riff heavy with that classic Manchester Orchestra guitar tone. It is clear the band have dedicated themselves to all out rock for this one and stuck to their guts. From start to finish, it is in your face, bruising, and relentless. The result is a 40-minute all out rock-a-thon. The album has been self-produced in the comforts of their own home studio, away from time constraints and the limitations of external voices. Cope however, is a totally different breed of music all together. Simple Math was the follow up release, and in turn the bands first attempt at a concept record. With such a successful album behind them, it was always going to be a challenge to keep up that degree of musicianship and songwriting. After breaking into the mainstream with critically acclaimed Mean Everything to Nothing in 2009 and with singles such as I’ve Got Friends, the band gained themselves a cult following in America and Overseas. ‘Sometimes even for myself, it’s difficult to decipher which one I’m actually talking to.’ It was difficult for me too, Andy.In a follow up to 2011’s Simple Math, Manchester Orchestra have released long awaited album number four, Cope. Simple Math is also, allegedly, a concept album regarding ‘two dueling conversations between me and my wife, and me and my God,’ lead singer Andy Hull said in an interview. But they lack the sort of scene and context that paints a picture. They’re just as big as the music backing them, with blanket statement choruses, deep diary-entry styled verses and plenty of emotion. Where the album loses a little is in the lyrics. What makes this album big are the lush 13-piece orchestral arrangements in songs like ‘Simple Math’ and ‘Pale Black Eye,’ coupled with very metal riffs in ‘Mighty’ and indie singer-songwriter tendencies throughout, but most noticeably on ‘Deer,’ ‘Pensacola’ and ‘Leaky Breaks.’ There’s also a few shout outs to Pink Floyd in the production of ‘Virgin’ and a ‘Comfortably Numb’ reference in ‘Mighty.’ These 10 songs show a robust and ambitious range of sound, but not enough to give the feel of deliberate copping every song is distinctly Manchester Orchestra, with lines and hooks that get drilled into your head and don’t leave. At 10 songs and 45 minutes, it’s pretty standard fare (and coincidentally the length of a ‘Lost’ episode sans commercials. If it doesn’t end up on best album of the year lists, it’s a shoe-in for biggest albums of the year lists. These songs are powerful.’ And their third, Simple Math, released last week, takes the pop and the chops and adds a few handfuls of massive soundscape. I’m going to keep listening.’ Their second, Mean Everything To Nothing, says, ‘Oh shit, this band has chops. Manchester Orchestra’s third album, Simple Math, is kind of like the third season of ‘Lost.’ For those on the Manchester train, their first album, I’m Like A Virgin Losing a Child, says ‘This band puts out heavy but catchy pop songs. Ok, harsh and beside the point, but bear with me. It’s like watching ‘Lost’: the first season intrigues you, the second wins you over, the third, fourth and fifth overwhelm you with awesome and the sixth leaves you with a face that could have just as easily been triggered by constipation. Watching a band that you like progress is infectious. Tasty Tracks: April Fool, Pensacola, Simple Math
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