Andy Hull and the company he keeps are gods. Five stars. Album of the year. The end.
(Just kidding, sort of.)
Words can’t explain how long I’d waited for this album. Manchester Orchestra is one of those bands I can’t get enough of. Like a Virgin Losing a Child, their first album, debuted in 2006 and the three year wait for sophomore release Mean Everything to Nothing was brutal. I was more than ready for Simple Math and it’s finally here.
I downloaded the first single, also called “Simple Math,” the minute it was available; it already has a hefty play count in my iTunes. But the time had finally come to experience the album in its entirety. And after the first spin? I didn’t have words. And even if did, the teenage superfan in my head was squealing so loudly it drowned them out. “Mighty,” “Virgin,” “Simple Math” and “Leaky Breaks” all stick out in the best way possible. They’re starkly different from each other, yet I love each of them for their uniqueness. Strings, horns, and gang vocals add depth that we have yet to see from this band. The album as a whole is still very much Manchester Orchestra though: the same warbling guitar that slides smoothly back and forth between notes, the same brutally honest lyrics, the same sing-song voice mixed with raw and screaming vocals. But this one raises the bar. It’s an epic, orchestral masterpiece made for much bigger stages than they are currently playing.
“Deer” is a great start to the album with traditional Manchester Orchestra-like sounds reminiscent of the first two albums. The song slowly builds and we soon realize it’s the calm before the storm… Because the second song, “Mighty,” is heavy and dark and the opening few seconds are deliciously metal. It’s definitely one of my favorite songs on the record, but then again it’s tied with three others so maybe I should give it more time. Strings make an appearance about halfway through the song and wrap it up nicely. “Pensacola” is a fun and playful song, probably full of sarcasm and inside jokes, but I guess we’ll never know: group vocals shout the words “alcohol, dirty malls, Pensacola Florida bars” as horns blare in the background. We still see the solid song-writing of Andy Hull though with the line “I am the greatest man that never lived and now I never sleep.”
Both “April Fool” and “Pale Black Eye” carry us nicely through the album, the screaming vocals reminiscent of Mean Everything To Nothing, and calmer parts nodding to Like a Virgin Losing a Child. Virgin, another one of my favorites, jolts us out of our groove and says “hey look at me! I’m dark and different and dirty!” with lyrics “we build this house with our hands and our time, our blood… to fall down/Never gonna be the same.” I could see this song in a stage production with professional dancers stalking around on beat to a choreographed dance number. This song is so much more than a song, it’s like a rock opera in and of itself. “Simple Math” is another high point of the album; the guitar in the beginning is bold and in your face, and holy falsetto, Mr. Hull… I love it. “The truth cannot be fractioned” is going to be one of those timeless lyrics that seventeen year old fans will be saving up to get tattooed on their skin, I guarantee it.
The eighth track, “Leave It Alone,” is a nice break; soft and intimate with the words “leave it alone, leave me alone.” Apprehension. Solid song. Nothing too crazy which is probably good. I don’t think my brain could handle much more at this point. The album comes to a close with Leaky Breaks. It’s a comfy, cozy song, reminds me of being curled up by a fire with whispered vocals. It’s calm and quiet but holds your attention and finishes well as a closer to the album.
Simple Math is the perfect mix of Like a Virgin Losing a Child and Mean Everything to Nothing with just enough new sound and maturity to make it different. Simply put, it’s a rock solid piece of work and I find something new with each listen. Dare I make assumptions about the quality of a possible fourth album? Nah, probably too soon. Simple Math. Buy it. Listen to it. Worship it. Go see a show. I promise it’s worth every penny.
Track Listing:
1 Deer
2 Mighty
3 Pensacola
4 April Fool
5 Pale Black Eye
6 Virgin
7 Simple Math
8 Leave It Alone
9 Apprehension
10 Leaky Breaks
