What follows is an open letter to Andy Hull, front man of Manchester Orchestra and Co-President of Favorite Gentlemen Recordings: 
Dear Mr. Hull,
First, let me thank you and your band for some fantastic music that I’ve been enjoying for years and will assuredly be enjoying for years to come. I’m writing you concerning a band that you really must hear. They’re called Mansions, and their latest effort is entitled Best of the Bees. I say “band,” but the truth is that Mansions is a one man show in the studio – a gentleman from Louisville, Kentucky by the name of Christopher Browder. Mansions is currently signed to Doghouse Records, but I implore you to steal them away; they would fit wonderfully on any bill with Manchester Orchestra and would make a fine addition to your new and growing label.
Tell you what: just take a listen to Best of the Bees. The first track, entitled “OMG,” sets the tone for the entire album: a skeletal beginning builds to a burning, writhing crescendo of emotion not unlike Kevin Devine’s “Cotton Crush” or Manchester Orchestra’s “Colly Strings.” From there, the album twists and turns through various moods and styles, from the harmonica-laced dirge “LtsBSdTgthr” to the radio-ready piano and electric drum tune “Never Enuff” to the brooding guitar-heavy jam “You Got Caught.” The songwriting is top notch, and the mostly morose songs of longing and searching are evocative if not cathartic. After having listened to the album in its entirety, you’ll have the sense that you’ve really gotten to know Christopher Browder, not in a contrived way but in an authentic and meaningful way. Keep this in mind though: Mansions certainly aren’t reinventing the wheel, and a cynical listener might feel that they’ve heard it all before. For me, there will always be room for another thoughtful musician who writes beautiful indie-pop songs and wears his heart on his sleeve. His methods may be tried and true, but Mr. Browder’s voice is singular and begs to be heard and appreciated.
The last song on Best of the Bees is called “All Eyes on Me,” and it easily the most synthesized/electronic track to be found on the album; it might also be the most lyrically aggressive. Browder keeps asking an unnamed protagonist “What would you do without the attention…Have you ever really seen yourself, have you ever really heard yourself?” This song is destined to be played in many a break-up scene in corny teen dramas the way “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie was destined to be played at a million weddings and Valentine’s Day dinners. This album is the real thing: marketable singles that the indie crowd can still dig, less accessible songs destined for fan favorite status, and replay value for miles and miles.
Please consider these words carefully, Mr. Hull, although Best of the Bees speaks loudly enough for itself. I look forward to your next release, and if you need a place to stay next time you’re in Charlotte, North Carolina – my couch is always open.
Most respectfully yours,
Marc G. Gray
Track Listing:
1. OMG
2. I Swear
3. Never Enuff
4. Last to Leave
5. LetsBSdTgthr
6. You Got Caught
7. 18th Bday
8. Unwell
9. Tangerine (Alternate Version)
10. All Eyes On You (Remix)
