Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math

Fresh out of Atlanta, GA Manchester Orchestra are back in full force with their latest release, Simple Math. The follow up to 2009's Mean Everything To Nothing finds the indie rockers picking up right where they left off on their last release, rapturous melodies blended in with indelible instrumentation that makes this effort one to keep a close eye on this year.

The disc opens up with "Deer", a calm, melancholy track that greets you warmly with the lead vocals of Andy Hull to help you make sense of the song structure and what you can expect to hear going forward. "Mighty" is a loud, mid-tempo rocker that sees the band getting some of their aggression out with intricate guitar riffs and Andy's vocals throwing in a certain emotional intensity that keeps you listening right until the very end. "April Fool" continues the melodic onslaught with gritty guitar riffs blending in wonderfully with the bevy of instrumentation at hand here.

As we venture into the disc's second half, we stumble across "Virgin", an intricate, well mapped out track that sees Andy's vocals getting some help from a choir that can be heard distinctly at various points throughout the song and is a really fascinating track to hear unfold right before you. My favorite song off the disc is the album's title track, a raw and downtempo number that best encapsulates the immense talent that Manchester Orchestra is capable of displaying with Andy's beautiful and captivating vocals making a strong statement to the listener as to why they should purchase this album. We get ready to draw the album to a close with "Apprehension", a melodic, layered track that is chock full of piano, guitars, and Andy's vocals once again working their magic on a splendid track. The disc's final track is "Leaky Breaks", an comprehensive 7 minute long track that does a great job of wrapping up the album with a memorable track that the listener will take to heart after listening to each song and making connections about each one, which this song serves as a good reminder for the listener to do so. What made the band's last effort so successful was its ability to find creases in each of their songs to insert melodic breakdowns that blended in together seamlessly with the instruments and vocals, something that's very difficult for any one band to accomplish thoroughly. This effort also does a great job of at least trying to match what the last album was able to do: earn the respect and devotion of its listeners.

To sum it all up, a wonderful and top notch effort from Manchester Orchestra, who have proven that lightning can strike in the same place twice with a cohesive and linear effort that looks almost effortless, but you can tell that the whole band worked a great deal to finally bring this effort to fruition. Definitely recommended!

                                                                                                          Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Dear
2. Mighty
3. Pensacola
4. April Fool
5. Pale Blue Eye
6. Virgin
7. Simple Math
8. Leave It Alone
9. Apprehension
10. Leaky Breaks