Initially a part of the mainstream emo/alternative rock wave in the early 2000’s with bands like Brand New and Taking Back Sunday, Manchester Orchestra has hung around long enough (and been bold enough) to take on more evolved sonic stylings as their career has progressed. A Black Mile To The Surface effectively sounds like the soundtrack to a Michael Bay summer blockbuster, nearly biblical in scope and possessing a nearly overwhelming depth of production that is, quite frankly, stunning. Lead singer Andy Hull’s vocals were probably treated with every possible reverb and delay on the market in the making of this album, and (borrow a line from “The Sunshine”) that’s alright with me cause it sounds so gorgeous. When you’re rocking 12-part vocal harmonies amidst a backdrop of perfectly sonically sculpted songs you can be a little heavy handed with the production and get away with it.
Outside of the achievements in production, I also really appreciated the Americana vibe in A Black Mile To The Surface. The songs are massive and huge but underneath it all there is some quite simple and gorgeous little melodies. It’s a blend that really works well together. This album also features a sneakily magnificent performance from drummer Tim Very, who has a real lovely habit of playing atypical beats over common 4/4 time signatures. The percussive section on an album like this has to be top notch for it to work, and it does, because of Very’s dynamic ability to make something as mundane as 4/4 time sound like a signature you’ve never hear before.
Standout Songs: “The Moth”, “The Sunshine”, “The Maze”
