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The name “Manchester Orchestra” is a bit deceiving, because none of the music sounds remotely like an orchestra. This is a hard-driving rock band, heavy on the drums and fast-paced vocals—just what I need in place of caffeine on the early shift.
“The Only One,” with its ‘60s yet modern sound, feels familiar to me. However, it might be a touch too wild for those who grew up listening to music in that era. “I’ve Got Friends” leads up to the raw-sounding voice of lead singer Andy Hull, going from soft to loud and back again, utilizing those dynamics in a grueling but invigorating blast. Most of the tracks on Mean Everything to Nothing are done in this way. “I Can Feel a Hot One” is by far my favorite track. It brings out Hull’s unique and memorable voice—and the song comes at a point in the CD where you really do need a short rest after listening to the first six seamless, forceful tracks.
According to Hull, the first half of Mean Everything to Nothing is a brooding tale of teenage angst and anger—the confusion and disillusionment of growing up and becoming an adult. The second half is about redemption and an overall re-evaluation of the self. It’s about Hull beginning to realize, in his own words, “that things are not okay, I am not okay, and there’s a beauty in that—a calming, a forgiveness,” he says.
If you’re into music with a gritty edge, then you need to add Manchester Orchestra to your collection. My rock musical tastes run more toward Rob Thomas and Matchbox Twenty, but, occasionally, I like to ratchet it up a notch with little-known gems such as Manchester Orchestra. Their sound is loud and energetic, and it will bring you to life like nothing else. I may not listen to Mean Everything to Nothing often, but I will listen to it more than once—especially when I need to get awake for an early morning shift.
