After falling in love with The Valley Of Vision, I figured the next stop on the Manchester Orchestra train would be their critically acclaimed A Black Mile To The Surface. I've seen this album on critics' year end lists and even decade top 100 lists, and I was immensely curious to find out what was in store.
A Black Mile To The Surface immediately made it clear that it was much more diverse and powerful than The Valley Of Vision, presenting itself as a concept album, complete with thematic imagery and consistent titling. It also feels much more like a rock band, instruments taking their place at the forefront of the soundscapes. This was closer to what I expected them to sound like when I first heard of them, and now having found out that The Valley Of Vision was essentially a B-side of songs recorded in the same sessions as The Million Masks Of God, things start to make more sense.
This album has a much more cohesive and expansive sound design which I love. Layers upon layers of intricate intimacy woven into each and every section, so full of life and yet sounding unreal. I love the energy they decided to go with for this record, it has this subtle, uneasy darkness to it that contrasts the overall sentimental and profound ramblings. Their climactic moments can get pretty powerful, reminiscent of how they ended Rear View but way stronger.
The vocals play a huge part in how the overall album feels. Andy's command of melodic intricacies is not to be reckoned with, but it really is their work with vocal layering, harmonies and background details that really makes the soundscape. A lot of what contributes to the atmosphere and vibe of this record is how present the vocals are in the front and the back, whether it's the main melody or the oohs and aahs in the background.
The instrumentation is surprisingly vibrant, I'm amazed at how expressive it is. Their production work is on point, making just the right additions to each track to make them come to life. Whether it's the calm and relaxing pace of The Alien, the bold and bothered energy of Lead, SD, the rough and confessional fire of The Wolf or the poetic and powerful journey of a song that is The Silence, they're all crafted with so much love and patience, perfecting every detail within.
A Black Mile To The Surface has become akin to a spiritual musical experience, regardless of the listener's affinity to spirituality. Amidst the vast intricacies and countless details of the album, it has become an experience well worth diving into, again and again. There's something truly remarkable about the way they piece together such profound material into a cohesive package that has completely stunned me.
It has to be commended how deep the story is, there is so much dark and human weight to the lyrics and meaning of the album as a whole. Few albums reach such a state of narrative potence but A Black Mile To The Surface has such an intricate and substantial story woven throughout each and every line, one that touches me deeply and shocks me in such a revelatory way that I cannot help but be impressed.
I now understand why Manchester Orchestra has such a reputation, and honestly, I'm now disappointed that they aren't more well known. Not just as a matter of quality, their music is at most pop-adjacent but a majority of it could fit snugly into the pop genre, and it's slightly saddening to see a pop artist's rendition of their work get more plays than the band itself. That aside, I'm ecstatic to have finally found out what Manchester Orchestra is really made of, and I have absolutely no regrets. As I look forward to diving into their older catalogue, I also hope that I'll be able to see new material drop in the near future.
Rating: 10/10