Manchester Orchestra has been a name that I've been seeing around the rock and metal scene for a while now, on critics' top albums lists and as features on other bands' songs. I never really found the time to listen to their existing catalogue, but when I saw that they were releasing an EP, I figured I might as well take the chance to find out what they sound like.
Contrary to their name, they're actually a rock band and not an orchestra, but I was a bit surprised to find them leaning towards the soft side of alternative rock, I figured with where they were in the scene they might've been at least a bit louder. Still, I was pleasantly surprised to find that their music was not only subverting my expectations, but also exceeding it entirely.
Capital Karma starts off this EP, taking a slow and steady route of easing the listener into the experience. Andy's calming vocals are put against an elegant backdrop of soft keys and beats, never picking up the pace for most of the track. In the last minute, they switch it up and things start to get stronger, rolling with a faster vocal melody and throwing in some big harmonies, although the instrumentals remain largely the same. Going out with some "oohs", it's a great starting track with immense atmospheric calm, which sets up the EP's expectations quite nicely.
The Way is the popular track of the EP. It sounds like it could pass off as a pop song, only it's pretty obvious that the songwriting and sound design far surpasses the average quality of pop music these days. There's this refrain at the start that lowkey sounds like a violin and the main keyboard melody, both of which have made permanent residence in my brain. Their succinctness with soundscapes is one that awes me, doing so much with so little, and every nuance feels justified. Using stronger vocals for the chorus, which by the way is an amazing chorus, is such a smart way of making the different sections distinct without having to change much. I love his softer, whispery vocals in the post-chorus, it makes it feel oddly human. The second verse rolls out the same way save for one particularly lovable addition, that one scream that is so drenched in echoey reverb, it really feels like it shouldn't work but it does. By the time they get to the bridge, the soundscape has become surprisingly powerful, between the strong vocals and exquisite layers behind it. Not to mention the lyricism throughout has been a great blend of poetic and minimalist, coming off as profound but not pretentious.
Quietly follows as the third track, true to it's name for the most part as it runs with a calm melody and muffled beat pattern in the back. Much like Capital Karma, it's a song mostly defined by its softness and it getting louder more than halfway in. It has a much better verse and chorus melody than Capital Karma, though, and there's this homely feeling to it that I can't really explain. The sound design continues to awe me, really reaching a balance of calm and intentful, subtle details selling the sound. I love the part where the song starts to pick up speed, his cadences never fail to hook me in, and how and when chooses to use his stronger cleans is done in a very smart way to accentuate the dynamics. Even with super distorted drum beats, they make the ending sound super anthemic and open, and it just amazes me how polished it all feels.
Letting Go is one of the less interesting tracks, one that feels more like an interlude on an already pretty soft EP. The soundscape remains pretty low-energy for the most part, the only significant change throughout the song is the drum beat getting stronger. It definitely has a calm and relaxing vibe to it, and it ties in to the lyrical sentiment quite well of finding peace.
Lose You Again is probably the calmest song on the EP, most of its runtime coloured solely by an acoustic guitar and vocals. Its slow pace and low energy makes it very lullaby-like, but it definitely has the makings of a soft cut. Much like the previous song, it feels a lot like an interlude, and I do skip both of them quite often, not because they're bad songs, they're just not very exciting.
Rear View is the deep cut of the EP, and took a while to grow on me but eventually became my favourite track over The Way. Within six minutes, the band manages to shape a journey of a soundscape, complete with a climactic moment that I absolutely love. The song starts out with this spacey and echoey sound design to compliment Andy's soft vocals, again with a lot of the subtle but nuanced production choices that make it feel alive. The chorus is ethereal, his whispery vocals show their prowess again, evoking a feeling I cannot explain but gives me goosebumps. As another lyrically mysterious verse goes by, the second chorus sees more action, longer notes, more layers, and the same goes for the third chorus. I just love how they slowly amp it up, getting more powerful and angelic all the way up until the final section. I love the way everything collides so beautifully in the climax, between the drums, the keys, the vocals, the synths and the repeating dialogue samples. They pull off one of my favourite tropes, where the climax of the song is just a grand collision of many intertwining layers that sounds so loud and busy yet everything fits and makes sense, it's the best kind of overstimulation.
The Valley Of Vision was such an unexpectedly great find of the year, I didn't expect to love it so much but I did. Their sound, especially with their palette of softer sounds, feels like a midway point between the profound kind of alternative rock that I thought they would sound like, and Coldplay, which they surprisingly reminded me of a bit more than I think they actually should. Ever since I listened to this EP, it's been on consistent rotation and also slowly made its way into some of my playlists. I've also listened to A Black Mile To The Surface since, and I can see the similarities and differences of their sound since then. This EP is definitely a highlight of this year, and my interest in Manchester Orchestra has definitely been piqued.
Rating: 9/10