thirtylastcalls
01/08/07, 05:12 PM
Manchester Orchestra - I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child
Label: Favorite Gentlemen
Release Date: October 14th, 2006
Manchester Orchestra seems to have literally come out of nowhere. I’m not just saying this because they have had so little, if any, mainstream success. Since the release of I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child, they obviously haven’t attacked the airwaves. There are no commercials (at least, none that I’ve seen) with their music playing in the background, they don’t seem to have worked their way on to any of the mixes that the trendy stores in the mall play, and with the recent cancellation of The OC, they probably won’t be turning up on any teenage soaps anytime soon. In fact, even among the indie music scene that they’re a part of, Manchester Orchestra is still much more of a secret than you would expect for as much talent as they have. Yes, they have been given some (although minimal) attention on a music forum here and there, and I’m sure that this amount of attention will have increased a ridiculous amount by this time next year (at least, I hope it will), but still Manchester Orchestra caught me entirely by surprise.
I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child opens with “Wolves At Night”, which dances between a toned down grunge sound and a carefree indie pop. The song showcases some moody keyboards (moody keyboards? Now that takes talent.) and vocals from front man Andy Hull that endlessly remind me of Placebo. “I Can Barely Breathe” mixes a much more melodic guitar approach with heavy drumming that bring a darker mood to the table along with vocals that sound borderline spiteful.
Some jumpy keyboards throughout the verses and a deconstructed guitar part thrown in every so often highlight “Alice And Interiors”. The talking-slash-yelling style brought in during the second verse gives the song a tinge of an angry feel along with a pretty strong comparison to MewithoutYou. “Where Have You Been?” is one of the strongest tracks from I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child, with choir-like harmonies bringing an overall eerie tone to the song and thumping drums pushing the song forward. The same can be said for closing track “Colly Strings” which starts off with barely audible music and introspective quiet vocals but eventually builds to a strong, dramatic rock song after the eventual conclusion of pounding drums, heavy-hitting guitars, and passionate vocals.
Addictive keyboards, pounding drums, impressive vocals…that’s a pretty good combination, if you ask me. Manchester Orchestra shows a lot of promise on I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child - promise that will hopefully spill over onto many more albums to come. Fans of Neutral Milk Hotel and Dismemberment Plan, allow me to introduce you to your new best friends.
Label: Favorite Gentlemen
Release Date: October 14th, 2006
Manchester Orchestra seems to have literally come out of nowhere. I’m not just saying this because they have had so little, if any, mainstream success. Since the release of I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child, they obviously haven’t attacked the airwaves. There are no commercials (at least, none that I’ve seen) with their music playing in the background, they don’t seem to have worked their way on to any of the mixes that the trendy stores in the mall play, and with the recent cancellation of The OC, they probably won’t be turning up on any teenage soaps anytime soon. In fact, even among the indie music scene that they’re a part of, Manchester Orchestra is still much more of a secret than you would expect for as much talent as they have. Yes, they have been given some (although minimal) attention on a music forum here and there, and I’m sure that this amount of attention will have increased a ridiculous amount by this time next year (at least, I hope it will), but still Manchester Orchestra caught me entirely by surprise.
I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child opens with “Wolves At Night”, which dances between a toned down grunge sound and a carefree indie pop. The song showcases some moody keyboards (moody keyboards? Now that takes talent.) and vocals from front man Andy Hull that endlessly remind me of Placebo. “I Can Barely Breathe” mixes a much more melodic guitar approach with heavy drumming that bring a darker mood to the table along with vocals that sound borderline spiteful.
Some jumpy keyboards throughout the verses and a deconstructed guitar part thrown in every so often highlight “Alice And Interiors”. The talking-slash-yelling style brought in during the second verse gives the song a tinge of an angry feel along with a pretty strong comparison to MewithoutYou. “Where Have You Been?” is one of the strongest tracks from I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child, with choir-like harmonies bringing an overall eerie tone to the song and thumping drums pushing the song forward. The same can be said for closing track “Colly Strings” which starts off with barely audible music and introspective quiet vocals but eventually builds to a strong, dramatic rock song after the eventual conclusion of pounding drums, heavy-hitting guitars, and passionate vocals.
Addictive keyboards, pounding drums, impressive vocals…that’s a pretty good combination, if you ask me. Manchester Orchestra shows a lot of promise on I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child - promise that will hopefully spill over onto many more albums to come. Fans of Neutral Milk Hotel and Dismemberment Plan, allow me to introduce you to your new best friends.