The Leader

Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Music

Every hardcore music fan has that one band that they hold dear to them; Tucked away neatly in their iTunes library or within the confines of their earbuds never to see the light of day. It's their best kept secret, their band that no one else has heard of, and they'll be damned if that band makes it big one day.

Fans of the band Manchester Orchestra know exactly what I'm talking about. And I'm sorry to say it, but when their new album, Mean Everything To Nothing, hits store shelves, our day of reckoning is upon us.

This is the album that will put them on the map, much like Deja Entendu did for their friends Brand New. We are now introduced to a band that is, simply put: full of energy. Manchester Orchestra have hit the studio with a harder, more refined sound with the help of producer Joe Chicarrelli who has worked with bands like My Morning Jacket and The Shins. The guitars are thicker, the drums hit harder, and the mixture of keys and synth on this album add another brick to the layer of sound that slightly lacked in their first official full-length, I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child.

Songs like "Pride" and "Shake It Out" are some of the best examples of this transition, showing the immense maturity these guys have made as musicians. Their aggressive side is also obvious when hearing Andy Hull's vocal style, complete with haunting screams that were also vacant from their last album.

Lyrically, frontman Andy Hull takes us on another journey as he struggles with his faith. Religion and God are reoccurring themes for this band, but it never gets old coming from the lips of Hull. He reminds us from the first track "The Only One" that he's the son of a pastor, which makes his struggle a little more intriguing to the listeners who know that he grew up in a southern state. Hull's lyrics this time around don't quite hit as close to home as his previous work. He's not as vulnerable during this album, but his words are still honest and intelligent enough to keep you hanging on every word.

It is difficult for many bands in the indie/rock genre to produce a solid second effort. Yet, Manchester Orchestra just keeps getting better. And for a band still in their early twenties-that's pretty scary.

4 out of 5
Canvas Black Records
Release Date: April 21, 2009

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