Highlighting Manchester Orchestra as our featured band of the month for July was really a no-brainer. It was due time as it seems just about every other music publication in Atlanta has already expressed its own generous accolades. There's Manchester Orchestra on the cover of Southeast Performer Magazine, there they are again in Atlanta Journal Constitution, they've been featured in Paste Magazine repeatedly, and there are doubtless countless others.
So what's all the fuss about then? Well, for starters you've got 19-year old enigmatic front-man Andy Hall crafting delicately poignant songs that speak well beyond his years. His voice rings pure and honest, gently sharing eloquent stories of hope, loss, and love. Andy provides an intelligent mouthpiece for his generation, providing the words that will surely be scrawled lovingly within the cover of spiral-notebooks across the nation.
Musically, Manchester Orchestra is equally mature. Its 2005 EP release "You Brainstorm, I Brainstorm, But Brilliance Needs an Editor" showcases a diverse range of musical styles, from the sweeping anthematic opener "The Procession" to the jingly pop of "Slow to Learn." Overall its a masterful pairing of smart lyrics and memorable hooks.
There isn't a song on their EP that would sound out of place on the radio, even followed by contemporaries like Death Cab For Cutie. It's an impressive start for a band whose members were in elementary school when Death Cab made its debut.
Manchester Orchestra has been attracting attention outside of Atlanta as well, picking up slots on the nation's most prestigious music festivals including South by Southwest, Florida Music Festival, Lollapalooza, and CMJ.
Bassist Jonathan Corley said the band is just as excited about seeing the other bands on these festivals as playing amongst them.
"The entire lineup for the [Lollapalooza] is incredible," he noted. "Much like South by Southwest, its going to be difficult to decide between incredible bands playing at the same time. The chance to see bands like Wilco, Built to Spill, The Flaming Lips and our friends Anathallo in the same festival is unbelievable."
Fans who have long worn out their copy of "You Brainstorm..." will be excited to learn the band is currently back in the studio working with producer Dan Hannon on a full length record that should be out this September.
You can also get your fill of Manchester Orchestra on television in August when their segement for Comcast/99X Bands on Demand will air.
Source: http://www.atlantamusicguide.com/amg/features/bands/manchester_orchestra
