Mean Everything To Nothing , the second album from Atlanta's Manchester Orchestra, is everything you want a rock record to be: raw, urgent, emotional, and 100 percent authentic. "There is nothing fake about this record," says frontman and lyricist Andy Hull. "There's not one fake sound on it. We recorded it live because we wanted it to sound like a band, and I think it does: live and loud!"
Inspired by the pounding, primal assault of Weezer's Pinkerton , Nirvana's In Utero , and Foo Fighters' The Colour and the Shape , this young band has created its own version of what a classic rock album should sound like, complete with fiercely beautiful melodies, shifting guitar and keyboard textures, loud/soft dynamics, and an urgency in each band member's performance, especially Hull's cathartic vocals.
The drama is magnified by the fact that the album's first six songs bleed into one another without stopping. The blistering opener "The Only One" immediately gives way to the propulsive "Shake It Out" and the torrential first single "I've Got Friends," followed by the anguished "Pride" and the menacing "In My Teeth," before slowing down on the darkly funny "100 Dollars." Then the album pauses and down-shifts into less relentless yet equally gripping territory on songs from "I Can Feel A Hot One" (which was featured on Gossip Girl last September), to the ruminative closer "The River."
The breakneck pace is both exhilarating and exhausting, which Hull says was intentional. "I like the fact that there isn't a chance during the first six songs to say anything if you're listening to it with somebody. It's seamless. We did that to emphasize that there are two halves to the album." The first half is a brooding tale of teenage angst and anger -- the confusion and disillusionment of growing up and becoming an adult. The second half is about redemption and an overall re-evaluation of the self. It's about Hull beginning to realize in his own words "that things are not ok, I am not ok, and there's a beauty in that -- a calming, a forgiveness," he says.
Hey Manchester Orchestra Its James from HOT FLUX! im sending a quick update to let all you Flux fans know whats going down.
Firstly I would just like to point out thank you all for your support. It means so much to us that your guys show such amazing interest!. Our facebook page has started to expand thanks to you guys, but if you havent already joined yet then please please do; just click on this link and then just click "like" it is literally a one second job but will really help the growth of the band! http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Hot-Flux/117124544970417?ref=ts
If you havent checked out our new tunes that are up please do! they are getting really good feedback and we would love it if we could hear from you!
We have been having really good turnouts to all of our gigs so thank you if you have experienced the Flux live! And more importantly its been so class to be welcomed into the cities in which we have been gigging!
Finally there are so many more songs being written that are in the production line so stay tuned and check them out!
You guys are absoutly amazing! I fell in love with you guys when you played with Fun. at The Clubhouse. And the next day I went and bought one of your CDs, amazing stuff :)
i dunno if i told you guys this but i honestly believe you guys are truely magnificent. your music is so spectacular and rare and new and fresh.. I CANT GET ENOUGH!! lol.
Well I hope you guys continue to make the most awesome music ever lol.
Okay I just wanna say you are my favorite band in the whole world! And I really wana marry Andy! :D Me and my dad just love you guys! When you played at the house of blues I got a picture with Freeman but not Andy :( I LOVE YOU ANDYYYYY!!!!
I Have Never heard Of U Guys B-4 Buzz Under the Stars And I Gotta Say YOU WERE AWESOME! Great Job Really Your Songs Are Great And The Beat Is Addicting! Thanx for the add to. ROCK ON!
