In the midst of the Cope/Hope LP release cycle, the directing duo The Daniels - who had created a dense, theatrical music video for Manchester Orchestra’s “Simple Math” in 2011, winning Vimeo’s “Music Video of the Year” in the process - countered Hull and McDowell’s request for them to work on another video with the idea of scoring the directors’ in-the-works feature film debut, Swiss Army Man. It was becoming clear that they required a completely new approach from an entirely different sphere and set of faculties - and, lo and behold, just such a moment arrived when Hull and McDowell were offered the chance to score a movie. So, for a musician used to writing out of self-reflection, what do you sing about when life is good? For a band on record number five and seeking innovation, how do you untangle yourself from the past? How do you write songs about being happy? The desire to achieve greatness is often followed by a need for that same desire to evolve. Since the beginning, each subsequent Manchester Orchestra album had been a grand statement for that specific moment in their career, originated in a desire to push themselves forward creatively. But now - thirty years old, stable, and a first-time father - Hull found himself facing a crisis of inspiration. Their previous long-player, 2014’s Cope, had even spawned a cover album of itself by its creators, an acoustic-reworking and reimagining of its songs with a heavily emotional bent that they called Hope. The band had worked relentlessly to cultivate a passionate fan base the old-fashioned way: releasing music, making music videos, and touring (most recently with drummer Tim Very and bassist Andy Prince). The Atlanta-based band, led by Andy Hull and co-writer Robert McDowell (who is also Hull’s brother-in-law and lifelong friend), had spent their career challenging each other to build a poignant, exhilarating narrative with each new album and EP. Manchester Orchestra had always prided themselves on their approach.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |