Manchester Orchestra

So I decided to start checking out some of these bands that the higher power at AP told us we need to know. I figure if I'm paying for the magazine, I should at least get my moneys worth and check out the bands right? Well I'll start off with one that I've actually been listening to, and can't stop listening to.

You couldn't talk about music in 2007 without mentioning the name Manchester Orchestra. This Atlanta, GA indie quartet pleasured everyone's ears with their 11-track release of I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child, with songs daring to cross the line to the depths of greatness. From top to bottom, Virgin Losing a Child is packed with heartbreakingly beautiful tracks, none more evident than "Sleeper 1972," in which songwriter Andy Hull paints the picture of his image of his father's life-less body resting six-feet under. The opening track "Wolves at Night" is a catchy, more upbeat (if you can even describe it as that) than most of the tracks seen on the album. The band incorporates a sing-a-long style chorus which can rival the popiest of bands.

Bottom line: check these guys out. They're touring as we speak with Say Anything. I'll be catching them in NYC in just a few weeks, and you should do the same.