Favorite Albums of 2011 #30: "Simple Math" by Manchester Orchestra

I’d never bothered to listen to Manchester Orchestra before this year, even after I learned that, despite their name, they aren’t a 37-piece jam band. To give them a genre, this is indie pop, but it’s muscular, moody and adventurous. Some of the guitar tones are distorted to a point where they approach “threatening.” The singer, who often reminds me of My Morning Jacket (because I think Jim James could sound like this, not that he actually does), sometimes really belts it, shunning all of the constraint that often accompanies orchestral indie pop. Then there’s the intereting turns these songs take, most notably, the backing vocals on the track “Virgin.” It’s an interesting album and it will throw listeners for a loop if they expect something bubbly and sentimental or chamber pop 101. Ultimately, it comes down to interesting songs. Well-written pop still exists and it’s delightful, but can also be and moody, perhaps as a result, exciting.

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30. Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math