This amazing indie-rock band is just getting better with every album they put out.
This past weekend Atlanta's Manchester Orchestra performed their two new singles -- "The Gold" and "The Alien" -- on CBS This Morning: Saturday Sessions ahead of Friday, July 28th's release of their fifth studio album A Black Mile To The Surface (Loma Vista Recordings). "The Gold" and "The Alien" are available to watch now, along with a web-exclusive bonus performance of "The Parts". The album -- featuring production by Catherine Marks (Foals, PJ Harvey, The Killers), John Congleton (St. Vincent, Explosions In The Sky, Angel Olsen), and their longtime studio partner Dan Hannon -- has earned early rave reviews from Alternative Press (4.5/5 stars), Kerrang! (5/5 stars), among others, while Uproxx recently profiled the band, diving deep into making of the album and calling it "their best." Frontman Andy Hull spoke to writer Steve Hyden in a recent Celebration Rock podcast, while Discogs featured a list of his favorite Built To Spill albums.
Watch Manchester Orchestra perform "The Parts" on CBS Saturday Sessions:
Following a sold-out underplay show at NYC's Mercury Lounge celebrating 10 years since the band's first show in the city, Manchester Orchestra has also confirmed additional intimate release shows this week at LA's Hollywood Forever Masonic Lodge on July 26 and Nashville, TN's Grimey's on July 28th. The band recently announced a U.S. fall tour of headlining dates including shows at The Novo in Los Angeles on September 14th and at Terminal 5 in New York City on September 29th. A current itinerary is below; tickets are on-sale now
In late June, NPR Music premiered the Mike Dempsey-directed video for "The Alien," the second single off A Black Mile To The Surface and the first visual in creative collaboration with directing duo The Daniels around the album. A Black Mile To The Surface remains available for pre-order, with "The Gold," "The Alien," and third single "The Moth" coming as an instant grat downloads with purchase:
Manchester Orchestra has expanded their dynamic sound to peak form on the cinematic production. The album showcases a band that rethought, deconstructed, and rebuilt their songwriting process to propel their music into a new emotional arena, drawing on Hull and McDowell's unique experience scoring Swiss Army Man. Throughout recording the album, the band opened up their collaborative process and pushed themselves to go against their first instincts at every turn. It's a reinvention of sorts -- both musically and personally and an evolution of the band, while also retaining the sweeping, melodic, and anthemic sounds for which Manchester Orchestra has become known.
Listen to "The Alien" on Spotify | Apple Music Listen to "The Gold" on Spotify | Apple Music
Manchester Orchestra U.S. Tour:
07/26 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Forever Masonic Lodge
07/28 - Nashville, TN @ Grimey's
09/05 - Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
09/06 - Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Theatre
09/08 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues
09/10 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
09/12 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
09/13 - San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
09/14 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo
09/15 - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
09/16 - San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
09/18 - Portland, OR @ McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
09-19 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox
09/21 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
09/22 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
09/23 - Kansas City, MO @ The Crossroads
09/24 - Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall
09/26 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
09/27 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
09/29 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5
09/30 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
10/01 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
10/03 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
10/04 - Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
10/05 - Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
10/06 - Columbia, SC @ The Music Farm
10/07 - Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
10/21 - Manchester, England @ Academy 2
10/22 - Glasgow, Scotland @ The Garage
10/23 - Leeds, England @ The Church
10/24 - Birmingham, England @ O2 Institute
10/26 - London, England @ Shepherd's Bush Empire
10/27 - Brighton, England @ Concorde 2
10/28 - Bristol, England @ SWX
10/30 - Cologne, Germany @ Gebaude 9
10/31 - Paris, France @ Les Etoiles
11/01 - Brussels, Belgium @ VK
11/02 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Melkweg
11/03 - Berlin, Germany @ Franz
11/04 - Hamburg, Germany @ Molotow
Follow Manchester Orchestra on Facebook | Twitter | Youtube
Dan Victor is editor in chief of Popdust and producer of Popdust Presents. He is also a music producer, bassist for Low Profile (live hip hop) & The Coldpress (indie rap) and front-man for Ductape Halo (indie rock). Follow on Youtube.