Simple Math

iTunes Review

Manchester Orchestra’s frontman Andy Hull has stated that the band’s third studio long-player Simple Math is a conceptual album, but his inward lyrics serve more as a memoir of the singer’s 23 years on planet Earth, where he questions how his life fits in with the concepts of love, marriage, sex, and religion. The subdued opener “Deer” pulses under delicately picked electric guitar as Hull’s wistful voice laments on how poorly he’s treated people. Gears immediately shift with the sludgy rock of “Mighty” as Hull admits his own stubbornness and fear of solitude while pining for a purpose and a post-jaded outlook. The instantly infectious “Pensacola” fuses ‘80s new wave with Death Cab For Cutie’s commercially accessible indie-rock where sunny melodies are contrasted with Hull’s fears. “April Fool” similarly rubs catchy power-pop against the grain of Hull’s uncertainty and self-doubting his roll as rock star. The album’s slow-burning title-track stands out with an elegant arrangement of synths and strings.