Coming on the heels of their fourth studio album, 2014's
Cope, the Atlanta, Georgia-based outfit
Manchester Orchestra deliver
Hope. A companion album to
Cope,
Hope features stripped-down, largely acoustic reworkings of the songs from
Cope. Included here are such songs as "Top Notch," "Girl Harbor," and "Every Stone." Primarily known for their deeply intense, cathartic, indie rock sound,
Manchester Orchestra wanted to offer a more intimate and emotionally resonant experience to
Manchester Orchestra's fans. While there are electric flourishes throughout
Hope, most of the tracks here showcase lead singer/guitarist
Andy Hull's yearning vocals framed in warm acoustic guitar, piano, and percussion. Ironically,
Manchester Orchestra intended
Cope as an even more intense, grayscale return to their early punk rock-influenced sound. Consequently,
Hope works in perfect counterpoint to its darker, harsher predecessor. And certainly, while
Hull has a knack for crafting blistering emo-epics, at the core of many of his songs there is a melodic lyricism and tender emotionality that lends itself to just the kind of delicate treatment achieved on
Hope. Ultimately, if
Cope displayed the group's hard-won maturity as a journeyman rock band, then
Hope reveals the depths of that maturity. ~ Matt Collar
