Manchester Orchestra – Hope
Review by Daisy Marietta
Hope was just released on 9/16, a re-imagination of sorts of the recently released Cope. I don’t think many were expecting such a sudden change in tone of this album. Where Cope was dubbed being “black and red” (loud and harsh), Hope is soft and warm. This is exactly what I was expecting from the release of Cope several months ago. Don’t get me wrong, I wrote about how much I loved Cope, and it was true.
Hope stays true to Manchester Orchestra’s main elements. You can hear the sensual sadness in Andy Hull’s voice, something that long-time fans have come to build a love-hate relationship with. This album gets low and deep into your soul in a way you’ll find yourself craving. “I’ve been waiting for this, I wanted this,” you may think to myself as emotions overtake you.
With everything slowed down, you take more time to really listen to the lyrics and hear the meaning behind things. There were so many elements that slipped by unnoticed previously, that didn’t slip by this time. Whereas Cope was protecting the hurt and emotions behind the more aggressive elements, Hope is saying, “Come in, feel my pain,” simultaneously with, “Let me in, let me in…” and you will.
Every song is its own story that fits together into a beautiful puzzle. In “The Ocean” you hear the story of a struggle, while in “All That I Really Wanted” you can hear the frustration of a very forgiving man on the cusp of giving up. The spiritual meaning behind “See It Again” became clear to me after listening to it under these softer, more helpless circumstances.
Overall rating: 5/5 stars
Recommended tracks: “Top Notch,” “Every Stone,” and “See It Again”
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