A Black Mile to the Surface

Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface
Critic Score
Based on 22 reviews
2017 Ratings: #296 / 940
User Score
Based on 300 ratings
2017 Rank: #150
Liked by 33 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
Kerrang!
This is a painstakingly composed work of art--and an absolute masterpiece at that.
96
Sputnikmusic

A Black Mile to the Surface digs down into the mineshaft and finds that its deepest veins of gold and diamond were always just the most mundane, simple things.

90
AllMusic

Rather than separate any of these disparate sounds this time out, on A Black Mile to the Surface they offer a modicum of all three, shifting from intensely played, post-hardcore-influenced rock to ruminative acoustic balladry and layered soundscapes, often within the same song.

90
God Is in the TV
Atlantean indie-rock stalwarts Manchester Orchestra follow up 2014’s COPE with a rebirth of sorts, as singer/lyricist Andy Hull comes to terms with parenthood, which ultimately leaves them sounding very much like Manchester Orchestra, albeit an upgraded version.
90
Alternative Press
One of modern rock’s most consistently great bands just raised the bar again.
90
Exclaim!

There's no song on Black Mile like "Wolves at Night" or "April Fool," the kind of high-energy howler fit for an EA Sports game, but their efforts have paid off with an artistic triumph, the kind worth regarding as a creative masterwork among their collection.

90
The Line of Best Fit

Every aspect of A Black Mile to the Surface is ambitious and rarely, if ever, does it falter.

84
GIGsoup
By no means is ‘A Black Mile to the Surface’ stuffed with the hooks, hits and relative immediacy of Manchester Orchestra‘s previous efforts, far from it in fact. Instead, it manages to captivate and surprise without those easy wins, challenging themselves and us, and ultimately coming out victorious.
80
PopMatters

A Black Mile to the Surface may get knocked for being a downer, an almost self-conscious one. But for all the melodrama, there’s plenty of smart arrangements and well-crafted musical ideas that give the album plenty of gravitas.

80
Drowned in Sound
It’s a new high-water mark for the band, and one well worth the pain to reach.
77
Paste
It may not be a no-hitter (nothing here is as immediately visceral as, say, “Shake It Off” or as instantly gorgeous as “Simple Math,” perhaps), but the band still looks and sounds strong. There’s no need to send Manchester Orchestra down to the minors yet.
70
The 405

A Black Mile to the Surface is not ultimately the kind of cohesive and singularly classic album that Manchester Orchestra has shown the ability to create. However, the bold new steps Andy Hull and company take on it seem likely to be the building blocks upon which they build their next classic.

70
Classic Rock
They’re on more familiar ground, with an emotional take on alternative indie rock inspired by the frontman’s new experiences in fatherhood.
70
Pitchfork

Manchester Orchestra’s new album is their most confounding and thrilling work yet, with the most grandiose narrative concepts, production, and arrangements of their career.

60
DIY

The band balance loud and quiet better than ever on LP5, with the one-two of ‘The Maze’ and first single ‘The Gold’ that opens the record the perfect example.

60
The Guardian
Rather than creating lofty Sigur Rós soundscapes or Trent Reznor-like industrial atmospherics, their fifth LP is full of hearty, outdoorsy Americana. While there are oddball lyrical themes throughout, it orbits a grownup indie rock world.
60
Q Magazine

If Manchester Orchestra are guilty of being a tad too serene elsewhere, it must also be noted that sounding beautiful is a good problem to have.

50
No Ripcord

For a band where constructing songs into rocket-fueled crescendos is their biggest strength, too often does A Black Mile to the Surface fail to take advantage of any momentum it builds, often taking the wrong fork on an ascent to a splendid finale.

50
A.V. Club

That A Black Mile To The Surface lacks so much personality is both a disappointment and a surprise.

MaceBlade42
100

I've been wanting to write this review for a while. I don't know if I'll be able to write everything I want, but I think I can cover a lot. I've been listening to this album on repeat for the past few months and I truly believe this is one of the best pieces of music ever.

I never really listened to Manchester Orchestra (MO) often, except for "I Can Feel a Hot One", which I enjoy a lot. The band itself is inspired by creating music and stories with friends, sort of like an orchestra. ... read more

Velocirabbit43
86

I adore the sound of the past three projects of this band. Their earlier stuff is alright, but nothing compares to this in quality. Although I do GREATLY prefer Million Masks over this. A Black Mile to the Surface is a slightly less punchy version of what they created on the next release, though it does work to this album's favor in its own way as I feel like it has its own separate and unique charm and feel to it. Even though I feel like the melodies on this album are a little bit half baked, ... read more

VinylHound83
92

The Maze - 10/10
The Gold - 10/10
The Moth - 10/10
Lead, SD - 8/10
The Alien - 9/10
The Sunshine - 8/10
The Grocery - 9/10
The Wolf - 8/10
The Mistake - 9/10
The Parts - 10/10
The Silence - 10/10

Overall Rating: 101 out of 110 = 92%%

Overall Review: This isn't a "hits and singles" album. It's best described as as a journey. An album best consumed in one sitting from start to finish. Many of the songs herald bands like The Dear Hunter who take you on epic adventures in each track and ... read more

maviermavier
97

voir que ça peut être bon demême voyons dont

averyyyy
87

the transition from the alien to the sunshine is insane

blazznambertooo
75

This guy's voice reminds me of the dude from Fun.

But a pretty good album, I have a wonky relationship with many records from this group, but this one delivers some pretty good indie rock with a bit of a heartland vibe, folk vibe, and almost americana in some vocal performances like the opener.

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Track List

1The Maze
2:58
83
2The Gold
4:33
96
3The Moth
4:35
88
4Lead, SD
4:53
90
5The Alien
5:28
96
6The Sunshine
1:47
87
7The Grocery
5:12
94
8The Wolf
4:26
87
9The Mistake
3:54
84
10The Parts
4:12
68
11The Silence
6:59
91
Total Length: 48 minutes
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Added on: June 8, 2017