Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface (July 28, 2017) Album • Page 271

Simple Math is good

Just not one of their best

 

I've never gotten into Simple Math. I've always felt like Andy was trying too hard to sound interesting and different.

Quick example, the song Simple Math has the 'fractioned' line which sounds super lame and cheesy to me. Clearly everyone else is cool with it but I can't get past it as much as I try. Also the main melody feels like it's lifted from the guitar at the end of Shake It Out.

 

Ahh. The honeymoon could only last song long.

1. First point, yea the truth cannot be fraxtioned isn’t the most poetic line.. but I’ve seen way worse. As far as trying to sound interesting and different, I feel that these are some of his most personal and honest lyrics.

2. I’ve never noticed the vocal melody sounding like it’s ripped from that guitar line, but it’s probably coincidental at best. Must be a pretty great band of these are the things we are picking at.

 

Haha I saw one or two posts saying they don't get what's not to love so I thought I'd chime in. I'm sure the lyrics are personal, not trying to argue against that, but there are a decent number that make me cringe. And my comment was meant to be about the music overall, not just the lyrics. It doesn't quite feel organic or something, not sure how to describe it.

I actually meant that the guitar melody in SM sounds like the guitar line at the end of Shake It Out (the end of the instrumental jam, before the final 'shake it out' section). And I'm sure it's purely coincidental but it's all I can think of when I hear the song.

With this album, I feel like they tried to be different and it just didn't work for me. Black Mile feels like a similar attempt but much more successful. Again, just my opinion and clearly not in line with everyone else. Sorry for interrupting the love, will go back into hiding now

 

Simple Math (the song) is a top tier Manchester song for me. Haha ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Actually your opinion used to be the popular one, not sure what happened. It’s like that album clicked for everyone at the same time. Don’t go back into hiding! Was just sparking some good debate.

 

i think its honestly one of the worst songs they've ever written.

 

get out of here with that hot take

 

I love the builds and swells of the song, and when the orchestra parts hit hard with the drums I get chills, especially live. Have you heard it live?

 

Okay, but Deer is their best opener and I won’t hear otherwise

 

Simple Math live is unreal.

Funny story, last time I saw them some dude in front of me kept making a cross whenever they sang “the truth cannot be fractioned” lolol I don’t really have room to talk though, I’m sure I looked like a fool too.

 

Simple Math is my favorite Manchester Orchestra album. Don’t @ me.

 

I remember I had gotten sent a watermarked copy of SM a few weeks before it came out.

The watermark was heavy on the crescendo in Simple Math. So I really couldn’t even fully hear what was happening.

I was super pissed. Lol

 

This used to be my opinion until The Maze

 

simple math puts me to sleep. i loved the album when it came out but could never vibe with the song.

 

Remember when they played Virgin on Letterman? Anyone know why they cut out the first verse? I always thought that was so weird.

 

Time, song pacing, and the fact they had the choir up there ready to go not wanting them to stand around for very long.


I assume.

 

Maybe also because the only part of the song that's good is the second verse.


/hot take

 

virgin was so good when it came out but didn't age well at all

 

The Maze may well be my favourite Manchester Orchestra song at this point. I love it.

Deer was their best opener until The Maze though.

 

I think it still holds up, but maybe I have rose-tinted glasses on...

 

I think it holds up as well.. but yea the second verse is great

 

i was a total simple math stan forever but i hardly go back to it anymore.

 

The album Simple Math reminds me of in a baseball game with the bases loaded and the crowd going crazy on their feet and the pitch comes and it looks crushable and the batter absolutely swings for the fences with all of their heart and soul and might pouring from their body out through the bat looking for that grand slam and they get a really great hit for a solid triple that scores a bunch of runs.

 

Oh fudge