I've just always been truly, 100% enamored with I've Got A Virgin. Intro to my personal listening history, top 15 album or so, all that jazz. This is one of the very few times I sorta fell off with a band when they didn't just repeat the last album (I know, I know). Cope, oddly enough, was the one that got me back on board with them at all, then slowly but surely Simple Math presented its very subtle beauties, and now finally I'm back to METN, and yeah, I just needed a ton of time to remove myself from my biases.
"Shake It Out" is really fucking good wow. What an effective fucking prechorus, and then the valley in the bridge right before the gargantuan final chorus is so beautifully serene. They couldn't have picked a better riff to anchor half of a song this magnitude. So simple but undeniable.
I definitely just think I heard "I've Got Friends" when this initially came out and just got spooked af. I must've just heard even the tiniest idea of a bleep or a bloop and ran the fuck away
Like jesus, 17-year-old me, at least let the song get to the first chorus before you write off the album altogether.
I just find it so funny, because as it is now, I couldn't be anything less than very excited at the idea of a band changing their sound/evolving/pivoting/whatever you wanna call it, but man, I was a little musical conservative shithead back then, haha. Just constant screams of the phrase 'more of the same!' to nobody in particular.
This is a long fucking album. I never really realized that. 6 songs clocking in at around 5 minutes. I dig it though. Seems like on the heels of ILAVLAC they maybe felt more inclined to let things lay back and breathe a little bit. Bask in some slow burns. Which they had done up until this point and afterwards as well, but I feel like it happens in highest frequency on this record. It's not jammy either. Thank god. They're just overly atmospheric on this record. "Pride" is a perfect example of that. They take their fucking time on this song's universe, but man, when it boils over however long in, you're perfectly whelmed and happy they did.
Speaking of "Pride," the song (and actually a handful of this record, now that I'm thinking about it) takes some lovely detours into southern rock that I wouldn't mind the band returning to at some point. Those just filthy downtuned licks at the end there? Gah, so visceral and I want more.
If Nirvana would've continued on, I'd like to think they would've eventually written "In My Teeth." Which I mean as a total compliment to ManOrch. This song just feels seminal. It's not the most technically impressive track on the album, but something about it just fucking demands attention, haha. Sorry, I'm high and enthusiastic about this record all of a sudden. I should probably preface all my thread appearances with this: I have started to just real-time post my album listenings. If that annoys anyone, just let me know and I'll stop, haha. I've found it really helps me appreciate the music on a more comprehensive level. Makes me pay deeper attention.
i for one love it. i totally agree with what youve said. the dirtier, aggressive sound theyve always kind of played with was perfected here, and the atmosphere and slow builds make those moments all the more rewarding.
Yep, totally. It's definitely a record that pays off. Delayed gratification. And thank you! I've been trying to be more insightful about my listening lately, so hopefully what I discover is new to some of you as well! People helping people and all that jazz
In my teeth was originally called "I know this song sounds like nirvana and we don't care" or something Pride is my favorite song by manch
Love this band a ton, it's only after I've been away from them for a while do I truly appreciate their greatness
I remember feeling this way. Pretentious early-teens me couldn't stand the idea of "R2-D2 sounds in my rock music." Direct quote. :/
oh god yes, that's definitely what makes this my fav MO record. i would kill for them to go back to the dirty south
I consider METN a "masterpiece" if you will as far as albums made by bands coming out of the top genres represented on this site. Such a quality release from start to finish.
I saw his tweet the other day about making "weird/pretty noises with Julien" and I got excited cause I thought it'd be Baker. Then I thought it wasn't a realistic idea and figured he meant someone else... Very glad to be wrong.