Manchester Orchestra, The Million Masks of God | Album Review 💿

Atlanta, Georgia alt rock band Manchester Orchestra deliver one of the most accomplished albums of 2021 with The Million Masks of God.

Believe it or not, 🎙 Manchester Orchestra hadn’t previously earned an album review on The Musical Hype.  A travesty! Prior to this review of their sixth studio album, 💿 The Million Masks of God, we’d only reviewed one track by the alternative rock band from Atlanta, Georgia: 🎵 “No Hard Feelings”.  So, how did this review materialize? During the run of their 2017 album, 💿 A Black Mile to the Surface, a number of songs appeared on music lists on the site, hence, prompting my fandom and coverage of the band.  I can safely say, listening to the conceptual The Million Masks of God, which tackles life and death consistently, it’s one of the most accomplished albums of 2021, period.

“Inaudible”

“You’re inaudible / Thrown away like an audible / Wheel you down to the old folks’ home.” Manchester Orchestra commences The Million Masks of God superbly with ✅ 🎵 “Inaudible,” which encompasses a father nearing the end of his life, the back and forth he has with his child, and discussing the inevitable, death. “‘Afterlife? Some wasted light’ / And the notion you’ll never be free,” front man 🎙 Andy Hull sings, continuing, “So, spend all your time on money / ‘Cause money is the only thing you need.”  Definitely a fantastic opener.

Things remain on the up-and-up with ✅ 🎵 “Angel of Death,” a nearly six-minute record that continues to the conceptual nature of the album.  The music sounds utterly awesome with the robust bass, ripe guitars, and of course, beautiful and commanding vocals by Andy Hull. “I was told it wouldn’t be long / ‘Life’s a basket full of cravings’,” he sings on the second verse, as mortality continues to drive the narrative.  On the epic, powerful chorus, he asserts, “I’m on fire / And the guilt’s doing all of the thinking / I’m alive / But it isn’t the same as before.” 

“Thunder inside my head, it’s rolling.” Woo – that certainly would be quite disturbing! Musically, Manchester Orchestra keep a great thing going on ✅ 🎵 “Keel Timing.” As the excerpted lyric suggests, the record seems to address mental health, at least to some extent. Per the band’s Instagram:

“Keel Timing” serves as a prequel to “Bed Head.” It’s an isolated internal investigation about personal growth. Trying to decide what growth is positive and what growth is negative. And where do we land after that investigation.

That’s definitely deep and listening to “Keel Timing,” you can tell it’s a cerebral cut.  Even so, the quick pace and ample energy from the band makes it quite enjoyable and overall, quite accessible.

“Bed Head” 

Manchester Orchestra keeps things roaring early on with fourth track and advance single, ✅ 🎵 “Bed Head.” Once more, death plays a key role, appearing explicitly on the first line of the first verse, as well as through related lyrics.  Even with references to ghosts throughout, this death doesn’t seem literal…or as literal. Here, there seems to be a struggle to move on beyond the past and live in the present. “Oh, my God,” Hull sings on the terrific chorus, “Let me relinquish and start to distinguish the past, and my time.”

On 🎵 “Annie,” the lyrics suggests that a relationship has gone awry at some point: “I thought this time I might just walk away from you.”  There are no specific characters, but the songwriting continues to be thoughtfully-penned – incredibly poetic.  One of the best lines appears at the end of the first verse:

“You gave me a list, said, ‘Now, baby, you choose’
But it wasn’t engraved, it felt more like a bruise.”

Brilliant! Interestingly, there are a number of spiritual references, as well as the first reference to the album’s title near the end (“I’ve been trying to replicate the mask of God”).  🎵 “Telepath,” marks the briefest record on The Million Masks of God, clocking in at just two-and-a-half-minutes.  Even so, Manchester Orchestra continues to deliver their best, masterfully blending acoustic and electric instrumentation, strings, and expressive, heartfelt vocals from Andy Hull. Love, and enduring dedication is big theme here, as Hull proclaims, “You’re the one I wanted, want now, want when I am old.”

“Let It Storm”

Songwriting and moving lyrics continue to be huge on The Million Masks of God.  🎵 “Let It Storm” definitely has its fair share of lyrical gems, particularly the chorus where an overt, faith-driven Hull sings, “So, let it touch me / And let it storm.”  Of course, that’s just one of multiple instances where the audience gets a glimpse into Hull’s beliefs.  One of the best examples of elite penmanship:

“When the guilt’s got you strapped to your bed
Gnashing teeth while you bargain your debt
You just can't get it out of your head
Call it holy.”

A personal favorite follows in ✅ 🎵 “Dinosaur.” Here, Manchester Orchestra begin rather enigmatic, opting for restraint and poise as opposed to full-blown, ‘hits your chest’ rock.  No worries though, because “Dinosaur” eventually reaches an epic fever pitch, with Hull digging deep for his grittiest vocals of the album on the bridge (“Over and over”).  Besides the gargantuan bridge, the chorus is quite delightful, continuing the reflective, thought-provoking vibes of everything that precedes it.  Oh, and by the way, it is reprised from “Keel Timing.” Very interesting! According to an interview with Bernard Zuel, the song was written about Hull’s son.

“Obstacle”

Similarly, another compelling moment from The Million Masks of God, ✅ 🎵 “Obstacle,” as also written about Hull’s son. He tells Zuel:

“Obstacle” … was written the night before he was born. He was my ‘obstacle’: I didn’t know who this person was going to be, but I need he had an appointment, and he would show up.

It makes sense knowing that background, considering Hull sings, “Waiting on my obstacle” on the first verse, as well as the variant, “Waiting on your obstacle” on the second.  The bridge is definitely the crème de la crème as far as songwriting is concerned.

Penultimate record 🎵 “Way Back” continues the sheer excellence of The Million Masks of God.  The production is marvelous, built on a more on kinder, gentler sound initially.  Gradually, we hear Hull hint towards a bigger sound, which eventually comes to fruition on the second chorus and a portion of the outro. 🎵 “The Internet,” the second lengthiest number concludes the album.  All of the characteristics that have made the album successful prior continue here. There’s a sense of restraint and poise early on, before the heaviness arrives in timely fashion, keeping things fresh.  The heaviness doesn’t last, with an interlude adding an air of mysteriousness, and Hull closing the song out with a robustly-voice, hella expressive outro (“And all this time / I thought it was right”).

Final Thoughts 💭

So, how does The Million Masks of God stack up? Ultimately, Manchester Orchestra doesn’t disappoint in the least.  The southern alternative rock band continues to deliver awesome music that truly makes you think and analyze it.  The Million Masks of God isn’t necessarily a challenging listening itself, though if you seek to understand some themes and concepts, decoding it adds an additional layer of complexity.  All said and done, there isn’t a bad song to be found with most of the non-gems being equal to the gems. Andy Hull and company deliver one of the best albums of 2021. 

✅ Gems 💎: “Inaudible,” “Angel of Death,” “Keel Timing,” “Bed Head,” “Dinosaur” & “Obstacle”

🎙 Manchester Orchestra • 💿 The Million Masks of God • 🏷 Loma Vista • 🗓 4.30.21

[📷: Loma Vista]