Performer Notes

Personnel: Andy Hull (vocals, guitar, guitars, keyboards); Chris Freeman (vocals, keyboards, percussion); Jonathan Corley (vocals, bass instrument); Jeremiah Edmond (vocals, drums, percussion); Mary Alice Hull (vocals, hand claps); Erica Froman (vocals); Dan Hannon (guitar, guitars, keyboards); Robert McDowell (guitar, background vocals); Oliver Kraus (violin, cello); Christopher Freeman (keyboards, percussion, background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Joe Chiccarelli.
Recording information: 09/2008-11/2008.
Author: Woody Allen.
Photographer: James Minchin.
Not from Manchester, England, or an actual orchestra, the Atlanta-based ensemble Manchester Orchestra is an indie-rock act fronted by earnest singer/guitarist Andy Hull. At times sounding like a young Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Hull leads his band with restless, dynamic songs that range from the surging "Shake It Out" to the pensive "One Hundred Dollars" on this 2009 outing.

Professional Reviews

Alternative Press (p.109) - "MEAN EVERYTHING TO NOTHING is deceptively complex and overtly Southern, giving the impression of a straight-ahead rock album, but riding countless dynamic shifts, instrumentation changes and separate song movements."

Kerrang (Magazine) (p.54) - "It all comes to a thrilling climax with final song 'The River,' which builds and breaks, shudders and shakes, before descending into a desperate plea for redemption and change..."

Blender (Magazine) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Andy Hull has figured out how to balance his emo wails about God with less-than-holy references to darkness and addition."