Category Archives: andy hull

She once belonged to us

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For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn.

-Ernest Hemingway


In the 1920s, Ernest Hemingway’s friends and colleagues bet him that he couldn’t write a COMPLETE story in just six words. As you can read above, they had to pay up. Hemingway considers it his best work.


I’m sure that this isn’t what the song “Baby Shoes” by the group Bad Books is about… but maybe you could be persuaded?


Click to play Bad Books – Baby Shoes


Bad Books is a band/project that joined friends singer/songwriter Kevin Devine with Andy Hull and his band Manchester Orchestra. I had first heard about the project while talking with Kevin Devine before his show at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas.


I’m still waiting for this album to ship on vinyl, but I have had the MP3’s for a few weeks now. It’s the best sort of mash-up. Two of my great bands getting together and make something new and fresh.


I found a statement about the “story” of the song “Baby Shoes” from Andy Hull. During a studio session with 104.5, a Philadelphia radio station, he said this:

“It’s a fictitious story (…) if it was me, say I’m the character. I have a kid and the kid dies and then I give the kid to Satan and Satan brings it back to life. But it’s an apocalyptic baby so it tries to kill me and so I try and kill it and that lands me in prison and her out on the loose.”

Bad Books



That dude is so hilarious, isn’t he?


Have you heard about this concert in Atlanta the day before Thanksgiving? It’s called The Stuffing.


I beg you…whoever is in charge. I hate Thanksgiving. Family get-togethers give me the worst kind of fear and anxiety. Please…send me free tickets to cover The Stuffing… I’ll have no choice but to go. It’s work…can’t get out of it. My family would have no choice but to understand. No grinding my teeth while anguishing over dry turkey and awkward conversations. Maybe… finally, I can have a Thanksgiving that is memorable in a good way.


Full line-up for The Stuffing:
Manchester Orchestra
Dead Confederate
Bad Books
Kevin Devine
Death On Two Wheels
O’Brother
Gobotron
Stadiums
Harrison Hudson
All Get Out


Check out the first official video from the band Bad Books:



Jesus is coming, better act our age

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I guess it’s true you never knew the passive power of the truth.

The Manchester Orchestra has recorded an epic album. An “I guess that’s the last in-store acoustic performance” album. A “28-month-long world tour” album, and a “too bad your favorite band is no longer a secret” tour. They are quite possibly the most talented musicians the music industry has ever seen. That’s a big statement, and I don’t make it carelessly.

Even Rainn Wilson knows they’re going to be as famous as any arena band you can think of. He twittered so (wull… kind of):

Mean Everything to Nothing is their second full-length album. We covered their recent EP here. This entire piece of work brings the layering of vocals, guitars, keyboarding and skins to epic heights. Andy Hull’s promise that this album would be aggressive has been delivered. That was my impression of some of these tracks as they were previewed right around this time last year on tour. As I listen, I am perplexed by what additional instruments I am hearing. This is an amazing congruence of sound. Actually, that is just the genius that is Chris Freeman on keyboards.

“And Chris doesn’t really play keys, it’s more like lead guitar. Most of the moments that sound like a crazy guitar are actually keyboard. He really made the record his own by writing ambient swells, piercing tones, and adding chunky, beefy distortion.” — themanchesterorchestra.com

“I am not ok, and there’s a beauty in that– a calming, a forgiveness.” The album takes us on a journey of self-awareness and acceptance, but even without listening to the earnest vocals and their meanings, you still have one of the strongest rock albums that exists.
Track 5, “In My Teeth”, repeats the snarky phrase featured this blog post’s title (so timely, too…) Hull shares very plainly the intellectual struggle that the faithful possess. Did we ever really need it anyway? Will we ever find out?

[Download The Manchester Orchestra – In My Teeth]

You will notice that in the first half, the songs bleed together seamlessly as leader Andy Hull demonstrates his struggles with angst and anger. I bet you did what you did when you did just to tell every friend that you have that the Lord did it.

What I feel and hear in Track 6, “100 Dollars” is the acceptance that I am going to mess up and do dumb things, I am going to totally lose my shit in front of the ones I love, and… I am going to recover from that and forgive myself, and move on to find my place and purpose in life. From this point in the album, this mystery – our purpose – begins to slowly unfold and reveal itself, and then switch gears and remind us that it’s still a mystery that just might remain intangible. Listen to Track 7, “I Can Feel A Hot One” – which you may have heard before, but now in the context of this life journey called Mean Everything To Nothing, understand it as the awakening and the turning point of becoming a self-aware adult.

[Download The Manchester Orchestra – I Can Feel A Hot One]

Back to that 11-part concept video, it’s true. A video to go along with each of the tracks on the album. Watch part one here (it is, obviously, the video for Track 1 – “The Only One.”

Manchester Orchestra – The Only One

If you want more videos, someone wrote a great blog post about another video in the series, Shake It Out.

And He whispered ‘fear is logical’

In keeping with the idea that this is an album to go down with all the greats in recent decades, at the end of the album there is a hidden track. A stripped down, quiet track that gives us an end to the journey, still at peace with the fact that we may not know exactly where we went, or why.

Chances are slim we are right
But I’d never think it any otherwise
So we’ll find the answers in time
When the bodies pile up sky high

If I am willing to travel to South Carolina, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Las Vegas to see The Manchester Orchestra, you know damn well I will be first in line to purchase this album when it comes out on April 21, despite the fact that I already have an advance copy. Are you going to be with me?

You don’t know, you think you know

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You had her all wrapped up in a neat and tidy package… One that you would never open. You thought you knew, but you didn’t know.

You didn’t know that she eats dark choc-o-late and reads dirty magazines.
And it was even news to her that you could kill her with a kiss.

She had no idea how badly she’d need to try to step into your open arms, and she had no forethought about demanding a kiss.

She broke a few rules.


[Harrison Hudson – Kill Her With A Kiss]

This is the only picture of Harrison Hudson I’ve ever seen, so I was taken aback when I heard the tunes on their debut album Blood, Sweat and Sweat. It’s like I am hearing a more approachable, more fun-loving, but just as hard-rocking, Chris Robinson.

Pictured here is the frontman for the three-piece band that bears his namesake. Hudson is backed by Brandon Dees on bass and Steven Kadar on drums, who are talented enough to sound like a quintet. They really embody the southern rock sound. And of course the genius that are Andy Hull and Jeremiah Edmond signed them to Favorite Gentlemen. I am entranced by the sound and the lyrics. I can’t be more eloquent than that.

I even love that they managed to make a word like “Californ-I-ain’t” sound cool, as demonstrated in Track 4, “California Girl”.

Ah, that’s a better picture. I am going to become a groupie. I am in love with these guys. I need my saving grace; I keep fallin’ into love with every pretty face I see…

Probably the song on the album that is strong enough to go toe-to-toe with any of history’s greatest southern hits would be track 6, “Clown”. Oh please be my guest and enjoy. ENJOY!

Oh, I gave you my heart and you took it like a common meal…


[Harrison Hudson – Clown]

Go to their website and copy the embed code for the widget below to help promote them and bring GOOD MUSIC to the masses:

And then support the bands we love, along with our favorite label in the universe, by visiting the Favorite Gentlemen store.

And just for the hell of it, play Blood, Sweat and Sweat (by the way, could you get a better name for a good strong rock and roll album coming out of Tennessee?) side by side with the Black Crowes. Do it. I dare ya.

The dirtier the sound the best I breathe

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The Manchester Orchestra has friends. Good God do they have friends. I’ve never felt that I could come anywhere near writing a decent blog post about this amazing band from Georgia, but the premier release from their upcoming Mean Everything to Nothing album moved me like no other recorded track of theirs ever has.

[The Manchester Orchestra- I’ve Got Friends]

Mookie and I discovered them together when we were researching the bands that were sharing the bill on Brand New’s tour back in early 07. When I found their website, my exact words were, “this is the most independent indie band” or something to that effect. We’ve been able to experience them live several times in a handful of cities since then and each performance has been an event we’ll never forget.

In the last few years, members of The Manchester Orchestra have managed to start their own label (speaking of having friends, they sign and work with only bands who are friends – TALENTED friends), tour with incredible bands, perform at prestigious music festivals, inspire new artists, oh… and arrive at legal age.

Regarding this period of time since the band formed, they say it’s been “an absolute whirlwind of experience and life lessons most people wouldn’t learn until they are 30.”

A few of us here have experienced more pain and loss, but also more joy and miracles, than anyone should by the time they are 30. And we still manage to be turned inside out by the music and lyrics of The Manchester Orchestra.

Look, I don’t know what the fuck this particular song is about, but it gets me. It just kills me. They know how to perform the slow, smoldering build. All elements of the sound deliver to you the heart, soul, blood, and sweat of all its contributors.

Andy Hull has used lyrics inspired by odd dreams, by confusion or confirmation of a relationship with God, and everything in between. For me personally, it gives a voice to everything that has run through my head recently and lays out a mise en place for all of the people we have in our lives and the purpose they serve, whether altruistic or selfish. And it helps me distill all of the bullshit down to the most important and compelling reasons to go forward, to breathe, to strengthen your dedication to your priorities.

If that didn’t make any sense then tough for you. It makes just as much sense as the lyrics of the song.

To lighten the mood let me confess that the first time I ever sat behind the drum kit for Guitar Hero World Tour, I channeled Manchester’s Jeremiah Edmond, of all the great drummers there ever were. It’s true.

The Manchester Orchestra is hands down one of the greatest things to happen to music. That’s all there is to say. No other witty uberblogger music expert bullshit.
The new album hits April 21. I will remind you.

The smoke that rises separate from the fire

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Is this all you ever wanted
is this all you’ll ever need
Don’t you know I’m not a martyr
but you’re making me bleed

This song belongs on the radio. But I’m not going to start another diatribe on that. Besides, it’s only a matter of moments before the day arrives that saying something belongs on the radio is taken as an insult. Just look at what passes for popular music. I wouldn’t want my paid advertising butting up against a lame BuckCherry or Hoobastank track either. No wonder Clear Channel laid off over 1000 employees this week.

The boys at Winston Audio seem to agree with me. So I will take back what I said about getting this song on the radio. Just now, Dan D made a comment to me about how he’d rather have people hear about music from somewhere other than a “homogenous radio station that overplays everything.” I didn’t even expect to get a quote like that in my blog post today. What a roll I’ve been on lately with the way my posts have been fluently spilling out and fluidly syncing with life’s happenstances. (Unfortunately the painkillers that life’s happenstances have forced me to be on today may have ended my fluency streak. Sorry, lovelies.)

Not that it’s all about me; although their upcoming album, The Red Rhythm, does have a track called Hey Ann… But, I’ve spent some time wondering who could ever produce the strong sound Sparta delivered and I’ve been a little lost since their disbanding. Listening to The Red Rhythm reminds me not only of how I would feel listening to Porcelain or Threes, but it also has the strength in sound and build that Soundgarden had. I really tried hard to refrain from making the comparison that I assume-and I’m not even going to run a google search to verify-everyone else has made between Soundgarden and Winston Audio. But since I did, I will say that lead singer Dan DeWitt’s voice is just as strong if not stronger than Cornell’s. It’s a sound like this that makes me all warm inside. Take a listen to “Martyr.”

[Winston Audio – Martyr]

Despite Dan’s claim that he reserves his rage for the road, there is definitely a strong emotional charge coming through in these tracks. Track three, Keeping it Down, has a sound that reminds me of Eddie Vedder’s passion. Vedder, by the way, is one of the artists the band says they’d love to collaborate with. Good choice my friends. Speaking of collaboration, Favorite Gentlemen label head Andy Hull lends his voice to the track. Check out a live video of the song:

So what’s with the name? You’re going to love this: think of the way that smoke curls from the end of a cigarette (such as a Winston.) Just as the smoke constantly changes, twisting, turning, and then becoming part of the air… Winston Audio sees music in the same way. The music on this upcoming release, which is the band’s first LP, gets progressively stronger as each track plays. This is a fabulous album to set the tone for 2009. It’s so real, and soulful, and it flows well.

Winston Audio The Red Rhythm comes out February 10. This is one worth a visit to the record store, so mark it on your calendar. In the meantime, watch the label’s site for tour dates and more info on the band.

walk off my drink…

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From the blog dated September 23, 2008:

Manchester Orchestra’s very own lead singer Andy Hull is proud to announce the release of his second installment in the Right Away, Great Captain! series. For those unaware, Andy took us on an intense and emotionally rattling 15 songs with “The Bitter End” and now his 17th century protagonist has returned. After the crushing blow in losing his captain he has once again lifted his head and this time he is heading home… To Kill His Wife…

Stay tuned: November 11th will see “The Eventually Home” released both digitally and in indie music retail outlets around the country on Favorite Gentlemen Recordings.

I’m planning on reviewing the album fully once it’s released…but I couldn’t help to tease it.

Enjoy!


[Download RA,GC! – Anna No]