A Black Mile to the Surface

Last updated

A Black Mile to the Surface
Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 21, 2017 (2017-07-21)
Studio
  • Echo Mountain Recording
  • Elmwood West
  • Favorite Gentlemen
  • The Village [1]
Genre
Length49:07
Label
Producer Catherine Marks
Manchester Orchestra chronology
Hope
(2014)
A Black Mile to the Surface
(2017)
The Million Masks of God
(2021)
Singles from
A Black Mile to the Surface
  1. "The Gold"
    Released: June 9, 2017
  2. "The Alien"
    Released: June 22, 2017
  3. "The Moth"
    Released: July 10, 2017

A Black Mile to the Surface is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. It was released on July 21, 2017, through Loma Vista Recordings and Favorite Gentlemen. Recording for the album took place from the summer of 2016 onwards with producer Catherine Marks. The lead single, "The Gold", was released on June 9, 2017, alongside a music video directed by Mike Dempsey and Johnny Chew. Two more singles, "The Alien" and "The Moth", were released later in the summer.

Contents

Inspired by their work on the soundtrack for the 2016 film Swiss Army Man , band members Andy Hull and Robert McDowell set out to create an album that was a reset from the band's previous studio albums Cope and Hope (both 2014). A Black Mile to the Surface is an alternative rock and Americana record, interweaving a concept album set in a South Dakota mining town with reflections on Hull's young daughter. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised Hull's storytelling and the album's cinematic stylings. Commercially, it performed well, debuting at number 33 on the US Billboard 200.

Background and production

In 2014, American indie rock band Manchester Orchestra released two companion albums, Cope and Hope . [2] Following the release of the two albums, keyboard player Chris Freeman departed the band, leaving vocalist Andy Hull and guitarist Robert McDowell the only original members. [3] In 2016, Hull and McDowell collaborated on the soundtrack for the film Swiss Army Man . [4] The experience of crafting an a cappella soundtrack inspired Manchester Orchestra's approach to their next album, with McDowell saying that it "flipped the reset switch" and inspired Manchester Orchestra to "make every little second interesting". [3]

The first three songs to be written for the album were "The Alien", "The Sunshine", and "The Grocery". Hull says, "[o]nce those were written and connected like that, we started to be like, 'Oh you know it'd be cool to do that for the whole thing and actually commit to it'". [5] Many of the songs were reworked over periods of several months, with Hull estimating that "The Moth" took about four and a half months to reach its final form. [6] Hull said that "The Maze" and "The Mistake" both took the longest to perfect, and that producer John Congleton came up with "one more push" that perfected those two tracks. [7]

Manchester Orchestra recorded A Black Mile to the Surface with "a small battery of well-known indie rock producers", among them Catherine Marks, John Congleton, and Jonathan Wilson, as well as longtime collaborator Dan Hannon. [8] The recording process began at Echo Mountain Recording in Asheville, North Carolina in the summer of 2016. [8] [9] Marks and Manchester Orchestra had begun collaborating over the phone several months prior, and after a week of pre-production, Marks described the two-week studio recording process as a "sonic discovery", during which she and the band experimented with ideas for how each song should sound. [10] Manchester Orchestra traveled to London with Marks for mixing, and Los Angeles for additional production with Congleton, before finishing production at their headquarters in Alpharetta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. [8] [11]

Composition and themes

A Black Mile to the Surface has been classified as indie rock, alternative rock, [12] and Americana, with comparisons to Fleet Foxes, [13] Band of Horses, [14] [15] and Mumford & Sons. [15] [16] It began life as a concept album set in the mining town of Lead, South Dakota, the home of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). [17] As the album developed, the South Dakota narrative began to interweave with Hull's complicated emotions about the birth of his daughter, and his associated feelings of life and death. [18] The opening track, "The Maze", was written a month after the birth of Hull's daughter. [19] While the first four tracks set "a light and dark theme", the narrative part of the record begins on "The Alien", which follows a boy from his childhood abuse into his adult life. [6]

Sonically, Hull and the rest of the band sought to divert from the "heavy, crunchy guitars" that marked other Manchester Orchestra releases. [20] Hull was influenced by the "minimalist aspect" of Alabama Shakes' 2015 record Sound & Color , as well as the bands Wilco and Radiohead. He challenged his bandmates to "[t]ry and do the opposite" of "whatever you're instinctively going to want to play". [8] Marks' vision for the album involved wanting every song to sound like a different room, "Like you could understand where you were in the room and identify where each particular sound was coming from." [21] This process involved physically recording in different rooms of the studios to utilize their different reverberations. [21] The penultimate track, "The Parts", for instance, was recorded in a studio's bathtub, due in part to a hangover from which Hull was suffering. [3]

Hull has said that the central theme of A Black Mile to the Surface is "family, and the circle of life, the significance and insignificance of yourself". The repeated motif of There's nothing I've got when I die that I keep, Hull explained, means: "When this life ends, all you can do is hopefully affect and influence what happens after you." [3] The title of the album derives from a line in "The Gold", selected by a friend of the band as he read through the lyrics. [7]

Release and promotion

Manchester Orchestra performing in support of A Black Mile to the Surface in 2017. Manchester Orchestra - September 24, 2017 @ Concord Music Hall.jpg
Manchester Orchestra performing in support of A Black Mile to the Surface in 2017.

Manchester Orchestra announced the name, track list, and cover art for A Black Mile to the Surface on June 9, 2017. The announcement was accompanied by the album's lead single, "The Gold", and a music video for the song, directed by Mike Dempsey and Johnny Chew. [22] The second single, "The Alien", was released 13 days later on NPR, with a video directed by Dempsey and the Daniels. [23] The final pre-album single, "The Moth", was released on July 10, 2017. [24] A Black Mile to the Surface was released on July 21, 2017, through Loma Vista Recordings and the band's own independent label Favorite Gentlemen. [12]

On June 12, 2017, only a few days after the album's announcement, Manchester Orchestra announced a fall 2017 headlining tour. [25] In July, they added support from Tigers Jaw and Foxing to the bill. [26] This was followed by a coheadlining tour with the Front Bottoms in November and December 2018, [27] and a winter 2019 tour with Oso Oso and Foxing to celebrate Manchester Orchestra's 10th anniversary of Mean Everything to Nothing . [28] On February 12, 2021, the band performed A Black Mile To The Surface: The Global Concert Film, a YouTube livestream of the album in its entirety recorded from Echo Mountain Recording studios. Hull described the concert film as "the perfect way to close the Black Mile chapter". [29]

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.6/10 [30]
Metacritic 79/100 [31]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [32]
Alternative Press Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [14]
The A.V. Club C [16]
Exclaim! 9/10 [33]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
The Irish Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [34]
Kerrang! 5/5 [35]
Pitchfork 7.0/10 [15]
PopMatters 8/10 [12]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [36]

A Black Mile to the Surface was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Review aggregator Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, gave the album an average score of 79, [31] while aggregator AnyDecentMusic? similarly bestowed an average of 7.6 out of 10. [30]

In a positive review for Alternative Press , Brian Shultz wrote that Manchester Orchestra "forge a newly lush, cinematic sound, unraveling detailed tales of characters with abstractly personal references", and highlighted the album's musicality: "Layers upon layers, from acoustic guitars to programmed beats, create a gorgeous and restrained, immersive landscape, culminating in beautifully serene moments like 'The Alien' and 'The Sunshine'." [14] Adam Feibel of Exclaim! praised the album's "sonic story arc — a story about love, marriage, fatherhood and life's constant way onward — complete with an introduction, rising action, climax and falling action that finally wind down to a conclusive, satisfying end". [33] PopMatters writer Chris Ingalls remarked that the album's sound "doesn't derive from the airtight punk influences of decades past; rather, there's an anthemic, widescreen feel to nearly every song [...] inviting comparisons to altruistic, mid-period U2, or even Coldplay". [12]

Other critics were less enthusiastic. Randall Colburn of The A.V. Club found that despite the band's stated intent to "strip back" their sound, "they seem to have gone in the opposite direction—with all the layering, samples, and shout-alongs, A Black Mile to the Surface is bombastic to the point of exhaustion". [16] Carl Purvis was also critical of the album in his review for No Ripcord, writing that, "For a band where constructing songs into rocket-fueled crescendos is their biggest strength, too often does A Black Mile to the Surface fail to take advantage of any momentum it builds, often taking the wrong fork on an ascent to a splendid finale." [37] Ian Cohen of Pitchfork , meanwhile, was critical of the album's storytelling elements, saying that the "more overtly personal material sits awkwardly among the familial drama that served as the original concept". [15]

Commercial performance

A Black Mile to the Surface debuted at number 33 on the US Billboard 200 chart. [38] The album also appeared on the US Top Alternative Albums and Top Rock Albums charts, peaking at numbers six and seven, respectively. [39] [40] In the United Kingdom, A Black Mile to the Surface peaked at number 93 on the UK Official Albums Chart and number 59 on the Scottish Albums Chart. [41] [42] Elsewhere, the album appeared on the Swiss Hitparade Albums Top 100 chart at number 73. [43]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Andy Hull

A Black Mile to the Surface standard track listing [1]
No.TitleLength
1."The Maze"2:58
2."The Gold"4:33
3."The Moth"4:35
4."Lead, SD"4:53
5."The Alien"5:28
6."The Sunshine"1:57
7."The Grocery"5:12
8."The Wolf"4:26
9."The Mistake"3:54
10."The Parts"4:12
11."The Silence"6:59
Total length:49:07

Personnel

Credits taken from A Black Mile to the Surface liner notes. [1]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for A Black Mile to the Surface
Chart (2017)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [42] 59
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [43] 73
UK Albums (OCC) [41] 93
US Billboard 200 [38] 33
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard) [39] 6
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [40] 7

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weezer</span> American rock band

Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo, Patrick Wilson, Brian Bell, and Scott Shriner. They have sold 10 million albums in the US and more than 35 million worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheap Trick</span> American rock band

Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. Their work bridged elements of '60s guitar pop, '70s hard rock, and the emerging punk rock sound, and would help set the template for subsequent power pop artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James (band)</span> English rock band

James are an English rock band from Manchester, formed in 1982. They achieved popularity during the 1990s, with four top-10 hits on the UK Singles Chart and nine top-10 placings on the UK Albums Chart. The band's best-known singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", "She's a Star" and "Laid". "Laid" also became a hit on American college radio. Following the departure of lead singer Tim Booth in 2001, the band became inactive, but members reunited in January 2007 and have since released a further seven albums. Live performance has continually remained a central part of the band's output. As of 2010, the band had sold more than 25 million albums worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skillet (band)</span> American rock band

Skillet is an American Christian rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1996. The band currently consists of husband and wife duo John Cooper and Korey Cooper along with Jen Ledger and Seth Morrison. The band has released twelve studio albums, two of which, Collide and Comatose, received Grammy nominations. Two of their albums, Comatose and Awake, are certified Platinum and Double Platinum respectively by the RIAA, while Rise and Unleashed are certified Gold as of June 29, 2020. Four of their songs, "Monster", "Hero", "Awake and Alive", and "Feel Invincible", are certified Multi-Platinum, while another three, "Whispers in the Dark", "Comatose", and "The Resistance" are certified Platinum, and another five, "Rebirthing", "Not Gonna Die", "The Last Night", "Legendary", and "Stars" are certified Gold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arctic Monkeys</span> English rock band

Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 2002. The group consists of lead singer Alex Turner, drummer Matt Helders, guitarist Jamie Cook and bassist Nick O'Malley; bassist and co-founder Andy Nicholson left the band in 2006.

<i>The Black Parade</i> 2006 studio album by My Chemical Romance

The Black Parade is the third studio album by American rock band My Chemical Romance, released in Europe on October 23, 2006, and the United States on October 24, 2006, by Reprise Records. It was produced by the band with Rob Cavallo, known for having produced several albums for the Goo Goo Dolls and Green Day. It is a rock opera and concept album centered on a dying man with cancer known as "The Patient". The album tells the story of his apparent death, experiences in the afterlife, and subsequent reflections on his life. It is the band's only studio album to feature Bob Bryar on drums before his departure in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchester Orchestra</span> American indie rock band

Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, that formed in 2004. The group's current line-up is composed of lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, bassist Andy Prince and drummer Tim Very. Hull is the band's only original member, having overseen every iteration of the band to date. Former drummer Jeremiah Edmond parted ways with the band in January 2010 to focus on his family and on running the band's record label, Favorite Gentlemen. The band's original bassist, Jonathan Corley, parted ways with the band in 2013. Keyboardist/percussionist Chris Freeman announced his departure from the band in September 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric Light Orchestra discography</span>

The discography of the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) consists of 15 studio albums, 7 live albums, 40 compilation albums, 13 video albums, 33 music videos, 1 extended play, 50 singles, 1 soundtrack album and 8 box sets. ELO have also sold over 50 million records worldwide.

<i>Neon Bible</i> 2007 studio album by Arcade Fire

Neon Bible is the second studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. It was first released on March 5, 2007, in Europe and a day later in North America by Merge Records. Originally announced on December 16, 2006, through the band's website, the majority of the album was recorded at a church the band bought and renovated in Farnham, Quebec. The album is the first to feature drummer Jeremy Gara, and the first to include violinist Sarah Neufeld among the band's core line-up.

<i>Mean Everything to Nothing</i> Album by Manchester Orchestra

Mean Everything to Nothing is the second studio album by the Atlanta-based indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. It was released on April 21, 2009, through independent record label Favorite Gentlemen Recordings and produced by Joe Chiccarelli and Dan Hannon.

Bad Books is an American indie rock band formed in early 2010, and is composed of indie folk artist Kevin Devine and members of indie rock band Manchester Orchestra along with drummer Benjamin Homola. The collaboration began when Kevin toured along with Manchester Orchestra in November–December 2008 in support of his EP I Could Be with Anyone, and followed by the release of the split EP entitled I Could Be the Only One in January 2010.

<i>Simple Math</i> 2011 studio album by Manchester Orchestra

Simple Math is the third studio album from Atlanta-based indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. It was released on May 10, 2011, through the independent label Favorite Gentlemen Recordings, itself distributed by Sony Music Entertainment. The album was recorded with Dan Hannon, who also produced the band's first album and co-produced their second.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaleo (band)</span> Icelandic rock band

Kaleo is an Icelandic blues rock band which formed in Mosfellsbær in 2012. It consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Jökull Júlíusson, drummer Davíð Antonsson, bassist Daniel Kristjánsson, lead guitarist Rubin Pollock and harmonicist Þorleifur Gaukur Davíðsson. They have released three studio albums, Kaleo (2013), A/B (2016), and Surface Sounds (2021), as well as the EP Glasshouse (2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AJR</span> American indie pop band

AJR is an American indie pop band founded by brothers Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met (né Metzger), collectively a trio of vocalists, multi-instrumentalists, and songwriters. The brothers grew up in New York City, primarily focused on busking and singing covers until shifting to songwriting and touring. At their home studio, they have recorded more than 100 songs and have released five studio albums on various record labels along with their indie label.

<i>Cope</i> (Manchester Orchestra album) 2014 studio album by Manchester Orchestra

Cope is the fourth studio album from Atlanta-based indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. It was released on April 1, 2014 through Loma Vista Recordings and the band's own independent label, Favorite Gentlemen. The album was self-produced alongside their long-time collaborating partner Dan Hannon, and mixed by John Agnello at Fluxivity Studios in Brooklyn. The album's first single, "Top Notch", was released on January 20, 2014. The album's second single, "Every Stone", was released on February 25, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phinehas (band)</span> American metalcore band

Phinehas is an American metalcore band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2001. The group consists of vocalist Sean McCulloch, guitarist Daniel Gailey, bassist Bryce Kelley and drummer Isaiah Perez. They are currently signed to Solid State Records and have released five studio albums. Their most recent studio album, The Fire Itself, was released on August 27, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glass Animals</span> English indie rock band

Glass Animals are an English indie rock band formed in Oxford in 2010. The band's line-up consists of Dave Bayley, Drew MacFarlane, Edmund Irwin-Singer, and Joe Seaward (drums).

The discography of American rock band Manchester Orchestra consists of six studio albums, one acoustic album, one live album, eight extended plays and 20 singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Gold</span> 2017 single by Manchester Orchestra

"The Gold" is a song by the American rock band Manchester Orchestra. The song was released on June 9, 2017, as the lead single from their fifth studio album, A Black Mile to the Surface. The song was a chart success for the band, peaking at No. 2 on Billboard's Adult Alternative Songs chart and No. 12 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart, their first charting single in six years.

<i>The Million Masks of God</i> 2021 studio album by Manchester Orchestra

The Million Masks of God is the sixth studio album by American indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. It was released through Loma Vista on April 30, 2021. The album was announced on February 18, 2021, alongside the release of the first single "Bed Head".

References

  1. 1 2 3 A Black Mile to the Surface (booklet). Manchester Orchestra. Loma Vista Recordings. 2017. LVR00173.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. Mansfield, Brian (September 16, 2014). "Manchester Orchestra releases surprise album, 'Hope'". USA Today . Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Richards, Will (July 28, 2017). "How Manchester Orchestra became a truly great indie rock band". DIY Mag . Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  4. Collis, Clark (June 1, 2016). "Swiss Army Man: Daniel Radcliffe thinks film's music deserves an Oscar". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  5. Krzaczek, Katie (January 18, 2018). "Manchester Orchestra's 'The Gold (Live)' Premiere: Band Talks Recording 'A Black Mile To The Surface': Exclusive". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  6. 1 2 Belling, Alasdair (January 8, 2017). "Interview: Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra". Kill Your Stereo. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Goodwyn, Tom (October 23, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra open up about new album Black Mile To The Surface..." HMV. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Hyden, Steven (June 28, 2017). "How Manchester Orchestra Grew Up And Re-Invented Themselves On 'A Black Mile To The Surface'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  9. "Manchester Orchestra Releases 'A Black Mile to the Surface'". Echo Mountain. July 29, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  10. "MPG's Producer Of The Year Catherine Marks Talks Rising Through The Ranks". MusicTech. February 6, 2018. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  11. "Manchester Orchestra". BottleRock Napa Valley. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Ingalls, Chris (August 2, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra: A Black Mile to the Surface". PopMatters . Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  13. 1 2 Gibsone, Harriet (July 27, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra: A Black Mile to the Surface review – grownup indie rock". The Guardian . Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  14. 1 2 3 Shultz, Brian (June 28, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra: A Black Mile To The Surface". Alternative Press . Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Cohen, Ian (August 7, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra: A Black Mile to the Surface". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on June 22, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  16. 1 2 3 Colburn, Randall (July 28, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra's latest is overproduced and exhausting". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on December 7, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  17. Ross, Alex Robert (August 2, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra Know That Winter Is Coming". VICE . Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  18. Tipple, Ben. "'Circle of life': A Conversation with Manchester Orchestra". GoldFlakePaint. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  19. Condran, Ed (June 15, 2018). "Manchester Orchestra has evolved, matured, and has a handle on their sonic situation". The News & Observer . Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  20. Thraxton, Ryan (June 9, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra Announce New Album Out in Late July, Release First Signal". Paste . Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  21. 1 2 "Manchester Orchestra (Acoustic)". College Street Music Hall. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  22. Thaxton, Ryan (June 9, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra Announce New Album Out in Late July, Release First Single". Paste. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  23. Boilen, Bob (June 22, 2017). "First Watch: Manchester Orchestra 'The Alien'". NPR. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  24. "Listen to new Manchester Orchestra song 'The Moth'". Upset. July 10, 2017. Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  25. Sacher, Andrew (June 12, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra announce 2017 tour". BrooklynVegan . Archived from the original on June 17, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  26. Sacher, Andrew (July 7, 2017). "Tigers Jaw and Foxing opening Manchester Orchestra tour". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  27. Tornow, Sam (August 13, 2018). "Manchester Orchestra Announces Co-Headlining Tour With The Front Bottoms". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  28. Sacher, Andrew (September 18, 2019). "Foxing & Oso Oso opening Manchester Orchestra's 'Mean Everything To Nothing' tour". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  29. "Manchester Orchestra Announce A Black Mile to the Surface: the Global Concert Album". American Songwriter . February 7, 2021. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  30. 1 2 "A Black Mile To The Surface by Manchester Orchestra reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  31. 1 2 "Reviews and Tracks for A Black Mile to the Surface by Manchester Orchestra". Metacritic. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  32. Collar, Matt. "A Black Mile to the Surface – Manchester Orchestra". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  33. 1 2 Feibel, Adam (July 26, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra: A Black Mile to the Surface". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  34. Murphy, Lauren (July 27, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra: A Black Mile to the Surface – rising US band show their depth". The Irish Times . Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  35. Ryan Freitas (July 15, 2017). "Manchester Orchestra: A Black Mile to the Surface". Kerrang! . p. 50.
  36. Garner, George (September 2017). "Manchester Orchestra: A Black Mile to the Surface". Q (376): 113.
  37. Purvis, Carl (August 23, 2017). "Quick Takes (July 2017)". No Ripcord. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  38. 1 2 "Manchester Orchestra Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  39. 1 2 "Manchester Orchestra Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  40. 1 2 "Manchester Orchestra Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  41. 1 2 "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  42. 1 2 "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  43. 1 2 "Swisscharts.com – Manchester Orchestra – A Black Mile to the Surface". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 9, 2017.