Rob’s Album Of The Week: Manchester Orchestra’s The Million Masks of God

Grief is something everyone has to deal with at some point in our lives. We all know that COVID-19 has definitely amplified it and this feeling can take many shapes and forms. There are few solid antidotes for this and music is one of them along with any creative endeavor. Atlanta indie rock act Manchester Orchestra tackles this in excellent fashion with their sixth studio album, The Million Masks Of God, that came out on April 30 via Loma Vista Recordings. With this theme that evolves into a concept, there’s also a sonic variety that walks a fine line between prog and folk music.

The concept revolves around a story that features a man meeting the Angel Of Death as he’s presented scenes from his life in snapshot-style. As with the way life goes, he sees the good, the bad, the difficult and the commendable. It’s a reflection of what lead guitarist Robert McDowell saw as he witnessed his father’s battle with cancer, which he succumbed to in 2019. The album as a whole is also a testament to how great a songwriter guitarist and vocalist Andy Hull is. He’s not afraid to get intense and he’s not afraid to be somber, it’s a rare quality that you don’t see often in music.

Remember a few weeks ago I wrote about how I felt like I was in a funk? Well, I’m back on that bullshit. I’ve been busy with a lot of…