Manchester Orchestra: Mean Everything to Nothing

They’re not from Manchester and they’re not an orchestra. Instead this young indie five-piece from Atlanta tap into the blue-collar rock ethic that’s spawned the likes of The Hold Steady and Kings of Leon, while also displaying plenty weirdness to keep them interesting. Tracks like ‘The Only One’ and ‘I’ve Got Friends’ are anthemic enough to reach row Z but also full of frantic emotion courtesy of frontman Andy Hull. The second half of the album is more downbeat and fraught, like Connor Oberst stuck between depression and panic attack, but it all hangs together to make a very promising whole.

(Sony)