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. 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. A Black Mile to the Surface has been classified as indie rock, alternative rock, and Americana, with comparisons to Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, and Mumford & Sons. 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). 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. The opening track, "The Maze", was written a month after the birth of Hull's daughter. 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.
Good indierock album with sometimes a bit over the top dramatic songs. Great production and I absolutely love the album cover.
Loved this. Hit me right. Nuff said.
I didn’t expect much, especially given that vocal style that's been haunting indie folk and rock for years now (constricted, airy, and a bit too polished). But damn, this one swept me away. From the first note to the last, it holds you in its grip. Yes, it’s not wildly original. Yes, every song builds toward some sort of cathartic climax. But who cares when it’s executed this well? The songwriting is tight, the production expansive, and the emotional heft undeniable. It might not crack my personal top ten, but it’s still world-class. I only wish it had a little more rawness, something their earlier albums did better. Still, I’ve played this six times in a row and counting over the last 24 hours. That says enough.
For the casual listener, I can understand how this album might come across as just another "average indie rock" release. But for those of us familiar with the band and their body of work, it offers so much more. The production is rich and layered, the vocals are emotionally resonant, and the melodies—often winding and introspective—build beautifully toward moments of cathartic release. It’s a journey that rewards attentive listening, revealing depth and nuance with each play.
I did not know this band. And now I think i'm in live with them! I love the grandeur of the sound, the harmonics in the vocals, the quieter sounds that explode into magnificence No doubt a 5 stars from me
Smooth, somewhat moody alt rock. I really liked the singer's voice and the cool vibe layered in by the music. The Gold was one of my favorite songs of 2017 but never branched out to the rest of the album. Though nothing quite reaches that mark, I had a great time from start to finish.
Probably Manchester Orchestra's best album. I have a lot of nostalgia for their older stuff, but this one is just so flawlessly produced and written that it's tough to beat.
Really very good, although there is a vocal style going on here that I get tired of at length. The lyrics sound good but I'm not certain they mean a lot. But the overall package is something I think would be worth giving more time to.
A concept album around Lead, South Dakota? Hmmmm... I liked it quite a lot. The Lead, SD track really drew me in. I love the laid back sound. Very good listen!
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: The moth, Lead SD, The sunshine, The silence
Wow! That was a great kinda lo-fi album
I've heard about Manchester Orchestra, but I wasn't that familiar with their work. Extremely well-written concept album from a group with a clear vision of where they're heading. Especially the closing track is pure brilliance.
Cool, atmospheric concept album owing a big debt to The Wall (case in point: the riff on 'The Silence'). Nice discovery, thanks for the pick!
Indie rock, alternative rock, Americana. Ni fu ni fa.
I'd heard a few tracks off this LP before and enjoyed them, so it was nice to return to the album in full and place them in context. The band is at their best when they steer clear of the sappy balladry/lyricism that does bog down some corners of this LP, opting instead for the richly layered expressiveness of the more uptempo tracks. It takes some skill to make all the instrumental pieces work and sound so cohesive, and when it all comes together this LP really impresses!
Does that 2010s indie folk thing that I like. The musical arrangement is a bit echoey in a way that feels haunting. I like it!
Yeah this was overblown and a little generic for this type of indie rock but sometimes that's completely fine. I had a good time listening to it even if I probably won't remember it at all in a day.
I’ll admit that it was a little difficult for me to stay invested or the whole album. Each song was good, but the lack of range got to me. I enjoyed it, though. Good lyrics, singing, production, instrumentation. Nice pick. 4/5
Great in places
I enjoyed it, might listen to it again.
This was pretty alright, if a little bland. 3 stars.
An alright indie album that uses some modern indie style but hits on deeper material but without strong connection. This album isn’t bad but it falls in that category of music that tries to be more than its without the effort being natural. It has its moments but for a modern indie record there are better options in the way listening and deep cuts that I would prefer over this. 6.1/10
Sounds like a shot vampire weekend
The album is objectively fine but it has a song that played on the Walgreens radio when I worked there so sorry that's an instant -1 star.
A solid 3/5 it was okay.
Some of the songs sounded so similar, I had to check that it wasn't Fleet Foxes. Still enjoyable but not necessarily ground breaking for me.
This played and I listened
Like a slightly updated snow patrol. Ok.
Guessing by the name that it's indie? Cover is a bit darker than usual for indie but I don't think we're looking at post-rock or some kind of gothy metal here. Ok yeah it's just indie. Has that Mumford and Sons twang to the voice, which annoyed me a bit. But the music itself was fine. Just cut out the Mumford and Sons bullshit and it'd be pretty damn good. 3/5.
I didn't mind this but it wasn't really my thing.
Musically I thought this was pretty good, but it would work so much better with a different vocalist. Fave Songs: The Moth; The Alien; The Gold; The Maze; Lead, SD
It's fine. Again the trend with these indie rock records is that I either enjoy them or find them fine. This was fine. My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 3.5/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No.
Love the cover, the album and the band's name but what's the music like? It's less 'indie' Rock and more......'Indie' Folk? It's a nice listen.
eh. 3.
Generally likable, competently executed and right up one's alley in terms of genre, though one's not much moved in the end. Maybe gets a little emotionally overwrought. As with a lot of "concept" albums, one's not much compelled to figure it out. Maybe could switch out for those Manic Street Preachers or Last Shadow Puppets on list proper but that would be largely like for like.
Enjoyed this.
Not hugely keen on this genre of indie pop, but I liked how this flowed as an album, building to a descent crescendo.
Starting this album thinking it's going to be post-rock, only to be met with those stomp and holler Mumford vocals was like a sledgehammer to the nuts. Pretty good indie album otherwise. Kind of trying too hard and very much a tonal clusterfuck, but it's musically enjoyable enough.
Pretty lovely
On the one hand, this music is pretty cool, despite the fact that I initially thought it was Orchestral Maneouvers in the Dark, and was disappointed that this was not an early synth pop album. On the other hand, sometimes this dude sounds like autotuned James Taylor, which I don't care for. I think it's a good album overall, but it's also not really my thing, so it's hard to be too effusive in my praise either 3/5
A Black Mile To The Surface is decent overall, with one or two really good moments. It's relatively low key for the most part and morose overall, which most of these user submissions have been (EW&F yesterday was a lovely change of pace) but when this lot get it right they really do; The Grocery and The Silence are spectacular listens. It's a 3 overall but I can understand the allure and the potential.
Indie, not bad
November 20, 2025 HL: "The Gold", "The Alien", "The Wolf" Oh neat! They scored the movie Swiss Army Man Also! Maybe the first album I've heard that acknowledges the existence of South Dakota. As for the music, it’s… decent? Maybe I overdid the 2000s indie recently, but I found only a few songs matched A Black Mile’s cinematic ambitions, Or its dramatic cover that kinda looks like a spinal column. I continue to be shit when it comes to absorbing lyrics, but I just read that they, along with the album title allude to miners working underground. On God I have been in a cave in South Dakota, it did not feel this nice I’ve said this about a few records now, but this would sound a lot better driving down a long highway
a bit weak 2.3
I don't know how I feel about my favorite decade being 2010 according to this generator. This album sounded so 2010 to me. So freaking boring!
What a strange album. I listened to this on a beautiful beach in Majorca and it was not the vibe but nevermind. It was weirdly emo and intense and I had no idea what to make of it but didn't like it
To listen to a mix of Coldplay and Imagine Dragons, I prefer these 2 rather than Manchester Orchestra, but it's not an awful album, and it's nice to know a new band.
This was an absolute chore.
So so
It's a mix of U2 with Coldplay... I hate both... And there's no orchestra...
This is the exact brand of 2010s indie rock that I find uninteresting and boring.