Fronted by New Jersey DIY scene stalwart Stephen G. Kelly, ManDancing are set to re-release their ‘Everyone Else’ LP through Little Game Records later this month.
Due on the 27th April both on cassette and digitally, the band have celebrated comparisons to the soaring intricacies of Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine.
“My mother always sang songs to my siblings and me so I, too, would come up with ditties on my own as a kid,” Kelly explains. “It wasn’t until I got my first guitar, which I was gifted on my 16th birthday, that I started to learn to play songs that I really enjoyed. After learning ‘Play Crack the Sky’ by Brand New, I remember thinking that I could rearrange chords and put my own words and feelings to melody and structure. That’s when it really began.”
Speaking of the record, he continues: “I use the phrase [“everyone else”] in the song ‘Broken’ to communicate the idea that everyone you see is a mirror—a reflection of your feelings, thoughts and actions. How we feel about people in general, whether in line at the bank or in a close relationship, is a product of our own perception and choices and, therefore, we have a choice to change our reactions to said feelings, for better or for worse. The unified message is that we’re all here together whether we like or not. I would hope that a listener takes something positive out of that.”
The record, originally released at the start of the year, is still available to stream over on BandCamp.