Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math

What this video is

Released in April 2011 as the lead video from Manchester Orchestra's third album, 'Simple Math' arrived during a period of heightened ambition in music video production, enabled by Columbia Records distribution budgets and the emerging prestige of online video premieres via IFC.com. The video engages directly with the album's thematic core — a young man interrogating marriage, faith, and identity — by externalizing…

Why it matters

A landmark artifact of early-2010s cinematic indie rock video-making, 'Simple Math' demonstrated that music videos for non-mainstream artists could achieve short-film-level production values, narrative complexity, and awards recognition. It is historically significant as an early showcase for the…

The director

Daniel Kwan (b. Feb 10, 1988) and Daniel Scheinert (b. Jun 7, 1987) met at Emerson College, Boston, and began collaborating in 2009. They rose to prominence directing music videos before winning Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best…