Yesterday on December 4^th, Manchester Orchestra blessed our hearts with the surprise release of Christmas Songs Vol. 1. Available on the band's Bandcamp and Patreon pages, this EP featured eight tracks of heartwarming Christmas music with a classic Manchester Orchestra spin to them. Additionally, listeners can pay whatever they want to listen to this EP, with all proceeds going to the Atlanta Mission. Produced by the band's own Andy Hull and Robert McDowell - this EP sounded very accomplished due to the distinct care, and gentle work made by the duo and the rest of the band. Songs on the EP such as "Silent Night," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and "O Holy Night" specifically stood out to fans as a result of this care, and of course by how moving they were to listen to. Hull's amiable voice led the listener through each song, and his tone sounded similar to his work in his solo band Right Away Great Captain!

Accompanying the EP, Hull wrote an open message that stated:

"Manchester Orchestra are pleased to present 'Christmas Songs Vol. 1.' The idea of recording a collection of Christmas songs has always been dancing around in the back of my head, and this year more than any other felt like the right time to attempt it. Many of the songs we decided to record are hundreds of years old and our approach to recording them was to get out of the way and let the beauty of the composition do the talking. For our first collection, we chose songs that we grew up singing and that were engrained in our musical inclinations from a very young age. Regardless of your beliefs or how you choose to celebrate or not celebrate this holiday season, I hope this collection can bring some peace and calmness to a very hectic and unnerving year. This album is available as pay what you want on Bandcamp with all net proceeds going to homeless families suffering this time of year. We have high hopes that next year we can be together, in some way, to sing together and remember the feeling of being a community sharing the common love language of music. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and WE LOVE YOU. - Andy & MO"

Founded in 1938, the Atlanta Mission was originally established as a soup kitchen who helped feed those going through the Great Depression. As the years passed, the Atlanta Mission accomplished milestones such as being declared a non-profit organization in 1947, offering long-term recovery for residents experiencing addiction in 1967, becoming the first facility to offer services to women facing homelessness in the U.S. during 1969, and developing a guide to end homelessness in 2014.

With Christmas just around the corner Christmas Songs Vol. 1 is sure to liven up this holiday season, and help bring light to those experiencing darkness. Due to this EP being the first volume in a collection, fans are undeniably excited to hear additional volumes, and hopefully look forward to an eventual vinyl release. The live performance of these songs are available by accessing the band's Patreon at patreon.com/ManchesterOrchestra and selecting a $5, $15, or $20 per month subscription plan. For more information about the Atlanta Mission, or to donate to this organization please visit atlantamission.org.