Album Reviews

I wouldn’t want to feed all the bands out there who come out with an amazing debut and then fumble the ball on the follow-up. I think it’s because you have plenty of time writing your debut, but once you blow up all these people are urging you to come with new material as soon as possible. That’s where a lot of bands make a mistake and then drop a half-assed second album. Not so with The Menzingers who top their debut with ease on “Chamberlin Waits”, their first full-length for Red Scare.

They haven’t really changed their sound all that much, they just tightened everything and are looking a bit beyond their comfort zone here and there. What that comfort zone is exactly? Well, these Scranton, PA boys play scruffy yet highly melodic pop punk that takes cues from legends such as The Clash (“Deep Sleep”) but just as easily from current acts like Against Me!, Alkaline Trio and The Lawrence Arms. Loud guitars, a well-placed scream here and there, thumping bass lines and more hooks than you can shake a stick at… it’s all here and it’s played with so much passion that you can’t help but stand in awe. There’s also a more folky song with “Male Call” while a song like “No We Didn’t” are The Menzingers at their loudest.

Great songs, plenty of variety… seriously people, poppunk doesn’t get much better than this