THE MENZINGERS - SOME OF IT WAS TRUE
The Menzingers’ reputation definitely precedes them in the punk rock scene despite not being the most mainstream of artists. They are a constant reminder that the scene is alive, well beyond the mainstays and radio-friendly acts we hear so much from today, and have seen them perfect their profession as they work their way through infectious albums one after the other. 2017’s After the Party was a real milestone for The Menzingers - its choruses were top-notch and the relatable lyrics were spot on. However, for many, they finally reached a pinnacle with 2019's Hello Exile, a record that’s considered their most musically diverse to date and draws influence from Americana, classic rock, and country music. Talk about genre fluidity.
Many have tried to knock the Pennsylvanians off their throne as kings of the scene, some have arguably come close, but truly they sit as peers - Gaslight Anthem and Spanish Love Songs to name a couple of bands amongst them. Their most recent offering, Some Of It Was True, is full of the consistent brilliance you would see with any band who spent years working on their craft though they have strayed away from the tried and tested path into something a little different.
The record has some familiar-sounding tracks that you can settle into and enjoy, like an old armchair in many ways. Opening the record in great fashion, ‘Hope Is a Dangerous Little Thing’, finds guitarist/co-vocalist Greg Barnett pinpoint themes of unrequited love, with the rest of the bands vocals adding that rocky touch.
Talking of band members vocals Barnett still shares the microphone with guitarist Tom May, producing excellent examples of their expertise. This can be found in tracks such as ‘Try’ and ‘There’s No Place In This World For Me’, the latter being another great track full of groovy guitars and an overall Americana sound, putting it up there with one of the highlights of the album.
Other highlights include the records title track, ‘Some Of It Was True’, due to its infectious chorus. It’s catchy tones, especially where Barnett sings “The older I get the less I know / And I knew nothing then” coupled with wonderful choruses of lyrical lamenting in “Nostalgia's never quite as it seems / Rose colored glasses on everything / Sparkle like a diamond ring / I'm so sick of playing pretend / Thinking everything was better back then / It's hard to remember the bad parts / thought that I knew it all,” make for a repeatable worthy track.
A great deal of the band's lyrical style has been influenced by Bruce Springsteen in recent years, something which is most evident in Barnett's vocals. His songwriting is earnest in its storytelling approach, but still strongly relatable despite the change in themes across the years, and at times, the record taps into a more tender side of punk rock that may not be what listeners are used to.
Some Of It Was True shows off the continuation of The Menzingers' top form, proving that they are one of the best punk bands of the last decade. Listeners, new and old, are going to be pleasantly surprised by the Menzingers' new material in all its rocky glory.
Cat Wiltshire
★★★★★