Review: The Menzingers – Everything I Ever Saw

The Menzingers - Everything I Ever Saw

The eighth studio album from the Scranton, PA punk rockers The Menzingers is called Everything I Ever Saw and it alludes to the band taking a look back at just how far they’ve come both personally and professionally. On the opening song of “Chance Encounters” lead singer Greg Barnett offers, “So sick of being lonely, do you want to get to know me?” as a way of inviting the audience into his world, headspace, and overall outlook on life. Their previous record of Some Of It Was True was filled with folk punk songs about heartache, growing up, and finding your place in a world that doesn’t seem to make sense. Everything I Ever Saw finds The Menzingers at a comfortable stage of their music career and with the creative freedom to try just about whatever they’d like to do. It’s an enjoyable listening experience from front to back, and the singles released thus far do a solid job of encapsulating the direction the band took here. By finding solace at this point in their collective lives, Everything I Ever Saw reignites the flame burning inside the band as they reflect on their youth while still accelerating their growth as storytellers and accomplished songwriters.

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Review: Young The Giant – Victory Garden

On the sixth studio album from Young The Giant, called Victory Garden, the band described the approach to the record as a tribute to “radical empathy.” We could all use a bit of that these days with the state of the world being what it is, and the constant barrage of negative news outweighing any glimmers of good. On the opening track of “Evergreen”, Young The Giant have the concept of a garden top of mind as frontman Sameer Gadhia croons, “Don’t blink, or you might miss it / ‘Life is a garden’, you said / Just walk among the flowers / Don’t kill or be devoured,” in a way of setting the tone for the very topical album that is built around the human elements of accepting others. The set was co-produced by veteran Brendan O’Brien (Incubus, The Killers) as well as the band, and Victory Garden is another solid effort from one of the most consistent bands in the current Alt Rock scene.

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Review: Social Distortion – Born To Kill

Social Distortion - Born To Kill

There is a real sense of urgency and purpose on the eighth studio album from Social Distortion. Born To Kill was co-produced by frontman and primary songwriter, Mike Ness, and Dave Sardy (Fall Out Boy, Bad Suns) and the new music marks Social Distortion’s first full-length record in 15 years. While the predecessor of Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes seemed comfortable in doing a “victory lap” of the band’s historic career, Born To Kill knocks the listener on their ass and showcases that Mike Ness and his bandmates have plenty left in the tank. When speaking on the multi-year delay between records, Ness shared, “Although this record is out, I’m going to continue the process of writing so maybe there won’t be such a large gap between records. Even when the record’s done, it doesn’t mean the creativity of writing is.” With material this strong, it’s a great sign that we can expect even more Social Distortion in the near future.

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Review: American Football – American Football (LP4)

Based on the circumstances after American Football’s last record, LP3, it would easy to understand why the band would need a solid seven years to reset before today’s release of LP4. The previous album came out in March of 2019, and when American Football were gearing up for a break after touring in support of the record, the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Drummer Steve Lamos quit the band in July of 2021 due to personal reasons, while the rest of the band tried to get writing done via Zoom sessions, bearing little fruit. Around that same time, Mike and Nate Kinsella were focusing on their side project, Lies, where they met up with producer Sonny DiPerri. Encouraged by that partnership, American Football would regroup, Lamos rejoined in 2023, and the band would work with DiPerri on LP4. It’s a record that grapples with demons like loss, shame, divorce, and self-loathing in a lyrically heavy package. American Football once again prove why they’re one of the best artists to make music that is simultaneously moody, lyrically deep, and filled with solid musicianship.

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Fashn – “Continuation” (Video Premiere)

Fashn

Today I’m so excited to bring everyone the video premiere of the latest single from Fashn, the NYC-based post-punk project of duo Thomas Peters and Julius Dolls. Blending gothic post-punk, modern indie rock, electronica, shoegaze, and darkwave pop, ”Continuation” carries a cinematic, coming-of-age intensity. If you’re enjoying the music video, please consider supporting this band here.

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Sony Music Shutters King Road Merch

Sony

See-Saw:

Kings Road Merch Union released a statement on June 25 with their response to their bosses. “Let us be clear: this is a unionbusting tactic being used by Kings Road Merch owner Sony Music Entertainment. This will not stand in Minneapolis. Not right now; not ever,” the statement reads. “We demand that Kings Road Merch reverse their decision to close warehouse operations in Minneapolis, meet with our union to bargain for a contract, and get back to the work of making kickass merch. Unionbusting is not Punk Rock. Kings Road Merch can do better.”