The Menzingers - After the Party (February 3, 2017) Album • Page 73

This album is fuckin fantastic. Definitely the most immediate release of theirs for me.

 

Holy wow, is this record awesome. It's been a while since a new album has made me want to listen to it again (and again, and again) after listening for the first time. On my fifth spin since earlier this week... And it just keeps getting better.

 

Greg - Tellin' Lies, Lookers, Midwestern States, Charlie's Army, Black Mass, Bad Catholics, After The Party, Livin' Ain't Easy
Tom - Thicks As Thieves, House On Fire, Boy Blue, The Bars

I think you just mixed up Greg and Tom on The Bars and Black Mass.

After having such a hard time picking out the two on previous records, it was surprisingly easy for me this time around.

 

Boy Blue is easily the best Tom song here

 

Yeah I knew who sang each part I just switched it around haha

 

In before anyone can say I can't do rankings.

1. House On Fire
2. Boy Blue
3. The Bars
4. Thick As Thieves

Don't ask me to do the whole record, I can't handle that shit right now.

 

Do the whole album.

 

Tom's songs REALLY shine through on this record. House On Fire is a jam and a half.

 

Yeah House On Fire is my early favorite.

 

I've succumbed to peer pressure. When this thread reaches it end I'll probably have switched a bunch of this around.

Your Wild Years
Tellin' Lies
Bad Catholics
House On Fire
Lookers
Boy Blue
After The Party
The Bars
Thick As Thieves
Midwestern States
Charlie's Army
Black Mass
Livin' Ain't Easy

 

House On Fire
Your Wild Years
Boy Blue
Lookers
Midwestern States
Charlies Army
After The Party
Bad Catholics
Thick as Thieves
Black Mass
The Bars
Livin Ain't Easy

 

black mass and the bars that low?!?!??!

 

was this posted already?

The Menzingers have never sounded as weathered as they do on After The Party

I would not describe this album as "weathered"

 

We doin this already?

 

"The Menzingers have never been an ambitious band. "

welp I'm done reading

 

Lookers was my favorite song of all of 2016. Crazy to think there's at least one, if not two, songs that beat it out on this album alone.

 

That AV Club review is bad.

 

Actually I continued and shouldn't have. What a bad review, 4 songs are mentioned only to be compared to other bands, 0 themes are discussed.

 

the "drinking like they do in novels" and chorus in Boy Blue are some of the best Tom lines

 

What an album. The minute that classic rock riff opened the record and Greg sings those first lines, I'm just cheesing and know I will enjoy this record. It could be them farting and playing recorders and I would be in. I really like the sequencing and pace of it. Like, I think this album follows a nice sin curve, where everything flows nicely. It makes sense to me.

Most of the songs have been talked about, but I did want to mention a few things. These aren't necessarily my favorites on the album, but I thought they were good moments. In Charlie's Army, I got a 1950's vibe of West Side Story and Grease. Like, I kind of want to swing dance in a burger joint to that song. In House On Fire, I really like the line about being nervous and filling your purpose. That just strikes the chord of living life through the motions and getting married because you think you need to. And then a few songs later, Tom gives us the sad part of marriage and someone dying. More heavy topics this time around. Tom is an underrated songwriter and impressed me on this album.

 

I get that 50's vibe majorly from Tellin' Lies as well.

 

Same.

Dont love this direction at all.

Gonna go listen to OITP

 

Completely agree about Charlies Army. It sounds like something out of a musical to me and I love it. I hope they make an awesome video for that song

 

Yeah I meandered my way through the whole review and kinda felt lukewarm on it. It was red flag for me when I didn't see "highly recommended".

Also I understand some people not liking the direction or what have you, but I feel like if you like OTIP then you kinda have to see that ATP definitely comments on how that time is over and they have to move in another direction. It feels like a natural progression for me. That's just my opinion, of course.

Love everyone saying that Tom hasn't sounded better than he does here. I definitely agree with that. Greg has honed his sound on this record and he has gotten steadily better and better with time to now where he kills it, but Tom kinda made a quantum leap forward with this record.

 

I don't see this as being drastically different than their other stuff, at least enough to turn an old fan off. It's a bit poppier, but the majority of the record fits in line with their usual sound. The lyrics are the bigger shift