The Menzingers - Hello Exile (October 4, 2019) Album • Page 74

All Menzingers fans should go check out the new White Reaper album out today. So good.

 

Backed

Would love to see Menz take Reaper out

 

What a great record, I don’t think I can rate this above OTIP but man it does come close. This blows ATP out of the water, but I don’t like that album as much as everyone else does on this website (I even think Rented World is better).

 

With the album White Reaper just put out it might be THEM taking out Menzos just sayin' haha

 

This isn’t near OTIP or ATP which are 10’s to me and both in my top 10 albums ever, but it does tie with Rented World which I also adore.

RW grew on me more and more and I hope this is just the same.

 

Even if this is my 4th favourite Menz album I still LOVE IT. not many bands I could say that for

 

For me it’d go:

OTIP: 9.5
ATP: 9
HE: 8
RW: 7

 

I am still having difficulty with the album production in terms of vocals.

I wouldn’t watch a show if it was slightly out of focus all the time on purpose.

It’s frustrating because the songs are so good, and there are just moments where the vocals are buried and sound like mumbling. I don’t get the effect the we’re going for. I know the distant other room thing worked on The Lookers intro, but come on. It’s 2019, and the Greg’s voice is already interesting enough with its own quirks. I don’t want over production, and that’s really what I think it is....trying to sound like something it’s not (just in a downgraded way).

Love the songs though. I wish between the band, labels and producer they could have adjusted this it bit, or had been more selective on what songs this effect could work (like the song Hello Exile it could thematically work better).

sorry for the rant. Just listened to this again and I’m distracted away from the music wanting to hear the lyrics.

 

I dont mind the production as much on this record, so I can look past it, but I know what you mean. Letlive's The Blackest Beautiful is that for me. I just can't get past the production on that one.

 

Ive tried four different playing mediums and the complaint is still the same.

I just don’t find how it enhances the songs to justify the decision to do that in album. I know people could bring up “well Gaslight Anthem used a voice effect or something on ‘59 Sound”. Well, Ted Hutt has done some fantastic things, it sort of looms there but take it over, and when you call something the ‘59 Sound you a specifically addressing the sound of an album which also justifies the record needle and skipping to start the record. It was also a lesser known band at the time which I think matters in terms of expectations.

 

Genuinely not sure how the production here is that different than ATP. They sound very, very similar to me. But everyone hears things differently, I suppose

 

After not listening to this for the majority of last week, I did a discography run to see how this stacked up. I now think this is much closer to OTIP and ATP than I initially thought. The improvements in songwriting are really noticeable album to album.

 

I feel like in After The Party they used a vocal effect of Lookers intro and Black Mass to try and sound like the vocals were almost being performed in a different room. It had a nice impact because the album feels really present otherwise.

Every song on Hello Exile has that effect, and even a few more like the fade up of Tom’s voice. Greg’s stuff always just feels like it’s recorded in another empty next room. Conceptually it can work for a a song like Hello Exile or Stop Drinking, but to hear an hollow echo throughout all the albums vocals is a little off putting. I actually find that the drum sounds are also a like more hollow on this album, but it works because you can feel them.

The band talked about how they approached this album differently, so it’s not just me imagining things. They talked about the loving the guitar tones (which also sound cool, like the drums and bass). They wanted a more live sounding album, which I think didn’t work vocally, having seen them play live. It’s weird to me that Anna sounded way better live than on an album. You sort of want them being similar when you’re no gimmicks kind of band.

song writing though, fantastic.

 

God, I love Greg's vocals on this album. There are so many beautiful little moments on this thing.

Like "Under the cover of nowhere, where the present was a present, it looked beautiful on you every night" in Hello Exile. I can't stop singing along to that in my head. Or basically all of Strain Your Memory.

 

I love Greg’s voice, which is probably why I wish I could hear it a little better. And he write good lyrics.

 

Hello Exile was probably my least favorite at first and is now my favorite (maybe aside from Strain). So good

 

It’s a nice contrast song, like a Black Mass

 

issa boogie

 

Finally have this on CD to blast in my (old) car. I think High School Friend is the weakest track for mine at this stage... not sold on Strawberry Mansion either. Tom's songs often have this swinging, Weezer-ish quality and that's not a bad thing, but I have trouble making out the lyrics on this one so I think my brain gets distracted by thinking "oh another swinging, bouncing Tom song". But the lyrics are quite good so when I can sing along I think it'll grow on me.

 

Welcoming an Exile: A Conversation With The Menzingers’ Greg Barnett

 

They were obviously great last night. New song choices were ace!

They played Coal City Blues which was such a weird thing but it was awesome. Also played an acoustic version of Casey which I wasn't a fan of although it did sound really good.
Hoping they switch up the set a little bit in Detroit tomorrow, but I'm content with the one they played for sure and they're just so on top of their game.

 

Definitely don’t want THAT song acoustic.

 

Really bummed with the HE song choices for this tour. Oh well. Will still be a great show. If I had my druthers it would be:

America
Anna
Strawberry Mansion
HE
Strain Your Memory
Portland

 

They will hopefully get others in there and swap some out each night!

 

Fingers crossed!