Bored & Extremely Dangerous

While “Cavalcade” was my pretty much my top album of 2010, I certainly did not forget about “The Menzingers” contribution this year. With their second release, the Scranton, Pennsylvania folk punk outfit really came out with something special this time. Like “Cavalcade”, “Chamberlain Waits” (2010,Red Scare) was precisely what we all needed in the punk rock scene. The whole record has this refreshing intensity that improves upon the errors of its folk-punk predecessors, it goes places that I think we all wish Against Me! had gone after “Eternal Cowboy”. It’s a sound that I certainly haven’t quite heard before; Gaslight Anthem-esque, only way better (oh my blasphemy!). I could spend paragraphs naming influences and similarities but let me make it clear that it’s simply pure anthemic punk rock that could and probably will change everything.

“Chamberlain Waits” begins with an intense tom-bassy build up that leads into “Who’s Your Partner” a song that actually feels like a true introduction to a record, a preparation for what’s to come. We’re given a quick taste of the crowd sing-along choruses and ripping vocals, but before we know it it’s time to move on to even better things. This is how an actual punk record should sound like, no more of this stacking the top half with hits; this isn’t the top forty countdown! “Chamberlain Waits” feels so perfectly balanced to me, I couldn’t see it being arranged any other way.

Whether it’s the ridiculously catchy lead single “I Was Born”, the almost Clash-like folk ballad “Male Call”, the brooding yet dancy “Deep Sleep”, or the title track/album closer, every aspect of the band feels so naturally honest and the musicianship is second to none. Nothing seems forced here. This honesty translates to the reflective, nostalgic lyrics which are usually expressed in short yet sweet choruses of punk goodness that you’ll be screaming the words to in no time. And I have to take time to talk about Eric Keen’s bass on the album. The tone he gets out of his bass is something so eerie, especially on songs “I Was Born” and “Tasker-Morris Station”. It’s not Matt Freeman busy, or Fat Mike technical (see “The Decline”), and it doesn’t simply follow the roots, his lines sing for themselves in the background behind everything else. I couldn’t help but notice them.

In a scene where a lot of the people who were teenagers during the 90’s punk explosion are now stuck in a mid-life crisis working at some dead end job, “Chamberlain Waits” is a rallying cry for all of those disillusioned punks out there. It screams, “Even though everything is fucked, we’re still all going to make it out together”. Teenage dreams that were ditched are laughed about and tall tales are re-told. I’ve realized that the whole record has a campfire feel to it, as the verses flow in an almost Kerouac-like fast paced style. Despite these tales of tragedy, there’s an unfailing positivity coming from The Menzingers throughout. This can absolutely be seen at their live shows, full of jokes and sweaty fist pumping shout-alongs. “Chamberlain Waits” is even better in person.

I have very few gripes with this record, but one would be the vocals sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved the trading off of vocals (Clash did it the best), and it’s totally great here! But sometimes the scratchy screams of Greg Bennett get a little too on the whiny side for my taste, but seriously that’s just personal preference. My only other criticism would be that it took me a while to seriously get into this record, but after a half dozen or so listens I was absolutely hooked and reciting the words. That’s not necessarily a bad thing at all, it just didn’t have the immediate addiction that other records had. Factoring that out, this a near perfect album from a group of guys that bring so much hope and promise to the modern punk rock scene. Be sure to check them out live as well, you’ll be missing out on something memorable if you don’t!

9/10