The Menzingers...deserve to be heard

Hear Nebraska

A great punk rock band that I have recently gotten into is "The Menzingers".  They have a great sound and though aren't that well known, they are going up in the ranks.  Recently, they were signed to Epitaph Records whose popular current artists include Alkaline Trio, Bad Religion, and Weezer.  With names like that already signed on Epitaph and former artists from Epitaph like The Offspring, I have a good feeling that The Menzingers are going to get pretty big.

Shortly after coming across The Menzingers I went on to the Bryce Jordan Center website to see if any concerts had been added.  Surely enough, Rise Against is playing on January 29 with A Day to Remember and none other than The Menzingers as the opening acts.  Then, shorly after this, I saw my cousin post something on Facebook regarding The Menzingers and I thought it was interesting he knew them so I went on his page.  Then, I saw pictures of him with the band and found out he personally knows them and is good friends with them.  All of this was awesome at the time, but let's get back to why they're a great band.

The Menzingers have a diverse sound on their records.  While every song sticks to who they are, some songs are more driven while others are much more calm.  However, one thing I notice in each and every song is passion.  In my mind, that is what makes a band great.  One of my favorite songs, "Time Tables", on their album "Chamberlain Waits" demonstrates this passion.  The music has a relatively basic structure with various chord patterns corresponding to the verses, the chorus, etc. and their guitar licks sound catchy throughout each song forcing them to get stuck in your head.  The lead singer, Greg Barnett, has a powerful voice, sometimes almost yelling.  Though that sounds like it may not work that well, it just makes the lyrics seem that much more meaningful.  Their lead guitarist and backup vocalist, Tom May, complements Barnett very well and even takes the lead on some songs like "Who's Your Partner".  This is a song about innocent teenagers living in the moment.  Then, they get to a point in their lives where they have to realize that they have to mature, grow up, and live life.  When all is said and done, The Menzingers deserve to be heard.