The Menzingers

Having acquired a huge fan base, it is no surprise to see The Menzingers record at the storied Rock Island, Ill studio. You can hear their energy and talent in the four songs they recorded for the session (“Sculptors and Vandals”, “Good Things”, “Gates”, and “Sun Hotel Pt. 2″, all of which are off of their most recent album On the Impossible Pastl). They convey their raw, unyielding prowess, and the lo-fi quality of the recordings makes the songs even more powerful.

The level of emotionality is staggering – in “Sun Hotel Pt. 2,” it’s damn near cry worthy. The kind of crying where you don’t know why you’re crying, you just let it all out and have a great time doing it. That’s not necessarily guidelines to follow when listening to the songs, nor will it absolutely happen, but if they don’t evoke some amount of emotional reaction, or at the very least compel a little head-banging, maybe you clicked on the wrong link.

The Menzingers Daytrotter session can be found here. Check it out if you’re looking for a good time, or if you want to break up your day and sit back and enjoy something wonderful.

Photo by Kenneth Smith | Glass Nail Records

After some plum opening spots on tour with Hot Water Music and The Gaslight Anthem, Philly punk powerhouse The Menzingers are hitting the road on a headlining tour in support of their 2012 LP On the Impossible Past. Like-minded local five-piece Restorations – the subject of this week’s Unlocked showcase – will be one of the support acts for the tour, which kicks off at The First Unitarian Church on May 24th; tickets go on sale this Friday, April 5th via R5 Productions. Below, download Key Studio Sessions performances of The Menzingers’ “Mexican Guitars” and Restorations’ “Non Locality.”

The Menzingers (Photo by Madeleine Lesperance)

The amount of news that surfaces in a 24 hour period is astronomical anymore; multiplied by 365, that’s an onslaught of information we present you with during the calendar year. But some items always rise above the fold and prove to be something bigger. Here are the ten stories from The Key that drew your collective attention (and eyeballs) in 2012.

10. Recap: Richie Sambora rocked for the fans at Free at Noon (photos, setlist, audio) – Sept. 14, 2012

Jersey-bred rocker (and heartthrob) Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi played a Free at Noon concert at the beginning of the fall. It was the first show of his tour with a new backing band, and lots of you turned up to cheer him on. Even more of you tuned in online, and continued to revisit the set weeks after it happened.

9. The Key Studio Sessions: The Menzingers – Feb. 22, 2012

A criminally overlooked album in the year’s various top-tens (and I’m as guilty as anyone), Philly punk rock four-piece The Menzingers released the outstanding On The Impossible Past on Epitaph Records this year, and toured hard in support of it. Their Key Studio Session show just how razor sharp their playing was after months on the road.

Photo by Ashley Elizabeth

8. Central Pa.’s music scene mourns the loss of Jersey Mike – Nov. 19, 2012

The sudden passing of Harrisburg-area music promoter and community advocate Michael “Jersey Mike” Van Jura was a huge blow to the music scene across the state. The day after his passing, we remembered him in this post.

7. 15 reasons why Philly’s music scene will go from 10 to 11 in 2013 – Dec. 28, 2012

As the year drew to a close, Bruce Warren not only recounted everything that was great about Philly music this year with a massive roll-call, he presented a round-up of 15 releases that will make 2013 even bigger.

6. Six essential covers from The Afghan Whigs (playing The Electric Factory on Sept. 27) – Sept. 16, 2012

With one of my all-time favorite bands reunited and playing the Electric Factory this fall, I took the opportunity to round up some of my favorite covers it recorded over the years. The Afghan Whigs must have appreciated my nerdery, as they shared the story out to their followers, and suddenly Whigs listeners from across the country were checking in.

5. The Key Studio VIDEO Sessions: A decade of mewithoutYou – Dec. 21, 2011

Technically a post from late last year that generated some serious excitement this year as mewithoutYou, the post-hardcore art rock group from Upper Darby, reflected on ten years of being a band and debuted material from their excellent 2012 LP Ten Stories in this Key Studio Session video.

Artwork by Steve Powers | Photo by Jesse Trbovich

4. And now, a first look at the Kurt Vile mural at Front and Master – Dec. 19, 2012

I happened to be checking Facebook one afternoon when I saw a few of my friends liking and sharing a photo that Violators guitarist Jesse Trbovich snapped of the new Kurt Vile mural at Front and Master, which will be used in the album art for his upcoming 2013 full length. I quickly dropped Jesse a line, got his okay to run the photo, and Vile fans across the internet went abuzz.

3. My Morning Download: Ellie Goulding covers The Weeknd’s “High For This” (produced by Xaphoon Jones of Chiddy Bang) - June 1, 2012

One of those rare confluences of factors that’s somehow magic. Ellie Goulding, a UK pop singer we love, covered a banger from The Weeknd, a singer blogs go wild for, and it was produced by Xaphoon Jones of Chiddy Bang, one of our favorite hometown heroes. That mix equaled The Key’s third most-viewed story of the year.

2. WXPN Local Twelve Days of Christmas 2012 – Dec. 6, 2012

The Twelve Days of Christmas compilations we release not only give Philadelphia artists a chance to reflect on the season in song, they become a huge favorite among the XPN crowd. This year’s was by far the most popular, with originals in the mix from York Street Hustle, Ben Smith and Ryan Tennis, and bonus “stocking stuffers” from Tin Bird Choir and The Districts.

1. Stream a new Bruce Springsteen song, “This Depression” from Wrecking Ball – Feb. 24, 2012

It’s a funny recurring feat, but also a huge reflection of music tastes in the greater Philadelphia region – The Boss always comes out on top. What made this post exciting wasn’t just the first taste of new material from Wrecking Ball, but the discussion that ensued in the comments – conversation about the song, sharing of memories, and a general sense of rock and roll camaraderie, all bound by Bruce Springsteen.

This week Jersey punk heroes The Gaslight Anthem played a rousing set at the Electric Factory; local four-piece The Menzingers, who has been on tour with the band, opened the show. Check out a photo recap of both sets in the gallery above.

Sellersville progressive hip-hop group I&I record an adventurous Key Studio Session [link]

Get a free song from Florida’s rootsy Roadkill Ghost Choir in My Morning Download [link]

Philly punk four-piece The Menzingers released an acoustic version of “Casey” [link]

Meet rootsy Philly group The Naked Sun in their new Bands in the Backyard video [link]

Philly country-rockers The Lawsuits released a new EP and a new music video [link]

Quirky rockers Eels announced a fall tour with a Philly stop in March, and a new song [link]

Founding Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha played Free at Noon on Black Friday [link]

For their final installment of PhilaMOCA‘s Tuesday Tune-Out series, JUMP Philly signed up indie quartet The National Rifle.  The local band is gearing up to release their first full-length Almost Endless, recorded with Brian McTear (Shaking Through Series, Sharon Van Etten) and Jon Low (Twin Sister).  Tonight’s set at PhilaMOCA will be followed by a screening of 1979 cult action film The Warriors; more information can be found here.  Below, stream “Coke Beat,” The National Rifle’s first single from their upcoming album.

Singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne brings her “Up Close and Personal” tour to World Cafe Live tonight.  Lynne will perform a solo acoustic set of songs from her recent Revelation Road Deluxe Edition release, her thirteenth studio album.  The record’s making-of documentary will also be screened, followed by a Q&A session with Lynne.  Tickets and more information can be found here.  Below, watch Shelby Lynne perform the title track to Revelation Road.

Experimental dream-pop group Twin Sister play Union Transfer tonight with School of Seven Bells.  The Long Island band released their most recent album, In Heaven, last year.  Twin Sister also participated in Weathervane Music’s Shaking Through Series, recording “Meet the Frownies” for Volume I Episode 8.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show can be found here.  Below, watch Twin Sister’s Shaking Through episode.

Modern Inventors will open for South Africans Civil Twilight tonight at The Note in West Chester.  The release of Modern Inventors’ debut album Trains & Aeroplanes is just one month away and you can get a taste of the Philly duo’s sound with the record’s first single “Hello” below.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show can be found here.

The Menzingers

Next Monday, May 28th, XPN2‘s Eric Schuman will be reaching into the archives to play interviews and performances by bands (both local and out-of-town) who have recently appeared in the studios. The full lineup can be found below:

Noon – The Spinto Band
1 p.m. Stevie Jackson
2 p.m. Hop Along
3 p.m. The Menzingers
4 p.m. Zammuto
5 p.m. Chill Moody

Photo by Arrah Fisher

Special thanks to all of the bands for coming to our studio, and to John Vettese for recording them. We’d also like to thank volunteer production assistants Fred Knittel, Madeleine Lesperance, and Dan Malloy as well as photographers Kate Bracaglia, Corey Cohen, Sarah Fry, Shamus McGroggan, Noah Gabriel Merenda, Sylvia Ramirez, and Heidi Schlenzig for sharing their work.

Click here to download the 18-track compilation in its entirety as a .zip file. Want to hear more? Click here to listen to the full sessions by all 18 local acts; you can also download The Key Studio Sessions Compilation Volume I, Volume 2, and Volume 3.

Playlist:
Zakee “Spotlight”
City Rain “Real Good”
Pink Skull “Oh, Monorail”
Mason Porter “Back To Where We Started From”
Univox “What’s More”
Arrah and the Ferns “Waterproof Gold Watch”
Acid Kicks “Take My Soul Away”
The Menzingers “Mexican Guitars”
Music For Headphones “Why”
Lushlife “Gymnopiede 1.2″
Griz “The Secret In The Garden”
New Sweden “Saint, Don’t You Lie”
Sunny Ali and the Kid “Stop the Haiti”
Peasant “Girls”
Chill Moody “Cotton”
Little Big League “St. John’s”

Bred in Scranton, based in Philadelphia, but truly born on the road, The Menzingers are a punk rock force of nature with chops you can only achieve by getting out there and performing whenever the opportunity greets you. The band had just returned from a three-week jaunt around the country when it recorded its Key Studio Session earlier this month; it was amped-up and razor-precise, kicking out most of the jams you hear below in a single take. The same tightness can be heard when you listen to On The Impossible Past, The Menzingers’ excellent new collection of gritty American anthems released yesterday on Epitaph Records. But don’t think that, when they play, you’re hearing some autopilot recreation of their studio work. More like the album is a documentation of the energetic abandon of getting these four guys in a room, behind their instruments. Submitted as evidence: towards the end of “Mexican Guitars,” Joe Godino was pounding his drumkit so fiercely that the bottom of his snare blew out—totally badass. Tune in to XPN2 tomorrow night at 7 p.m. for the Key Studio Sessions Hour, when we’ll listen back to our session and interview with The Menzingers, on the eve of their departure for another tour, this time in Australia. Their next Philly appearance is April 21 at the Road to Ruin Festival at 23rd Street Armory with Pissed Jeans and Marvelous Darlings.

• Gatesby The Menzingers from The Key Studio Sessions, Feb. 22, 2012Download

• Nice Thingsby The Menzingers from The Key Studio Sessions, Feb. 22, 2012Download

• Sun Hotelby The Menzingers from The Key Studio Sessions, Feb. 22, 2012Download

• Mexican Guitarsby The Menzingers from The Key Studio Sessions, Feb. 22, 2012Download

In just under a month, the Scranton-bred, Philly-based working class punks The Menzingers will release their Epitaph Records debut, On The Impossible Past. Last week, the band gave fans a taste of what’s to come: the slow-burner anthem “Gates,” which we’ve spotlighted in today’s Philly Local Phile. Listen below, pre-order the album at Epitaph’s web store, and catch the band on Fri. Feb. 4 when it plays the Susquehanna Bank Center with Rise Against. Stay tuned for a Key Studio Session from The Menzingers later this winter!

The Menzingers – Gates by Epitaph Records

All photos by Madeleine Lesperance

Philadelphia, PA’s The Menzingers have signed to Epitaph Records. Plans have not yet been announced for a follow up 2010′s critically acclaimed Chamberlain Waits, but we’ll keep you updated as details surrounding the group’s Epitaph debut become known. Label founder Brett Gurewitz had this to say about the band:

“These guys play the kind of pure punk rock that I grew up with. They are seriously talented songwriters and I’m happy to welcome them to the Epitaph family. I think the band is a great fit here.”

The Menzingers: Irish Goodbyes from Love Drunk on Vimeo.

• I Was Bornby The MenzingersDownload