Since releasing 2012’s seminal melodic punk album ‘On The Impossible Past’, Scranton, Pennsylvania based four-piece The Menzingers have been flung into the spotlight. With two previous records behind them, it was their first release since signing to Epitaph that introduced a new audience to their acoustically driven songwriting. The album catapulted them from support slots to main stages, opening many doors along the way.
These doors led them to where they are now – riding the release of their fourth studio record ‘Rented World’, and recently returning from a jaunt with Australian nationals The Smith Street Band down under. The album, a step further in their infectiously melancholic punk, has been largely welcomed with critical acclaim.
“There’s tonnes of pressure when following up things like that,” guitarist and vocalist Greg Barnett shares when asked about the transition between the two records. “The key is to not think about it. We went into it thinking, let’s not let it worry us.”
It’s clear that Barnett is silently concerned over the reaction when we speak to him over the phone from a noisy stateside lunch spot. At the time, The Menzingers are on the verge of the album’s release and preparing to take the trip over to Australia. The feelers are out on the record, and kneejerk opinions are starting to make their way back to the band, yet Barnett is determined to stay relaxed.
“Clearly you want to make something that was better than the last,” he admits, matter-of-factly, “but this time we just wanted to write good songs. We’re not trying to one-up things. We think this record is better, but it’s not in competition.”
Although ‘Rented World’ isn’t a huge departure for the band, there are some key differences. The acoustic undertones of the previous record have been switched with a more collaborative sound. It has led some to comment on the diminished emotion on the record, but left the sound feeling meatier in its place.
“We got a practice space this time around,” Barnett provides as an explanation for this slight shift in sound. “We used to record our records in the basement of our house, but this time it was a lot easier because we could hear each other more. This was just going into a room and jamming together – a lot more collaboration, for sure.”
It’s an example of how the band have developed since ‘On The Impossible Past’. Although still the same band at heart, the propulsion into the limelight and the anticipation of their forthcoming record have had their inevitable effects. As well as building on their sound, their live performances and tour schedules are largely unrecognisable.
“Before we would turn up to shows and didn’t know if anyone was going to be there, but now people are always at the show,” he muses, remarking that this is perhaps the biggest change between the two records. ‘On The Impossible Past’ has also allowed them to take on bigger tours, further afield to what they may have been accustomed to. “It’s pretty cool that we can go to Australia now and there’s fans there,” he admits with genuine disbelief.
No matter the apparent change in status, Barnett is most enthused when discussing punk scenes across the globe. Touring is a key part of the band’s schedule and, as he points out, one of the only ways to see some parts of the world. “It’s like a million dollars,” he jokes when talking about the impending trip to Australia.
“On any international tour, 90% of our conversation is trying to figure out how their scene works,” Barnett explains. “We’re surrounded and immersed in it here in the States, and it’s cool to go to the UK or Germany and find out how the shows work. What the bands are like? Who are they? Where do they practice? Everyone has their own way of doing things.”
Their underground punk roots evidently haven’t been forgotten, but Barnett is clear that it’s their success that has allowed them to have these experiences. “We’re trying to do the old-school thing we always wished we’d be able to do,” he says when talking about the intimate show scheduled at London’s Old Blue Last. “What’s better than the little venue option? It’s great, it’s going to be a blast.” At least for Barnett, being successful is the key to creative freedom, and to continue to develop the band. “It’s fun to do different things,” he exclaims.
It’s not about pressure or being bogged down by expectation, it’s about taking things as they come and, to a certain extent, acting spontaneously. The covers regularly performed at the end of their sets are often decided on a whim and “why not?” tends to be mentioned a lot in conversation.
That’s what ‘On The Impossible Past’ and ‘Rented World’ have allowed. The band’s relaxed attitude and relentless touring schedule have encouraged international tours, more prominent slots at festivals and an exponentially increasing fan base.
If The Menzingers are currently renting the world, they’ll be owning it before the summer is out.
BEN TIPPLE