Played this in warm weather in the car yesterday for a first time and can confirm that it transcends the seasons.
I can't see myself having a stronger connection / liking something more than this the rest of the year. If something does come that tops it that would be awesome though. Just doesn't seem likely haha
Oh man can't fucking wait for this drive today...windows down, sunny, 86 deg., glasses on, and screaming about getting older....MY FAVORITE
This is definitely not my favorite this year but is probably in my top 5 and definitely my top 10. More a testament to how good some stuff this year has been than it is a slight against the record. I like every song on here except for maybe the closer, but it isn't a record that demands to be listened to as a whole or in any sort of order... I find myself coming back to a rotating handful of songs. Probably my third favorite record of theirs but that top three is a tight race.
Definitely up there for me. A contender for AOTY, but the Flatliners and Sorority Noise are strong in the running at the moment too.
Still my AOTY by a fairly wide margin but there have been a lot of good ones this year. Not to mention the stuff that I'm anticipating will be on the list - Julien Baker, Manchester Orchestra, and Brand New (maybe, possibly, probably not). Also excited for the mid-year AOTY discussions to start so I can discover new stuff that I've missed.
This is still easily my favorite of the year. It'll take a lot to top it and I'd be shocked if this doesn't at least end up in my top 5 when the year's over.
This is my #2 after Paramore. I really adore it and would be kind of shocked if it doesn't land at least in my top 5, but with albums from Circa, PBTT, and Julien Baker upcoming I do think it will continue to move down the list. That being said, I think it's a phenomenal record. I'd even put it over OTIP now that it's been out there for a while.
Briefly forgot about Tigers Jaw. ManOrch has the potential to be one of the best albums of the year, but I just don't know. I didn't adore Cope.
Well I'm almost 100 percent sure right off the bat the production will be better really glad they used an outside producer
my first Menzingers album and my current AOTY. the lasting value of these songs is something else. went after the rest of their discography, starting with OTIP which i've seen get unanimous praise over the years, but oddly and unfortunately enough it's not grabbing me nearly as much as this one did. "Gates" is the only song there that can hang with the ones on this album
I think if ATP is your first menzingers experience, you'll find older albums a little tougher to love just because they sound so much more raw and "punk". This album is pretty polished. ATP was my first real menzingers experience as well, and it took me a little bit to really dig into the older albums, but I have come to really enjoy them all. It's kind of like listening to The '59 Sound first and then listening to Sink or Swim. Both great albums but very different sounds. But yes, lasting value of these songs is incredible. I wouldn't be shocked at all if I was still listening to this album as much as I am now this time next year.
Yep, Anthony was on a podcast a while back saying it's done and they're pretty much just waiting on getting a release date set to announce it.
yeah this makes for a much easier listening experience in comparison to OTIP for sure. not only is the production slick but the hooks are huge, the song structures are simpler and the general subject matter is more relatable imo. my love for this album was very imediate. but i'm sure OTIP is a slow burner that will pay off immensely. won't give up on it so soon
I agree with all of this. I'd heard OTIP and RW before, but even after this album clicked right away, those others don't strike the same chord.
I almost feel like this album's immediacy is a flaw in some respects. Still really enjoy it but I wouldn't say I'm super attached to the entire album because I didn't play this a million times trying to unravel it all. I don't come back to it nearly as much as I thought I would. Still, that's a pretty minor "flaw" to have
OTIP is a like a top 5 album of all time for me which will never be topped by any Menz album, but ATP doesn't need to compete with it. It's fantastic in its own way
This is a very good post. After the Party is my second favorite Menzingers album and that shouldn't be a bad thing. I do not label many albums "perfect" but I'm certain I'll battle back and fourth for the rest of my life whether I like On the Impossible Past or the 59' Sound more.
Agree with all of this. There aren't many bands that have two albums I consider all time favorites (already calling ATP an all-timer because I still listen to it non-stop and don't see that changing). Just have to give OTIP a slight edge over ATP. Part of that has to do with it being the first Menzos album I heard and it being the "soundtrack" to my junior year of college and studying abroad that summer. Both are pretty damn amazing albums though.