Author Archives: Jack Mesenbourg

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About Jack Mesenbourg

Jack Mesenbourg is a writer, musician, photographer, and artist from Minneapolis. He has spent his years hopping around the country, scribbling notes & scratching pictures in poorly organized journals along the way. Traveling with him have been his passions and distractions such as music, gardening, baseball, cooking and finding good local beer. Hopefully his projects provide you with some insight, provoke some thinking or at least give you a little amusement.

Song Review- Junkyard Tornadoes  “Sweet Mary Jo” from the album American Planck Time 

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I have been enjoying this band for a few years now, both for their creativity and also for their slightly self-effacing, irreverent manner…the kind of people you can imagine spending some good times with along the path of life.  

This track caught my attention initially due to the contrast between the low-tone, clean portions (check the first ten seconds as an example) and the slightly pegged out boomer parts that weave in and out throughout the track.  It gives this kind of delightful, discordant mood to the entire song that fits the lyrics well in my opinion.  The guitars are prominent with a little harmonica blending in later on to give a little breeze to the enterprise.  You can take this one with you all day long. 

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://junkyardtornadoes.bandcamp.com/

Hey! We are halfway through 2024…and your locals need you – please remember to get out there and support them…community is powerful! 

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Song Review- Doug McKean “My Heart’s Playing Tricks on Me” 

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Just a short time ago I had the pleasure of checking out Doug’s discography on Bandcamp and was definitely impressed with the range of genres he brings to his music – and he also has some very insightful lyrics that will give you some thoughtful moments.  

This recently released track almost has a hopeful melancholy to it…moody lyrics come in at the beginning tinged by some brighter strings underneath that push you forward until you hit the melodic guitar part around which this song revolves.  That pattern repeats accompanied by an understated drum beat, a progression that keeps this song sounding straight-forward while it builds up in your memory.  It will stay with you and is well worth a listen.  

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://dougmckean.bandcamp.com/

As always, please get out to support your local musicians and other talent – they need you and community is powerful 🙂 

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Song Review- Arthur Adams “You Hit the Nail on the Head” from the album It’s Private Tonight 

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This is an oldie but very goodie 🙂 and cuts all the way back to 1972.  After bumping into this album through the Cleopatra Blues page I was hooked right from go.  

When you read the roster of musical talent on this record you expect to be hit with a grand collection of sounds and this track does not disappoint.  A nice little jangle of guitar leads into a boppin’ and swayin’ drum beat and soon the clear and smooth voice of Adams.  The clavinet is just fantastic also and lends a special flavor.  You can definitely see yourself hitting the streets for a little walkabout with this one playing from the old boombox – totally awesome:)

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://arthuradams.bandcamp.com/

Please remember to get out there and support your local people & establishments…community is powerful:) 

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Song Review- Double Grave “1991” 

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This might not be my favorite song from these musicians (for that please see “western world” off their echinacea album…a strangely haunting song with a great bass line) but I wanted to put it up here as DG is calling it done after all this time.   Even during times when I was trying to puzzle out exactly what they were up to I always found the sonic experiment they offered up to be very interesting.  

This one leads off with a nice guitar part (that evoked a little Smashing Pumpkins in me) and heads into the lyrics covered by a subdued drum beat before picking up a little atmosphere mid-song.   That sonic buzz sticks after that with several nice distortion clouds cutting in..and then it drops right off…good-bye.

Thanks to Double Grave for the very interesting ride over the years and best wishes for your futures:) 

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://ggrraavvee.bandcamp.com/

As always…remember your locals – community is powerful 🙂 

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Song Review- Bo Ramsey “Get Away” from the album On The Range 

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Song Review- Bo Ramsey “Get Away” from the album On The Range 

This album just dropped in the last week and it was the first I had heard from Ramsey since Wildwood Calling in the mid-10’s …although I realized as I looked into this that I had missed some stuff along the way.  Nice to be back in the groove with this guy 🙂 

First of all…you can bring me a song with some Nashville-tuned guitars anytime…what a sound that delivers…and it runs its way all the way through this one (thank you Bryan Vanderpool).  Above that, this track has a simple, melodic sway to it that draws you in and keep you tapping away with some nice keyboard work and the straight-forward lyrical style from Bo.  I could sit around and play songs like this all day long.  

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://boramsey.bandcamp.com/album/on-the-range

When you have time,,,please get out and support your locals…community is powerful:) 

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Song Review- The Drowns “1979 Trans Am” from the album Blacked Out

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This entire album (just released earlier this month) is a rollicking good time all the way through and it was a tough choice but I eventually landed on this song.  I think that is mostly because its style brought me right back to a point in my 20’s when we out too often and too late and just having a great time.  Plus, songs about cool cars are just classic and fun.

This one comes in on a nice bit of percussion work that gives the song a snappy, light start before the rockabilly guitars cut in and weave between the sing-song lyrical pieces.  There is also a great bass line running along in this track that beats just as hard as the drum.  By the time you get to the end…well, you have had a good time listening for sure.  

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://thedrowns.bandcamp.com/

Remember to support your local artists as much as you can – community is powerful 🙂 

And please think about purchasing this song from them after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Album Review- Wetflix – Demo

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In addition to the fact that the cover art here reminded me of an artist I knew quite some time ago…any time I can give a listen to a demo tape is a good day.   There has always been something about the raw bits and pieces of these offerings that greatly appeals to me. 

“Mandarinas” comes in hard and fast offering some classic punk-style lyrics and chord progressions.  I had a garage-party moment when I first heard it for sure.  That good vibe carries right on through this album with fuzzy guitars at the front and a clean but slightly subdued rhythm section.  There is an interesting change of pace when you hit “Fish Brain” as it has a little bit more of a sing-song quality to it before the aptly named “Screamie” punches out to the end.  The mixing is a little rough especially with the vocal tracks but hey, that just makes me like it all the more.  This album comes out courtesy of RIP Records (Miami, FL) and is well worth a listen & purchase.  

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://riprecords.bandcamp.com/album/demo-4

Your local establishments need you …please support them when you have a chance – community is powerful:) 

And please think about purchasing this song from them after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Song Review- Alliance “Wingspan” from the album Alliance

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What can I say…give me some great saxophone and I am hooked from go. 

This track is their take on a Mulgrew Miller original from an album of the same name released in 1987.  I really enjoy the way the saxophone comes right in at the beginning and maintains a place near the front for the first half of this composition.  It has a slight edge of the frantic about it (to me anyway).  The piano section that starts around the 1:40 mark is a nice counterpoint, a little less edgy but not lulling anyone to sleep for sure.  An engaging drum solo clears the palate for about thirty seconds and then everyone comes back together to finish this track out.  The clarity of the individual moments on this song, combined with the great skill of the musicians together, really make for a good musical memory:) 

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://shiftingparadigmrecords.bandcamp.com/album/alliance

As always, please get out and support all of your locals – community is powerful:)

And please think about purchasing this song from them after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Song Review- Commit This To Memory “Variant” from the album Meant To Be

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Seeing an up-and-coming band start to get their music out into the universe again is always a special moment.   This band popped up a few years ago with their debut EP Home and then faded a bit (although maybe not in their local area…could have just been out of my view).  Anyway, back then I thought they had a good foundation to build on and this new album, which was released December 16th, builds on that for sure.  They were a little bit angsty on that debut EP (not a crime…just a function of age 🙂 and have grown a bit since that time.  

I selected this song because I find it to be an outlier in terms of their general sound which usually rides comfortably in the pop punk lane.   This track has more of a gravely tone & groove to it.  It opens with a rock-styled drum and guitar section and maintains that throughout with the vocals being a little more toward the punk side of things.  Overall, this is a well done, fast-paced song, direct and to the point at 2:49 in length.  

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://committhistomemory.bandcamp.com/

Please remember to support your local businesses, bands, musicians, artists…and people 🙂 …community is powerful!  

And please think about purchasing this song from them after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Song Review- wimps “City Lights” from the album City Lights

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This album dropped in mid-October but it took me awhile to get around to listening to it.  Overall this is a great set with short, to the point songs (the longest “Lake Washington” comes in at 3:18 and is quite an outlier on time) that deliver a clear, sometime humorous message.  This is relatable music for us all, good rhythms and melodies included:)  

This particular song pops in with the lyrics right away and they are accompanied by a simple, driving beat that easily convinces your foot to tap right along.   There is a great line in here that  captures the simple truth of us city dwellers…”can’t see stars from the city, but the city’s all I’ve got.”  This one will stick in your head for awhile…you have been warned! 

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://thesewimps.bandcamp.com

Have you wandered out and supported your locals recently?  Please do…community is powerful 🙂 

And please think about purchasing this song from them after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…