Author Archives: Jack Mesenbourg

Unknown's avatar

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.

Album Review- Larry Keel & Jon Stickley – EP

Posted on by
Reply
Two men sitting on a couch with acoustic guitars - they are smiling and dressed in jeans and jackets

Hearing that these two guitar masters had joined forces to put together this EP was fantastic news.  My familiarity with Keel was rather lacking having only heard his single releases  “Love” and “Faster Horses” which you can still check out here on Bandcamp.  His playing on those two tracks was enough to make them memorable for sure.  The Jon Stickley Trio was a band I was more familiar with having enjoyed their classic albums Lions, Lost at Last (which is quite a tour de force of bluegrass and flat-picking) and Maybe Believe.   They have a few more out there which you can also check out here on Bandcamp.

So, what to expect of this release?  Well, given prior experience I was hoping for a lot of flat-picking guitar magic and interesting song composition.  After listening to the five tracks on this EP I can say that they brought that and more to the music. I was not sure how many lyrical numbers there might be and was surprised to find that three of the tracks hit that mark.  These songs (“Sailor Suit,” “Pioneers,” and “Starborn”) cover a range of themes and blend over a little from their usual bluegrass/ folk styling into alt-county.    There are of course also some really intricate and wonderful picking moments (check “Sailor Suit” around the 2:22 mark or “Starborn” around 1:44) – really groovy! 

 The instrumental songs (“Future Ghost” which is my personal fav on the EP and “Take the Air”) really showcase how well these two masters play off each other and incorporate their individual playing into well-crafted music.  These are acoustic, instrumental tracks that are engaging and thoughtful.  

Overall this EP is a keeper and one to pick up at your earliest opportunity. 

Many thanks to Dreamspider Publicity for including me in the release notes for this album!

Check it out on your favorite streaming channel (link below) – and let me know your thoughts about it – music makes for good conversation 🙂 

https://larrykeel.lsnto.me/keelstickleyep

And if you have the inclination …think about purchasing it if you can as steaming music does not pay well even times a thousand. 

Be a Good Neighbor – it builds an awesome community! 

Song Review- SUNBENDR- “Stay All Night”

Posted on by
Reply
three casually dressed men standing in front of a white-washed cement brick wall. They are looking at the viewer.

Ok, so an unapologetic love song can go several ways once you hit play, not all of them especially pleasant.  We all have our own definition of what those not-so-great qualities might be but I tend to steer away from the really sappy side of things.   I had reviewed the prior release from this band (“Stick Up”) back in June and liked it a lot.  This new single is definitely in a different vein but does not go off the rails for me.  Instead it is a positive & breezy track with some cool guitar moments and a catchy hook.   Hopefully they are playing this at some of their shows as I bet it makes for a good gig moment.  

Note that this track is the third one released from what I understand was a five song session with producer George Perks (You Me at Six, Enter Shikari).   I will be interested to hear what comes out next! 

Check it out on your favorite streaming channel (link below) – and let me know your thoughts about it – music makes for good conversation 🙂 

https://onerpm.link/StayAllNight

And if you have the inclination …think about purchasing it if you can as steaming music does not pay well even times a thousand. 

Remember your community people and places – we all need each other 🙂 

Song Review- Bicycle Inn – “Longsword (4th Place)”

Posted on by
1
5 young men, casually dressed and standing in front of a body of water similar to a lake. They are looking out toward the viewer.

The only song I had heard by this band prior to being able to check out this new single was “Clear My Head” off a 2018 release (that you can still get on Bandcamp) called opening doors for strangers.  In addition to a pretty cool bashing drum start it has some simple but poignant lyrics which is all good; however, the thing that made it more interesting was the change of pace right at the end.  It goes from a classic emo groove to a heavy, scream-out vibe which makes a difference if you ask me.  It works pretty well but also felt a little bit forced coming all in the final few seconds.   They have released other music but that was my reference point when I hit play on the new release.  

“Longsword (4th Place)” has a bit more of a pop feel mixed in with the general emo-centric musical composition.  I think that styling decision works well as does the harder guitar riffs.  This track keep that change of pace and feel I liked in “Clear My Head” but does a better job of incorporating it into the overall flow of the music.  If you get those good headphones on (or zen out in a quiet space) you will also find some intriguing nuances of melody and rhythm on this song.  Overall, a cool one to listen to and hopefully a preview of more music to come.  

Musicians on this are:  Noah Aguiar (guitar, vocals), Josh Giaquinto (percussion), Declan Moloney (bass), Gilmar Perez (lead guitar) and Dylan Ilkowitz (guitar, aux vocals) and Ryan O’Rourke from Innerlove. adding some guest vocals 

Check it out via streaming  (link below) – and let me know your thoughts about it – music makes for good conversation 🙂 

And if you have the inclination …think about purchasing it if you can as steaming music does not pay well even times a thousand. 

That local community around you is full of interesting people – take a minute to get to know them 🙂 

Song Review –  Mugger – “This is Ours” off the upcoming album Want the World 

Posted on by
Reply
A black and white photo of two women and two men in front of a convenience store.

To go back in time first (as I am prone to do so often) let’s revisit sometime in late 2015 (maybe early 2016?) when I first stumbled upon the band Creepoid and an album called Cemetery Highrise Slum.  You know those moments when you are merrily clicking your way through the used CD’s and muttering to yourself…magical times for sure.  In this case I was out in Santa Cruz having a grand old time of things.  Anyway, I stopped short on this one mostly because of the title as I do like an interesting string of words.  I had never heard of the band but of course purchased it anyway.  It took a bit after that for it to make it to “play” position in my stack of CD’s and vinyl but when it did it was quite the interesting listening session.  It is music that is hard to put a label on and psychedelic-groovy-alt-punk is not really close but let’s go with that for now.  It is still available on Bandcamp (including a 10 year anniversary re-issue of the vinyl).  

All of that to say – Anna (vocals) and Patrick (drums) Troxwell from Creepoid are currently part of Mugger and lend their talents to this early single from the upcoming EP.  There is a heavy vibe to this track with some grungy, distorted guitars & bass and a nice hardcore style with just a touch of heavy metal mixed into the sound.   Clocking in at a quick 1:27 it is a purposeful and direct blast of energy.  

Other musicians on this are: Lisa Alley (bass) and Daniel Fried (guitar). 

You can pre-order this EP (due October 24th from Quiet Panic) here:

https://mugger-tx.bandcamp.com/album/want-the-world

And please remember to support your local community 🙂 

Album Review- Josh Tarp & the Still – Vigilante  

Posted on by
Reply
A blond man dressed in a jean jacket and while t-shirt looks at the camera.

Yes indeed, this one is from a long time ago (2014!) but I do like to look back at some classics from the past.  I did not come across this until about 2020 or so,  maybe on a steaming service, maybe on Bandcamp…not 100% sure although I did end up purchasing it eventually via that latter platform.  

The title track, which also opens the album, caught me off guard at first as it features a clapping pattern with a stark vocal from Tarp.  That rhythmic beat slowly builds by adding just a touch of instrumentation along with one of the few effective uses of “Shhhh” I have ever heard in a song.  That is followed by “A Ghost In The Radio” which uses a different but also very effective backbeat and some wispy guitar work that gives a sense of fleeting energy and sells the “chase” theme mentioned in the song.  

Next up is “Iowa,” a track with a bit of a folk and country vibe to it.  There is a buzzy bass on the front of the sound that I like and the lyrics tell a tale of heading out from home with a bit of a dreamy feeling.  

“Drink You Straight” is a singer-songwriter classic with a “lost love” storyline and slow march pacing that includes some piano / keyboard action.  It gets just a little bit long for me sometimes but other times I do not notice that issue at all.  The album closes out on “Glory” which you think would be the one I would mention as long (5:06) but the composition of this song keeps it from feeling that way.  It comes in on a strumming guitar with vocals and that forms the foundation which is joined at various times by light drum work and piano.  It is an interesting listen every time.  

This whole album is a really worthy early effort from the band and one you should check out when you have the time.  

This group does have newer music also of course (most recently “Scars”) which you can find on your steaming platforms – and they do put on a great live show if you have the chance to catch them out there in the wild.

Check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://joshtarp.bandcamp.com/album/vigilante-ep

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

Support your locals when you get a chance – they need you 🙂 

Let me know you think! 

Song Review- Horace Pinker- “Call It a Day” from the album Now and the Future

Posted on by
Reply
Three men stand in an alleyway looking toward the camera. They are dressed casually and look slightly defiant.

Some bands really do just keep on being able to being energy, power and great sound to their music and Horace Pinker has been proving that for quite awhile now.   Being able to preview their new album (it will be out by the time you read this) was very cool and much appreciation to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for that opportunity. 

Way back in 1995 I had heard most of what I believe was their first full length album Powertools.   I later picked it up myself and songs like “Punker than GBH” (which includes a rolling name check of some great bands including MC5, TSOL and etc) and “No Thoughts” became regular parts of my rotation.  

They have released a bunch of music since then with Copper Regret and House of Cards being favorites of mine.  You can check out their Bandcamp page to sample some of those other songs.  

https://horacepinker.bandcamp.com/

Now and the Future (brought to you by the great People of Punk Rock Records) has ten songs that all bring volume and energy, representing three musicians who are fully in the groove with their music and each other.  I chose “Call It a Day” (the lead track on the album) for this review because it really caught my attention right away, which I guess means it works well as a #1 track!  Buzzy guitars and drums lead off with a pulsing bass line riding over the top and that spirit continues through the entire song.   In the press release Horace Pinker describe it quite well themselves, saying that it:

“refines melodic punk and hardcore influences into a two-and-half minute blast of sonic energy”

If you want to give this song a listen you can check it here:

Musicians on this are:  Scott Eastman (guitar, vocals), Bryan Jones (drums) and Greg Mytych (bass, vocals).

You can order the album here (and the vinyl looks pretty darn cool) along with some other HP swag and merchandise:

Horace Pinker

Go out and talk to your neighbors – community is powerful 🙂 

Album Review- abandcalledlove- Thriving Season

Posted on by
Reply
Five men standing together in an urban setting under a bridge. They look like they are close friends.

One of my favorite things about listening to all kinds of music is that moment when I hear an album and as the last few notes play out my reaction is, “Well, hmmmm…interesting…very interesting.”  You have to picture me with a slightly quizzical look on my face, staring out my studio window with one eyebrow raised.  In those moments I know that I have experienced some sounds that I need a few extra moments to analyze and process.  The why’s of that are many but in the case of this EP from abandcalledlove it was the stylistic mix and range of the five songs that took a few more listen-throughs to grasp.  

The lead track here “love” is a short 39 seconds of breathy vocals over a hammering but subdued keyboard and a bass you can feel.  It builds into a swell of atmosphere before clipping out perfectly as the second song “INFINITE” drops right into place.  That one is a power-pop anthem through and through with soaring guitars, tight drums and strong vocals that set a tone of hopeful anticipation.  

Then along comes the middle track “A Liar!” which has much more of a rock feel to the music but opens with an almost spoken word vocal over a prominent drum line.  That vocal style carries through much of the song although the chorus is full-blown modern rock.   The bridge outro also builds up a glorious amount of noise before buzzing out on static.  

On my first listen to this EP the next song “The Love I Can’t Let Go” started playing and I was instantly transported to the 80’s…I half-expected a Simon LeBon cameo…it was a cool start for sure.   Much of the style of the music stays in that retro pop-rock groove and the piano at the end if a perfect counterpoint to the rest of the song. 

Closing out on the ballad “untitled / new year theme” is a nice finishing touch.   There are some very thoughtful lyrics set against a quiet, slightly nostalgic feeling musical composition.  After you listen through a few times the melody sticks with you and the meaning of those lyrics can change a bit depending on your mood.  

So, I did manage to sort that all out and it was a pretty nice journey.  This is a very good EP (coming out September 26th via Valiant Sound Co.) with a range of styles played and sung by accomplished musicians that are in great form.  I know that they have been garnering much positive buzz and this release should add to their momentum.  

“A Liar!” is the first single off of this EP and you can check it here on YouTube:

And you can do a pre-save for the album here:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/abandcalledlove/thriving-season-2/

Musicians are: Ryan Chandler Love (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Blake Aldridge (guitar, vocals, keyboards, percussion), Austin Yagle (drums, percussion, keyboard, vocals), Ian Joshua Riley (guitar, keyboard, vocal) and Brooks Roberts (bass, vocals). 

Please remember to support your local community artists, bands and businesses! 

Release Alert! Treasure Pains & Spares  – Split EP

Posted on by
Reply
Five men wearing t-shirts & standing in front of a grey building looking toward the camera.

Yes, I did just cover Treasure Pains new single “Left To Give” back on August 31st, a track that is actually part of this upcoming EP.  I am less familiar with Spares although I had heard their song “Stalemate” off their eponymous EP which came out earlier this year.  I thought it was an interesting bit of music with an eerie rhythm and melody joined by clipped vocals.  

I had the good fortune to be able to preview this split EP in full and it is definitely a nice set of four songs.  Other than “Left To Give” Treasure Pains also contribute “Strike,” a driving, fuzzy guitar, jumpy drum, screaming vocal piece on the harder side of pop punk. 

The two songs from Spares are “Joke” and “New Indignities.”  That first track has a really cool atmospheric tone with a lilting melody.  It runs 6 minutes and gets a little dense at points but keeps your attention with some jumpy pace changes and interesting lyrics.   The second one is a quick 2:42 of blistering guitars, non-stop vocals and an interesting synth accompaniment.  

This is set to drop from Wiretap Records / Council Records on September 26th and pre-orders can be placed here: 

https://council-records.bandcamp.com/album/split

A couple videos are out (one from each band) if you want a preview of this music:  

three men and one woman toward the camera. Three are resting against a back wall while one man is closer to the viewer.

Your local community needs you –  Get out there and meet some people 🙂

Song Review- 84 Tigers – “Two Rivers” (featuring Rocky Votolato) from the upcoming album Nothing Ends

Posted on by
Reply
Three men in dark clothing, standing in front of a backlit window and brick wall, looking at the camera

Back in the days when Small Brown Bike was a fairly active band (late 90’s to mid 10’s…and maybe a little longer as I did lose track of them around that time) I had a conflicted relationship with their music.  They had insightful lyrics, bare bones and very real much of the time, that could really get you thinking.  For me songs like “Just Bones” (off the album Fell & Found) and “A Declaration of Sorts” (The River Bed) are powerful music.  At times though they had some distracting arrangements that left me a little puzzled (…which could well have been my own issue but still…those was my thoughts at the time).  Anyway, I still liked the band and listened.  On a side note there is a pretty cool release called Recollected (on the Old Point Light Bandcamp page) that has a lot of their music on it including demos, B-sides, some covers, etc.

84 Tigers features two of the members of Small Brown Bike (Mike & Ben Reed) along with Jono Diener from the Swellers.  A good starting point for music from that Michigan band is their 2012 album Running Out of Places to Go.  

84 Tigers had a release back in 2022 called Time in the Lighthouse that I totally failed to pick up on apparently so this “Two Rivers” track was my entry point for their music.  It is also a tribute to Travis Dopp (Small Brown Bike) who passed away in 2023.  Mike Reed commented on this track in a recent press release from Earshot Media:

“‘Two Rivers’ is a tribute to Travis Dopp (Small Brown Bike). Some of his lyrics are quoted in the song. When Rocky and I realized that we had both written songs with the word ‘River’ in the title separately, it was cosmic fate that brought him into the song. I had no idea what it would become, but he took it to new heights and I still get choked up when I hear it.”

The song begins on a cycling drum and guitar riff and keeps a quick beat accompanied by a strung out lyric line before slowing way down for a reflective moment.   It keeps that tandem sound throughout, kind of a rushing feeling toward the brief spaces of quiet.  A nice combination with sincere lyrics that are a fitting tribute to Dopp.

You can get a listen to this track on YouTube here:

You can pre-save the album (scheduled to drop October 17th on Spartan Records) here:

https://orcd.co/tworivers

Or pre-order at the Spartan Records website: 

84 Tigers

And support your locals – community is powerful