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 – Treasure Pains  –  “Left To Give” 

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Three men and one woman, casually dressed and looking toward the viewer. They look comfortable and at ease.

As I am always tracking the news as it pertains to Wiretap Records (seriously one of the very best punk labels in the country) I was happy to see this song released on that label.  I had been following this band’s music since the latter part of 2024, drawn to it by the fact that it involved Kyle Woodall, the great drummer from Wolvesx4 (that being another band you should check out pronto – a good intro point is their 2023 album cursecursecurse).  The first release from Treasure Pains was Charming (also on Wiretap Records) and it was a solid album that interlaced elements of melodic punk with the lighter side of post hardcore.

This new track is definitely more aggressive than their earlier songs, opening on a heavy bass line before cutting into a very loud and aggressive guitar and vocal onslaught.  The drums are right at the front of the sound throughout, driving along a song that also has a pretty cool guitar riff ringing out through the last minute or so.  I like this slightly harder sound from Treasure Pains – it keep the melodic vibe but with a tougher touch.  

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://wiretaprecords.bandcamp.com/track/left-to-give

And please remember to support your local community 🙂

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

Let me know you think!

Song Review- Midnight Peg- “Swallow” from the upcoming album Skinnin

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2 women and 3 men, dressed in black, looking at the camera. In general they look either happy or defiant.

Having previously reviewed another release from this upcoming album (“Thirstland” on June 2nd) I definitely wanted to check this one out.  Given the energy and power of that earlier song I was curious to hear if those levels were sustained and how they both might give a sense of what that album will be like.  Well the answers to that would be: Definitely! And Skinning is very likely to be a real powerhouse record! 

“Swallow” breathes a little bit at the beginning, a gentle pulse rising and falling for about twenty seconds…you might find yourself getting into an introspective groove.  It then cuts abruptly to booming guitars, bass & drums before a vocal charged with fury joins up.  The bridge, which comes around 1:22 steps the tempo down and brings back that breathing space for a moment, a break that works nicely among the volume and speed of the rest of this track.  

Musicians on this are: Eric Neilson (guitar, vocals), Raquel “Rocky” Mann (vocals, lyrics), Brian Lin (bass), Jeffrey Sterling Brannen (drums), Jasmin Molnar (guitar). 

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

https://bfan.link/MidnigthPeg-swallow

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

And support your locals – community is powerful!

Album Review- Jubal Lee Young- Squirrels

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A man in a cowboy hat, turning to look back at the camera. He is wearing sunglasses and a collared shirt. photo by Chuck Shanlever

This album just came out about a week ago and when I saw the press release from Broken Jukebox Media I was brought back to a song by Young off his self-titled album from 2007.  That song, “Deep South Blues,” has this great horn opening, kind of a haunting blues piece played like a funeral march.  It is fantastic and has stuck with me all these years.  There are no horns to open any of the songs on this new album but it all works out just fine anyway.

After listening through several times I picked “It’s Gonna Be All Right” as my favorite, mostly because it is such a slow-paced  number.  Those always intrigue me as I know how hard it can be to pull off that kind of down tempo successfully (for me at least).  This track comes in on a mournful fiddle sound which continues to set the background tone throughout the song.  The other instruments are not subdued as much as they are gracefully and quietly present, just rising up briefly for short moments.   Vocal quality is on-point, strong and clear with lyrics more hopeful than the mood of the song.  

The rest of the tracks on Squirrels are good listens also with other noteworthy songs for me being “Dumb Luck,” “Lost in Hollywood” and “Parts.”  These, along with the rest of the selections, span across several genres although they are all grounded somewhere in the classic country / Americana & folk space.  There are up-tempo dancers, honky-tonk thumpers and more to enjoy here and it all works together very well. 

Check it out on your favorite streaming channel – and let me know your thoughts about it – music makes for good conversation! 

You can also check out more info about Jubal Lee Young at his website here:

https://juballeeyoung.com/

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

As always, please remember to support your local community and artists 🙂 

Release Alert! Dillinger Four- “Like Sprewells on a Wheelchair”

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Four men in jeans and black t-shirts walking toward the camera - one has his shirt pulled up over his face. They seem to be enjoying themselves.

This song just dropped and as D4 is just a terrific band I wanted to put the word out right away. This is an old one and the last place I remember it being available was on a Rock Against Bush release – Volume 2 as it turned out once I checked Discogs.  

As usual, this track brings all the loud guitars and bass, crashing drums and vocal fury of a lot of Dillinger Four’s music.  There is also a bit of melody hanging out in there, just enough to keep things moving along nicely.  It has a nice long lead in before the lyrics and then it drives hard right to the end – awesome! 

Musicians on this are: Eric Funk (vocals, guitar), Patrick Costello (bass), Billy Morisette (guitar, vocals) and Lane Pederson (drums). 

You can give it a listen here (and maybe think about purchasing it if you are so inclined):

Album Review- Pulley & Fire Sale – Split Personality – split 7 “

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Five men (two sitting and three standing) looking at the camera with one man staring slightly off the viewers left. They look content and at ease.

I definitely do not need a second reminder to review any new music from Pulley as songs like “Cashed in” (from Esteem Driven Engine) and “Empty” (Together Again for the First Time) have been part of the mixtape of my life.  And…speaking of tapes, here is another one of my requests for you:  There was a promo cassette that had three songs from Esteem Driven Engine on it that was out sometime in the late 90’s.  If you ever see one…give me a shout please.  Pulley is a great band live also although it has been awhile since I saw them.  I know less about Fire Sale but the associated bands of the musicians (The Ataris, 22 Jacks, No Use for a Name and Ann Beretta among others) are some favorites of mine.  I had previously head their song “A Fool’s Errand” and found it pretty groovy.  

The Pulley songs on this new 7” split (“Write a Note If You Leave” and “Torn Apart by Time”) are right in that melodic punk space.  These tracks have tight instrumentation and a refined composition accompanied by some straight-forward and heartfelt lyrics.  There is much to enjoy between the hammering drum line, booming bass and some screaming guitar moments.  I would pick “Torn Apart by Time” as my personal favorite on this album. 

There is a bit of a different tone and feel to the Fire Side songs “An Archaic Construct” and “Call of the Void.”  These are a little more raw and edgy, backed up by a wall of distortion and buzzy energy.  That distortion drowns out a little bit of the other instrument sounds in a couple places but it all works out really well overall.  You can catch some nice guitar moments on these songs also.

The four tracks on this release fit well together and represent both bands creative approach and high energy.  You can listen to these on repeat for awhile!    This music is coming out on Negative Progression Records on September 5th and you can get a limited edition vinyl right here:

https://shop.negativeprogressionrecords.com/

And support your locals – community is powerful!

Song Review- Dial Drive – “On My Own” from the upcoming album Dial Drive

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four men in playful poses in front of a graffitied wall

Having heard one Dial Drive album prior to getting the chance to preview this track I was on-board right away.  That album (which was from 2018) was called Viva Le’Jit and was a dedication album for their former bass player Brian Fenley who had passed away.   Those were some good songs full of much youthful energy and a bit of angst.  “Big Mistake” was my favorite and you can give it a listen here if you have a spare three minutes:  

https://dialdrive.bandcamp.com/album/viva-lejit

I have to say that right as “On My Own” lit off I had a bit of a “Clash City Rockers” moment.  It is a faster riff but has that same kind of “pay attention” effect and energy.  This track though is not content to stay in that lane although it certainly has enough buzzy bass and frantic drumming to make anyone happy.  This song instead mixes in some brief & well placed shouting along with a pretty cool down-tempo bridge.   I have heard that these guys bring much energy to their live shows also so that is on my list for sure.  

The full album (on SBAM Records) is due out sometime later this year. 

Musicians on this are: Jake LeDrew (vocals), Nathan Durazzo (guitar, vocals), AJ Ferrera (bass) and Billy Morrissey (drums)

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

https://bfan.link/dial-drive-on-my-own

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

And support your locals – community is powerful!

Song Review- For Closure- “Take Two”

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Well, cool things sometimes happen and as you may recall I had just reviewed Sleep Pod Two’s “All That We Have (Is Each Other)” earlier this month…and then along comes another band with Wal Rashidi on the drums.  Although I was aware of some of the other associated bands from this group of musicians I had not heard about For Closure much prior to this release.  

The guitar tone at the start of this is very cool and a bit of a throwback for me to somewhere in the 80’s – it is a groovy riff that sets the mood right away.  As the volume and sound build from there it takes you along on a wave of melody and soaring vocals that give a broken love story a slightly defiant vibe.  Short and to the point, the track drops right off the edge at the 2:13 mark. This is a good song in the power-pop tradition and a nice listen for a Sunday afternoon.  

Musicians on this are:  Luis Estefania (guitar), Gizz Lazlo (vocals), Steve Brown (bass), Marc Maxey (guitar) and of course Wal Rashidi (drums).  

The full EP (also titled Take Two) is set to drop September 12th on Mindpower Records.  It is going to include a cover of “In My Head” by the Doughboys which I will be interested to hear.

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

https://orcd.co/forclosuretaketwo

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

And support your locals – community is powerful!

Album Review- Megan Bee- Fiction

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A woman in a brown tank top and print skirt, sitting down with a guitar on her lap. She appears to be deep in thought.

Courtesy of Adam Dawson and Broken Jukebox Media I had the good fortune to be able to preview this album which is set for an official release on October 10th (radio date October 1st).  The information that came along with the details on Fiction included references back to her prior albums which have received much positive recognition.  As I was unaware of all of that I decided to jump backward first and started with 2017’s A Sense of Place.  That is a solid set of songs that range from the bluegrass sing-along styled “Carry Me Away” to the slightly sassy alt-county feel of “Cincinnati.” Like a Canyon also is listed as an earlier 2017 release that has more good songs on it although I found it lacked a little of the stylistic range that was present on A Sense of Place.  Of course, I also found “Little Birdie” (which is the notable change-of-pace song on Canyon) to be just too darn happy of a song for me so who I am to complain about  stylistic range?  Bee’s 2020 album Waiting was the last one I made it all the way through before writing this post and you can hear the development of her talent and voice on every track.  The songs are stark in composition but the instruments are right on-point, adding harmony and background that let you into every story.  “Back Home Again” and “Dreams I Don’t Remember” are the stand-outs tracks for me on that album. 

After two times listening through Fiction I was struck by the strength of the lyrics which are so poignant and sung with real feeling.  They tell stories with a clarity and simplicity that make the message in each song all the more powerful.   That songwriting ability was present on the other albums I mentioned above but it is really in full force here.  The songs remain generally simple in form with mostly acoustic instruments that are handled masterfully and add to the intimate, in-person feeling of this album.  “Now I Know” and the title track struck me as especially noteworthy.  Fiction is definitely worth waiting for so keep an eye out for this one to drop.  

I am not sure if this is a complete list of musicians on the album but the info available listed (in addition to Bee on guitar, piano and Wurlitzer); Kate Wakefield (cello), John Borchard (pedal steel), Ammed Solomon (drums) and Chris Justice (bass).  

You can keep up-to-date and also purchase her music here:

https://meganbeemusic.com/home

Remember to  support your locals – community is powerful

Song Review- The Boy Detective- “Beth Truss” from the upcoming album Disco Lunch

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A group of mostly happy looking people, some sitting and some standing.

As a long time fan of ska (in all of its various iterations and sub genres) I first heard this band covering The Get Up Kids song “Forgive & Forget.”  That was off Sklarity, their 2021 collection of ska-styled covers of ten songs which also included “Hands Down” (Dashboard Confessional) and “Photo Booth” (Death Cab for Cutie).  On that album and also on the 2018 album Dorkus Malorkus their sound is an interesting mix of ska, punk and just a bit of hard core.  If you want a side mission check out “Is Alfredo There” from Dorkus for an interesting cross-genre experience and sound explosion.  They also have another release called Art Theft which I have not listened through yet.  

Their upcoming album Disco Lunch is set to drop on November 7th and “Beth Truss” will release as a single on August 15th, all courtesy of Punkerton Records.  The song, as described by the band’s vocalist Benny Capaul: 

“…was taken off the shelf, dusted off, and reformatted to sonically invoke singalongs and brain-eating choruses and gang vocals, in the only way The Boy Detective knows best.”

I would have to agree that this one is a sonic explosion.  It comes in on a short drum intro quickly followed by energetic horns that give you a bit of a marching groove.  At that point you are firmly in a ska state of mind and happy to be there.  It then drops into a more guitar & drum / alt-punk section that still brings the energy while adding some restless edginess to the vibe.  That back-and-forth continues through the song and the overall result is some odd kind of angry happiness. 

This should be out on your streaming channels soon and you can pre-order Disco Lunch (vinyl) here:

The Boy Detective "Disco Lunch" Vinyl [Pre-Order]

And pre-save the digital version here: 

https://ffm.to/theboydetective_discolunch

And support your locals – community is powerful