15. The Menzingers - After The Party
Springsteen-infused post-emo punks make huge-hooked guitar anthems out of the misery of turning 30.
Today's a two-fer, because I've been meaning to feature this album in My Top 90 Mid-Life Crisis Songs since I took a (successful) punt on it a few weeks back.
Mid-Life Crisis Songs #10: The Menzingers - After The Party
After The Party is an album full of songs about the first truly terrifying mid-life crisis we all face - turning 30. Seems so long ago now, I can't even remember how it felt, but I know that wasn't a particularly positive time in my life and I doubt that particular milestone helped any (although now, of course, it seems an age devoutly to be wished for: if only I could go back there, knowing what I know now...)
It all starts with Tellin' Lies, a song which sets up the album's big question: "Where we gonna go now that our twenties are over"...
Oh yeah, oh yeah, everything is terribleThen comes Lookers, a track constantly harking back to the old days "when we were both lookers". They exist now only in sad old photographs...
When buying marijuana makes you feel like a criminal
When your new friends take a joke too literal
Making you feel like the bad guy
Lost in a picture frameThen there's the excellent Midwestern States in which our narrator complains about the mundane realities of real life now that magic has worn off...
The way my body used to behave
The way I smiled in the moment
Before it permanently froze
But that was the old me
I was such a looker in the old days
Been having problems with our landlordAll of which leads to the title track, and the realisation that the only way to survive adult (post-20s) life is to find yourself a fellow survivor with whom to cling onto the wreckage.
He said he's taking us both to court
She got her hours slashed
And my unemployment's drying up fast
We both got worthless diplomas from worthless universities
Two bachelors in worthless studies
But at least it made our parents happy
And cost a whole lot of money
We put miles on these old jean jacketsThe video does a pretty good job of illustrating "growing up" too...
Got caught up in the drunk conversations
But after the party, it's me and you
After the party, it's me and you
Next: Buddy Holly goes POP!
Two birds with one stone and a throwaway Springsteen reference. With this you are spoiling us Rol
ReplyDeleteI aim to please. Though I do often fail. But any flimsy excuse to mention The Boss.
DeleteAs you know I've kind of lost track of what's new in music so this series will mostly be full of revelations for me but I did listen to After The Party and enjoyed it. As for the video, all a bit bleak - I think I was lucky in that I was in a really good place at age 30 (it was my mid-20s I struggled with). I'd just met Mr WIAA so life was sweet and not long after we got married and then had DD - It was the right time.
ReplyDeleteMy current mid-life crisis is bothering me most at the moment - Still (kind of) happy with my decision but struggling to replace it with something else. I need the stars to align themselves again which is perhaps asking a bit much of them. Will have to set up a Blue Moon detective agency!
Yes, the video was pretty bleak: if that's how young people these days really live.
DeleteI always wanted to be a detective... If you have any jobs going!
Doh! - Just realised I missed the point about the 17 word post and comment - Now been noted.
DeleteIt's not mandatory. (See?)
DeleteTurning 30 was probably a big deal at the time, but now it's a very distant memory.
ReplyDeleteYes, but we often remember things through rose-tinted rear view mirrors and whitewash the unpleasant bits.
DeleteI'm with the Swede. Turning 30... what is there to bitch about? Ha!
ReplyDeleteThe music not being as good as when you were 20?
DeleteThose lines from 'Lookers' really are horrendously bleak if anyone truly does think like that at 30!
ReplyDeleteYou realise I'm now having to count the words on every comment to see who's playing along?
DeleteLike the sound of that - might have to investigate further.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip
My pleasure. Hope it doesn't disappoint.
DeleteNo crisis for me in my 30s as I had not long met Rachel who would soon become the second missus (and I, her second mister)
ReplyDeleteNo crisis for me in my 40s as I got the blog going and made,and in due course met, loads of new friends as a result.
My 50s is a different story altogther. Life isn't anywhere near as much fun as it used to be and there's fewer people around. Getting old sucks.