A Lesson In the Abuse of Information Technology

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When bands are described as sounding like 1970s punk, generally the reviewers mean either the Ramones or the Sex Pistols. The Los Angeles punk scene, an altogether more fractious and insular mix of noisy racket and political commentary, is increasingly airbrushed out of the official punk orthodoxy, even among present-day California bands like Green Day, who seem to take all their historical cues from points East. Which makes it even more surprising that Scranton, PA's the Menzingers not only have a vintage first wave punk sound, they quite specifically recall L.A. punk acts like the Dils and the Zeros: pointedly sociopolitical lyrics over tough, three-chord tunes shorn of the Phil Spector influence that hung over the New York bands and the glam rock hangover of the London crowd. Even a cover of the Clash's "Straight to Hell" (a gutsy move considering how many Clash fans consider this dark, spooky dub possibly Joe Strummer's finest five minutes ever) is turned into a noisy rave-up; it's not a patch on the original, of course, but they deserve props for trying. Much better are spunky, tough but catchy originals like "Sir Yes Sir," and the abrasive opener "Alpha Kappa Fall off a Balcony." The Menzingers sound gratifyingly unique amongst the increasingly cookie-cutter pop-punk acts, if only because they sound like their influences reach beyond Dookie.