10 Essential Albums From 2019 You Need To Hear

The Menzingers are a difficult band to categorize. While their style is definitely punk at its core, their songcrafting speaks to a genre more classic sounding. Namely: heartland rock. This band's earnestness and sincerity gives a humanity to their punk stomper tracks. It's like the edge of Rise Against combined with the open-hearted storytelling of someone like Bruce Springsteen.

Hello Exile has songs that have a muscly edge to them like "America I Love You" and "High School Friend" that are evened out with slower cuts like the title track and the long distance relationship anthem "Anna."

Also a look through this lyric sheet can leave anyone in tears. The album has a hopeful tone while talking about the turmoil and confusion that comes with growing up. Especially bring the tissues for "I Can't Stop Drinking," a tune that shows the dangers that alcoholism can have on a relationship.

The beauty of this album lies in its subtlety. It always feels like an old friend that you meet at a bar and discuss old times with. Even though the glory days may be gone for some of us, the coming days may still be golden when this album's on repeat.