Let's be completely honest, Meneguar is an overrated band. But what's wrong with being overrated? Refused, Converge, Nirvana, even The Beatles are overrated, and I don't think anyone would argue the impact and talent each band had or continue to have on their respective genres of music. I'm in no way trying to compare Meneguar to any of the bands listed above, but the fact of the matter is that you have to be doing something well, very well, to be considered overrated. And Meneguar is a band that is playing music very, very well.
The music scene was introduced to these four Brooklyn boys in some form before the band even came into existence, with Sheryl's Magnetic Aura forging a new identity and slightly different sound under a new band name: Meneguar. After releasing their critically acclaimed debut in 2005, Meneguar became an immediate hit among dance-party hipsters and punk rock kids alike with an undeniable and incredibly catchy indie-rock sound. It has been two years since the release of I Was Born at Night, and besides a two song 7" to quench the thirst for new songs, Meneguar remained silent, until now. Strangers in Our House begins right where their debut left off, progressing their sound more and never losing a beat.
The album opens up with "Table 2" with distortion quickly giving way to the dynamic and ambient guitar and bass interplay the listener has come to expect. Like the sun breaking through the clouds, clarity is reached as the voice of Jarvis Taveniere enters into the fray. The progression of Meneguar's songwriting is plain to see, as the band is able to intricately but beautifully control the tempo of their songs with highs and lows, always building up to another level only to jump down and start all over again. "Bury a Flower" is next up, a song that was featured earlier on the 7" Troubleman Unlimited put out, but which has been given a better-produced and smoother sound.
The genius and beauty of Strangers in Our House, and Meneguar as a whole, is that every song they release could be considered the album's single. The songs are so energetic and youthful that it's impossible to not get wrapped up by them, caught up and singing along to all the choruses and dancing to every melody. Each song is an anthem of undeniable hooks, mixed with the exuberance of Taveniere's voice and the complementing drums to complete the puzzle. "What Can't Be Done," with have you shaking your head and chanting the song's climax, joining the band in their statement, "One by one we grow defenseless," while "Death on Display," opens up with enough beauty and simple force to take your breath away.
It's impossible to deny Meneguar's ability to craft dynamic, catchy indie-rock better than the majority, if not every other band playing the same style of music. Strangers in Our House is absolutely worth the wait and more, and is an album you can play back any number of times and have fun with, whether you're an impromptu dance session or alone in your room, absolutely content with tapping your feet on your bed and singing along.
