Scranton’s favorite sons return with their eighth album, Everything I Ever Saw, a lyrically intimate record anchored by the enduring power of friendship. Co-frontmen Greg Barnett and Tom May lay their contrasting life changes bare – Barnett getting married and becoming a father for the first time, while May navigated a divorce – creating the band’s most personal album to date.

Musically, little has changed in Menzingers territory, but that’s hardly a flaw. Opener “Chance Encounters” immediately hits with one of the record’s strongest choruses, while “Better Angels” seamlessly bridges their earlier pop-punk roots with what has become their signature heartland rock. Producer Will Yip brings fine-tuned polish to tracks like “Other People’s Money,” which marries sharp commentary on populist grifting and billionaire excess with a downright gorgeous melody.

The album only stumbles slightly when predictability sets in. Mid-album tracks like “Breathe With Me” and “When She Enters My Dreams” float by harmlessly, but aren’t distinctive enough to make a truly lasting impression. A bit more dynamic variety – like what is being offered on “Parade Day” – would have turned Everything I Ever Saw into an absolute gem. But hell, that’s nitpicking. Everything I Ever Saw is another solid addition to the band’s growing discography.

Everything I Ever Saw track listing:

1. Chance Encounters
2. Better Angels
3. Romanticism
4. Other People’s Money
5. Gasoline & Matches
6. The Fool
7. Nobody’s Heroes
8. Breathe With Me
9. When She Enters My Dreams
10. Parade Day
11. Everything I Ever Saw