The Penske File – Salvation

Burlington, Ontario pop-punk act The Penske File landed on the scene a few years back with their noteworthy Stomp Records debut, Burn Into The Earth.  While the album drew from a wide range of familiar pop-punk influences, the band was still very much in a sense of becoming – finding their footing and making their mark amongst their peers.  But with their follow-up effort and third full length, Salvation, the band has never sounded more confident.  

To understand how much of a step forward Salvation is, let’s start with exhibit A, “Kamikaze Kids.”  The first track on the album is both relaxed and uplifting in its chronicling of self-destructive youthful influence.  While I still think the comparisons to The Gaslight Anthem are sonically a stretch, the overall storytelling is that of a nostalgic dreamer, blending past and present with an escapist’s heart.  The phrase “golden futures, forgotten pasts,” upon which the subsequent track draws its name, perhaps best marks the tension within which The Penske File balances Salvation.  “Spin My History” is a particular stroke of brilliance in the track’s description of a young pair of ears spinning a dusty crate of records formerly defining the youth of a prior generation.  The same can be said about the intersection of past and present that comes with taking a stroll along familiar setting in “Fairgrounds,” or glancing at spektral images of one’s upbringing in “Lakeshore.”  One of my biggest gripes with the band’s past work has been their lack of lyrical distinction and strong imagery, but Salvation more than makes that a strength.

Musically, the band continues to expand its scope, communicating an increasingly vibrant and rich sound overall.  While the band has always incorporated harmonica and other folky elements, tracks like “American Basements” and “Yesterday’s Getaway” channel a pseudo-acoustic feel that really hits the spot in chorus and refrain.

The band’s style hasn’t drastically changed across their discography, but their confidence has certainly skyrocketed, making Salvation The Penske File’s best effort to date.  There’s a certain worldliness that band’s like The Menzingers and Against Me! have gathered with time and age, and the same can be said of The Penske File’s present trajectory.  Here’s to hoping they can maintain momentum.