Brendan Menapace
@brendanmenapace.bsky.social
Writer for places like Spin, Stereogum, Esquire, Paste, Vice, Brooklyn Vegan, etc. Got my own thing over at www.snakesandsparklers.com.
www.brendanmenapace.com
www.brendanmenapace.com
I grew up in Central Pennsylvania and worked at Texas Roadhouse in high school, so I just have a bit of a thing about bands from the Northeast feigning a southern accent/affectation.
February 13, 2026 at 5:42 PM
I grew up in Central Pennsylvania and worked at Texas Roadhouse in high school, so I just have a bit of a thing about bands from the Northeast feigning a southern accent/affectation.
Meanwhile, the honorable and wonderful Laura Stevenson's grandfather wrote "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
I know where my allegiances lie.
I know where my allegiances lie.
While we're all talking about Pinegrove again let's not forget that the main guy's dad wrote the JG Wentworth songs.
February 13, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Meanwhile, the honorable and wonderful Laura Stevenson's grandfather wrote "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
I know where my allegiances lie.
I know where my allegiances lie.
While we're all talking about Pinegrove again let's not forget that the main guy's dad wrote the JG Wentworth songs.
February 13, 2026 at 4:29 PM
While we're all talking about Pinegrove again let's not forget that the main guy's dad wrote the JG Wentworth songs.
“You’re Gonna Swish It All”
February 12, 2026 at 8:15 PM
“You’re Gonna Swish It All”
Now they should let Kneecap do a halftime show for the FA Cup final
February 9, 2026 at 9:24 PM
Now they should let Kneecap do a halftime show for the FA Cup final
Seems like a good time to re-up my 20-year piece on “American Idiot” for @stereogum.com
stereogum.com/2280639/amer...
stereogum.com/2280639/amer...
American Idiot Turns 20
Imagine a scenario where you’re just two months out from a presidential election where it feels like the fate of the country, and even the free world as a concept, is on the line. The previous years h...
stereogum.com
February 8, 2026 at 1:39 AM
Seems like a good time to re-up my 20-year piece on “American Idiot” for @stereogum.com
stereogum.com/2280639/amer...
stereogum.com/2280639/amer...
You guys know how much I love soccer, but Curling might be the actual Beautiful Game
February 5, 2026 at 3:34 PM
You guys know how much I love soccer, but Curling might be the actual Beautiful Game
They should have a 33 1/3-esque book series for skate videos
February 4, 2026 at 4:06 PM
They should have a 33 1/3-esque book series for skate videos
“Hey Brendan they made a podcast just for you”
February 4, 2026 at 3:44 PM
“Hey Brendan they made a podcast just for you”
Miracle of an album. Tricked a 25 year old brain into thinking I understood the subject matter of aging and nostalgia and it just keeps getting better into my 30s.
February 3, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Miracle of an album. Tricked a 25 year old brain into thinking I understood the subject matter of aging and nostalgia and it just keeps getting better into my 30s.
SCOOP: Now that Atom Willard is out of Alkaline Trio we've got a three-way transfer where he's joining Nine Inch Nails, Josh Freese is going back to Foo Fighters, and Ilan Rubin is joining Alkaline Trio. More on this story to come.
February 3, 2026 at 1:36 PM
SCOOP: Now that Atom Willard is out of Alkaline Trio we've got a three-way transfer where he's joining Nine Inch Nails, Josh Freese is going back to Foo Fighters, and Ilan Rubin is joining Alkaline Trio. More on this story to come.
A bazillion tributes will pour in for Catherine O'Hara. But I think this is the performance of hers I think about most often. It's definitely the one I quote the most.
youtu.be/07foedHhpjk?...
youtu.be/07foedHhpjk?...
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Bam Bam
YouTube video by Curb YourTube
youtu.be
January 30, 2026 at 6:20 PM
A bazillion tributes will pour in for Catherine O'Hara. But I think this is the performance of hers I think about most often. It's definitely the one I quote the most.
youtu.be/07foedHhpjk?...
youtu.be/07foedHhpjk?...
Freelance writing is so bleak they’re rebranding payday loans
January 27, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Freelance writing is so bleak they’re rebranding payday loans
It’s actually pronounced Geese like cheese
January 23, 2026 at 1:43 AM
It’s actually pronounced Geese like cheese
Kareem: So what's your take?
Paul Banks: Subway, she is a porno
Kareem: Hundred percent agree
Paul Banks: Subway, she is a porno
Kareem: Hundred percent agree
January 21, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Kareem: So what's your take?
Paul Banks: Subway, she is a porno
Kareem: Hundred percent agree
Paul Banks: Subway, she is a porno
Kareem: Hundred percent agree
When everyone's a critic, no one is a critic.
I do not need a music news site to become a social media platform
A New Era for Pitchfork: Introducing Reader Scores and Commenting
After 30 years, we’re expanding the role readers have in our music criticism and giving you full access to the reviews archive
pitchfork.com
January 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM
When everyone's a critic, no one is a critic.
Hear me out: Audioslave comes back and they replace Chris Cornell with Zack de la Rocha from Rage Against the Machine.
January 20, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Hear me out: Audioslave comes back and they replace Chris Cornell with Zack de la Rocha from Rage Against the Machine.
ICYMI: I wrote about feeling bad about sometimes focusing on every sports news update rather than actual news of consequence when both are hitting you at all times, feeling guilty, but finding optimism in believing that long/expensive sports contracts will matter in five years.
The newsletter is back.
I wrote about feeling bad that I inhale sports news updates instead of focusing on the actual collapse around me, allow myself the optimism of believing that baseball and soccer will exist to care about in five years.
www.snakesandsparklers.com/p/roster-mov...
I wrote about feeling bad that I inhale sports news updates instead of focusing on the actual collapse around me, allow myself the optimism of believing that baseball and soccer will exist to care about in five years.
www.snakesandsparklers.com/p/roster-mov...
Roster Moves Amidst It All
To worry about pointlessness in the future at implies a future where pointlessness is accepted
www.snakesandsparklers.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:55 PM
ICYMI: I wrote about feeling bad about sometimes focusing on every sports news update rather than actual news of consequence when both are hitting you at all times, feeling guilty, but finding optimism in believing that long/expensive sports contracts will matter in five years.
Reposted by Brendan Menapace
The newsletter is back.
I wrote about feeling bad that I inhale sports news updates instead of focusing on the actual collapse around me, allow myself the optimism of believing that baseball and soccer will exist to care about in five years.
www.snakesandsparklers.com/p/roster-mov...
I wrote about feeling bad that I inhale sports news updates instead of focusing on the actual collapse around me, allow myself the optimism of believing that baseball and soccer will exist to care about in five years.
www.snakesandsparklers.com/p/roster-mov...
Roster Moves Amidst It All
To worry about pointlessness in the future at implies a future where pointlessness is accepted
www.snakesandsparklers.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:20 PM
The newsletter is back.
I wrote about feeling bad that I inhale sports news updates instead of focusing on the actual collapse around me, allow myself the optimism of believing that baseball and soccer will exist to care about in five years.
www.snakesandsparklers.com/p/roster-mov...
I wrote about feeling bad that I inhale sports news updates instead of focusing on the actual collapse around me, allow myself the optimism of believing that baseball and soccer will exist to care about in five years.
www.snakesandsparklers.com/p/roster-mov...
Meet The Beatles
Get Your Hands on The Menzingers
Get Your Hands on The Menzingers
January 16, 2026 at 6:52 PM
Meet The Beatles
Get Your Hands on The Menzingers
Get Your Hands on The Menzingers
The newsletter is back.
I wrote about feeling bad that I inhale sports news updates instead of focusing on the actual collapse around me, allow myself the optimism of believing that baseball and soccer will exist to care about in five years.
www.snakesandsparklers.com/p/roster-mov...
I wrote about feeling bad that I inhale sports news updates instead of focusing on the actual collapse around me, allow myself the optimism of believing that baseball and soccer will exist to care about in five years.
www.snakesandsparklers.com/p/roster-mov...
Roster Moves Amidst It All
To worry about pointlessness in the future at implies a future where pointlessness is accepted
www.snakesandsparklers.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:20 PM
The newsletter is back.
I wrote about feeling bad that I inhale sports news updates instead of focusing on the actual collapse around me, allow myself the optimism of believing that baseball and soccer will exist to care about in five years.
www.snakesandsparklers.com/p/roster-mov...
I wrote about feeling bad that I inhale sports news updates instead of focusing on the actual collapse around me, allow myself the optimism of believing that baseball and soccer will exist to care about in five years.
www.snakesandsparklers.com/p/roster-mov...
The kids have no idea when 2006 was
January 16, 2026 at 5:20 PM
The kids have no idea when 2006 was