Norway’s Greenland Whalefishers have been churning out Pogues-inspired punk since the mid-90s, long before every Tom, Dick, and Murphy decided to pick up a tin whistle and call themselves Celtic-punk. These Bergen bhoys have always worn their influences on their sleeve – think early Pogues grit mixed with a solid punk backbone – and their latest (and eighth studio album), War: 11 Battlefields, doesn’t stray too far from the sound we love and expect from them.
War: 11 Battlefields kicks off with the slow and gritty “11 PM”, it’s then straight into the familiar fray with tin whistle, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle dueling over driving punk rhythms. Arvid Grov’s gravelly vocals still channel Shane MacGowan. The album leans a bit heavier toward hard rocking and punk this time – less jigs, more fists – which gives it a nice raw edge.
Standouts include “Queen of the Town”, a rousing arm-around-the-shoulder singalong; “St. Patrick’s Day Drinking”, which cranks the energy up to eleven; and the slower burner “There Goes A Dancer”. Closer “Now is the Time” wraps it up on an anthemic high, perfect for closing down the bar.
The lads remain as delicious as a pint of Murphy’s (not that Guinness shite) – maybe even Greenland Whalefishers best release since their masterpiece Loboville.
Shite'n'Onions 