25 Years of Irish Punk celebrates, well, 25 Years of Irish Punk from our favorite Canadian hooligans, The Mahones. Whats cool about 25 years is its not just a collection of loved Mahones classics remastered but actually re-recorded by the current line up (including Mr. Scruffy Wallace). The whole album has a great consistency and a live in the studio feel – except Wild Rover which is live-live. 25 years also includes great covers of The Undertones (Teenage Kicks) , Stiff Little Fingers (Alternative Ulster) and Rancid (Last One to Die). Available online and in stores internationally via The Whiskey Devil Collective (Canada), eOne (Canada), Sailor’s Grave Records (USA) and Wolverine Records (Germany).
Sleeping Rough is the latest and greatest album from Sydney boot-boys The Rumjacks. Following quickly on the heals of 2015’s Sober & Godless we get another shot of pure Celtic-punk. Like Sober & Godless, Sleeping Rough with the exception of the single ‘A Fistful O’ Roses’ has noting immediately that grabs your attention like say ‘Uncle Tommy’ or ‘Irish Pub Song’ on the bands debut Gangs of New Holland but like Sober & Godless if you invest the listening time you will be duly rewarded with another classic. I want also to give a shout out to Frankie McLaughlin’s lyrics, he continues to be one of the finest wordsmiths on the scene combining a gritty realism à la MacGowan with the tough-guy romanticism of Lynott. In short, a very fine album that continues to get better with every listen.
The Whistle Before the Snap is the long awaited and much delayed album by Boston’s greatest Folk’n’Irish band The Gobshites. Now, while some bands claim to be influenced by the Ramones, some bands wear Ramones shirts, some bands even sing about the Ramones, well The Gobshites manage to have a Ramone (Ritchie) sit in on drums for the whole album. The Gobshites are famous for taking old punk rock standards and giving ’em the Irish treatment so of course we have Somebody Put Something in My Drink given The Gobshites once over as well as Mojo Nixon‘s ode to Shane’s Dentist. But unlike before everything else is original (though if you want split hairs four of the songs were originally recorded by head Gobshite Pete Walsh’s punk band Meat Depressed – written with the Gobshites in mind I’m assured). How does it sound? Great! slightly chaotic, tipsy to sloshed, pub-punk sing along’s with off color self effacing humor…….and oh yeah even a touch of maturity on a couple or three tracks (That’s why I drink, Hidden Meaning & No Fairy Tale)
Standout tracks: The Evil of Drink Happy Everything Cheers
My Drinkin’ Ain’t Done is fast’n’rowdy Celtic punk meets Gypsy from the Netherlands. Low, growling lead vocals, all the bhoys on the piss gang vocals, accordion, banjo, mandolin and dirty sleaze-rock guitars with a Bastard attitude. Reminiscent and obviously influenced by the Dropkick Murphys, Blood or Whiskey and the Dubliners and for spice the junkyard sounds of Tom Waits and early Dolomites and The Zydepunks. A strong debut from a band with a great promise.
Modern Day Disgrace is the fourth full length from Swedish (and Dub fronted) Celtic-punks Sir Reg. Sir Reg are one of the leaders of the new wave of Celtic-punk and are very much snapping at the heals of the original scenesters (that’s you Flogging Molly). No surprises on Modern Day Disgrace when compared to the bands previous albums – and that’s a good thing – head banging speed Celtic punk with a strong Flogging Molly influence. The album kicks off with three new classics End of the Line, Boys of St. Pauli and Drinking Like a Dane and continues through till they Call it a Day. Special mention to Dubliners influenced “The Wrong Bar” – Luke and Ronnie would be proud of yea lads and the afore mentioned Boys of St. Pauli which will be ripping up jigpits from Stockholm to Solna and Södertälje shortly. Highly recommended.
Feather and Flame is the third full length from Headsticks who have arisen phoenix like from the ashes of Jugopunch and the Clay Faces. Best described as English with a just touch of Americana and some Irish blood in the ol’ veins folk-ROCK – reminiscent of The Clash – the attitude – but more Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros in style. NMA, The Levellers or an amped up Billy Bragg also come to mind.
In all while not an immediate album if you invest the time it will pay off ten fold i.e. its bloody good after a few spins.
Highlights included: What do you want – part revolution, part Rovers Return Go move shift – The old Christy Moore classic Every single day – pure punk’n’roll
Bodh’aktan is the self titled fourth full length album from Quebec based French-Canadian’s Bodh’aktan. Now if you haven’t heard Bodh’aktan before they play big ‘ol bagpipes punk’n’roll influenced by both the maritime and Celtic traditions and they do it all Francais…..and why not. Kind of like legendary French punk/metal outfit TRUST on a weekend bender in Connemara. Check’em out.
And now for something completely different – kind of. Some of you may remember Black Friday a Celtic punk outfit outta Cornwall (Got to Go is a must hear) well Tom O’Reilly & The Swaggers is four members of Black Friday donning cowboy boots and swapping Poitín for moonshine. The Swaggers perform laid back alternative country interspaced with traditional and Cornish folk and they do it very well. Reminiscent of Dublin’s Great Western Squares. Impressive.
Bit of a blast from the past here. Bacchanal’n’Philadelphia is the remastered, reissue of the earliest two recordings by Mischief Brew – six tracks are from Bellingham & Philadelphia” (the split LP with Robert Blake) and the five tracks from the Bakenal EP. This is pure campfire and tinnies acoustic folk-punk – powerful, melodic and biting. Check out Every Town Will Celebrate, I think you’ll like. Folk the system……indeed.
And every town will celebrate someday Waving sweatshop flags and grande lattes Wearing culture on their backs Wearing spirit on their hats One by one they’ll join the parade and celebrate Yeah, every town will celebrate someday
Wanted to give a big shout out to Minnesota’s The Langer’s Ball who have just released a very fine album in Whiskey Outlaws. The Langar’s Ball have come a long ways since their early guy and girl duo beginnings, now a five piece, The Langer’s Ball are ready to take on the Celt-punk establishment. Like I said, Whiskey Outlaws is a very fine album with the obvious influences of The Pogues and Flogging Molly but also the gypsy punk of Gogol Bordello or the Zydepunks and even Tom Waits. Traditional yet quirky as hell – check out Whiskey Outlaws – it won’t disappoint.
Shite'n'Onions 