Return……is the 3rd album (do people still use the term “album” or am I just an old fart?) from The Surfin’ Turnips, a proudly regional English folk-punk band we’ve reviewed twice previously. Glad to say that like their main musical influence The Ramones, little or nothing has changed between releases – short catchy Ramones like punk, accordion, West Country accents, and familiar folk melodies – the little that has changes is that not every song is about drinking cider (now we have fishing and sheep shagging songs) – I guess we can call the “growth”
Black Irish Texas is just such a feckin’ great name for a band! Bhoys, if you’ve any t-shirts send ’em my way. BIT are from Texas (obviously), and play Irish influenced punk-a-billy with a hint of Tex-Mex. The cover of The Pogues, “A pistol for Paddy Garcia” which intros “Come out you Black and Tans” is inspired and makes a huge statement to what the band are all about. The MacManus gang are dead. Long live the BIT.
I’m not sure if the name Mactalla is a word play on Metallica? Could be, but somehow doubt it. I often complain in reviews about bands lack of originality – I’m not going to here. The angelic female vocals singing in Gaelic and the piano hint Enya, the electronica points to New Age but the wailing Highland pipes scream tartan army in full charge (and oh yeah they throw in a little reggae‘n’pipes). In addition to originality all is done very well – I just can’t figure out who is their fan base.
Deceptive bugger this. You’re sucked into a state of tranquility as you listen to the traditional intro of Egan’s Polka – you picture yourself in the warm environs of a pub on the west coast of Ireland, nursing a Guinness, warming yourself on the blazing peat fire. That tranquility doesn’t last long as the pub door is kicked open by a bunch of heavily tattooed, Irish-American thugs who start to beat you hard about the head with the loudest guitars you’ve ever hears. All while the ceili band keeps playing. For fans of Dropkick Murphys, The Pubcrawlers, Flatfoot 56 and loud, aggressive music in general.
With a name like Cruel Seamus and former members of Ceann I was expecting “The Irish Wake of Cruel Seamus” the new release from the New York area based Cruel Seamus to be a little jokey (at least). It’s not! The former members of Gael Force and The Rising obviously have the steering wheel. That said the music here is strong melodic Celtic rock (not punk) with the emphasis on the fiddle as the Celtic weapon of choice. And that said! And with diversity our greatest strength (or so we are told) Cruel Seamus have experimented a wee bit with rap – the in your face “Irish pride” and the ska-ish “Beauty of your Creation” and regga-ish “3000 miles”. Long may the experiments continue.
I’m sure in real life The Rum Fellows are nice guys who help little old ladies cross the road, rescue kittens stuck in trees and the like. Their music does not indicate that – after a lot of spins of “ Okie Maritime Music for the Landlocked Pirate ” – I picture a crew of crystal meth soaked white trash hillbilly’s who’ve high jacked the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney while taking great pleasure in making all the 7 year olds they cut in front of cry.
I been waiting almost a full year for The Currency to release their debut album – from the moment I first laid my ears on the incredible 888 single in fact. I can now happily attest that the bastard children of Fletcher Christian and Ned Kelly have made one amazing slab of Colonial folk punk* that will blow you away.
*folk rooted in the sounds of the British Isles with lyrics reflecting the colonial experience and a punk rock snarl only a case of XXXX can cause.
There used to be a commercial when I was a kid for an electric razor and basically the premise was that the razor gave such a good shave that the old American geezer in the commercial “bought the company”.
Hung, Drawn and Portered is the musical equivalent of that 1970s razor – so good the I was willing to put down the cash to finance the release of the EP. 5 tracks in all: 3 fast folk/punkers with strong Australian roots, an incredible cover of the old Belfast skipping rhyme, “I’ll Tell Me Ma” and the amazing ska/reggie meets Irish of the appropriately titled “Paddy goes to Babylon”
Buy this EP. You won’t hear a better new band this year and I’m not saying that because I put my own hard earned cash down but because it’s good enough for me to put my cash down on.
I used to have a roommate from Cork city at one point who’s favorite term of endearment/insult was to call a person a “Langer” – not being a Cork man, I’m still not exactly sure what a langer is, but I think it’s a guys third leg. That been said then “Langer’s Ball” is a really great name for a band! Our friends here on “Ships are Sailing” are a 2 piece – with some help from their friends – from deepest MN playing Irish folk standards with an growl, a scowl and tattoos to match. If you’re looking for straight ahead no frills Irish ballads with just a hint of razor blades and safety pins and American rock n roll this is for you.
I picked up Barry McCabe’s newie at a rather intimate acoustic show Barry (along with great Dutch guitarist Danny Vlaspoel) played at Bull McCabe’s pub in Somerville, MA as part of his and Danny’s recent US tour. Both the CD and recent gigs are both a departure for Barry who is best noted as an electric blues rocker in the vein of Rory Gallagher. The CD itself is a good representation of the acoustic show and contains both studio and live tracks – one of the live one being “Sheilagh” which brought tears to the eyes of at least one girl in Bull McCabe’s. The music is acoustic blues of both the modern and tuned down tradition with soulful vocals and a twist of Irish (Mountains of Mourne is covered) and Barry is joined by guitarist and cousin Pat McManus (Mamas Boys & Celtus). Hope to see Barry back in the States next year for another tour and maybe with the full electric band.
Shite'n'Onions 