Category Archives: Review

Review

Cruachan w/Shane MacGowan: Ride On CDS

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All right I admit it; I was a Heavy Metal fan back in the Eighties – so out the window goes any credibility I had! But at least I feel well qualified to review this disk. Cruachan mix Metallica pre-“Black” album riffing (not really Death Metal at all) with Tin Whistle, Irish Flute, Bódhran and Uilleann pipes along with a heavy dose of Celtic mythology.

Shane MacGowan does a nice job producing this 4 track CDEP ensuring the traditional instruments are not lost in the metal mix. Shane also lends some vocals to their cover of the song Christy Moore made famous ‘Ride On’ though this is a lot closer to Metallica’s ‘One’ with it’s slow gentle introduction that grow more and more powerful as the song progresses climaxing in some very intense riffing. Shane duets with vocalist Karen Gilligan at the song’s beginning, the Metal vocals of Keith Fay replacing Shane as the song progresses.

“Maeves March 2001” is a Chieftains gone Metal instrumental; “Sauron” is similar in style to the English Folk-Metal’s of Skyclad and “To Hell or to Connaught” just want’s to be Horselips “Trouble”

August 2001

Review

Blood or Whiskey: Never Be Me / Sober Again CD-S

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This CD single is an Ireland only release teaser from Blood or Whiskey’s new full length CD ‘No Time To Explain’ (reviewed above). The ‘A Side’ tracks are from the CD, ‘Never Be Me’ a fast temp catchy as hell Pogues/Undertones hybrid, which won’t scare the old dears who listen to ‘The Larry Grogan Show’ (is he still alive?) and ‘Sober Again’, a slow ‘bhoys’ on the way home from the pub sing-along. The ‘B Side’ has two previously unreleased songs ‘Oh Oh’ an anti-love song – fast and spiteful and ‘Kelly of Killann’ the old Clancy standard given the ‘Blood or Whiskey’ kick up the arse – worth buying just for this.

July 2001

Review

Blood or Whiskey: No Time To Explain

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I can’t quite remember how I discovered ‘Blood or Whiskey’ but some how I came across their self titled debut CD (on ‘Sounds Records’ later re-recorded on ‘Rejected Records’) three or so years ago and it’s raw traditional Irish based punk would have put it straight to near the top of my list of favorite CD’s of all time if I was into keeping lists. So with bated breath I awaited the new CD. Could the band really improve on the classic first CD? And in short yes. The band still play fast hard edged ‘Trad Punk’ with Barney Murray still sounding like the bastard son of Ronnie Drew and Shane MacGowan (perish that image – yuch). Musically they have slightly expanded their sound (not a bad thing) adding in the catchy as hell Undertone’s style choruses, a touch of ‘The Clash’ and do I hear the ‘cut your bullshit attitude’ of early ‘The Radiators (From Space)’? So if you haven’t heard Blood or Whiskey before and are willing to take a chance on some thing special then you won’t go wrong here. Probably the only CD that can give ‘Flogging Molly’s’ ‘Swagger’ a run for its money. I’d almost say it’s the best thing to come out of Leixlip, Co. Kildare since Arthur Guinness brewed that very first pint of Guinness in 1756.
My favorite songs so far, though this will change with repeated listening are:

‘Your Majesty’, fast trad punk about Bob Geldof and his OBE (Order of the British Empire) – an award ‘Sir’ Bob received from Queen Betty II herself and what Barney and the lads think he should have told her to do with it. ‘Frank’, another fast one that sound like it’s written about someone I know.
‘Rudy’ with it’s ska feel and the punky ‘Paranoid State’ and ‘Breaking Through’

July 2001

Review

The Tossers: Communication & Conviction (The Last Seven Years)

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This CD was a nice introduction to the windy city’s The Tossers. The CD is actually a compilation of the first two now hard to find Tossers releases, 1994’s ‘The Pint of No Return’ and 1996’s ‘We’ll Never Be Sober Again’, along with a couple of out-takes from the ‘Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya’ sessions and a live version of ‘The Irish Rover’. ‘The Pint Of No Return’ was I believe The Tossers first release and it’s fast and frantic acoustic punk with a nice mix of original and Irish standards. ‘We’ll Never Be Sober Again’ shows a much bigger sounding polished band with added horns and female vocals while still keeping true to their roots. Real good stuff and I look forward to hearing a lot more from The Tossers.

July 2001

Review

The Pogues: The Very Best Of

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In my humble opinion The Pogues were at least the greatest rock band of the eighties if not one of the greatest band of all time – but if your reading this zine then you already know that (and if you didn’t then fuck off your on the wrong site). The Very Best Of… contains twenty one of their best known tracks each one a classic but each one that you probably already own already. The big question is why was this released (even the former band members were unaware this was coming out)- apart from as another record company rip-off. When is the record company going to wise up, stop trying to rip people off and put out that collection of rare shit we’ve been waiting for.

Track Listing: Dirty Old Town, Irish Rover w/ The Dubliners, Sally MacLennane, Fiesta, A Pair Of Brown Eyes, Fairytale Of New York w/ Kirsty MacColl, The Body Of An American, Streams Of Whiskey, The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn, If I Should Fall From Grace With God, Misty Morning, Albert Bridge, Rain Street, White City, A Rainy Night In Soho, London Girl, Boys From The County Hell, The Sunny Side Of The Street, Summer In Siam, Hell’s Ditch, The Old Main Drag, And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

July 2001

http://www.pogues.com/

Review

The Nogoodnix: Pub Punk United

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On a scale of Folk to Punk the Nogoodnix hit a Punk 9 and a Folk 1. Formally a red mohawked, union jack (???) clad punk band called the Trauma School Dropouts they reinvented themselves in ‘99 as a ‘Pub Punx’ band. Musically the band plays really good Clash/77 style punk with an infusion of Irish/Pub Rock – actually the remind me a lot of The Real McKenzie’s (w/out the bagpipes). My big problem with this CD though is the ‘Darby O’Gill’ vocals that singer Duane Beer seems to slip into on the more Irish oriented numbers – Duane Beer is a really great punk vocalist who’s voice really carries the punk tracks but when he breaks into the ‘Lucky Charm’s’ voice it just doesn’t work. All the same a really good CD – outstanding tracks include: the mid temp ‘Angelina’, the punk rock of ‘Untimely Blessings’, ‘Wrong Again’ and ‘Every Now And Then’. ‘Piss On Luck’ with its Louie Armstrong introduction that then charges into Clash style punk.

July 2001

Review

Hamell On Trial: Ed’s Not Dead – – – Hamell Comes Alive

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The best way to describe Ed Hamell is a small sweaty bald guy pushing forty who plays his 1937 small-body Gibson acoustic guitar like a Tommy Gun. ‘Ed’s Not Dead – – – Hamell Comes Alive’ was recorded in Los Angeles last year when Ed opened for Ani DeFranco – just before his near fatal car crash (thankfully he’s recovered and is back on the road again). Live is the best way to experience Hamell On Trial and this CD really brings across the intensity of Ed’s live show – A one-man band armed with a battered acoustic playing it like you’ve never heard before, through a hugh Marshall Stack and telling tales of Pimps, Prostitutes, Junkies and life’s losers (plus a couple of sensitive numbers just to throw you), along with his between song banter and X-rated humor. This is Folk punk at its best with some great standup/spoken word thrown in for free – enough to make James Taylor have a heart attack. 16 tracks of acoustic intensity including a version Folson Prison Blues that will leave Mike Ness quaking in his fairy boots. Highly Recommended – my only disappointment is that Ed leaves out the Stevie Nicks story. Cat Steven’s this ain’t.

June 2001

Review

Dropkick Murphys: Sing Loud, Sing Proud!

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The Dropkick Murphys could only come from Boston with their mix of Irish folk, 77 style punk and blue collar politics. The most noticeable thing about ‘Sing Loud, Sing Proud!’ is the continuing shift in musical style from a street punk band punking up a couple of traditional Irish songs on earlier CD’s to a fully-fledged Celtic-punk outfit. This move has been helped along by the addition of Ryan Foltz (Mandolin & Tin Whistle), Marc Orrell (Guitar & Accordion) and Spicy McHaggis (Bagpipes).

The CD opens with the all bagpipes and soccer terrace chants of ‘For Boston’ the Boston College fight song. ‘The Legend of Finn MacCumhail’ follows, which was originally the b-side of ‘Curse of a Fallen Soul’ but its way to good a track to languish as a vinyl only b-side. Track 3 is the old union standard ‘Which Side Are You One?’ (also done by Billy Bragg). In the tradition and style of ‘Finnegan’s Wake’ and ‘The Fighting 69th’ the band cover the old Irish fighting song ‘Rocky Road to Dublin’. Next up in the vein of BAC is the full throttle bagpipe punk of ‘Heroes From Our Past’. ‘Forever’ is a slower almost (I don’t want to say it) power ballad. ‘The Gauntlet’ is catchy punk with the great melodies that the DKMs specialize in. ‘Good Rats’ is a chant it out traditional sounding Irish drinking song with the very sloshed sounding Shane MacGowan trading vocals with Al Barr. ‘The New American Way’ ‘The Fortunes of Way’ dedicated to Brian Deneke and ‘Ramble and Roll’ are all powerful straightforward punk tracks. Al Barr’s vocals sound great on ‘The Torch’ a slower acoustic number sound about how parents can breed ignorance & bitterness in their children. ‘A Few Good Men’ is a fast acoustic track with chanting backing vocals in the style of ‘Gangs All Here’. ‘Caps and Bottles’ from ‘Boys On The Docks’ is re-recorded here – great track – but I don’t know why it’s needed. Finally we have the much covered ‘Wild Rover’ (the toothless wonder Shane MacGowan on vocal vinyl only) played just right with a real barroom feeling and ‘The Spicy McHaggis Jig’ a bagpipe led chant about the a-fore mentioned Spicy’s love life. In short BUY THIS CD or better still BUY THE LP.

June 2001

http://www.dropkickmurphys.com/

Review

Filthy Thieving Bastards: Our Fathers Sent Us

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The Filthy Thieving Bastards is Johnny Bonnel and Darius Koski of Swingin’ Utters fame side project. The EP (9 tracks – longer the most CD releases) is a non-cover version tribute CD in the style of their hero’s-The Pogues (mainly), Billy Brag (some), Iggy and the Stooges, The Ramones, The Clash, John Lennon and Elvis (P&C). Musically for the most part it is punked up acoustic guitars with some nice mandolin and banjo running through it, very like the post Shane MacGowan Pogues, almost the CD the Pogues could have made if they didn’t split after ‘Pogue Mahone’. Other notable Tracks include ‘Thick’ a Stooges/Garage romp and the excellent ‘S.S.S’, which sounds like The Clash at their very best.

June 2001