Review

Bastards On Parade: Death Shore Pirates E.P

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April 24, 2010

Those Bastards have returned with their third 4-track E.P. since their formation in 2007, entitled Death Shore Pirates. And a solid and rocking disc it is!

As their name would imply, (obviously taken as a nod to their primary influences,) Bastards on Parade occupy a place firmly on the Dropkick Murphys end of the Celtic Folk-Punk spectrum. Bastards on Parade, however, with the benefits of hindsight, have incorporated the ragged, raw energy of the fledgeling DKM with a pervasive Celtic instrumentation, similar to that which the Murphys eventually evolved into. The result is one that is familiar, yet new at the same time.

The aforementioned instrumentation includes mandolin, tin whistle and bagpipes along with electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, and vocals, (all of which are sung in un-accented English, despite the band’s Spanish origins.)

A point of interest, (to me, anyways,) that should be noted is in regard to those bagpipes: Bastards on Parade hail from the Celtic region of Galicia in Northern Spain, and, although I could find no reference confirming this, I believe that the bagpipes used in their music are the Galician pipes, (known as Gaita.) These pipes yield a distinctly sweeter tone than its Scottish sibling, and a somewhat sharper one than the Irish Uilleann pipes. A small detail, true, but one that lends to a unique element in the Bastards sound.

All of these contributing factors are present here in the newest installment in the Bastards E.P. catalog, Death Shore Pirates. Compared to the band’s previous releases, Death Shore Pirates comes in somewhat brighter and cleaner than the “Pipes and Drunx” E.P. and just a bit harder hitting than the absolutely brilliant “Whiskey in my Heart” but continues with the same quality of songs, and infectious energy that Bastards On Parade have consistently delivered.

One benefit from the ‘E.P. versus full-length release’ approach that the Bastards On Parade seem to have chosen is that they are able to release these little slices of their music at a more frequent rate. This is definitely a plus because this stuff absolutely kicks ass.

Review by Christopher P. Toler, THE Blathering Gommel

Review

Paddy and The Rats: Rats On Board

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April 23, 2010

I love to hear Celtic Folk-Punk Music from other cultures. The Germans, The Slavs, The Japanese; They all have their own interpretations of it and give it a flavor all their own. It is always fun to hear and provides that variety that helps keep the music fresh. This holds true also for Hungary’s Paddy and the Rats.

But Paddy and The Ratsknow it. They are not only on-board with this mentality, but seem to be trying to champion it! Along with the Irish instrumentation and “Pub-Music” style, The Ratshave, (intentionally!) laced music elements of German, Gypsy, Cajun, Russian and various other flavors to create an interesting, mongrel-like, final product to straddle their punk rock rhythms, pacing and mood.

Finding a comparison for Paddy and the Ratsrequires stepping outside of the realm of their high-profile contemporaries, and into that of more specific styles, (with Saint Bushmill’s Choir, Big Bad Bollocks and Boston’s The Gobshites, coming first to my mind.) The band’s sound here is among those mug-swinging, sing-along, “pubrock” bands that eschews politics, lamentations, or deep contemplative philosophy in favor of the more immediate gratification of fun. And damned fun they are. The band’s first full-length CD, Rats on Board,doesn’t have a bad track among the fifteen songs on it, but my personal faves include, Bully in the Alley, Hurry Home, and Freedom.

The Rats’ instrumental arsenal includes guitars, mandolin, accordion, fiddle, tin whistle, bass, pipes, drums, bodhran and vocals, dispersed among the six members, and dispensed with infectious enthusiasm! Fun, immediately accessible songs, and a sound that echoes with raised glasses and wide grins, Paddy And The Rats’ Rats on Board delivers the goods.

Did I mention fun?

Available on iTunes, Amazon.com, Napster, and eMusic, (nice job marketing, guys!) for 30-second samples, if my opinion doesn’t convince you.

Review by Christopher P. Toler, The Blathering Gommel

Review

The Ceili Family: Tory Kings

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April 23, 2010

The Ceili Family, a 6-piece, Celtic folk-rock band out of western Germany, lists Christy Moore, The Dubliners and The Pogues pretty highly among their influences, and with their latest release, Tory Kings, it shows.

In the wide spectrum of styles in the Celtic Folk-Punk genre, The Ceili Family’s sound  falls fairly squarely in with those of The Pogues’, The Mahones,’ and, to a lesser extent, The Greenland Whalefishers,’ with more of an emphasis on the folk-ish elements and less crunchy guitar distortion.

The bands’ instrumentation includes guitar, mandolin, accordion, bass, drums, and fiddle along with vocals, which were are all in English, despite the bands origins. These vocals ring in somewhere between a slur-free version of Popes-era Shane MacGowan, and The Mahones’ Finny McConnell for a clear and easy to understand lyric delivery.

All of the instrumentation is top-notch and impressive, but it is the accordion that I first noticed on Tory Kings, the band’s follow-up to 2007’s Tooraloo. It plays a major role in defining The Ceili Family sound, straddling between the traditional and the rock instruments, filling in the chords and providing a broad backdrop for the fiddle and mandolin to dance upon.

With Tory Kings, The Ceili Family continues with their “no frills folk ‘n’ roll” with a collection of all-original tracks proudly displaying their influences. The end result being an upbeat and enjoyable release that is easy to listen to, no matter what the mood.

Review by Christopher P. Toler, THE Blathering Gommel

Review

Los Langeros: This Is Normal

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April 20, 2010

Los Langeros seem like very nice young men from Co. Cork. Well their emails at least indicate that. The music though…well I’m not sure if its genius or insanity. “This is Normal”, sounds like the sound track to a 1970s video nasty in which a Tom Waits like slasher, drunk on poteen and the Fatima Mansions hunts down Willy Nelson with bad intentions and a chainsaw. Like I said, I’m not sure if its genius or insanity. You decide (and Willie watch out).


Review

The Rumjacks: Sound as a Pound

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February 28, 2010

A lot of effort has been made by many bands to evolve the sound of Celtic Folk-Punk music. Newer and newer bands are seeking to stand out and do something different to be the next big thing. And more often than not, the steps taken to achieve this goal are taken from the most current development in the genre.

This is where the Rumjacks differ. Their E.P., Sound as a Pound, seems to have started over. By that I mean that it is almost as if the band looked at the scene and decided to go back to the early days of the genre’s development and take their steps from there. Not surprisingly, the music here is very reminiscent of The Pogues, with a dash or two of Roaring Jack. This is not just in instrumentation, (with the inclusion of accordion and tin whistle, alongside the standard rock three-piece of guitar, bass, and drums,) but also in song structure, melody, and lyrics. And the top-notch production assures that every element here is crystal-clear.

For a collection of serious-looking, tattooed, flat-cappers, the music presented on Sound as a Pound is not what I would have expected. The attitude is not a tough-guy, “in-your-face” assault, but an attitude that seems generally respectful of the music. The end result is a refreshing and familiar reminder as to why the whole Celtic Folk-Punk sound is as great as it is.

The Rumjacks’ E.P., Sound as a Pound recently made the Number 1 position in the Shite ‘n’ Onions Ten Best of 2009. Give it a listen and you’ll know why.
Review by Christopher P. Toler, THE Blathering Gommel

Review

Flatfoot 56: Black Thorn

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March 6, 2010

South Side Chicago boot boys, Flatfoot 56, celebrate their 10th anniversary as a band with their 1st release on Old Shoe Records – Black Thorn. For awhile I think it was a far comparison to call Flatfoot 56 “Dropkick Murphys junior” and with their last release Jungle of the Midwest Sea they reached teenage years and now on Black Thorn they have reached adulthood. But with adulthood does come some maturity – middle eastern melodies, the occasional Johnny Cash touch and just a little bit more melody here and there – not a bad thing in my book but don’t worry Flatfoot 56 haven’t gone soft and on Black Thorn still sound like the Celtic punk equivalent of Wallace’s army of highlander’s about to slay the Sassenach at Sterling Bridge.

http://www.flatfoot56.com

Review

Sir Reg: This Is Sir Reg

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February 15, 2010

Apparently, this band out of Sweden went ahead and released the EP, “This Is Sir Reg” some time in 2009 and I am just getting a taste of it now! I mean, these guys could EASILY have secured a position on any Celtic-Punk ‘Best of 2009’-list based on the six tracks contained here. Easily.

So who is Sir Reg? Well, instrumentally, the band consists of guitar, bass, drums, vocals, keyboards, banjo, mandolin, whistles and fiddle, distributed among the Swedish and Irish musicians. The combination of these elements throws off a noise that is polished, professional, damned impressive.

Musically, the band has a sound that is immediately accessible; familiar, but fresh. For a point of reference, imagine a sound scale. At one end of it put Flogging Molly. At the other end, put Australia’s Roaring Jack.. And now, right smack dab in the middle of this scale, that is where I would put Stockholm-based Sir Reg! And the six-track E.P., This Is Sir Reg, contains all of the Swagger and Celtability found in those two venerable bands, rolled up into one tidy package!

Lyrically, Sir Reg is just as impressive. No shortcuts or clichés, no drinking songs or covers, This Is Sir Reg contains six ‘original originals’, of both intelligent and entertaining content. My particular favorite being the brilliant “17 Coffins” which tells the tale of Burke and Hare, a pair of Irishmen who moved to Scotland in the early 19th century and began a killing spree in order to sell the bodies to science for a tidy profit. Fun stuff, eh? But with phrases like “If you’re ever short on cash, just reach into the human stash,” one realizes that the subject matter is approached fairly tongue-in-cheek.

Normally, when this excited about a new band, I would recommend keeping eyes peeled for future releases, but if Sir Reg continues with the quality of material on This Is Sir Reg, we won’t won’t have to look very hard. We will hearing about them.

You can also grab a 30 second bite of their songs over at iTunes. Do it and you’ll see for yourself.

Review by Christopher P. Toler, THE Blathering Gommel

Review

Pól Mac Adaim: Forsaken Land

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February 15, 2010

Czech Republic based, Belfast born and bred Pól Mac Adaim mixes the protest folk tradition of Woody Guthrie with the rebel/ballad tradition of his native Ireland – reminisent of fellow protest Celt – the late great, Ali Hulett or even Christy Moore at his most mellow/political – though unlike Christy I doubt Pól drives a fancy car – this is way more authentic and I bet he uses deodorant too.

Review

The Righs: Roses

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February 19, 2010.

The Righs, (pronounced “RIGZ,”) have returned to confound those who would dare to describe them, with Roses, the band’s second full-length release, (“full-length” and then some, actually, with over seventy minutes of music and 18 tracks!) since 2008’s eclectic “The Rivers Run Deep.”

This time around, the Oklahoma-based Righs continue to write their own rules and then, (based on the amount of departure from the norm included on this release,) promptly set out into breaking them.
In fact, The Righs are so set apart from other bands in the Celtic Folk Punk realm that a point of reference is not readily available. Even the term “Celtic” may not necessarily apply in same ways it does in other bands of the genre. On Roses, it could describe some of the instrumentation, with the inclusion of the fiddle, and mandolin, but that is about all. The band seems fairly entrenched in a direction of its own, and possessive of its own compass.

The CD itself doesn’t have a weak moment on it (impressive considering the amount of material!) but does have a few tracks that stand out. And So It Goes is an immediately accessible song that grabs the listener immediately and doesn’t let go for an instant. It also features guest vocalist, Alicia Williams, a formidable set of pipes in her own right, sharing lead vocals duties.

Another track worthy of special mention is Two Cents, a song with enough mood and atmosphere to blur the line between music and horror movie, with vocalist Omid Nowrouzi twisting his voice into a banshee-esque wail, (that would make Marilyn Manson sleep with the lights on!) and the pervasive “nervous energy”-meandering of the over-caffeinated mandolin, providing tangible chills.

But it is The Man with Nickel-Plating Makes All the Rules, that is possibly my favorite track on Roses. The song has a manic quality that is almost overwhelming at its start, but for some reason seems to best encapsulate The Righs sound for me.

As with their debut, The Righs are able to pull off a rough and ragged finish on some well written, well arranged and generally polished songs, giving the CD a close approximation to what the band’s live performances must be like.

I am not sure if it was an intentional attempt to carve out an identity, or to start a whole new style, but the The Righs have most definitely created a sound all their own with Roses, albeit one that is almost impossible to accurately describe.

Highly recommended for repeated listenings.

Review by Christopher P. Toler, THE Blathering Gommel.

Review

Firkin – Firkinful of Beer

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February 4, 2010

Before anything else, I think it needs to be acknowledged that “Firkin” is a great name for a band. It has an great, antiquated, British Isles pedigree. As a unit of measure, (meaning roughly nine gallons!) it has a vague “mass consumption” reference. And, of course, all that Firkin’ wordplay just Firkin’ waitin’ to be employed!

But a great name doesn’t mean a firkin’ thing if the band can’t back it up.

And Firkin? Yeah. They bring it. Intense is probably the most appropriate word to describe these rowdy Hungarians. The CD, “A Firkinful Of Beer” (Firkinful?) is a 17-track release, (Yes, I said SEVENTEEN!) comprised of almost all covers, (with two or three originals, added in for color!) But these covers are different from your phone-in album-filler, there is effort made to make these songs the band’s own. A lot of effort.

The covers vary from traditionals like “The Galway Races,” “Irish Rover,” and “The Drunken Sailor,” to a number of songs from the Flogging Molly catalog! And all of the originals, traditionals and FM covers get the same Firkin’ treatment, (see how well that works!): A ripping, King-esque vocals, traditional instrumentation such as flute, fiddle, and whistle bringing in the Celtic sound and all of that hanging on for its dear life on top of a straight-up heavy metal rhythm section that is, in my opinion, the real star of the show. This is what gives these firkers an identity that really stands out in a field like this!

As far as covers go, the Budapest-based septet does the job right. But I would really like to see a full-length release of original material from these guys! I think it would be something really unusual, in a good Firkin’ way.

Review by Christopher Toler, THE Blathering Gommel!

Potato-eating, Whiskey-drinking, Bog-trotting, CELTIC PUNK ROCK since 2001