Based on the bands name I was expecting Riley to be Irish or at least an Irish influenced band. Not at all, it’s more like the stuff you’d hear on “mainstream” alternative radio – post grung hard rock. It’s all very good and if MTV picks these guys up then they will be massive but it’s not real S’n’O material.
2006
Here we have the 7 track, self titled, self released, debut CD from The Causeway Giants – an 7 piece Celtic rock/punk outfit from Syracuse, NY. The Causeway Giants are tight, skillful and the songs are strong and most importantly it sounds like they are having fun. The two biggest influences I hear here are early Tossers and The Great Big Sea (especially in the vocals). The Pogues also factor into the sound with a true to form cover of “Dirty Old Town” (so true to form that I’m wondering why they even bothered). The best two tracks are “Rothsead” and “Give the Fiddler a Dram” with lots of Charlie Daniels goes Celtic, maniac fiddling.
2006
I’ve a bone to pick with Finny McConnell and The Mahones. 5 years!!! Yeah, 5 years. It took 5 bloody years to get a new release out. Who do they think they are? Def Leppard? When they swing through Boston on their support tour for “Take No Prisoners” one of ‘em at least must be missing a limb.
“Take No Prisoners” is a grand release, more punk rock then previous and especially on the opener and title track and on “Out of Control”. Trad., covers “Nancy Whiskey” and the very trashy “Whiskey in the Jar” are destined to be live favorites and “The Amsterdam Song” is classic Mahones very much in the vein of “Drunken Dirty Bastard” or “Drunken Night in Dublin” (it’s a drinking and debauchery song to boot!) Also check out the “A Little Bit of Love” a beautiful alt-country duet with Damhnait Doyle.
2006
An Dochas: An DochasAre all traditional bands created equal? Are they all there for background music while we have a pint in our favorite Irish pub? Do you have to be over fifty to go see a trad band live?
I happen to be under the impression that a lot of the readers of this site are here for the more punk and rock and roll music that it covers which is fine, I’m big into just about every aspect of punk, hardcore, rock, but also the real Irish side of this genre, traditional music. With every band and it’s brother rocking out trad songs and doing revved up jigs and reels, sometimes it makes me wonder if we’re not forgetting something, our roots in the traditional Irish music. Throwing a fiddle in with an electric guitar is cool and all, but ever heard a solo that actually drives you to tears. There is such heart and soul in the instruments you see up on stage getting wailed on during Dropkick Murphy’s Rocky Road to Dublin, but you wouldn’t know it the way it’s thrown at you through distortion pedals, amps and speakers like it was just so much more noise to fill your head. There is something to be said for slowing down and taking the time to listen to the song the way it was meant to be played.
I’m not saying that it’s going to be easy for you the reader to go out there and just dive right into the first band that comes along, there are some that are horrible at it, but somehow get record deals, and there are some that aren’t going to be your style. I do have one suggestion that really you can’t go wrong with is An Dochas.
With all the energy and drive these folks put into there music, how they aren’t selling gold records is beyond me! They are what most new agers like to call a world beat, but don’t let that scare you, they really do kick out some great tunes that make you want to put on you’re jacket, get in the car and fly to the nearest session, grab a Guinness and sit and relax. It’s great for relaxing reading a book, and as I have found the perfect company on a long trip in a car. Dragon Fly, the album I have is all instrumental, which I know drives some folks nuts, but I think there is so much going on, to me it feels like everyone in the band is singing to me and I love the way every time I hear a song, there is a new voice to listen to.
Usually I have at least a few problems with every CD I review, but this one I have a hard time finding faults. There are a few nit-picks, one being that some songs are long and repetitive, but then that’s the way some of these songs are written. So just find them online and buy the CD and you won’t be disappointed.
“Take No Prisoners” is a grand release, more punk rock then previous and especially on the opener and title track and on “Out of Control”. Trad., covers “Nancy Whiskey” and the very trashy “Whiskey in the Jar” are destined to be live favorites and “The Amsterdam Song” is classic Mahones very much in the vein of “Drunken Dirty Bastard” or “Drunken Night in Dublin” (it’s a drinking and debauchery song to boot!) Also check out the “A Little Bit of Love” a beautiful alt-country duet with Damhnait Doyle.
2006
Belfast born Andriu MacGabhann is better known in his new home base of Montreal as Belfast Andi. Andi’s latest release is a collection of both traditional and modern Irish folk ballads, with both originals and well know standards and a couple of Tom Waits and The Who covers given the Celtic treatment. Though I would have liked to have heard a few Montreal French influences here – maybe on the next? All the same I think comparisons to a certain Irish balladeer from Newbridge, Co. Kildare are in order here.
2006
Kind of an 80’s MTV revival here. Electronic power pop with distinctively 80’s sounding vocals, hooks galore and catchy as hell but definitely not S’n’O material.
2006
Flogging Molly is an obvious huge influence on Black Friday – the bands name of course and 4 of the 12 songs on ‘Live at Maker” are Flogging Molly covers. Combinations of MacGowan and The Popes/Pogues are the other big influence with 3 covers (5 if you count “Whiskey in the Jar” and “Star of the County Down”). The Clash & The Mahones (great version of “Drunken Lazy Bastard”) are also covered. “Go to Go” is the only original (I thinks it’s an original anyway) and it’s a great one that isn’t out of place on a collection of classics the band covered. Just next time some more originals if the rest are as good.
2006
Hats off again to John Bowles of Paddy Rock Radio for pulling together another fine comp. I’m always amazed how John will always manage to find 2 or 3 really great bands that I’ve never heard – Meisce, The Sandcarvers and The Vandon Arms being the new standouts to me. Of course there are also lots of bands that are old friends of Shite’n’Onions here – Blaggards. Sharky Doyles, The Killigans and many more. 15 great tacks in all. Check it out, I think you’ll be finding new friends as well and getting reacquainted with some old ones.
2006
Here’s something completely different from the Celtic scene – Hungarian power-folk. But really is it that different? – apart from they signing in Hungarian, we’ve got Clash inspired punk-rock and a love of The Pogues and Dropkick Murphys and bagpipes of course – this time the Hungarian variation (and you though bagpipes were Scottish). I’m told a full CD is to be recorded and I’m looking forward to hearing that.
2006
“Fading America Dream” is the third release in four years from Boston’s (though now LA based) Street Dogs. While I thought the first Street Dogs release was a street fighting punk classic, it’s follow up “Back to the World”, while good, fell short of the lofty heights of number 1. “Fading America Dream” like “Back to the World” is a strong punk release – very much in the vein of Dropkick Murphys (Mike McColgan’s era of course), Rancid or The Bouncing Souls – but still no “Savin Hill”. Fans of Celtic punk should note “Shards of Light” with Flogging Molly’s Matt Hensley and James Fearnley of The Pogues helping out.
2006
Shite'n'Onions 