Review

Jamie Clarke’s Perfect: Nobody is Perfect

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The sticker stuck on the front of this baby states proudly, “Feat. Ex-member of The Pogues”, and now while Jamie Clarke did spend five years in our favorite London-Irish punksters, he only ever played on one CD, the last and the worst! So the stickers is just a tad misleading. Though I honestly think he and Perfect can stand up on their own accomplishments as musicians and songwriters and not need to rely on ex-memberships of anybody.

“Nobody is Perfect” is the follow up to last years “Sickly Men of Thirty of So….”, and the first on Germanys SPV Recordings (strangely best know as the home of past sell by date Heavy Metal). “Nobody is Perfect” is a classic mix of different influences all mixed together in a huge a gorgeous Irish Stew of contemporary Folk-Rock.
We have the pure Irish Ceilidh through the Marshall Stacks of opener “Medley”, then the Ballroom of Romance Irish waltz meets The Beatles of “Temptress”. The power rock cover of the Flammin Grooves, “Shake Some Action”. The nod to his ex-employers The Pogues, with an instrumental melody of “Turkish Song of the Dammed” and “Bottle of Smoke” that allows Pergray Zaric to show off his accordion talents. Christy Moore’s (well Jimmy McCarthy’s actually but Christy made it famous), “Ride On” with great leads from guest Hermann Frank is also covered. “Hungarian Dance”, allows Pregray to show off some more but this time his Balkan heritage along with his fine finger picking skills. “How the Mighty Have Fallen”, is the song that if the Gallagher Brothers had written Oasis wouldn’t have gone down the toilet, a perfect Lennon & McCartney Inspired piece of rock.

Nobody is perfect, but Perfect is dam close

October 2002

Review

Rick Barton and the Shadow Blasters: An American Rock Song

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Guitarist, Rick Barton was a founding member of the Dropkick Murphys and songwriting partner to Ken Casey. Rick departed the DKM’s before the sessions to “Sing Loud, Sing Proud” because of his inability to strike a balance between being in a touring band, owning his own business and responsibilities to his family (a difficult balance for anyone). Fortunately the DKM’s survived the departure for Barton and I’m glad to report Barton survived the departure of the DKM’s.
“An American Rock Song” is a great Punk’n’Roll album, with influences from the Cult (think Billy Duffy’s guitars on Electric), Social Distortion and Bruce Springsteen’s darkest period Nebraska. Powerful guitar driven catchy Rock’n’Roll with deeply personal lyric’s that beg for forgiveness for past mistakes, redemption and rebirth. The Shadow Blasters are not a baby Dropkick’s but you’ll hear the influence that Barton had on the DKM sound. A fine CD that stands up on it’s own and out of the huge shadow cast by the Dropkicks. Highly recommended.

October 2002

Review

Madcap: East to West

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“East to West” is the second album from Los Angeles band Madcap. What we have here is 12 tracks of good old street punk with a touch of hardcore reminiscent of the early Dropkicks, SLF and the Bouncing Souls. Not a bad track on it, but then again no “Alternative Ulster” or “Boys on the Dock” either. Funny, sometimes I wonder if a good/decent band like Madcap were based in say Cleveland or Glasgow or just one of these cities without the benefit of having a label like Sideonedummy based there would they ever have been signed?

October 2002

Review

Jason Webley: Counterpoint

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If I could describe this album in a single sentence, it would be “It’s kind of sounds like Tom Waits, except Jason Webley vocals sounds just as rough and he is only half OlD Tom’s age, and uses an accordion, and a piano” Now, I usually write a little more than a single sentence in these reviews, so….. i’ll explain a little more about the album.

Not exactly the usual album you’d see in a Shite’n’Onions review, but I though that those of you who enjoy Tom Waits, or Shane MacGowan’s Ballads, or even The Rev. Glasseye, would be interested. (Not to mention the fact that they took over a ferry ship in Puget Sound dressed like pirates!!) This 12 track CD varies quite a bit, from some of the mellower songs like “Southern Cross”, “Counterpoint”, or “It’s Not Time To Go Yet” to some of the more upbeat tracks + My favorite ones on the album, like “The Broken Cup”, “The Graveyard” or even the very danceable “Quite Contrary” (a song that has a Mexican Feista feel to it) But the track that I enjoyed the most is “Drinking Song” (imagine that!!) If any S’n’O readers had a chance to hear any song on this album, make sure it’s the “Drinking Song” The instruments include everything from the guitar to the saxophone, or from the steel guitar to the marimba. Jason is also doing a west coast tour starting Saturday Sept 14, so check out his website for more info on tours, CD’s, and whatnot. A fine album that is actually in my CD player at the moment! ( I just checked!)

October 2002

Review By Brian “Jim Goad Rules” Gillespie

http://www.jasonwebley.com/

Review

Dropkick Murphys: Live on St. Patrick’s Day

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I know a lot of folks don’t enjoy live albums very much. (Myself included!) They are usually bland, and lacking the quality of the studio versions, but this is an exception. This album was recorded during the St. Patrick’s Day Weekend 2002, in Boston, of all places! So you know it’s gonna be loud & rowdy! With a total of 26 tracks, and about 74 mins long. It starts out with the Boston Police Gaelic Column marching from the Broadway Bridge, down W. Broadway, along Dorchester Street, and into the concert at The Avalon Ballroom, where the Dropkick Murphys break into the song “For Boston”. As soon as I heard the opening, I knew I wished I was there! (Murph, wasn’t there either, so make sure you send him an e-mail, and talk a lot of shit!) In my own opinion, I think they have come a long way (and a lot of band members) since “The Singles Collection”. Not only is the actual recording top notch, but the music itself is pretty good too! (Only noticed one fuck-up throughout the whole recording!) My favorite tracks were “Boys On The Docks” and “A Few Good Men” (sounds brilliant with blue-collar Boston singing in the background!) The Boston Choir also joins in on “Curse Of A Fallen Soul”. On “Forever” we get a marriage proposal on stage from a very nervous guy named Eric, and a very happy “Yes” from a lass named Gillian. (Ken Casey points out that it was a good thing she said yes, because the show was being filmed for DVD, and he could have been one embarrassed prick!) You gotta love the “Spicy McHaggis Jig” especially with a stage full of ladies dancing! “The Wild Rover” sounded good, along with the CCR cover “Fortunate Son” On the song “Nutty- Bruins Theme” the boys get some classic hockey fights up on the big screen. (Bob Probert, anyone?) A damn fine album, even if it’s live. Oh yeah, for anyone familiar with a DKM concert, there are no bonus points for guessing which song they played last!
Sean Holland will be reviewing the DVD version of this concert again, in a future issue. (and like usual, his review will be more professional than my “Sasquatch-style” sentence structures, that I always try and pass off as a quality reviews!) The next studio album will be in stores early spring 2003, my guess is March 17th.

October 2002

Review By Brian “Bigfoot” Gillespie

http://www.dropkickmurphys.com/
Review

The Sods: Boxing and Grand Old Tea

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You gotta love the attitude of The Sods. Everything is homegrown D.I.Y. I consider that respectable. What’s even more respectable is the fact that they started their own record label (Lazy Sod Records) and don’t really give a shit about making a buck. It’s all about the pure fun of it all. “Boxing And Grand Old Tea” is the first album made by the Ft. Wayne, Indiana based band/label. These guys are more concerned about keeping the youth of Indiana entertained now that Bobby Knight got booted outta town! Or maybe they released the album just in time so that the local USA basketball fans can forget about the thrashing the USA team received at the World Championship up the road in Indianapolis last week!

According to the press release, The band began playing in sedate coffeehouses for the first couple years. Recently, the band had made it’s new home in Fort Wayne’s Art Factory organized by Exustio Purgamentium Productions. The shows have allowed nearly any act to perform regardless of genre or experience. The Sods became known for their looseness, humor, and energy. It also reflects on the album. From Celtic fiddle and squeezebox to bluegrass mandolin and upright bass, the band displays its roots proudly. Homemade instruments (more DIY) include like the half guitar/half Irish bouzouki, “the 8-string Guizouki” or the “Blatterbox”, a suitcase full of assorted kitchen party utensils. (spoons, pots, pans, sporks….) The album is quite interesting, containing 11 originals, and two covers. (The covers are “The Wild Rover” and “The Holy Ground”, a song The Skels perfected a while back.) To be honest, you kind of have to get used to Jonah’s vocal stylings, on songs such as “Drunk Punk” or ” An Encounter W/ Darcy Dancer”. Then other songs such as “The Leaving Of Hollyhead” (which has a melody somewhat resembling Blood Or Whiskey’s “Frank”) the vocals fit the music perfect. I also thought “The Ballydowse Goat Dance” was a standout. and finally, this is straight from the band themselves…Attention Pirates! “Stop sellouts before they start! BOOTLEG THIS CD!” You gotta love that attitude!

October 2002

Review By Brian “Bootlegger” Gillespie

Review

Bates Motel: Peppermill

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Christ where d’ya start? Lets take the name, it should tell you that if you’re into non-threatening armchair beard growing folk noodling then this really ain’t the band for you! If on the other hand you like your Celtic/Folk Rock on the dangerous side of scary then pull up a chair …this could take awhile – ‘cos we’re about to define a whole new genre.

Cornwall, England’s Celtic out-post – sleepy, laid back and easy going picture postcard Cornwall has had the good fortune for us to produce four of the angriest men on the planet. Lucky then they happen to play the fiddle, drums, bass and guitar while screaming out lyrics saturated in uncompromising lucid anger.

Nothing special there I hear you chuckle, yes I know that the Levellers, NMA et al have covered the same ground before but have any done it to a pounding rhythm section that could kick an Elephant into orbit? Have any done it with a big big fiddle sound that owes more to the rolling guitar breaks and riffs of Nirvana and The Cult rather than it does to a twee theme night in an ‘Oirish’ pub? I think not.

Welcome people, we’ve just found ourselves in a brave new world of Celtic grunge, a world where Bates Motel are the un-doubted kings. The opener ‘Here’s To You’ intros with a fiddle line chunky enough to floor Lennox Lewis before tearing the place apart with thumping drums and bass aplenty. Track two ‘Branches’ a tune with more understated menace than the Yorkshire Ripper on a shrinks couch, climbing heights that would give lesser bands vertigo before descending into troughs of near acapella vocals before throwing you on the back of the richest fiddle hook you’ll ever hear and back up to the heights.

They just keep coming, ‘Talking To The Ghost’ a dub-ska number fully loaded with enough crunching fiddle and guitar to keep the average metal-head drooling for weeks. ‘Twistabout’ a full on folk-punk rage against the world, ‘Final Stretch’, ‘Pigs’ and the glorious ‘For The Cause’ only serve to show the band as unique in a mostly bland and tired scene that relies far too much in what’s gone before.

They are hard, they are heavy, they leave the jigs and reels that the middle classes love alone and concentrate instead on producing a power fuelled look into the future of Celtic Rock that would stand tall amongst any other style of music that you could put against it. It’s as commercial as it is credible, It will only take the first major label to sniff around and you’ll be hearing a lot more of Bates Motel.

Harvey- bass, Paul – fiddle, Andy – guitar and vox and Nimbo -drums, stand up I salute you and thank you for restoring my faith.

October 2002

Review by Steve Davies

Review

The Honeymans: Stompin’ Grounds

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Now this is going to be interesting, an attempt to review an album that is almost impossible to describe! The sound of The Honeymans is somewhat like a jigsaw puzzle, one piece is Celtic Folk, another piece is funk, another is piece of punk, a few small gypsy pieces, and yet another ska/reggae piece. Put the shite together and……it’s The Honeymans!! No questions needed! When it comes to the live shows, Joe Keithley of D.O.A. fame, explains it best, “The Honeymans are truly a unique musical act…. Perhaps most surprising is that they can play in front of punks, hippies, folkies, rockers, and thrill-seekers and they all go away happy.” It made D.O.A. so happy, they invited The Honeymans to open up for them on D.O.A.’s Canadian tour last May.

They are a good time kind of band that include tracks like “Ska Wars” An obvious skankin’ ska song about the Star Wars movies, with lyrics like “R2-D2 when do I get to meet you, no garbage pile is ever gonna eat you…” Another great is the Nomeansno cover, “The Day Everything Became Nothing” Or the one minute track, “Johnny Fire’s Ring Of Cash” complete with perfect Johnny Cash sound alike vocals! “Kneel’s Reels” will please Shite’n’Onions readers the most, with some catchy fiddling, but it doesn’t end there. Every track is a surprise of how much they can twist up different styles of music like a pretzel, eat it right in front of you, then spit out the chewed up pretzel in your face, Honeymans style!! Enough funk to make Flea get up and skank like a Mexican jumping bean on angel dust. If you are in need of some catchy funk-punk ditties with some ska/reggae/Celtic-folk overtones check out this album. Or check ’em out live. With upcoming tours planned for Canada, USA, Europe, & Australia, no one has an excuse not to miss it. (including me, Procrastinator Extraordinare)

October 2002

Review by Brian Gillespie

Review

The Whiskey Rebels: The Whiskey Rebels

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I was very curious to hear this CD after reading GMM Records description of the band as California’s Dropkick Murphys and while certainly this CD starts off brilliantly, Dropkick style with the eponymous “Whiskey Rebels”, with a punky acoustic intro ala “Boys on the Docks” then bursting into the explosive street punk the DKM’s used to do so well on “Do or Die”. The remaining 15 or so tracks unfortunately don’t reach the high’s of the title track. Don’t get me wrong its good street punk and while similar to early DKM’s (musically & lyrically), if you’re going to claim to be anyone’s answer to the Dropkick Murphys you better hit the target every time, and with the exception of “Whiskey Rebels”, the Whiskey Rebels just miss the mark.

October 2002

Review

Lisa Rahon: This is the Lisa Rahon Show

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Boston’s Lisa Rahon is at times a solo artist, at times a front person and at other times a backing musician to bass player and musical partner Phil Laubner’s vocals on her debut CD, “This is the Lisa Rahon Show”. Lisa’s (and Phil’s) music runs a wide range of alternative influences from 60’s garage punk to the Velvet Underground with Nico to the alternative pop of the Breeders and Luscious Jackson. Loads of grungy guitars, strong vocal harmonies and clever arrangements and lyrics. Expect to hear on a college station near you.

October 2002

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