The Fisticuffs "You'll Not Take Us Alive", self-released FC-003
Release date: January 29, 2011
Running Time: 45:22, 15 tracks
The Fisticuffs are back with their third album “You’ll Not Take Us Alive”. Angrier than ever, a “show no mercy” attitude can be found all along the album, at least at first hearing.
Some changes of personnel/guests have occurred between “Neatly Stumblin'” and “You’ll Not Take Us Alive”. Original bassist Brandon Simmons has been replaced by Neal Farrell. Ian Tully (whistle, bodhrán) who was a full member in “Bruised but not Beaten” and a guest in “Neatly Stumblin’” is no longer on board. And Shaina Sedder (guest vocals on the two previous albums) is not singing in “You’ll Not Take Us Alive”. However, the core of the band remains the same: Bobby Baldwin aggressive vocals, Dave Beneventi excellent mandolin playing and Arcadia Kust great fiddling.
Lyrics deal mainly with Irish emigration/Irish world in America, South Chicago and the working class. Particularly, it seems that the fans’ favourite song is track no. 8 “We are the Workers”. Even if I like it, especially the guitar work, I feel that there are better songs. For instance, “Silent on the South Side”, a top-notch song featuring accordion, in which Arcadia and Dave stand out. Or “The Potters’ Field”; vocals on this track are a little bit less aggressive, violin, mandolin and bass sound really tight and the guitar and harmonica at the end are great too.
Other tracks that I have enjoyed are the intro (“Red Sky”), a classic Fisticuffs song, and “Paddy’s NNA”. This is one of the most ’77 punk songs in the album. In fact, Bobby sings like Johnny Rotten. “Five White Crosses” is also an interesting number that features Bobby’s harmonica. Vocals are raw and the fiddle and mandolin are … Well, you know the answer, their sound is based on them.
But, at the end of the album there are another tracks that are worth hearing: “Missin' the Bus” and “Dead and Gone”. I find Arcadia’s fiddling quite “British” on the former. (maybe I’m wrong, but she reminds me of bands such as the sadly defunct Tricks Upon Travellers or Bleeding Hearts) and similar to that of Tim O’Leary (McDermott’s 2 Hours) on the latter.
The Fisticuffs are in fine form and one cannot understand why they are still unsigned. Anyway, hats-off to them: 14 songs, around 45 minutes of music, excellent black and white digipack packaging and 8 page booklet, 12 original songs, one Pogues cover and one drinking song.
Will there ever be a European tour?
Tracklist:
01. Red Sky In the Morning 0:49
02. Fired Up 2:33
03. Paddys N.N.A. 2:10
04. Young Ned of the Hill 2:44
05. Five White Crosses 2:28
06. The Potter's Field 3:34
07. These Trying Times 3:11
08. We Are the Workers 3:08
09. The Ballad of Bill Blizzard 5:02
10. Silent On the South Side 3:36
11. Missin' the Bus 3:19
12. Dead and Gone 2:38
13. Fat Cats 3:00
14. In Heaven There Is No Beer 7:04
http://www.myspace.com/thefisticuffs1
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fisticuffs/163986810514
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fisticuffs
http://twitter.com/#!/thefisticuffs
Click to buy from CDBaby:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/fisticuffs3
Click to buy from Interpunk:
http://www.interpunk.com/item.cfm?Item=192182&
Review by Kinksmarkham
.
Release date: January 29, 2011
Running Time: 45:22, 15 tracks
The Fisticuffs are back with their third album “You’ll Not Take Us Alive”. Angrier than ever, a “show no mercy” attitude can be found all along the album, at least at first hearing.
Some changes of personnel/guests have occurred between “Neatly Stumblin'” and “You’ll Not Take Us Alive”. Original bassist Brandon Simmons has been replaced by Neal Farrell. Ian Tully (whistle, bodhrán) who was a full member in “Bruised but not Beaten” and a guest in “Neatly Stumblin’” is no longer on board. And Shaina Sedder (guest vocals on the two previous albums) is not singing in “You’ll Not Take Us Alive”. However, the core of the band remains the same: Bobby Baldwin aggressive vocals, Dave Beneventi excellent mandolin playing and Arcadia Kust great fiddling.
Lyrics deal mainly with Irish emigration/Irish world in America, South Chicago and the working class. Particularly, it seems that the fans’ favourite song is track no. 8 “We are the Workers”. Even if I like it, especially the guitar work, I feel that there are better songs. For instance, “Silent on the South Side”, a top-notch song featuring accordion, in which Arcadia and Dave stand out. Or “The Potters’ Field”; vocals on this track are a little bit less aggressive, violin, mandolin and bass sound really tight and the guitar and harmonica at the end are great too.
Other tracks that I have enjoyed are the intro (“Red Sky”), a classic Fisticuffs song, and “Paddy’s NNA”. This is one of the most ’77 punk songs in the album. In fact, Bobby sings like Johnny Rotten. “Five White Crosses” is also an interesting number that features Bobby’s harmonica. Vocals are raw and the fiddle and mandolin are … Well, you know the answer, their sound is based on them.
But, at the end of the album there are another tracks that are worth hearing: “Missin' the Bus” and “Dead and Gone”. I find Arcadia’s fiddling quite “British” on the former. (maybe I’m wrong, but she reminds me of bands such as the sadly defunct Tricks Upon Travellers or Bleeding Hearts) and similar to that of Tim O’Leary (McDermott’s 2 Hours) on the latter.
The Fisticuffs are in fine form and one cannot understand why they are still unsigned. Anyway, hats-off to them: 14 songs, around 45 minutes of music, excellent black and white digipack packaging and 8 page booklet, 12 original songs, one Pogues cover and one drinking song.
Will there ever be a European tour?
Tracklist:
01. Red Sky In the Morning 0:49
02. Fired Up 2:33
03. Paddys N.N.A. 2:10
04. Young Ned of the Hill 2:44
05. Five White Crosses 2:28
06. The Potter's Field 3:34
07. These Trying Times 3:11
08. We Are the Workers 3:08
09. The Ballad of Bill Blizzard 5:02
10. Silent On the South Side 3:36
11. Missin' the Bus 3:19
12. Dead and Gone 2:38
13. Fat Cats 3:00
14. In Heaven There Is No Beer 7:04
http://www.myspace.com/thefisticuffs1
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fisticuffs/163986810514
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fisticuffs
http://twitter.com/#!/thefisticuffs
Click to buy from CDBaby:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/fisticuffs3
Click to buy from Interpunk:
http://www.interpunk.com/item.cfm?Item=192182&
Review by Kinksmarkham
.
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