The Lagan "Where's Your Messiah Now" Banquet Records KT1-038
Release date: 17 March 2013
Running time: 36:19, 10 tracks
The long awaited debut album by The Lagan (fiddle, tin whistle, ukulele, guitar, bass and drums) was released last St. Patrick’s Day and charted at #3 in the UK Record Store Album Charts. The 10 songs on “Where’s Your Messiah Now?” can be divided into three groups: those previously released on the ”Work Away” EP, the new original songs and some trad. numbers.
Regarding the “old” songs, the new arrangements on “Work Away” and, particularly, on “Sunny Day in Southie” have given them a new lease of life.
As far as the “new” songs are concerned “Staring the Devil in the Eye” and “Sailin’ East” are awesome numbers in the classic Celtic punk vein. The former is more “epic” and the latter is the bastard son of Dropkick Murphys and the Levellers. On the other hand, “Same Shite, Different Night”, a kick-ass song, is in tune with the new wave of English Celtic punk/pirate bands.
When I first saw the tracklist I felt that “The Good Ship Lagan” could be a cover of Planxty’s “The Good Ship Kangaroo”. However, I was wrong. In fact, The Lagan have written their own lyrics to the classic “Drunken Sailor”. This song, together with their rendition of “Star of the Co. Down”, shows the Caribbean side of the band. “The Good Ship Lagan” has a ska beat and “Star of the County Down” is a reggae that turns into a ska number.
“Where’s Your Messiah Now?” is a labour of love. Great digipack package and amazing artwork. As they state on the liner notes, this is their first album, and those words are something they never really expected to say. They explain that this was their first set and the first songs they wrote. There is a good balance between their Celtic punk end and their Celtic ska end. However, taking into account that their own material is really strong, I would have given more weight to the self-penned songs and recorded less traditional material. Anyway, “Where’s Your Messiah” is a highly recommendable album.
Tracklist:
1. Staring The Devil In The Eye 4:05
2. Sailin' East 2:56
3. Work Away 3:56
4. Star Of The County Down 4:02
5. Guinness 'n' Chips 2:51
6. Sunny Day In Southie 3:57
7. I'll Tell Me Ma 2:12
8. The Good Ship Lagan 4:37
9. Same Shite, Different Night 2:59
10. The Fields Of Athenry 4:39
http://www.thelagan.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/TheLagan
https://soundcloud.com/the-lagan
http://thelagan.bandcamp.com/album/wheres-your-messiah-now
https://twitter.com/thelagan
Click to buy:
http://www.banquetrecords.com/KT1-038
Review by Kinksmarkham
Release date: 17 March 2013
Running time: 36:19, 10 tracks
The long awaited debut album by The Lagan (fiddle, tin whistle, ukulele, guitar, bass and drums) was released last St. Patrick’s Day and charted at #3 in the UK Record Store Album Charts. The 10 songs on “Where’s Your Messiah Now?” can be divided into three groups: those previously released on the ”Work Away” EP, the new original songs and some trad. numbers.
Regarding the “old” songs, the new arrangements on “Work Away” and, particularly, on “Sunny Day in Southie” have given them a new lease of life.
As far as the “new” songs are concerned “Staring the Devil in the Eye” and “Sailin’ East” are awesome numbers in the classic Celtic punk vein. The former is more “epic” and the latter is the bastard son of Dropkick Murphys and the Levellers. On the other hand, “Same Shite, Different Night”, a kick-ass song, is in tune with the new wave of English Celtic punk/pirate bands.
When I first saw the tracklist I felt that “The Good Ship Lagan” could be a cover of Planxty’s “The Good Ship Kangaroo”. However, I was wrong. In fact, The Lagan have written their own lyrics to the classic “Drunken Sailor”. This song, together with their rendition of “Star of the Co. Down”, shows the Caribbean side of the band. “The Good Ship Lagan” has a ska beat and “Star of the County Down” is a reggae that turns into a ska number.
“Where’s Your Messiah Now?” is a labour of love. Great digipack package and amazing artwork. As they state on the liner notes, this is their first album, and those words are something they never really expected to say. They explain that this was their first set and the first songs they wrote. There is a good balance between their Celtic punk end and their Celtic ska end. However, taking into account that their own material is really strong, I would have given more weight to the self-penned songs and recorded less traditional material. Anyway, “Where’s Your Messiah” is a highly recommendable album.
Tracklist:
1. Staring The Devil In The Eye 4:05
2. Sailin' East 2:56
3. Work Away 3:56
4. Star Of The County Down 4:02
5. Guinness 'n' Chips 2:51
6. Sunny Day In Southie 3:57
7. I'll Tell Me Ma 2:12
8. The Good Ship Lagan 4:37
9. Same Shite, Different Night 2:59
10. The Fields Of Athenry 4:39
http://www.thelagan.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/TheLagan
https://soundcloud.com/the-lagan
http://thelagan.bandcamp.com/album/wheres-your-messiah-now
https://twitter.com/thelagan
Click to buy:
http://www.banquetrecords.com/KT1-038
Review by Kinksmarkham
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