Muirsheen Durkin & Friends "Last Order" (2013)
Release date: December 2012
Running time: 32:18, 10 tracks
Muirsheen Durkin (and Friends) is a German band that was formed 5 years ago. The band leader Thoma “Lanze” Landsknecht (mandolin, banjo, guitars) played in a punk band 30 years ago together with their band mates Lothar Gödde (bass) and Chris “Kentop” Eggenstein (drums). Lanze has been collecting Celtic rock CDs from all around the world (including Australian, Japanese, Chinese and Indonesian bands). So, they decided to blend Irish traditional music with punk and they were joined by Lady Godiva/Kings & Boozers members Thomas Rünker (lead vocals, tin whistle, flugelhorn) and Christian “Kiki” Eickel (accordion). Other members that jumped in are Sonja Plage (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Ralf “Ehli” Ehlert (electric guitar) and Thomas “Püddl” Pütter.
All of the tracks on their debut album “Last Order” are covers: 8 traditional songs, a traditional song with new lyrics by Lanze and a The Skels song. Then, a question comes immediately to my mind. There are enough German CDs full of Irish covers, for instance The Porters’ and Auld Corn Brigade’s debut albums. Was a new covers album necessary? Muirsheen Durkin and Friends have followed two goals:
1) To feature a bunch of songs that have not been covered by every single band on the scene
2) A new approach, since they are aware that mixing traditional music and punk was not something new
Regarding the first goal, it’s clear that they have succeeded. They have put new lyrics to “Hot Asphalt” (“Irish Pub Song”) and it’s one of the best songs on the album. They have covered “Have a Drink Ya Bastards” by the Skels, featuring “Bugger Off” at the end of the song. They have chosen a song already recorded by The Killigans, “Santy Anno”, and the result is OK. And they have included a couple of songs that are seldom covered , “Sally Brown” and “My Son John”.
As far as the other goal is concerned, I feel that it should be changed. Some of the arrangements are closed to Shane/Pogues renditions (“Minstrel Boy” and “The Parting Glass”). And, even if the vocals are shared by MacRünker and Sonja, some of the songs have a Lady Godiva flavour :“Greenland Whale Fisheries” (but it’s true that a new element has been added, “The Battle of Brisbane” is featured at the end of the song), the tune added to “The Parting Glass”, the sound of “Marie’s Wedding”…I find this normal and it’s not bad. In fact, I love Lady Godiva. So, I wouldn’t use the words new approach, but enjoyable approach.
If you like tin whistle and accordion and if you are a little bit fed up with listening the same traditional songs, then “Last Order” is a worth buying CD.
Tracklist:
01 - Marie´s Wedding 3:04
02 - Santy Anno 3:36
03 - Have a Drink Ya Bastards 3:28
04 - My Son John 3:04
05 - Irish Pub Song 2:50
06 - Greenland Whale Fisheries 3:46
07 - Minstrel Boy 2:43
08 - Sally Brown 2:33
09 - God Save Ireland 3:30
10 - Parting Glass 3:44
http://www.myspace.com/muirsheendurkin
https://www.facebook.com/MuirsheenDurkinAndFriends
http://www.regioactive.de/muirsheendurkin
Contact the band's manager to buy the CD:
chris.eggenstein@googlemail.com
Review by Kinksmarkham
Release date: December 2012
Running time: 32:18, 10 tracks
Muirsheen Durkin (and Friends) is a German band that was formed 5 years ago. The band leader Thoma “Lanze” Landsknecht (mandolin, banjo, guitars) played in a punk band 30 years ago together with their band mates Lothar Gödde (bass) and Chris “Kentop” Eggenstein (drums). Lanze has been collecting Celtic rock CDs from all around the world (including Australian, Japanese, Chinese and Indonesian bands). So, they decided to blend Irish traditional music with punk and they were joined by Lady Godiva/Kings & Boozers members Thomas Rünker (lead vocals, tin whistle, flugelhorn) and Christian “Kiki” Eickel (accordion). Other members that jumped in are Sonja Plage (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Ralf “Ehli” Ehlert (electric guitar) and Thomas “Püddl” Pütter.
All of the tracks on their debut album “Last Order” are covers: 8 traditional songs, a traditional song with new lyrics by Lanze and a The Skels song. Then, a question comes immediately to my mind. There are enough German CDs full of Irish covers, for instance The Porters’ and Auld Corn Brigade’s debut albums. Was a new covers album necessary? Muirsheen Durkin and Friends have followed two goals:
1) To feature a bunch of songs that have not been covered by every single band on the scene
2) A new approach, since they are aware that mixing traditional music and punk was not something new
Regarding the first goal, it’s clear that they have succeeded. They have put new lyrics to “Hot Asphalt” (“Irish Pub Song”) and it’s one of the best songs on the album. They have covered “Have a Drink Ya Bastards” by the Skels, featuring “Bugger Off” at the end of the song. They have chosen a song already recorded by The Killigans, “Santy Anno”, and the result is OK. And they have included a couple of songs that are seldom covered , “Sally Brown” and “My Son John”.
As far as the other goal is concerned, I feel that it should be changed. Some of the arrangements are closed to Shane/Pogues renditions (“Minstrel Boy” and “The Parting Glass”). And, even if the vocals are shared by MacRünker and Sonja, some of the songs have a Lady Godiva flavour :“Greenland Whale Fisheries” (but it’s true that a new element has been added, “The Battle of Brisbane” is featured at the end of the song), the tune added to “The Parting Glass”, the sound of “Marie’s Wedding”…I find this normal and it’s not bad. In fact, I love Lady Godiva. So, I wouldn’t use the words new approach, but enjoyable approach.
If you like tin whistle and accordion and if you are a little bit fed up with listening the same traditional songs, then “Last Order” is a worth buying CD.
Tracklist:
01 - Marie´s Wedding 3:04
02 - Santy Anno 3:36
03 - Have a Drink Ya Bastards 3:28
04 - My Son John 3:04
05 - Irish Pub Song 2:50
06 - Greenland Whale Fisheries 3:46
07 - Minstrel Boy 2:43
08 - Sally Brown 2:33
09 - God Save Ireland 3:30
10 - Parting Glass 3:44
http://www.myspace.com/muirsheendurkin
https://www.facebook.com/MuirsheenDurkinAndFriends
http://www.regioactive.de/muirsheendurkin
Contact the band's manager to buy the CD:
chris.eggenstein@googlemail.com
Review by Kinksmarkham
No comments:
Post a Comment