CELTIC FOLK PUNK AND MORE: REVIEW - McDERMOTT'S 2 HOURS "Anticlockwise" (2013)

McDermott's 2 Hours "Anticlockwise" OTF
Release date: October 20, 2013
Running time: 58:39, 14 tracks

I guess that everybodys knows the story. McDermott's 2 Hours were the band that inspired the Levellers. Their song "Dirty Davey" was covered on the Levellers self-titled third album. Besides, a lot of fans that missed their debut album that was released in 1989 were able to buy the re-issue from 1994 through the Levellers On the Fiddle fan club.

After the band's split, Nick and Tim were backed by the Levellers rythm section (Charlie and Jeremy) and released three albums together, "World Turned Upside Down", "Claws and Wings" and "Disorder", which were released under the name McDermott's 2 Hours vs Levellers. A third period started with "Goodbye to the Madhouse", when McDermott's 2 Hours became a full band again.

Nick Burbridge and his band mates will be releasing a new album in 2014: "Besieged". But the guys at On The Fiddle thought that McDermott's 2 Hours career deserved a "Best of" album and then "Anticlockwise" was released at the end of October 2013.

The 14 track album covers the band whole discography, with and without the Levellers rythm section. Moreover, two tracks from the forthcoming album have been added. All of the songs that have been picked showcase Nick songwriting; but if more songs songs had been added, the musical balance would be more appealling to a newer audience. Taking into account that the running time is less than 59 minutes, I would have included more tracks. I love the two instrumental sets on "The Enemy Within", but I can understand that they are not original numbers. Nevertheless, I miss songs such as "Boys of the Blackstuff" and "The Fields Round Ballyclare" from their debut album,"Blue Bandana" and "Laying the Sligo Maid" from the second one and "Travelling to Cockaigne" from the third one.

I didn't enjoy "Disorder" when it was originally released and after some spins to "Anticlockwise" I feel that there are too much tracks from that album. However, the songs that have been chosen from "Goodbye to the Madhouse" are excellent and the last numbers (the new songs) are amazing.

Anyway, there is a lot of amazing songs on the album: "Dirty Davey", "Fox on the Run", "Harry Brewer", "Song of a Brother", "River", "Trickster", "All in Your Name" ... I don't know if "Anticlockwise" is McDermott's 2 Hours definitive collection, but at least it's a fantastic album.

Tracklist:

01 - Dirty Davey 3:12 ("The Enemy Within", track 1, 1989)

02 - Fox On The Run 4:28 ("The Enemy Within", track 9, 1989)

03 - Darkness and Sail 3:13 ("The Enemy Within", track 6, 1989)

04 - World Turned Upside Down 4:39 ("World Turned Upside Down", track 1, 2001)

05 - Harry Brewer 4:57 ("World Turned Upside Down", track 5, 2001)

06 - Song Of A Brother 2:17 ("Claws and Wings", track 3, 2003)

07 - Tod The Ranter 4:13 ("Disorder", track 1, 2004)

08 - Black Sun (In Genoa)4:41 ("Disorder", track 3, 2004)

09 - A Fable From Aigge 3:41 ("Disorder", track 9, 2004)

10 - Molloy 4:08 ("Goodbye to the Madhouse", track 1, 2007)

11 - River 4:52 ("Goodbye to the Madhouse", track 2, 2007)