2017-07-31 EP REVIEW - BLACK RAWK DOG "Suburban's Folk Stories" (2017)

Black Rawk Dog "Suburban's Folk Stories" WLRV Records WLVR 008-2017
Release date: July 6, 2017
Running time: 16:19, 5 tracks 

Indonesia has a burgeoning Celtic punk scene. The bands coming for that country share their love for Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys with their love for Rancid, Cock Sparrer or Social Distortion. After having added their local music influences to their sound, the Indonesian bands have been able to develop their own musical print. Bands around the world can be divided into Flogging Molly infused bands and Dropkick Murphys infused bands. But bands from Indonesia are not so easy to label. They have merged both bands influences in such a way that you can’t tell them apart.

After the success of the Rain in Summer EP, WLVR keeps up the good work and the Indonesian label has just released another excellent EP: Black Rawk Dog “Suburban’s Folk Stories”. A five track EP that is called to be a classic CD.

“Suburban’s Folk Stories” starts off with “Brand New Day”, a catchy as hell song. Banjo, fiddle and tin whistle can be heard at the beginning of the song. Then the full band burst on this fast-paced song with great chorus to sing along. The sound is top-notch and fiddle and tin whistle are not hidden in the mix. Hats-off to the studio lads and the producers!

The next track is titled “Work Proud”. The beginning reminds me a little bit to the Italian band The Clan. Black Rawk Dog like gang vocals and they do it perfectly well. There is an electric guitar passage that is followed by the fiddle, tin whistle and banjo tune. Another infectious song.

Acoustic guitar opens the path for “Still One”. The banjo, fiddle, harmonica and vocals give the song a slight country feeling. There are woahs too, but it’s not a fast-paced song. The Celtic tune comes when the song is coming to its end, just before the amazing female vocals (guest Pramytha Ayu).

The level moves higher with “Rumble in the Bar”. The song kicks off with the typical banjo and tin whistle intro that we all love. The two vocalist fight each other. Gang vocals and hey! shouts are backed by fiddle and banjo. The electric guitar is showcased once again and the tin whistle and fiddle tune is perfect.

The last song on the EP is called “The Old Man Stand Alone”. Kick-ass upbeat song with pipes, banjo and fiddle. Boy and girl share vocal duties.

The Cloves and The Tobacco topped the Celtic punk album charts in 2016. And Black Rawk Dog are going to top the Celtic EP charts in 2017. If you felt disappointed with the latest Dropkick Murphys album, then check out how their sons are protecting their musical heritage. You’ll enjoy Black Rawk Dog “Suburban’s Folk Stories”.

Track listing:

1 - Brand New Day 3:48
2 - Work Proud 2:59
3 - Still One 3:45
4 - Rumble in the Bar 2:58
5 - The Oldman Stand Alone 2:47

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Label contact

wlrv.record@gmail.com


Review by Kinksmarkham

Black Rawk Dog- EP Teaser

2017-07-30 PADDYS HOME AND PUB PODCAST - EPISODES #29 AND #30

In case you missed them, these are the links to the Paddys Home and Pub Podcast Episodes #29 and Episode #30.

Episode #29 is titled Celtic Heavy.

Episode #30 is titled Great American Irish Fest

Don't forget to like Paddys Home and Pub Podcast page on Facebook and to thank Scott for his work.

Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD:

Celtic Heavy
Great American Irish Fest

iTunes

 

2017-07-29 ALBUM REVIEW - COCKSWAIN " For the Whiskey" (2017)

Cockswain "For the Whiskey"
Release date: March 6, 2017
Running time: 36:31, 10 tracks
 

Cockswain, the band from Phoenix, Arizona, released their sophomore album just before St. Patrick’s Day. Some minor changes have taken place: Jack Hoole is the new drummer, Evan Fourness plays lead guitar now and Mo Perzan Ryan Woods headed back east for a new chapter in their life. Fortunately, Mo and Ryan have guested on some tracks.

Even if Cockswain are not from Boston, Chicago or New York, it’s obvious that they are an Irish American band. Influences from top Celtic punk bands can be noticed on their songs, but they have their own identity and sound. Neil Jay Ward (lead vocals, guitar, bouzouki and mandolin) is a great lyricist and all the members write the music. So, “For the Whiskey” is based on self-penned songs and only two covers can be found.

Which are the album highlights? I would pick up tracks 1, 3, 5 and 10. The title track “For the Whiskey” is an upbeat number with powerful backing vocals and an infectious chorus. Mo guests on accordion and Amanda Lubking shines on the fiddle tune. The lively number “Cursed” features Mo on tin whistle. The song has a slight The Mahones touch and the band is really tight. The mix is quite good, as every single instrument can be easily heard. Neil and the boys do a great job on vocals and banjo and fiddle lead the melody. Mo sings lead vocals on “Come Have a Drink with Me”. The song kicks off with the boys singing the drunken chorus and then Wake on banjo and Mo on vocals join in. There is a banjo passage in the middle and then the main theme follows. Kick-ass Celtic punk number with a traditional flavor. The closing cut, “Whiskey, Love and War” is American Irish music at its best. The classic banjo led approach is used in this amazing song that can be filed together with Flogging Molly and Bastard Bearded Irishmen stuff.

“Johnny Be Fair” is a song written by Canadian singer Buffy Sainte-Marie. The folkie lyrics are really funny. Cockswain have re-arranged the song. Jack Hoole on drums and Wake on banjo create atmosphere. Amanda sings the daughter’s lead vocals while Mo sings the mother’s final verse. “Paddy is a Loose Cannon” has a Dropkick Murphys infused intro. Banjo and fiddle back Neil’s raw vocals about Paddy. Cockswain move to a quieter end on “When I Die”. Wake plays harmonica and Neil sings with acoustic guitar. More instruments are added and the song evolves in a way that I would define as a cross between The Whisky Priests and The Tossers. What about “Dark Angel”? Neil showcases his love for Shane MacGowan’s songwriting on this “obscure” The Pogues inspired track.

Cockswain come back to their seafaring territory with “Doriza”. The song is pushed by the wind: calm, storm, calm. “Dirty Old Town” is the second cover on the album. Interesting fiddle arrangements and the bass sound are the band’s addition to the Ewan MacColl’s classic song.

“For the Whiskey” is packed on a jewel case with a 6 page booklet. If you want to sing along, all of the lyrics are printed, together with a lot of information: line-up, guests, studio credits, band’s links and picture credits. The back cover band picture was taken once again by Marlow Sharpe, while the front cover picture was shot by banjoist Wake Lubking. That’s what he said about the photo: “It’s a pretty obscure picture on purpose and it’s a picture of a drink glasses being made in a glass factory in Prague.  I visited this factory a few years ago (…) and the factory supplies beer and drink glasses to a huge number of pubs and bars in Europe.  I thought it was fitting since the title of the album is “For the Whiskey”.”

It’s obvious that Cockswain members trust their friends. Not only have they used a pic by Marlow Sharpe for the rear cover, but they have recorded, mixed and mastered “For the Whiskey” at Full Well Recording Studio in Phoenix with producer Mike Bolenbach. The final result is spotless. Even if it’s a studio recording, he’s been able to capture the band’s live energy.

In 2017 the focus is placed on the albums released by the heavyweights of the genre: Dropkick Murphys, The Real McKenzies, The Tossers, Flogging Molly … However, there are a bunch of bands out there that are delivering honest albums that are worth hearing. Cockswain “For the Whiskey” is one of those CDs.

Track listing:

01. For the Whiskey 3:35   
02. Paddy Is a Loose Cannon 3:19   
03. Cursed 3:00
04. When I Die 3:25
05. Come Have a Drink with Me 3:14
06. Dark Angel 4:25   
07. Dirty Old Town 3:38   
08. Doriza 5:03
09. Johnny Be Fair 1:59   
10. Whiskey, Love, and War 4:53

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Review by Kinksmarkham

Some live videos. Sound quality may vary.

2017-07-27 EP REVIEW - SAILORS GRAVE "Baytin the Voyage" (2016)

Sailors Grave "Baytin the Voyage"" EP
Release date: May 6th,2016
Running time: 14:42, 4 tracks

Sailors Grave hail from Newcastle, New South Wales (Australia). They are Dave (Bean) Rumbler (double bass, lead vocals and banjo), Kris Arendse (guitars, vocals and mandolin), Donna Fisher (bagpipes, Highland whistle, vocals and percussion) and Gav Fisher (drums, vocals, bodhrán and djembé). I watched a live video on the Australian Folk Punk Scene facebook page and then I knew that I have to track them down. I found that they have released a 4 track EP last year and after a quick listening, I decided that the EP deserved to be reviewed at Celtic Folk Punk and More.

Sailors Grave “Baytin the Voyage” consists of 4 tracks: one original, one Scottish trad number, one cover of The Pogues and one cover of Flogging Molly. As you know, I prefer original stuff to covers. But this doesn’t mean that I don’t like covers. I enjoy then when they are not overexposed standards, or when the bands have really re-arranged the song in a new and fresh way. Having said that, Sailors Grave "Baytin the Voyage" EP is a brilliant Celtic punkabilly/rockabilly EP.

The title track “Baytin the Voyage” will catch you straightaway with its bagpipes and amazing rhythm section.

A lot of bands have covered “Loch Lomond” and this could be a bad choice. However, Sailors Grave rendition is really interesting. Obviously, the pipes are awesome, but the double bass and the drums are excellent too.

We all love Shane MacGowan’s songwriting, but other The Pogues members wrote classic songs. For instance, Terry Woods, together with his mate Ron Kavana, wrote “Young Ned of the Hill”. Sailors Grave give new life to this song with electric guitar and pipes.

The last song is a cover of “Drunken Lullabies”. I’m sure that every single Celtic punk band has played this song live. The banjo part is so catchy that normally all the covers are too faithful to the original. I was really impressed by Sailors Grave rendition the first time I listened to the song. It’s not the banjo which takes the lead, but the bagpipes. Well done boys (and girl)! That’s what I call a cover.

By the way, the fantastic EP artwork has been made by Dave Rumbler.

There is a big void on the bagpipes punk scene after the news that Black Tartan Clan are calling it quits. Fortunately, new bagpipes punk bands are emerging. Give Sailors Grave a try. If you like bands such as Craic Haus or 1916, then you’ll love Sailors Grave too.


Track listing:

1 - Baytin the Voyage 3:01
2 - Loch Lomond 3:59
3 - Young Ned of the Hill 3:35
4 - Drunken Lullabies 4:05


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Review by Kinksmarkham

2017-07-26 NAME YOUR PRICE DOWNLOAD - LÁD CÚIG "Nosaltres sóls"

Lád Cúig have just released their new EP, "Nosaltres sols". It's available at Bandcamp as a Name Your Price download. You can download it for free, but they'd appreciate if you could pay some Euros.

As usual, you can listen to their songs on Celtic folk Punk radio.

 

DOWNLOAD:

Bandcamp

2107-07-20 EP REVIEW - THE MULLINS "Beers & Feelings" (2017)

The Mullins "Beers and Feelings"
Release date: July 2, 2017
Running time: 6 tracks

The Mullins’ career is skyrocketing. Raf (acoustic guitar, lead vocals), Elsa (fiddle, vocals), Seb (electric guitar, banjo, vocals), Nicolas aka Micro (bass guitar) and Sebwild (drums) released the video for “9 to 5”in April 2016. That song was included on the “Raise your Pints vol. 2” German compilation. Then, The Mullins were chosen to play at the biggest Celtic rock festival in France, Celti’ Teuillac, that took place at the beginning of July. Finally, the band's first work, the brilliant “Beers & Feelings” EP is out.

The CD opener has an amazing title: “The Ghost of the Public House”. Banjo and fiddle do a great job, together with lead vocals and hey hey background vocals. The main theme is really catchy, let alone the chorus. The banjo is showcased towards the end and soon the fiddle joins.

The next cut is called “Sláinte”. It has an acoustic beginning before the full band jump in. If the previous track was based on banjo and fiddle, “Sláinte” is based on fiddle and electric guitar. In fact, there is an interesting battle between Elsa and Seb.

Elsa sings lead vocals on “Tough Love”. Banjo and rhythm section open for the rest of the band. The song evolves into a boy/girl Celtic punk number to file together with The Pogues “Fairy Tale of New York” or Dropkick Murphys “Dirty Glass”. Apart from singing, Elsa plays fiddle too.

“I Won’t Miss You” is also sung by Elsa. It’s a quieter number featuring acoustic guitar, banjo and rhythm section, but no fiddle.

The EP is coming to its end and “I Won’t Miss you” is followed by the band’s fiddle led anthemic song “9 to 5”. The closing number is The Mullins' rendition of “The Irish Rover”. It’s the only standard on the EP and The Mullins have added some excelent fiddle arrangements to the song.

“Beers & Feelings” comes in a 4 panel digipack. The Folk’n’Punk Brigade logo is printed on the rear panel. This brigade is a collective of bands from France (The Mullins, Sons of O’Flaherty, The Maggie Whackers, The Moorings, To the Last Drop, The Flawers, Jack Raven’s Whores and Saints and Sinners), Quebec (Bodh’aktan), Italy (Uncle Bard & The Dirty Bastards and The Clan), Spain (13 Krauss), Hungary (Paddy and The Rats) and Germany (Restless Feet).

There are quite a few interesting bands in the French celtic punk/rock scene. This means that the fans have plenty of options to choose. The Mullins are following The Moorings footsteps. The band from the South of France is not an outsider, but one of the French bands with a bright future.

Track listing:

1 - The Ghosts of the Public House 3:50
2 - Sláinte 3:35
3 - Tough Love 4:01
4 - I Won't Miss You 3:17
5 - 9 to 5 3:26
6 - Irish Rover 3:33


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Review by Kinksmarkham

2017-07-19 VIDEOS - REBELLION ROSE, SONS OF O'FLAHERTY AND THE DISTILLERY RATS

Some videos that have been added recently to the Celtic Folk Punk YouTube channel. Don't miss any update, subscribe!

Rebellion Rose - Sehat Sealalu Sodaraku



Sons of O'Flaherty - Red Wine Teeth



The Distillery Rats - Shannon River Lady


 

 

2017-07-18 MINI-ALBUM REVIEW - BLACK ANEMONE "In it for Life" (2017)

Black Anemone "In it for Life"
Release date: June 14,2017
Running time: 26:13, 8 tracks

Four years after the release of their debut album “King of Kings”, Black Anemone are back with their second album. The current personnel is Mattias Sandberg (vocals), Andreas "Anden" Svensson (rhythm guitar), Adam Bernström (drums), Martin Hjärtkvist (banjo, mandolin), Rickard "Rille" Olsson (bass), Nermin Festa (lead guitar), Fredrik "Affe" Nilsson (accordion), Axel Martinsson (fiddle) and Tilda Spross (tin whistle). This 9 piece line-up has released “In it for Life”, an 8 track album based on self-penned stuff and a couple of standards.

Their previous CD was a kick-ass album and Black Anemone have been able to deliver another amazing work. “Freedom and for All” is a fantastic upbeat number. This banjo driven song features gang vocals and fiddle. “Amber’s Plant” is another highlight. When the track kicks off, the banjo has a The Dubliners sound, but the accordion, banjo and rhythm section join in and the song evolves soon into a number with a Japanese Celtic punk catchy sound. “It’s a Shorter Life” is a personal fave. A different number, but a badass song. There is accordion, fiddle, mandolin, and awesome vocals and electric guitar work.

“Every Dog Has its Day” is not a cover of Flogging Molly’s song, but an excellent original song. Mandolin and accordion open the path for the rest of the band. There are hey shouts and an early Happy Ol' McWeasel touch. Woah backing vocals can be heard on the title track “In it for Life”. Banjo and accordion are showcased on a cut that reminds me of The Dirty Artichokes. And “Hellhounds on my Back” has some gypsy influences and more electric guitar parts.

The two standards are “Drunken Sailor” and “Bank of the Roses”. “Drunken Sailor” is improved by the addition of a reel (“Drowsy Maggie"). “Bank of The Roses” follows a standard Celtic punk approach with mandolin, fiddle and electric guitar. Not as radical as the Rogue Scholars' take, but an addictive rendition anyway.

Black Anemone “In it for Life” comes in a jewel case. There is no booklet lyrics, only a card with the front artwork. The studio credits and thank-yous are stated on the rear cover, together with the track listing. The CD tray is transparent and the inlay depicts “Amber’s Point”.

After one EP and two albums there is no limit to Black Anemone’s career. The band from Jönköping writes infectious (Celtic) folk punk numbers in a fresh way. We love them and you should love them too.

Track listing:

1 - Freedom and for All 2:47
2 - Amber's Point 3:51
3 - Every Dog Has It's Day 4:14
4 - Drunken Sailor 2:29
5 - In It for Life 2:41
6 - It's a Short Life (But a Merry One)
7 - Hellhounds on My Back 3:42
8 - Banks of the Roses 2:40

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Review by Kinksmarkham

2017-07-13 FREE DOWNLOADS - RUE D'LA GOUAILLE - Discography

Rue d’la Gouaille were a band from Nantes (France) that was active between 1.994 and 2.010. Their music was a blend of French “chanson” and acoustic folk.

The band was formed by David Hougron (vocals, guitar), Morvan (double bass) and Morgane Le Grand (tin whistle and accordion). After a Quebecer tour with other 3 musicians in 1996, one of them, Fredo Bellayer (mandolin and banjo), remained as a full member. All of them recorded their debut album, "The Celtic Pogo” in 1997: 9 self-penned tunes and a traditional number.

A new member joined in 2003 after several albums: Karim Bennani (drums, percussions). At the end of 2004 Fredo and Morgane decided to leave the band and Karinne Germaix (accordion) joined the band. The 4 piece line-up released “Fête foraine” in 2005. Three years later they issued a live CD + DVD, “En scène”. In 2010 they called it a day and released a 10 track live DVD that included footage from their Chinese tour too.

Rue d’la Gouaille decided to celebrate the 20 years from “The Celtic Pogo” CD and put their full discography on Bandcamp as free downloads.

As usual, some of their songs are on rotation on Celtic-Folk-Punk radio.

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Discography:

“The Celtic Pogo” (10 tracks, 1997)
“Le pavé” (17 tracks, 1999)
“Microsillon” (12 tracks, 2002)
“EP Microsillon” (6 tracks, 2002)
“Fête foraine” (12 tracks, 2005)
“En scene (live)” (17 tracks, 2008)

DOWNLOAD:

Discography – Bandcamp

2017-07-12 ALBUM REVIEW - HOOLIGANS' MOUNTAIN "Dalle strade, dalle valli" (2017)

Hooligans' Mountain "Dalle Strade, Dalle Valli"
Release date: July 14, 2017
Running time: 43:19, 10 tracks + hidden track

An important part of the Italian Celtic folk punk scene consists of bands that sing in their mother tongue. Apart from the godfathers of the Italian scene (Modena City Ramblers) bands such as Mosche di Velluto Grigio, Menneguinness, Kitchen Implosion, Lennon Kelly and Strawdaze, sing mainly in Italian. Even if every band has its own identity, all of them merge Celtic influences with Italian music.

Hooligans’ Mountain are Alberto “Bertu” Ughetti (bagpipes, clarinet, tin whistle), Davide “Dado” Benso (vocals, bass), Enrico “Ricu” Bruno (drums, percussion), Luca “Gene” Genero (accordion, fiddle, banjo) and Martin Campolongo (electric and acoustic guitar). They hail from the Turin region and they released a couple of tracks at the second half of 2015, “Indigeno” and “Balkanica”, where they blended Celtic music with Occitan, ska and Balkan sounds.

Hooligans’ Mountain debut album is titled “Dalle strade, dalle valli” (from the streets, from the valleys). They play an upbeat (Celtic) folk punk that shares a common ground with the likes of Strawdaze. The vast majority of the songs on “Dalle strade, dalle valli” follow that path. But there are also kick-ass intrumentals and an excellent number with an Italian traditional sound.

The core of the album are tracks from 1 to 3, track 6 and track 8.”Spettro” is a fast-paced number featuring bagpipes, accordion and fiddle. The vocals have a punk treatment and there is a short ska passage. “La Grolla dell’amicizia” is a tin whistle led folk-punk song with “hey hey” shouts. “Hermanos” deals with the relationship between Italia and Argentina. A huge percentage of the Argentinian population is from Italian origin. In fact, hermanos is a Spanish word, the Italian translation would be fratelli. The song starts with some claps, drunken vocals and the sound of the accordion. Soon the rhythm section and the tin whistle join the accordion, and then the vocals move to the DKM territory. There are plenty of gang vocals on “Non ci arrenderemo mai” too, another cut based on the accordion and the tin whistle. Finally, “Maraja” is a track with fantastic banjo picking and tin whistle playing.

Hooligans' Mountain take a risk with “Passo dopo passo”. There is some ska, klezmer echoes thanks to the clarinet and female background vocals.

The two instrumentals are “Mazurca” and “Bourrée 4t”. The former is a dancing tune featuring accordion and tin whistle (and a tight rhythm section), while the latter is a lively folk rock tune.

“Il Bersagliero” is a cut with an Italian folk flavor. Bagpipes can be heard again on a number that reminds me of Kitchen Implosion.

Hooligans’ Mountain “Dalle strade, dalle valli” is a well-balanced album. Moreover, the production is excellent and all the acoustic instruments can be perfectly heard. BTW, there is a hidden track on “Dalle strade, dalle valli”. It’s one of the singles that were previously released. Which one? Buy the CD!


Track listing:

01 - Spettro
02 - La grolla dell'amicizia
03 - Hermanos
04 - Cita e bela Turin
05 - Passo dopo passo
06 - Non ci arrenderemo mai
07 - Mazurka
08 - Maraja
09 - Il bersagliero
10 - Bourée 4T

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Review by Kinksmarkham

2017-07-09 EP REVIEW - HIGHLAND BASTARDS "Let's Folk" (2016)

Highland Bastards "Let's Folk"
Release date: August 19, 2016
Running time: 18:51, 5 tracks

From our very beginning, every new band from Hungary has been first featured on Celtic Folk Punk and More (review, video or free download). So, it’s not strange that Highland Bastards have decided that their first review abroad should be posted on Celtic Folk Punk and More.

Highland Bastards are a 7 piece band from Ózd, a small town located in the North East of Hungary, close to the Slovak border and 40 km away from Miskolc (the town on which Paddy and The Rats were formed). They are Tiba Gábor (lead vocals, mandolin), Schlögl Dávid (lead vocals, harmonica, tin whistle), Puchreiner Gábor (bass, bcg. vocals), Rédai Péter (guitars), Kovács Zsolt (accordion, recorders), Beri Ádám (fiddle) and Progner Péter (drums, bodhrán).

“Let’s Folk” is their first work, an EP released originally in August 2016. As usual, new bands focus on standards and covers of well-known bands such as Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. Highland Bastards admit that a great deal of their set list consists of that stuff. However they also write their own material and 2 out of 5 tracks on the EP are self-penned songs.

“Let’s Go Murphys” lyrics are about a Dropkick Murphys concert at Budapest Park in 2014. The song kicks off with mandolin, fiddle and drums. The accordion backs the vocals, that sometimes reminds me slightly of Padddy and The Rats way of singing. There are two interesting instrumental passages, one featuring mandolin and fiddle and another one showcasing  accordion and bass.

“Kocsmabanda” is a song which is sung in their mother tongue. The lyrics are about the band’s philosophy of pub music. Good mandolin, Tin whistle and accordion tune.

The three standards on "Let's Folk" are sung by a different vocalist. They are two Rebel songs and one Irish ballad. Dominic Behan’s “Black and Tans” is played with gusto. There are plenty of version of this song, but Highland Bastards have arranged the song in the right direction. IMHO, the mix could have been improved, as the bass is too strong and the fiddle and the accordion sound a little bit low. Obviously, this is their first contact with the studio and I guess that the quality of their next recordings will be better.

“Fuck the British Army” moves from a tin whistle and mandolin intro to a full band approach with electric instruments. The tin whistle, the fiddle and the rhythm section speed up at the end of the song.

To finish up, Highland Bastards deliver their own rendition of “Star of the County Down” showcasing accordion and a ska twist.

If we take into account the evolution of some of their neighbour bands (for instance The Crazy Rogues and The Scarlet), Highland Bastards can evolve into an appealing band. Their first step has been the right one: they are neither Firkin, nor Paddy and the Rats clones. The next step is clear: they should keep on writing their own stuff. I’m looking forward to hearing their sophomore release.

Track listing:

1 - Black and Tans 3:38
2 - Let's Go Murphys 4:19
3 - Fuck the Bristish Army 4:10
4 - Kocsmabanda 3:45
5 - Star of the County Down 4:00

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Review by Kinksmarkham

Click to listen to Highland Bastards - Let's Folk on YouTube

2017-07-08 VIDEOS - THREE FINGER SHOT, CELKILT

Some videos that have been recently added to the Celtic Folk Punk YouTube channel. Don't miss any update, subscribe!

Three Finger Shot - We Never Said



Three Finger Shot - General Taylor



Celkilt - Sometimes I Care (live 2017)

 

2017-07-07 EP REVIEW - THREE FINGER SHOT "Stories from a Small Town" (2017)

Three Finger Shot "Stories from a Small Town"
Release date: April 3, 2017
Running time: 22:11, 6 tracks

Three Finger Shot are based in Calgary, but they are not from the Canadian prairies. Tony Ronalds (lead vocals) hails from Cape Breton and was the singer of Kilt, a band from Nova Scotia that released a couple of seminal albums in the late eighties, “Kilt” (1.997) and “Four in the Crib” (1.999). Trevor Bowering (rhythm guitar) is a Newfie from Kilbride and he met Tony in Ottawa after Kilt called it quits. Curiously, they met again some years later in Calgary, where both of them where living and working, and Three Finger Shot were born.

Their first work is a 6 track EP titled “Stories from a Small Town”. Three of the songs are country infused original numbers and the other three are a couple of traditional numbers and a cover of Kilt’s “Wrecker's Den”.

“We never Said” is the single, an excellent number à la Great Big Sea with a country twist. Trevor sings lead vocals, Anders Drerup guests on pedal steel guitar and Anna Ludlow on fiddle. A folk version of this song can be heard at the band’s soundcloud page.

“Small Town Stories” features the same guests and is sung by Tony. It’s slower than “We Never Said” and the country influences are more obvious.

The third country number is called “Tempting Fate”. Once again, Trevor makes a great job on lead vocals and Anders shines on pedal steel guitar.

“Wrecker’s Den” original version opened Kilt’s self-titled debut album. Three Finger Shot has given the song a new lease of life. Tony and Trevor deliver a fantastic rendition joined by Anna Ludlow on fiddle and Tyler Kealey on accordion. Tony also plays tin whistle on a song that gets a Spirit of the West treatment.

Finally, there are two traditional numbers. The first one is track no.2, the medley “Little Beggarman/Saint Anne’s”. Tony sings lead vocals and Anna and Tyler back him perfectly on the folk instruments. Saint Anne’s reel is a little bit short, but Anna Ludlow's Cape Breton style fiddling  is spotless.

The closing track is an a cappella cover of “General Taylor”, a song that Great Big Sea fans will enjoy.

Three Finger Shot is the latest addition to a great bunch of East Coast/Maritimes folk-rock bands. If you love The Stanfields, Craic the Lens, The Fourth Well or Ruckus the Luxe, then check out 3 Finger Shot.

Track listing:

1. We Never Said 2:43
2. Little Beggarman / St. Anne's Reel 2:53
3. Small Town Stories 4:51
4. Wreckers Den 2:54
5. Tempting Fate 4:03
6. General Taylor 4:39


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Review by Kinksmarkham

2017-07-06 NAME YOUR PRICE DOWNLOAD - PARCEL O'ROGUES "Hope the Rain Keeps Up" (2012)

Parcel o'Rogues are an Irish rock band based in Oldham. Blending the traditional sounds of the Dubliners with the band's many influences. Keeping hard-hitting Irish music alive in the 21st century.

Parcel o'Rogues are:

James Brennan - Lead vocals
Liam McGarrigle - Lead vocals
Phil Jones - Bass
Billy Horan - Banjo, Mandolin
Kristan Holmes - guitar
John mcBride - Flute, melodica, piano, accordion
Deon "Kitch" Kitchen - Drums, percussion

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Parcel O'Rogues released "Hope the Rain Keeps Up" in 2012. The CD was sold out but the digital album can be downloaded as a Name Your Price download.


As usual, you can listen to their songs on  Celtic-Folk-Punk radio. 

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2017-07-05 PADDYS HOME AND PUB PODCAST - EPISODES #26 AND #27

These are the links to the Paddys Home and Pub Podcast, Episodes #26 and Episode #27.

The theme of Episode #27 is the Great American Irish Fest  which will be held in Frankfort, NY, next July 28-30, 2017: Enter The Haggis, Barleyjuice, The Glengarry Bhoys, Kilrush, The Screaming Orphans and many, many more.

DOWNLOAD:

Paddys Home and Pub #26
Cousin Paddys #27 - Before the Great American Irish Fest

iTunes

2017-07-04 ALBUM REVIEW - BANG ON THE EAR "1948" (2017)

Bang On the Ear "1948" 2914 Records
Release date: June 10th, 2017
Running time: 42:41 10 tracks

Glengarry County is an area in Ontario whose population is based on Scottish emigration. Several amazing Celtic rock bands hail from Glengarry: The Glengarry Bhoys, Hadrian’s Wall, The Crofters, The Peelers or Bang on the Ear.

Bang on the Ear are Bradley McMillan (lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitar), Michelle McMillan (tin whistle, vocals, bodhrán, trumpet), Ian Robertson (banjo, bagpipes, acoustic guitar, vocals), Johnny Kluver (bass), Matty Cormier (drums) and Danny Bissonnette (fiddle). Previosuly, they released three albums, “Green Grass and Gravel Roads" (2007), “Tales from the Glen” (2011) and “Pubs, Pints and Pints” (2014). “1948” is their fourth studio album and consists of 10 self-penned songs.

The lyrics for the songs deal mainly with Glengarry and the Glengarry Highland Games. The music is basically Celtic rock with a pop twist.

“1948” is the title track (the Glengarry Games were first staged in 1948). It’s a catchy track with an awesome fiddle and pipes tune. The following track is the other highlight on the album, “Here We are Tonight” “Here we go again / we’ll be dancing around the kitchen hand in hand / Here we go again/we’ll be dancing in Glengarry once again”. This song features female backing vocals, and the theme is led by the tin whistle and the fiddle.

Bang on the Ear keeps up the level with “Nothing at all”, another song with the Canadian DNA. “Up to Here” is an addictive number with more female backing vocals and a good work on fiddle and tin whistle.

“Devil’s Gone Mad” is a badass Celtic rock instrumental with bagpipes and a tight rhythm section. I love when bands write their own tunes.

“Spirit in the West” deals with “Canadian pride” and “Full Circle” is a different number. Michelle sings lead vocals and guitar, banjo and rhythm section are showcased.

The small pipes are played on “In the end”. Unfortunately, they have been mixed at a low volume and can hardly be noticed. Anyway, this cut is a great ballad.

“1948” ends up with “County Glen”, a song that follows the air of “All for Me Grog”. It’s sung a cappella “We’re all from the glen, the mighty, mighty glen/ Glengarry is the name and music is the game/We’re all from the Glen, the mighty, mighty glen/Ontario’s Celtic heartland, Glengarry is the name”

If you enjoy bands such as Dust Rhinos or The Elders, check out Bang on The Ear. Their full discography is available at Bandcamp. Go there and grab a copy of their latest album, “1948”.

Track listing:

01. 1948 03:00   
02. Here We Are Tonight 04:21   
03. Nothing At All 03:13   
04. Up To Here 04:57   
05. Devils Gone Mad 03:10   
06. Fading Light 03:28   
07. Spirit In The West 04:37   
08. Full Circle 06:07
09. In The End 07:00
10. County Glen 02:27

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Review by Kinksmarkham