The Roughneck Riot “Night Train with The Reaper”, Self-released,
Released date: 2010
Running Time: 35:40, 10 tracks
2010 has been a great year for Warrington’s finest, The Roughneck Riot: gig in London with Smokey Bastard, gigs with The Mahones, their own Dutch tour, one song included in the Tribute to The Mahones album (“Across the U.S.A.”) and finally their long awaited debut album “Night Train with the Reaper”
The English sextet consisting of Caitlin Costello (banjo), Jade Franklin (accordion), Matty Humphries (mandolin and Lead vocals), Simon Cowley (drums), Ryan Taylor (bass, vocals) and Chris Green (lead guitar, vocals) has released a 10 track album full of self-penned songs, a risk that not many bands are ready to take.
With that classic Pogues-ish line-up (even if no tin whistle is played on the album), it is not strange that The Roughneck Riot sound reminds that of The Pogues and The Mahones. However, when the album is listened several times, other interesting elements come to light, particularly the lyrics, a universe with merges both Pogues’ and The Men They Couldn’t Hang’s worlds.
“A Night Train with the Reaper” is a great opener, which is related both musically and lyrically with The Pogues “Boat Train”:
“Another pint and we’ll be laughing, another hour and we’ll be dead”,
And if people still ain’t singing, they’ll be puking up instead,
“How the hell am I still alive” is what you start to think
You were on the night train with the Reaper,
But all he does is drink”
Track no. 2, “Ghosts of the Bay”, sounds as if The Dreadnoughts were singing a song written by Shane MacGowan. Good stuff. It’s followed by “Early Morning, Broken Glass”, which is the most “Mahones” song in the album.
But for me the most interesting material comes after these three tracks because the influences are not so obvious: “Mutiny”, the best song together with “Gamblin’ Days”, a top-notch song with a great sailor lyrics. This song could have been included in TMTCH “Waiting for Bonaparte” or “Silver Town” and this would be a folk-punk classic now. I’m happy that The Roughneck Riot has written it.
“Need I Remind You Boys That You’re in Hell” has also The Roughneck Riot’s stamp on it: a well balanced mix of accordion, mandolin and banjo and good lyrics.
Track no. 6, “Gamblin’ Days” is my favourite track, a song whose level is similar to the best Killigans and Tossers songs. A line of the songs says: “better make and end to those gambling days”. I hope that the boys don’t make and end to this kind of songs and more “Gambling Days” can be heard in their future albums.
The next number “Running on Empty” makes you think of The Waterboys at their quietest moments, but then the accordion takes control of the song and it goes in a different direction.
Track no. 8 is another strong track, “Downing the Days”, a song inspired by The Pogues “Hell’s Ditch” album.
“And we were downing the drinks,
Downing the days
Down on our luck in all sorts of ways
Stuck in the middle the only way is down”
“Travellin’ Man” shows a different side of the band, an REM sounding song.
And the album ends with another superb song, “Banished”, another sample of The Roughneck Riot's personality.
Regarding the packaging and design, hats-off to The Roughneck Riot: excellent digipack with an 8 pages booklet, all the lyrics and credits and a wonderful artwork made by Brian Whelan (if you enjoy The Levellers early albums’ artwork, you will love this)
The Roughneck Riot “Night Train with The Reaper” fills the gap that Neck and BibleCode Sundays have left: it is the bridge that connects the Celtic punk made in the British Isles with the one that is made on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
01 – Night Train with The Reaper 3:22
02 - Ghost of the Bay 2:23
03 – Early Morning, Broken Glass 4:13
04 – Mutiny 2:54
05 – Need I Remind You Boys, That You’re in Hell 4:18
06 – Gambling Days 2:48
07 – Running on Empty 4.37
08 – Downing the Days 2:57
09 – Travellin’ Man 4:59
10 – Banished 3:09
www.myspace.com/theroughneckriot
www.reverbnation.com/theroughneckriotuk
www.facebook.com/theroughneckriot
www.theroughneckriot.bigcartel.com (Click here to buy)
Review by Kinksmarkham
.
Released date: 2010
Running Time: 35:40, 10 tracks
2010 has been a great year for Warrington’s finest, The Roughneck Riot: gig in London with Smokey Bastard, gigs with The Mahones, their own Dutch tour, one song included in the Tribute to The Mahones album (“Across the U.S.A.”) and finally their long awaited debut album “Night Train with the Reaper”
The English sextet consisting of Caitlin Costello (banjo), Jade Franklin (accordion), Matty Humphries (mandolin and Lead vocals), Simon Cowley (drums), Ryan Taylor (bass, vocals) and Chris Green (lead guitar, vocals) has released a 10 track album full of self-penned songs, a risk that not many bands are ready to take.
With that classic Pogues-ish line-up (even if no tin whistle is played on the album), it is not strange that The Roughneck Riot sound reminds that of The Pogues and The Mahones. However, when the album is listened several times, other interesting elements come to light, particularly the lyrics, a universe with merges both Pogues’ and The Men They Couldn’t Hang’s worlds.
“A Night Train with the Reaper” is a great opener, which is related both musically and lyrically with The Pogues “Boat Train”:
“Another pint and we’ll be laughing, another hour and we’ll be dead”,
And if people still ain’t singing, they’ll be puking up instead,
“How the hell am I still alive” is what you start to think
You were on the night train with the Reaper,
But all he does is drink”
Track no. 2, “Ghosts of the Bay”, sounds as if The Dreadnoughts were singing a song written by Shane MacGowan. Good stuff. It’s followed by “Early Morning, Broken Glass”, which is the most “Mahones” song in the album.
But for me the most interesting material comes after these three tracks because the influences are not so obvious: “Mutiny”, the best song together with “Gamblin’ Days”, a top-notch song with a great sailor lyrics. This song could have been included in TMTCH “Waiting for Bonaparte” or “Silver Town” and this would be a folk-punk classic now. I’m happy that The Roughneck Riot has written it.
“Need I Remind You Boys That You’re in Hell” has also The Roughneck Riot’s stamp on it: a well balanced mix of accordion, mandolin and banjo and good lyrics.
Track no. 6, “Gamblin’ Days” is my favourite track, a song whose level is similar to the best Killigans and Tossers songs. A line of the songs says: “better make and end to those gambling days”. I hope that the boys don’t make and end to this kind of songs and more “Gambling Days” can be heard in their future albums.
The next number “Running on Empty” makes you think of The Waterboys at their quietest moments, but then the accordion takes control of the song and it goes in a different direction.
Track no. 8 is another strong track, “Downing the Days”, a song inspired by The Pogues “Hell’s Ditch” album.
“And we were downing the drinks,
Downing the days
Down on our luck in all sorts of ways
Stuck in the middle the only way is down”
“Travellin’ Man” shows a different side of the band, an REM sounding song.
And the album ends with another superb song, “Banished”, another sample of The Roughneck Riot's personality.
Regarding the packaging and design, hats-off to The Roughneck Riot: excellent digipack with an 8 pages booklet, all the lyrics and credits and a wonderful artwork made by Brian Whelan (if you enjoy The Levellers early albums’ artwork, you will love this)
The Roughneck Riot “Night Train with The Reaper” fills the gap that Neck and BibleCode Sundays have left: it is the bridge that connects the Celtic punk made in the British Isles with the one that is made on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
01 – Night Train with The Reaper 3:22
02 - Ghost of the Bay 2:23
03 – Early Morning, Broken Glass 4:13
04 – Mutiny 2:54
05 – Need I Remind You Boys, That You’re in Hell 4:18
06 – Gambling Days 2:48
07 – Running on Empty 4.37
08 – Downing the Days 2:57
09 – Travellin’ Man 4:59
10 – Banished 3:09
www.myspace.com/theroughneckriot
www.reverbnation.com/theroughneckriotuk
www.facebook.com/theroughneckriot
www.theroughneckriot.bigcartel.com (Click here to buy)
Review by Kinksmarkham
.
excelente banda y el álbum también
ReplyDeletesee ya my blog !