The Tossers "The Emerald City" Victory Records VR691 (2013)
Release date: 8 March 2013
Running time: 40:15, 14 tracks
Five years have gone by since The Tossers released their previous album, “On A Fine Spring Evening” (2008). However, this delay has been worth the wait. “The Emerald City” is an excellent album, the evidence that The Tossers are the only band to give The Pogues a run for their money.
The album title and its cover are obvious: “The Emerald City” is a tribute to their city, Chicago. But there is another subtle tribute lying underneath, a tribute to The Dubliners. Back in 1988 the late Ronnie Drew and his band mates released an album titled “The Dubliner’s Dublin”. “The Emerald City” turns around a similar idea and a lot of numbers are Chicago sketches: “Emerald City", “USA”, “The South Side of Town”, “God Bless You”, “Johnny McGuire's Wake”. Nevertheless, The Dubliners' shadow is always there: “Bombo Lane” is a song from “Dubliner’s Dublin” and “The Fermoy Lasses and Sporting Paddy” is one of the most famous Dubliners sets of tunes. Besides, Luke Kelly and The Dubliners are mentioned on “Johnny McGuire's Wake” and The Chief O’Neil on “The Break of Dawn” gave name to another tune on The Dubliners repertoire (“Chief O’Neil’s Favourite”).
If you are a Tossers diehard fan, stay calm. The fast-paced catchy anthems about booze have not been put aside: “The Break of Dawn”, “Where the Beer and the Whiskey Flow”, “Here’s a Drink with You”, “Sláinte” … But the most interesting numbers, together with the single “The Emerald City”, would be the risky ones: “God Bless You” (featuring a kick-ass fiddling by Rebecca), “U.S.A.” and, above all, “Wherever You go” a three-songs-in-one top-notch song. This number is the evidence that Tonny Duggins songwriting can rival with Shane MacGowan’s.
The album has been produced once again by Andy Gerber (he has produced all The Tossers albums that Victory records have released) and harp by Aislinn Gaigliardi is featured on “Saint Patricks’ Day” and Uileann pipes by Sean Gavin are featured on “Saint Patrick’s Day” and “The South Side of Town”. The sticker on the CD states “A traditional Irish punk band from the South side of Chicago that has been staying true to a lost genre & has been at it for over 20 years”. And that’s the point: they have evolved, but they have not lost their roots. As a result they have released one of the Top3 albums of 2013.
The Tossers have always been one of the "Big Five" together with Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, The Real McKenzies and The Mahones . They predate some of them and even if they are praised by colleagues and critics alike, they have not been able to break through. It’s really a shame, because they deserve more than a cult following. They have succeded in creating a parallel universe to The Pogues one. Maybe they should tour Europe as much as The Real McKenzies and The Mahones. I’m sure that the effort would pay off.
Tracklist:
01. The Rover 2:24
02. Here's To A Drink With You 1:44
03. Emerald City 3:49
04. Wherever You Go 5:02
05. USA 3:36
06. St. Patrick's Day 4:14
07. Bombo Lane 0:32
08. The Break Of Dawn 2:44
09. The South Side Of Town 3:55
10. Where The Beer And Whiskey Flow 2:09
11. God Bless You 2:44
12. Johnny McGuire's Wake 3:15
13. The Fermoy Lasses and Sporting Paddy 1:46
14. Sláinte 2:14
http://www.thetossers.com
Release date: 8 March 2013
Running time: 40:15, 14 tracks
Five years have gone by since The Tossers released their previous album, “On A Fine Spring Evening” (2008). However, this delay has been worth the wait. “The Emerald City” is an excellent album, the evidence that The Tossers are the only band to give The Pogues a run for their money.
The album title and its cover are obvious: “The Emerald City” is a tribute to their city, Chicago. But there is another subtle tribute lying underneath, a tribute to The Dubliners. Back in 1988 the late Ronnie Drew and his band mates released an album titled “The Dubliner’s Dublin”. “The Emerald City” turns around a similar idea and a lot of numbers are Chicago sketches: “Emerald City", “USA”, “The South Side of Town”, “God Bless You”, “Johnny McGuire's Wake”. Nevertheless, The Dubliners' shadow is always there: “Bombo Lane” is a song from “Dubliner’s Dublin” and “The Fermoy Lasses and Sporting Paddy” is one of the most famous Dubliners sets of tunes. Besides, Luke Kelly and The Dubliners are mentioned on “Johnny McGuire's Wake” and The Chief O’Neil on “The Break of Dawn” gave name to another tune on The Dubliners repertoire (“Chief O’Neil’s Favourite”).
If you are a Tossers diehard fan, stay calm. The fast-paced catchy anthems about booze have not been put aside: “The Break of Dawn”, “Where the Beer and the Whiskey Flow”, “Here’s a Drink with You”, “Sláinte” … But the most interesting numbers, together with the single “The Emerald City”, would be the risky ones: “God Bless You” (featuring a kick-ass fiddling by Rebecca), “U.S.A.” and, above all, “Wherever You go” a three-songs-in-one top-notch song. This number is the evidence that Tonny Duggins songwriting can rival with Shane MacGowan’s.
The album has been produced once again by Andy Gerber (he has produced all The Tossers albums that Victory records have released) and harp by Aislinn Gaigliardi is featured on “Saint Patricks’ Day” and Uileann pipes by Sean Gavin are featured on “Saint Patrick’s Day” and “The South Side of Town”. The sticker on the CD states “A traditional Irish punk band from the South side of Chicago that has been staying true to a lost genre & has been at it for over 20 years”. And that’s the point: they have evolved, but they have not lost their roots. As a result they have released one of the Top3 albums of 2013.
The Tossers have always been one of the "Big Five" together with Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, The Real McKenzies and The Mahones . They predate some of them and even if they are praised by colleagues and critics alike, they have not been able to break through. It’s really a shame, because they deserve more than a cult following. They have succeded in creating a parallel universe to The Pogues one. Maybe they should tour Europe as much as The Real McKenzies and The Mahones. I’m sure that the effort would pay off.
Tracklist:01. The Rover 2:24
02. Here's To A Drink With You 1:44
03. Emerald City 3:49
04. Wherever You Go 5:02
05. USA 3:36
06. St. Patrick's Day 4:14
07. Bombo Lane 0:32
08. The Break Of Dawn 2:44
09. The South Side Of Town 3:55
10. Where The Beer And Whiskey Flow 2:09
11. God Bless You 2:44
12. Johnny McGuire's Wake 3:15
13. The Fermoy Lasses and Sporting Paddy 1:46
14. Sláinte 2:14
http://www.thetossers.com
Click to buy:
http://www.victorymerch.com/merch/cds/30393/the-tossers-the-emerald-city-cd
Review by Kinksmarkham
http://www.victorymerch.com/merch/cds/30393/the-tossers-the-emerald-city-cd
Review by Kinksmarkham
Love this review. Love this album. Love this band. They do deserve greater recognition. Hope this review helps that.
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