Irish Moutarde "Raise 'Em All" self-released
Release date: September 17, 2013
Running time: 40:00, 12 tracks
When you get an album from Canada, your life is happier. Obviously, there are some places that add something special. A band from the Maritimes? Yes, please. A band from Glengarry County? Great!. A band from Quebec? Mais bien sûr!
I guess that every Celtic punk fan in the world has been awaiting Irish Moutarde’s debut album. The single that was released last year, “The Bear and The Maiden Fair”, became soon an Internet download success story. And all of us were waiting for more. Expectations were high and the guys and girl from La belle Province have not failed. In fact, “Raise’em All” is called to be one of the albums of the year.
Which are the things that make Irish Moutarde different?
First of all, vocals are shared by a guy and a girl (Andrée-Anne McHalley). Secondly, they have 3 fantastic songwriters: Mathieu Audet (rhythm guitar, vocals), Dominic Haerinck (banjo, acoustic guitar, tin whistle, cittern, harp, vocals) and Sébastien Malenfant (drums, vocals). Thirdly, they have a brilliant piper, Christian Haerinck and an excellent guitarist, Jérôme Bélanger.
On this album most of the songs are original. “The Fields of Athenry”, "The Wearing and the Green” and the pipes tune “Lord Lovat’s Lament” are the traditional numbers that have been covered. By the way, only one song is sung in French, “Olaf”, a tribute to their mascot, a green Irish giraffe.
So let’s talk about some of the songs. “The Black Mill” is a kick-ass song featuring pipes. Listening to this track and to track no. 3, “The Cabin”, Irish Moutarde can be linked to the band from Barcelone Drink Hunters. Drink Hunters are more Bad Religion and Irish Moutarde are maybe more NOFX, but both bands have that So-Cal twist.
“Farewell to Drunkenness” is a drinking song on which the guitar work is really superb. The sound, as usual, is based on banjo, guitar and pipes. The last part of the number is the well-known tune “John Ryan’s Polka” and Sébastien drumming is awesome too.
I have really enjoyed “I Heard Jesus Was”, a funny number going from metal to blues. Maybe bigots don’t like the lyrics.
“Glasses to the Sky” is a DKM style ballad with amazing guitar and woah woah chorus at the end. BTW, the album’s title has been lifted from this song.
I love “Olaf”; the influence is perhaps more RMcK than DKM and the Scottish sounding pipe tune is haunting! Besides, the following number, “LLL” is bagpipes punk at its best.
“A Lad and a Hag” is a self-penned song, but it sounds like an old traditional song. The beginning (flute and piano) is perfect. And when they speed up the tempo, the pipe theme is top-notch too
Irish Moutarde’s piper is a Black Tartan Clan fan and the band from Belgium also supports Irish Moutarde. I wouldn’t say that both bands have the same sound, but one thing it’s true: they have a strong identity, similar instrumentation, high quality musicianship and originality. So you won’t be surprised when both of them will be rated at the top of the “best of 2013” lists.
Tracklist:
Release date: September 17, 2013
Running time: 40:00, 12 tracks
When you get an album from Canada, your life is happier. Obviously, there are some places that add something special. A band from the Maritimes? Yes, please. A band from Glengarry County? Great!. A band from Quebec? Mais bien sûr!
I guess that every Celtic punk fan in the world has been awaiting Irish Moutarde’s debut album. The single that was released last year, “The Bear and The Maiden Fair”, became soon an Internet download success story. And all of us were waiting for more. Expectations were high and the guys and girl from La belle Province have not failed. In fact, “Raise’em All” is called to be one of the albums of the year.
Which are the things that make Irish Moutarde different?
First of all, vocals are shared by a guy and a girl (Andrée-Anne McHalley). Secondly, they have 3 fantastic songwriters: Mathieu Audet (rhythm guitar, vocals), Dominic Haerinck (banjo, acoustic guitar, tin whistle, cittern, harp, vocals) and Sébastien Malenfant (drums, vocals). Thirdly, they have a brilliant piper, Christian Haerinck and an excellent guitarist, Jérôme Bélanger.
On this album most of the songs are original. “The Fields of Athenry”, "The Wearing and the Green” and the pipes tune “Lord Lovat’s Lament” are the traditional numbers that have been covered. By the way, only one song is sung in French, “Olaf”, a tribute to their mascot, a green Irish giraffe.
So let’s talk about some of the songs. “The Black Mill” is a kick-ass song featuring pipes. Listening to this track and to track no. 3, “The Cabin”, Irish Moutarde can be linked to the band from Barcelone Drink Hunters. Drink Hunters are more Bad Religion and Irish Moutarde are maybe more NOFX, but both bands have that So-Cal twist.
“Farewell to Drunkenness” is a drinking song on which the guitar work is really superb. The sound, as usual, is based on banjo, guitar and pipes. The last part of the number is the well-known tune “John Ryan’s Polka” and Sébastien drumming is awesome too.
I have really enjoyed “I Heard Jesus Was”, a funny number going from metal to blues. Maybe bigots don’t like the lyrics.
“Glasses to the Sky” is a DKM style ballad with amazing guitar and woah woah chorus at the end. BTW, the album’s title has been lifted from this song.
I love “Olaf”; the influence is perhaps more RMcK than DKM and the Scottish sounding pipe tune is haunting! Besides, the following number, “LLL” is bagpipes punk at its best.
“A Lad and a Hag” is a self-penned song, but it sounds like an old traditional song. The beginning (flute and piano) is perfect. And when they speed up the tempo, the pipe theme is top-notch too
Irish Moutarde’s piper is a Black Tartan Clan fan and the band from Belgium also supports Irish Moutarde. I wouldn’t say that both bands have the same sound, but one thing it’s true: they have a strong identity, similar instrumentation, high quality musicianship and originality. So you won’t be surprised when both of them will be rated at the top of the “best of 2013” lists.
Tracklist:
01 - The Black Mill 2:54
02 - Farewell to Drunkenness 3:27
03 - The Cabin 2:37
04 - I Heard Jesus Was 2:50
05 - Glasses to the Sky 3:52
06 - Olaf 2:44
07 - LLL 2:04
08 - D.O.E. 3:09
09 - The Fields of Athenry 4:05
10 - The Bear and the Maiden Fair 4:17
11 - The Wearing of the Green 3:06
12 - A Lad and a Hag 4:49
http://www.irishmoutarde.com
https://www.facebook.com/irishmoutarde
http://www.reverbnation.com/irishmoutarde
https://twitter.com/IrishMoutarde
Click to buy
http://irishmoutarde.bandcamp.com
Review by Kinksmarkham
Awesome album, one of the best releases in this year.
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