Restless Feet "Homeward Bound"
Release date: March 15, 2017
Running time: 40:30, 13 tracks
“Homeward Bound” is the sophomore album by German band Restless Feet: Kai (vocals, tin whistle, Irish flute, banjo), Markus (vocals, guitar), Marcy (vocals, fiddle), Arthur (bass, banjo, electric guitar) and Alex (drums). If their debut album included a couple of Breton songs, this time the five piece band from Freiburg have focused on their own stuff (6 tracks) and some sea songs and Irish songs (7 tracks).
Regarding the original stuff, my fave is track no. 10, “The Ballad of Johnny Doran” with its chorus “I’m the Everywhere Man, slán and I’m gone”. “Sailor’s Yarn” is another highlight: drunken vocals, great fiddling and female backing vocals. The opener “Hold Sway” is a good Celtic punk number with a The Moorings twist. “Wake’s Souvenir” have an intro, the previous cut titled “The Cabin”, featuring accordion. The main song is well written, with interesting fiddle and flute arrangements, rocking guitar and backing vocals. Finally, “Waste My Throat (on Irish Folk)” is a kick-ass R’n’R number about the music we all love.
I enjoy when bands record sets of tunes on their albums. Restless Feet deliver a set consisting of “Irish Washerwoman”, “Cooley’s Reel” and “Maid behind the Bar”. Banjo, fiddle and flute do a great job.
There are a couple of Irish rebel songs, the amazing cover of “Boys of Wexford” and the poignant rendition of “By Memory Inspired”. The other traditional numbers / standards are all of them related to the sea. “The Shores of Botany Bay” includes a fiddle and tin whistle tune and it’s a great cover; “Rolling Down to Old Maui” has a fantastic fiddling towards the end. Both “Greenland Whale Fisheries” and “The Irish Rover” were recorded by The Pogues. “Greenland Whale Fisheries” follows the usual approach, but fortunately Restless Feet have added a traditional tune and some hey hey shouts à la Mahones. So the final result is awesome. “The Irish Rover” is played with gusto, but nothing new is offered to differ from other versions.
If Restless Feet’s debut album came in a jewel case, “Homeward Bound” comes in a 4 panel digipack with a 12 page booklet. All the lyrics to the songs and a lot of pics are included.
Restless Feet are a tight band and their original material on this album is top-notch. They have also selected some traditional stuff that will sound new to a lot of fans. In other words, there are a lot of songs on this album that will please the Celtic punk fans.
Track listing:
01. I Hold Sway 2:25
02. The Cabin (Wake's Intro) 0:26
03. Wake's Souvenir 3:47
04. The Shores of Botany Bay 3:33
05. Sailor's Yarn 2:23
06. Waste My Throat (On Irish Folk) 3:22
07. Tuneset 2:58
08. Greenland Whale Fisheries 3:17
09. The Boys of Wexford 3:29
10. The Ballad of Johnny Doran 3:45
11. The Irish Rover 3:11
12. By Memory Inspired 3:52
13. Rolling Down to Old Maui 4:01
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Review by Kinksmarkham
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