2018-03-27 ALBUM REVIEW - St. GEORGE'S FOLLY "Along This Road" (2018)

St. George's Folly "Along This Road"
Release date: March 12, 2018
Running time: 29 minutes, 9 tracks

St. George's Folly is a new band from St. Paul. They are Adam Azra'el (guitar, vocals), Bradley Kallhoff (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Dempsey Schroeder (fiddle, guitar, vocals), Nate Beck (bass), Samp Fosters (drums). Guitarist  Owen Ray left the band in January 2018 and now Benny Cole is the new guitarist. The Twin Cities have an interesting Celtic punk/rock scene (The Tim Malloys, The Langer's Ball ..) and St. George's Folly are the latest addition to this bunch of amazing bands.

St. George's Folly have released their released album just before St. Patrick's Day. It's titled "Along this Road" and have 9 tracks, 4 standards and 9 originals. The album kicks off with "Tell Me Ma". Yes, it's an overexposed standard, but it has all the things that make St. George's Folly a brilliant band: kick-ass fiddling, vocal harmonies, and claps. The boys have added a great electric guitar passage too. The second traditional song is "Waxie's Dargle". Everybody knows this song, as it can be found on The Pogues debut album "Red Roses for Me". Nevetheless, there are not many covers of this number. The song gets the perfect treatment. St. George's Folly's rendition of "Step it Out Mary" reminds me of The Green Duck's cover. However, the lads from the Twin Cities have written amazing fiddle arrangements and the last part of the song is spotless. The last cover on "Along this Road" is "Star of the Co. Down". I have not enjoyed the last versions that I have heard from other bands, but I must say that St. George's Folly deliver an excellent fast-paced version.

If the musicianship and arrangements on the trad. stuf are top-notch, the best tracks on the CD are the self-penned songs. "Aspen Grove" has a catchy chorus, woahs and infectious fiddling. I daresay that St. George's Folly sound more like a Canadian band than a US band. The core of the album runs from tracks 4 to 6. "Old Jim's Eulogy" can rival with the best songs by Bastard Bearded Irishmen, while "Three Days in Havana" has an early Flogging Molly flavor; and "Iron Hearts" is a Ludwig Van beethoven meets Celtic punk number featuring the Ode to Joy from Symphony no. 9. "The Whisky Ode" is slower than other numbers on the CD, but quite enjoyable.

St. George's Folly "Along this Road" would be one of the best albums of 2018 and the band is clearly one of the newcomers of the year.

Track listing.

1. Tell Me Ma 02:22
2. Aspen Grove 03:44
3. Waxie's Dargle 01:57
4. Old Jim's Eulogy 03:08
5. Three Days In Havana 03:32
6. Iron Hearts 02:32
7. Step It Out Mary 03:54
8. The Whiskey Ode 03:42
9. Star Of The County Down 03:48


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Review by Kinksmarkham

St. George's Folly - Old Jim's Eulogy




 
St. George's Folly - Iron Hearts



 
St. George's Folly - The Whiskey Ode



 

2018-03-26 ALBUM REVIEW - PUNCHING NAMARD "First Round" (2018)

Punching Namard "First Round"
Release date: March 10, 2018
Running time: 42:43, 15 tracks

Brazilian band Lugh opened the way for a couple of bands that have released excellent debut albums, RATS and Punching Namard. Punching Namard were our Band of the Month in January 2015. Their demos were reviewed here and we have been waiting eagerly for their debut album. The wait was worth it, since "First Round" is the sort of album that we  enjoy.

"Never Again", the opening track features fiddle and banjo and has a bluegrass twist. One of my fave songs on the album. "No More Smoke" is another standout number. This time there is tin whistle instead of fiddle, and more banjo. The sound is perfect:  the tin whistle is not hidden in the mix and the chorus is addictive, let alone the lectric guitar passage.

A couple of tracks are sung in Brazilian Portuguese. "Relatos de un ex-Careta" is another highlight, a simple but effective punk song featuring fiddle and banjo. I love "Do Mar", an a cappella shanty that is followed by "The Promised Land", a song sung in English. This number is obviously the second part of "Do Mar" and fiddle and mandolin can be heard on this amazing song.

A video clip was shot for "Confession", a powerful Celtic punk song with a So-Cal twist that can also be noticed on "As They Say".

On "First Round" there are new versions of the songs from the demo. "Up and Down" blends powerful guitars with tin whistle and banjo. "Home" is a The Dreadnoughts infused number led by the accordion. "Find a Way" is an awesome number in the Flogging Molly vein with great fiddling. "It Was not What I Meant" is an upbeat song featuring tin whistle and gang vocals. And "Punching Namard", the band's calling card, gets a new lease of live.

The other songs on the album are "Dead or Alive" (an a cappella short song), "Beginning of the End" (jumping accordion, mandolin and aah chorus) and "Another Life" (a catchy number, but maybe not so energetic as previous songs)
 
The bands from Brazil, Argentina and Chile are fighting to find their place on the Celtic punk map. Punching Namard and other bands are proving that they can released albums as good as those issued by some of the best names on the Celtic punk scene. Give them a try.


Track listing:

01 - Never Again 2:02
02 - No More smoke 3:18
03 - Cofession 3:18
04 - Dead or Alive 0:48
05 - Up and Down 2:57
06 - Beginning of the End 3:30
07 - Another Life 2:25
08 - As They Say  2:48
09 - It was not What I Meant 2:52
10 - Relatos de um Ex-Careta 3:59
11 - Punching Namard 1:51
12 - Do Mar 2:23
13 - The Promised Land 2:26
14 - Home 3:16
15 - Find a Way 4:16

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Review by Kinksmakham

2018-03-19 NAME YOUR PRICE DOWNLOAD - JIMMY GEORGE "Hotel Motel"

At last! Jimmy George second album "Hotel Motel"  is already available. 

If you mised our previous post, click here to download "A Month of Sundays" and "Same S#​!​t Different Day".

"Hotel Motel" produced by Marty Jones. Recorded at Sound of One Hand, bed tracks recorded at Raven Street Studios, Ottawa. Mixed at Sound of One Hand. Mastered by Bill Kipper at Disque SNB, Montreal. Editing by John Dooher. Artwork and design by Steve Donnelly, cover photo found in dumpster by Eric Altman in San Diego. Band photos by Colwyn. Bus photo by Mickey.

credits

released July 1, 1995

J Todd - lead vox, acoustic guitar

Mike Lawson - electric guitar, lead vox on Even More

Michael Eady - fiddle

Joel Carlson - mandolin, octave mandolin, bass, vox

Jeff Kerr - banjo, lead vox on Broke

Eric Altman - drums, shakey things, vox.

Stephen K. Donnelly - bass, lead vox on Mickey's Theme, mandolin. 

Mickey Vallee - accordion, lead vox on Outside-In, keyboard, slide guitar, octave mandolin.

Additional musicians:

Terri Loretto (vox on Mickey's Theme),

Madeleine Giguere (vox on Rock and Roll Thing),

Peter Kiesewalter (soprano sax on Venezuela),

Warren Campbell and the Beefcakes Choir (gang vox on Rock and Roll Thing),

Nick Jonasson (vox on Even More, Broke),

Josh "Remi Royale" Grace - gang vox on Mickey's Theme.

All songs by Jimmy George (Altman, Carlson, Donnelly, Eady, Kerr, Lawson, Todd, Vallee) ©1995 SOCAN except Rock and Roll Thing (Lawson, Giguere, McGreevy)

First of All recorded by John Griffith on tour with the band at the Angry Irishman in Moncton NB. Speaker unknown. 

DOWNLOAD:

Bandcamp

 

2018-03-18 ALBUM REVIEW - RAGLAN ROAD "s/t" (2017)

Raglan Road "s/t"
Release date: December 23, 2017
Running time: 43:06, 13 tracks

“Raglan Road” is a well-known song whose lyrics where written by Patrick Kavanagh. Luke Kelly (The Dubliners) set it to the music of “The Dawning of the Day”. Apart from The Dubliners, Van Morrison recorded the song together with The Chieftains for his “Irish Heartbeat” album. There was a band called Raglan Road in the USA fronted by Dominic Cromie that released an album titled “Live” in 1999. But the Raglan Road whose album I’m reviewing now is a new band from New Brunswick, Canada.

Jason Martell (vocals, acoustic guitar), Gary Gosse (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin), Jamie Craig (vocals, bass, piano, tin whistle) and Corey MacDonald released their debut album as Raglan Road at the end of 2017. There is only one original song and 11 covers, some of them familiar to any celtic rock fan, and some of them probably new to them.

The self-penned song is track no. 4, “New Orleans” and it was written by Gary Gosse. It’s an interesting blues number that sometimes reminds me of British band Status Quo. There are some Celtic/country covers on the album. “Getting Dark Again” is an amazing rendition of a song by Buddy MacDonald, and “Followed Her Around” and the upbeat “Mull River Shuffle” are Jimmy Rankin’s songs. “Can’t You See” is an awesome cover with a Guns and Roses twist of a song by country/Southern rock band The Marshall Tucker Band. And “Fox of the Run” is another great bluegrass cover of a song by Tony Hazzard.

The other half of the songs is a blend of standards and covers of Celtic rock bands. “Galway Girl” is a fantastic song, but nowadays every single band is recording their own version. "Mari Mac” gets an electric treatment based on the Great Big Sea’s arrangements. The traditional shanty “Heave Away” is a standout number together with the opening track “Drunken Sailor”. But my fave songs on the album are “Lamenter’s Lament” and “Home for a Rest”. The former is a song by The Town Pants, while the latter is the kick-ass anthem by Spirit of the West. Raglan Road deliver their own rocking version without the traditional tunes.The album is over with a respectful cover of Dropkick Murphys/Woody Guthrie classic song “Shipping up to Boston”.

Raglan Road debut album is Canadian party music at its best. Sometimes their approach reminds me of that of Derina Harvey Band, as they also covered “Drunken Sailor”, “Galway Girl” and “Mull River Shuffle”. The instrumentation may be different, but the band from the Canadian prairie and the band from the Maritimes have the same spirit. Grab a pint and sing-along

 

Track listing:

01. Drunken Sailor 03:01   
02. Galway Girl 02:39   
03. Getting Dark Again 02:18   
04. New Orleans 03:33   
05. Fox on the Run 03:03   
06. Lamenter's Lament 03:23   
07. Mari Mac 02:39   
08. Followed Her Around 03:45   
09. Heave Away 02:46   
10. Can't You See 06:23   
11. Home for a Rest 03:17   
12. Mull River Shuffle 03:30   
13. Shipping Up to Boston 02:37


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Review by Kinkmarkham

 

2018-03-17 St. PATRICK'S DAY FREEBIE AND VIDEO PLAYLIST

This is a playlist that I made last year for St. Patrick's Day. And a pisstake song as freebie too: Junto (streetpunk / oi! from Seattle, WA) "Saint Patrick's Day". Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD:

Bandcamp

"We have a free digital download up of a fun song we recorded last year. Written by Eric Hurst. "

There's a bar that I call home
Day by week by month by year
It's a place that I can go
But there's just one time of year
I gotta make sure to stay away from my 2nd home
Because the amateurs - they just don't know how to drink
(how to drink how to drink how to drink)
Well all the douchebags are here
And they're drinking green beer
What else can I say it's just another cliche St. Paddy's Day
Another cliche St. Paddy's Day.
Don't wear green, you get pinched
But that pinch can turn to a punch
You're doing shots of Jameson
When you should be sipping it
You think that it's funny
To order an Irish Car Bomb
But you're too stupid to realize
That you're in a British Bar

credits

released February 21, 2018
Written by Eric Lincoln Hurst

 

2018-03-16 NAME YOUR PRICE DOWNLOAD - SIGELPA "País de titellaires" EP

The band from Catalonia Sigelpa will play some St. Patrick's Day gigs and then they wil call it a day.

This is therefore their last work, the "País de titellaires" EP. Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD:

Bandcamp

2018-03-16 THE St. PATRICK'S DAY VIDEO MEGA-POST - MOSCHE DI VELLTO GRIGIO, SIGELPA, PIPES AND PINTS ...

Some videos that have been published this week. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Then you'll be able to watch all the new videos before they are posted here.

Mosche di Vellutto Grigio - The Parting Glass



Sigelpa - País de Titellaires



The Whisky Priests - Bloody Well Back! Teaser # 2



Pipes and Pints - Dark Into the Night



Paddy and The Rats - Where Red Paints the Ocean



Firkin - Those Irish Punk Girls (lyric video)



McScallywag - Billy's Curse



Malasañers - Long Live the Glory

2018-03-14 NAME YOUR PRICE DOWNLOADS - GALLOWGLASS TRIO Discography

Our fourth post of free music for St. Patrick's Day. These albums are available on Bandcamp as Name Your Price downloads. After Michael Matheny passed away, his remaining bandmates Ken Larson and Lojo Russo  announced that they were making the whole Gallowglass catalog available free with any money that anyone wanted to donate for the downloads going to Mike’s favorite charities, greyhound and cancer research.

Gallowglass Irish Trio, from Minnesota.

"Gallowglass Irish Trio, premier MN Renaissance Festival music act for over 10 years and one of Minnesota's favorite Celtic bands for over 20!

Michael D Matheny, Ken Larson and Lojo Russo made Irish music that was about drinkin', dyin' and doin' it (not necessarily in that order). No mamby-pamby madrigal stuff...these guys kicked butt!"

Line-up:

Michael D. Matheny - Guitar bouzouki and vocals
Ken Larson - Bodhrán and vocals
Lojo Russo - Mandolin and vocals


Discography:

"Bootleg" (23 tracks, 1986)
"No Irish Need Apply" (14 tracks, 1986)
"Taking on Water" (19 tracks, 1992)
"Hello Farewell - An Authorised Bootleg" (13 tracks, 1994)
"All Our Best" (18 tracks, 1999)

DOWNLOAD:

Bandcamp - Bootleg
Bandcamp - No Irish Need Apply
Bandcamp - Taking on Water
Bandcamp - Hello Farewell-An Authorised Bootleg

Bandcamp - All Our Best

2018-03-13 ALBUM REVIEW - DRINKING PUMPKINS "Folk Mosh" (2018)

DISCLAIMER:

This review only showed my opinion about the music before I got some information about the band's environment. Following the comments of some Russian friends on facebook, other bands from the Russian scene wouldn't accept to play with this band because Drinking Pumpkins would be friends with white pride people. Nothing has been said about the lyrics of the songs.

I've got an article and plenty  of pics, for instance, depicting Skrewdriver's T-shirts, tattoos and some posters on their stage. So, all the evidence that has sent to me is very clear.

It's really a same, because the music was good. But I must say that we don't agree with that scene and those ideas.

I have been thinking over removing the review.  Then I have thought that maybe this could have a Barbra Streissand effect. Therefore I have decided to keep the review, but after having removed the band links and added some lines to the end. This way the fans will have the real information about this band.

Drinking Pumpkins "Folk Mosh"
Release date: February 25, 2018
Running time: 35:00, 10 tracks

Drinking Pumpkins are a six piece band from Tyumen, Siberia: Vladimir Serebrennikov (lead vocals, guitar), Raisa Shabanova (fiddle), Vladimir Abramov (bass guitar, backing vocals), Denis Kovalev (drums), Anton Lepsky (guitar) and Ksenia Muzheva (tin whistle, flute, backing vocals). “Folk Mosh” is their debut album, but they had previously released three singles: “Борода (Beard)” in 2014, “Рогонос (Cukold)” in 2015 and “Песня мертвых матросов (The Song of the Dead Sailors)” in 2016. Both “Beard” and “Cukold” can be found on “Folk Mosh”.

The album kicks off with “O’Carolan’s Drean/Ten Penny Bit". It’s really amazing that a band from Russia has chosen a composition by Irish blind harpist Turlough O’Carolan. The fiddle plays a tune that was intended for the harp and then powerful guitars deliver a metal rendition of “Ten Penny Bit”. Hats-off guys!

The next track is titled “Monks”. The fiddle theme is addictive, while the vocals reminds me of Czech band Hakka Muggies. There is an electric guitar part before the end too.

“Beard” has a traditional feel and interesting percussion. The vocals get a Firkin treatment, the fiddle is backed by the banjo and the metal guitars add the right atmosphere.

Track no. 4 is called “Paddy” and Drinking Pumpkins slow down a little bit. It’s followed by a kick-ass folk-metal version of “Fire Maringo”, a traditional shanty.

Most Celtic punk fans will be familiar with the next number, “Shoulder to Shoulder”, as Drinking Pumpkins cover their fellow band Garlic Kings. Aidar Aminov guests on the pipes and the final result can rival with the original.

“Cuckold” features drunken vocals, a trad. tune and a ska passage towards the end of the song. Another standout number.

“Anarchists” is the “different” number on “Folk Mosh”. Apart from fiddle, keyboards (Svetlana Naumkina) and sax (Daniil Serikov) can be heard.

The trad. tune “Green Sleeves” is a highlight too. The arrangements are top-notch and the song evolves from an acoustic beginning to a full electric end.

The last number is “Red Head Girl”, that is, a fast-paced metal cover of “Star of the Co. Down”.

Drinking Pumpkins “Folk Mosh” is an awesome debut album. The sound blends punk and metal influences, the selection of traditional numbers is very attractive and the arrangements are excellent. In other circumstances this could be a good addition to your CD collection. But keep in mind that unfortunately the band don't support the same ideas that our scene supports. And we cannot tolerate fascist behaviours.

Track listing:

01. O'Carolans Dream / Ten Penny Bit 02:21
02. Монахи (Monks) 03:00
03. Борода (Beard) 04:22
04. Падди (Paddy) 04:35
05. Fire Maringo 04:12
06. Плечом к плечу (Shoulder-to-Shoulder) 03:19
07. Рогонос (Cuckold) 04:14
08. Анархисты (Anarchists) 03:37   
09. Green Sleeves 01:57
10. Рыжуля из Зареки (The Redhead Girl) 03:11

Review by Kinksmarkham

2018-03-12 NAME YOUR PRICE DOWNLOADS - THE SORRY LOT EPs and Single

This is our third post featuring free stuff for St. Patrick's Day. These EPs are available as Name your Price downloads on Bandcamp. Remember that the quantity of free downloads on Bandcamp is limited, 200 free downloads/month. You can support the band and leave a tip.

The Sorry Lot hails from Napa, California, USA.

"The Sorry Lot is a an eight-piece Irish Folk and Ballad band from Napa, California. They deliver high-energy renditions of traditional drinking songs, as well as a few modern and original tunes, while keeping the music true to it's roots in the pubs and bars of Ireland.

Named after a snarky comment from a British bartender, the band was formed in 2007 by members of several local bands who shared a passion for Irish Folk music. Their energy and showmanship stems from their Punk Rock and Reggae backgrounds, but their music remains Irish through and through.

The Sorry Lot can be seen playing regularly at pubs and Breweries throughout California, and are constantly expanding their library of traditional and original songs."

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Line-up:

Jake - banjo, guitar, bodhran
Beef - mandolin, banjo, fiddle
Stu - bass
Mike - tin whistle
Rizzo - accordion
Cody - 12-string guitar
Quinn - mandolin, banjo, bouzouki

Discography:

"The Night that Pat Murphy Died" (1 track, 2013)
"The Sorry Lot" (5 tracks, 2013)
"Live at Downtown Joe's" (6 tracks, 2013)
"Heaven's Happy Hour" (5 tracks, 2015)
"Beer Flood" (5 tracks, 2015)

DOWNLOAD:

Bandcamp - The Night that Pat Murphy Died
Bandcamp - The Sorry Lot
Bandcamp - Live at Downtown Joe's
Bandcamp - Heaven's Happy Hour
Bandcamp - Beer Flood

2018-03-11 ALBUM REVIEW - FIRKIN "We are the Ones" (2018)

Firkin "We are the Ones"
Release date: March 17, 2018
Running time: 39:24, 12 tracks

After their EP from 2017, Firkin are finally back with a full CD. Probably one of the best live bands in the continent, the band from Budapest has always released amazing albums. Would they be able to do it again? The answer is “We are the Ones”.

The brand new album is a well-balanced list of self-penned songs (7 tracks) and covers (5 tracks). Firkin felt that another turn of the wheel was needed for their sound and therefore they have bet on a live and crazier sound than usual. From the very first notes of “All is Well” this “change” is noticed. At the beginning one would think that it’s a Celkilt song, but Firkin showcase their metal side straightaway on this kick-ass cut. On the next tracks, the band that comes to mind is The Mahones. “One More Pint”, “Those Irish Punk Girls” and “We are the Ones” are fast-paced songs based on infectious tin whistle, powerful guitars and vocals antics that rival with The Mahones attitude on their last albums.

After that storm, some moments of calm are needed to recover. PJ and his band mates have chosen the suitable song, the traditional  “Lily of the West”. The Celtic punk volcano is back with the next numbers, the brilliant “Your Oddyssey” were Firkin move to The Real McKenzies territory, and “Hold My Beer”, an excellent pub song to sing along.

The next tracks are two covers, “Nancy Whisky” and “Spancil Hill”. The former gets an upbeat treatment with electric guitar and flute, while the latter features interesting fiddling.

Three more songs are delivered before the album comes to its end. “Awaken the Iron” is a superb pirate number with fantastic flute and epic vocals. “Galway Girl” has become a standard and nowadays every single band is covering this song by Steve Earle. Nevertheless, Firkin have done the impossible. They have “firkinized” the song and the final result is incredibly good. “We are the Ones” ends up with a new version of “Flowers” featuring Hungarian folk singer Ági Szalóki on guest vocals.

My opinion? Nobody could expect this master piece after their great “Into the Night” EP from 2017. “Into the Night” was very, very good, but “We are the Ones” is a true gem: great production, perfect sound and a band at the peak of its career.

Track listing:

01 - All is Well 3:00
02 - One More Pint 3:18
03 - Those Irish Punk Girls 3:31
04 - We Are the Ones 3:15
05 - Lily of the West 3:23
06 - Your Oddyssey 4:02
07 - Hold My Beer 3:13
08 - Nancy Whisky 3:14
09 - Spancil Hill 3:09
10 - Awaken the Iron 3:52
11 - Galway Girl 2:39
12 - Flowers feat. Agi Szaloki 3:42


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Review by Kinksmarkham

 

2018-03-10 NAME YOUR PRICE DOWNLOAD - THE TEMPLARS OF DOOM "Saint Patrick Saved Ireland"

U.S. band The Templars of Doom are sharing their song "Saint Patrick Saved Ireland". Enjoy!

Lyrics:

Saint Patrick Saved Ireland
Ireland Saved the World
He Drove out the snakes, (He) Drove out the Druids,
the Pagans and Satan

The Vikings captured Patrick
Christ Saved Patrick
Patrick Saved Ireland
Ireland Saved the World

Saint Patrick Saved Ireland

Voices of the Irish Cried out
We beg you holy youth,
come home and walk once more among us
Patrick answered the call

The Druid Priests mocked Patrick
And were thrown in the Air and Died
On Easter's Eve Patrick lit the Fire
The Druid priests Did not survive

DOWNLOAD:

Bandcamp

2018-03-09 VIDEOS - FIRKIN, FLOGGING MOLLY, LES MANDRINOTS, LES VRILLÉS, CURLIES

More videos. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Then you'll be able to watch all the new videos before they are posted here.

 

Firkin - We Are the Ones



Flogging Molly - Going Home



Les Mandrinots - Teaser



Les Vrillés - Staraoké



Curlies - Pochodem vchod


 

2018-03-08 EP REVIEW - RAISE MY KILT "A New Tartan" (2018)

Raise My Kilt "A New Tartan"
Release date: March 17, 2018
Running time: 17:24, 6 tracks

Before you get overwhelmed by all the CDs that are going to be released next St. Patrick’s Day, I’d like to draw your attention to the new offering by Raise My Kilt. The bagpipes punk band from Buenos Aires was one of the best surprises of 2017. Their first CD “Gaitas and Tanos” consisted of 4 tracks. Luckily, the lads have recorded 6 numbers for their long awaited sophomore EP “A New Tartan”.

The new EP follows a similar path to the previous one. The balance between covers and new stuff is spotless. “A New Tartan” kicks off with the title track, a kick-ass instrumental intro. The early Dropkick Murphys and Black Tartan Clan come immediately to mind.

“New Arcadia” is a banjo led punk number with an electric guitar part that features the well-known “John Ryan’s Polka” at the end of the song.

Ewan MacColl’s “Dirty Old Town” gets a Black Tartan Clan meets Ramones treatment while “1982” is a brilliant street-punk that Pipes & Pints fans will enjoy.

Great minds think alike! Galician band Bastards on Parade used to play Cock Sparrer “We’re Coming Back” at the end of their gigs. And Raise My Kilt deliver an amazing cover based on banjo and pipes.

Finally, Raise My Kilt play their own rendition of “Scotland the Brave”.

If you like Black Tartan Clan or the early Mudmen, Raise My Kilt is your new fave. At least they are my bagpipes punk band of the moment. Come on guys! Six songs are not enough. We need the debut album asap!!!


Track listing:

1 - A New Tartan 1:50
2 - New Arcadia 4:04
3 - Dirty Old Town 3:37
4 - 1982 3:05
5 - We're Coming Back 3:34
6 - Scotland the Brave 1:15


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Amazon

Review by Kinksmarkham

2018-03-07 NAME YOUR PRICE DOWNLOADS - KNACKER'S YARD Discography

This is our second post featuring free stuff for St. Patrick's Day. These four albums are available as Name your Price downloads on Bandcamp. Remember that the quantity of free downloads on Bandcamp is limited, 200 free downloads/month. You can support the band and buy the digipack CDs

Knacker's Yard are from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

"Knacker’s Yard is a Celtic Folk music group from Victoria, BC (Coast Salish Territories) that has been active since 2012. Having released four albums, as well as performing hundreds of concerts, Knacker’s Yard is strongly committed to the preservation of over four centuries of Irish, Scottish, and English traditional music. For fans of The Dubliners, Pogues, Wolfe Tones, Ryan’s Fancy, Stan Rogers, Ewan MacColl, Shirley Collins, Dominic Behan, Planxty, and many more!"

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Line-up:

Cody Baresich – Mandolin, vocals
Bronwyn Churcher – Fiddle, vocals
Wolf Edwards – Lead vocals, plectrum banjo
William FitzGerald – Fiddle, Uilleann pipes, Irish whistles
Stephen Johnson – Accordion, Irish whistles, vocals
Jon MacDonald – Guitar, vocals
Shaun McConnell – Bodhrán, chimes and bones
Irish Tenor Banjo player Anatol Anton is currently on leave

Discography.

"The High Street Demo" (10 tracks, 2014)
"Live at Dunsterville" (11 tracks, 2015)
"Songs of the Sea" (11 tracks, 2016)
"The Dram & The Fray : Bar Room Ballads and Songs of Rebellion" (13 tracks, 2017)

DOWNLOAD:

Bandcamp - The High Street Demo
Bandcamp - Live at Dunsterville
Bandcamp - Songs of the Sea
Bandcamp - he Dram & The Fray : Bar Room Ballads and Songs of Rebellion

2018-03-06 ALBUM REVIEW MARY'S LANE "Wild Unknown" (2018)

Mary's Lane "Wild Unknown"
Release date: February 16, 2018
Running time: 40:42, 11 tracks

Mary’s Lane is a 6 piece Irish-American rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. Patrick Mulloy (vocals, guitar), Michael Crawley 8 vocals, guitar), Mark Whalen (percussion), Matthew Sofranko (vocals, bass), Brent Hopper (vocals, lead guitar, mandolin, banjo) and Tessa Thistlethwaite have previously released one live album (“Live in Ohio”, 2011), one studio album (“See You next Time”, 2014), two EPs (“Power in a Tiny Bottle”, 2013 and “The Furey Session”, 2015) and one single (“I Once crossed an Ocean”, 2015). So, “Wild Unknown” is their second studio album.

“Wild Unknown” consists of 11 songs that have been written by four band members: Patrick, Michael, Matthew and Brent. A traditional hornpipe and a traditional jig can be heard on a couple of tracks, but “Wild Unknown” is basically an album full of self-penned songs.

Patrick Mulloy has written four of the tracks. The opening number “Dead Man Walking” is an excellent upbeat number that reminds me of The Paperboys. “Petronilla” has a similar feel, with some Latin/Spanish echoes. “Smoke” and the closing number “Between the Darkness” would be a couple of Celtic pop songs.

The songs written by Michael Crawley are track no. 2 and track no. 8. Both cuts are probably the most “American” numbers on “Wild Unknown". “Rain on my Parade” is a bluesy number while “Box of Roses” is a country song.

Bassist Matthew Sofranko has written 2 songs too. “Last Gift” is one of the highlights. The songs kicks off slowly with mandolin and later turns into a fiddle and mandolin led fast-paced number à la early Flogging Molly. The other song written by Matthew is “Whiskeytown”.

Finally, three songs have been written by Brent Hopper. “Road less Traveled/Harvest Home” is not a set of tunes, but an amazing song that features “Harvest Home” or “Cork Hornpipe”, as The Dubliners called it on their albums. “Another Pint” is at my top3 together with “Dead Man Walking” and “Last Gift”. Excellent drinking song, grab your pint and sing along! “Gypsy Dance/The Kesh Jig” is the only set of tunes on “Wild Unknown”. ”Gypsy’s Dance” is an interesting tune written by Brent that is followed by a polished version of “The Kesh” jig.


Track listing:

01 - Dead Man Walking 3:33
02 - Rain on My Parade 3:42
03 - Petronilla 4:52
04 - Last Gift 4:04
05 - Road Less Traveled / Harvest Home 3:10
06 - Smoke 4:11
07 - Another Round 2:17
08 - Box of Roses 4:09
09 - Whiskeytown 3:43
10 - Gypsys Dance / The Kesh Jig 2:46
11 - Between the Darkness & the Light 4:09


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Review by Kinksmarkham

2018-03-05 VIDEOS - PUNCHING NAMARD, BASTARDS, KILT THE MESSENGER

More videos. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Then you'll be able to watch all the new videos before they are posted here.

 

Punching Namard - Confesions



Bastards - Quen tenha vinho (live at the Resurrection Fest 2017)



Kilt the Messenger - The Ballad of Vincent McCarthy (Radio Session)

 

2018-03-04 ALBUM REVIEW - KILT THE MESSENGER "Hellfire & Rescue" (2018)

Kilt the Messenger "Hellfire & Rescue"
Release date: January 26, 2018
Running time: 43:27, 12 tracks

Kilt the Messenger is Bob Youhas (vocals, guitar, bagpipes, banjo, accordion), Annie Astley Padnuk (vocals, bagpipes, viola), Jim Turner (keyboards, trumpet), David Nelson (bass, vocals) and Haley Youhas (drums). They have been recording their second album “Hellfire & Rescue” during the last three years and regularly videos for some of the songs have been posted on YouTube. As Bob says, Kilt the Messenger are not easy to pigeonhole; they aren’t the usual bagpipes rock or bagpipes punk band. So, they’ve tagged their music as Celtic Punkabilly. 11 songs have made the album. There are several rockabilly numbers, some folk-rock tracks and, above all, some poignant songs featuring bagpipes.

The highlights are “I will Not Say Goodbye”, “Joseph”, “The Ballad of Vincent McCarthy” and “Dungeons of Hell”. The first three tracks are true gems. “I will not Say Goodbye” was accepted and made it all the way to the nominating process for the 2017 Grammy Awards. Bob and Annie share vocal duties and the vocal harmonies are spot on. The structure of the song is flawless. Backing accordion, viola parts and a kick-ass bagpipes tune. “Joseph” is a brilliant number too. Incredibly well-written song, once again Bob and Annie share vocal duties. Guitar, viola and accordion are played at the beginning of the song, but later banjo takes the lead and Jim shines on trumpet. “The Ballad of Vincent McCarthy” is a special song for Bob, who is a fireman. This song is “the story of an 87 year old retired New York City fireman who joined us for dinner at the fire station every B-shift for 6 years”. Bob played the pipes at Vince’s funeral. This number is bagpipes rock at its best. Both Annie and Bob play the pipes and they’re joined by some pipe band members on drums at the end of the song, Jim Adams, Mike Naughton and Buddy Rein. “Dungeons of Hell” is a fictional tale of a battle. Keyboards and Annie back Bob at the beginning and then the electric guitar, the pipes and the rhythm section deliver a kick-ass bagpipes punk number.

“All of these Rivers” is a punk song featuring viola that sometimes reminds me of Mick Jones’ songs with The Clash. “Come Low Come High” has a guitar intro à la early Billy Bragg but soon evolves into an interesting rock song with an electric guitar part towards the end.

“They tell me that Was You” is a track about "the decline of a Super power nation over the last 50 years". The song gets a guitar based R’n’R treatment. The next cut is titled “Coming to a Theater near You”. It’s a high-octane rockabilly number that was awarded Alternative Rock song of the month by the Akademia Music Awards in Los Angeles. “No Coming Back for You/Big Brother” and “Nobody Came” are more rockabilly infused songs. Dennis Bram (sax) and Jim Correa (trombone) guest on “Nobody Came”. Finally, “Speeding Car” is an appealing folk rock cut with some Mark Knopfler sounding electric guitar.

Celtic punk can be sometimes an endogamic scene. However, some bands are trying to stretch the boundaries of the genre. Kilt the Messenger would be one of those bands. No pub standard will be found on this record, but a bunch of honest self-penned songs.

Track listing:

01 - They Tell Me That was You 3:47
02 - Coming to a Theater Near You 3:55
03 - The Ballad of Vincent McCarthy 5:10
04 - Nobody Came 2:55
05 - Joseph 3:44
06 - I Will Not Say Goodbye 4:00
07 - No Coming Back From You - Big Brother 4:08
08 - All of These Rivers 2:54
09 - Speeding Car 3:23
10 - Come Low come High 4:53
11 - Dungeons of Hell 4:34

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Review by Kinksmarkham

2018-03-03 FREE DOWNLOAD - THE HEALYS "Live" (2010)

St. Patrick's Day is coming, so I will be posting some free stuff in the following two weeks. Please remember that these songs are available for free today, but maybe not later. So hurry up and download them now.

The first band hails from Perth, Western Australia: The Healys.

"The Healys are Australia's favourite Irish sons. The Band have been compared to the likes of The Dubliners, The Pogues and Christy Moore. 

Irish Born & Bred the brothers Healy moved to Australia & now reside in Perth Western Australia.

Their Passion for traditional Irish & folk music is second to none & the band have spent many years perfecting their sound & performance creating a truly authentic but more modern version of what is deemed to be an Irish folk band.
 

In 2010 The Healys released their first album "The Healys Live" - This album comprises of live tracks recorded throughout the year at some of Australia's best Irish venues.

The album includes such classic tracks as  "Whiskey in the Jar", "The Irish Rover", "Tell me Ma", "The Wild Rover" & "Dirty Old Town"."


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Line-up

Allan Healy - Multi-Instrumentalist
Nigel Healy - Multi-Instrumentalist
Gavin Healy - Multi-Instrumentalist

Discography:

"The Healys Live" (2010, 12 tracks)

DOWNLOAD: (click on the download icon on every track)