2018-10-28 ALBUM REVIEW - IN SEARCH OF A ROSE "Horses for Courses" (2018)

In Search of a Rose "Horses for Courses"
Release date: October 10, 2018
Running time: 41:19, 12 tracks
 
In Search of A Rose are back with a badass album. This German band was established in Lemgo in 1992 and they released a bunch of recordings in the 90s: the cassette demo “Pirates of Folk” (1.993), the albums “Conquering” (1.995), “Fresh Lotus Surprise” (1.997) and “Extravaganza” (2.000) and the 6 track EP “Freaks” (1.996). If the sextet was very active during their first 8 years, they turned into a five piece band and only recorded 3 albums in the next 18 years: the brilliant “Kind on Green” (2008), their 20th anniversary live album “Reels and Roses Live” (2012, review HERE) and their brand new studio album “Horses for Courses”.

In Search of a Rose “Horse for Courses” is a well balanced mix of Irish and American sounds. The most amazing thing is that 4 original members are still on board, Ebl, Maze, Rudi and MacGable. Joanne also recorded their previous album and she keeps up her good work on fiddle.The album kicks off with “Paddywhackery”, a piss-take about the Celtic punk scene in Germany. This song is a sort of German answer to The Real McKenzies song “Fuck the Real McKenzies” from their latest album “Two Devils will Talk”. So, “Paddywhackery” is an addictive Celtic punk number where the likes of Mr. Irish Bastard, The O’Reillys & The Paddyhats, Fiddler’s Green, The Ceili Family and Andrew Watts aka Spider Mahone are mentioned. BTW, the lyrics to the next song, “Sentry”, were written by Andrew about his experience in Afghanistan. The song features harmonica and has a The Waterboys feel.

“Somerset Cider” is another standout number, a Celtic punk song with an American twist. You can listen to an edited version of this song on the second video at the bottom of this post. This song is a tribute to Bath, an English town where the band lived.

“Rebel Town” is a recurrent title in In Search of a Rose discography. The new one is called “Rebel Town 4.0” and the guitar at the beginning reminds me of Christy Moore’s albums from the end of the 80’s. Nice fiddle at the end of the song too.

The excellent “Buckfast Girl” is an upbeat number featuring accordion and fiddle. This one will become a live fave too.

“London N21” has a reggae sound. Not my cup of tea, but fortunately there’s a fiddle tune that saves the song.

“Idilia Dubb” is a song about the tragedy of a Scottish girl visiting the river Rhine in 1.851. It’s followed by one of my fave tracks on the album, the set of tunes “Transatlantic”. Kick ass fiddle and tin whistle.

In Search of a Rose cover the Swedish folk punk band Tequila Girls on “Harbour of Souls”. Awesome rendition that has The Waterboys sound too. The boys and girl are delivering in a row some fantastic songs and the next one keeps up the level. If you bought the band’s previous album, you should be familiar with the infectious anthem “Rebel Fritzpatrick”. I’ve not found any sample for this studio version, but I’ve added the longer live version from “Reels and Roses Live” at the bottom. Enjoy!

To finish up, more shamrockandroll on the rocking “Hay, Straw and Gold” and some bluegrass on “The Whole World Round”, where ISOAR give a new lease of life to The Dillards song.

2018 would be a good year for the fans that love the European Celtic punk scene of the 90’s. The Whisky Priests are playing their reunion tour, Lady Godiva are back under a new incarnation, Kings and Boozers,  and In Search of a Rose have finally released their long awaited 5th studio album.


Tracklisting:

01 - Paddywhackery 3:21
02 - Sentry 3:52
03 - Somerset Cider 3:23
04 - Rebel Town 4.0 3:35
05 - Buckfast Girl 3:49
06 - London N21 3:55
07 - Idilia Dubb 3:44
08 - Transatlantic 2:59
09 - Harbour of the Souls 4:21
10 - Farewell (Rebel Fritzpatrick) 3:06
11 - Hay, Straw And Gold 3:06
12 - Whole World Round 2:04

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Review by Kinksmarkham

2018-10-27 ALBUM REVIEW - BLEEDING HEARTS "The Rules of Division" (2018)

Bleeding Hearts "The Rules of Division"
Release date: August 3rd, 2018
Running time: 49:25, 11 tracks

I’ve been a Bleeding Hearts fan from their very beginning. I own their long deleted three early albums and I have posted a lot of news about them. Moreover, I reviewed their fantastic previous album “Folk’n’Glory”. Around 2013 Mark “Madfiddler” Knight left the band and they tried to find a replacement on fiddle. Apparently their search was not successful and Bleeding Hearts decided to follow as a four piece band sans fiddle. Once the kings of the British fiddle punk scene together with the mighty Levellers, Bleeding Hearts were forced to “drop” the fiddle. Anyway, they didn’t leave their anarcho folk punk.

Would Bleeding Hearts be able to keep their place at the British festival band scene? Foxie and his band mates have always been a hard-working band and his songwriting has never let us down. Then, the answer should be YES, they are still at the forefront of that scene. However, the obvious proof would be a new album. “The Rules of Division” is out and even if the stakes were high, the final result is a fine album.

A couple of drinking songs are some of the best moments on the album. “Down the Hatch” is the Bleeding Hearts’ answer to Christy Moore “Delirium Tremens”. Great work by Ewan on mandolin. No fiddle? So what! British folk punk at its best. “Whiskey is the One” is an ode to Jack Daniel’s. One of the catchiest songs on the album, it keeps the spirit of their earlier sound too.

More faves, tracks 1 and 6. “The Devil’s Mosh” showcases a new excellent sound based on a perfect balance between mandolin and electric guitar, while “Pleasure Hive” insists on that new sound adding a lot of la-la-las to sing along.

Other interesting numbers are “Cool Cats” (a different number that gets a club from the 50’s treatment), “Don’t Call this Love” (brilliant mandolin and woahs on a song that reminds me of the early songs written by Levellers member Simon Friend), “Common Man” (an upbeat song with a Pretenders vibe) and “This Nature” (a number with a passage that reminds me of Red Hot Chili Pepers and a great guitar work). Finally, the fast-paced (folk) punk anthem “Tory Attack” is the evidence that Bleeding Hearts’ attitude has not changed.

For those who still love physical CDs, the album comes in a jewel case with a 12 page booklet together with the lyrics to all of the songs. “The Rules of Division” album launch gig will take place on Saturday 17th November at Katie Fitzgeralds in Stourbridge.

Tracklisting:

01 - The Devil's Mosh 5:42
02 - Cool Cats 3:18
03 - Common Man 3:35
04 - Don't Call This Love 5:11
05 - Tory Attax 4:11
06 - Pleasure Hive 4:57
07 - This Nature 4:04
08 - Three Wise Monkeys 3:21
09 - Down the Hatch 4:30
10 - Whiskey Is the One 5:05
11 - All Fall Down 5:29

 
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2018-09-13 EP REVIEW - THE BARLEY HOPS "Rhymes from the Pub" (2018)

The Barley Hops "Rhymes from the Pubs" WLVR Records
Release date: July 14, 2018
Running time: 21:53, 6 tracks

We have been following and supporting the Indonesian Celtic punk scene from our very beginning. However, after the release of “Wind from the Foreign Land – An Indonesian Celtic Punk Compilation” everybody in the Celtic punk scene admitted that something was happening in Indonesia. Then, The Cloves and The Tobacco “Across the Horizon” reached the 4th slot at our Best of 2016 (albums) and Black Rawk Dog “Suburban Folk Stories” reached the 2nd slot at our Best of 2017 (EPs). Only one or two Celtic punk CDs are released every year in Indonesia. But all of them are worth hearing.

The Barley Hops had previously released a couple of tracks that are still available for free download at Reverbnation. Fortunately the 6 piece band from Yogyakarta have finally issued their first CD, a 6 track EP titled “Rhymes from the Pub”. I guess that this recording will top the Best of 2018 (EPs) together with The Grinning Barretts EPs.

The EP kicks off with the title track. “Rhymes from the Pub” is not an instrumental, but the lyrics are so short that one may think that this number is a set of tunes featuring the “John Ryan’s Polka”. This track set the pace for the rest of the EP: kick ass mandolin, badass tin whistle and lots of guitar together with yeah shouts.

The next track is titled “Barleys Drinking Team”. Some pub voices and then the mandolin and the tin whistle open for the rest of the band. Electric guitar and tin whistle shine on this powerful number.

“Glory never Fades Away” is an upbeat number featuring amazing mandolin and more tin whistle and electric guitar. The Indonesian DNA is obvious on this awesome number.

Cut number 4 is called “Fare You Well”. Some train sounds and then The Barley Hops deliver another catchy Celtic punk number with woah backing vocals.

“Homeland” is my favourite number on “Rhyme from the Pubs” and sometimes reminds me of The Popes “Holloway Boulevard”. Great electric guitar work in The Clash vein too.

The 6 track EP is over with “Sunny Side of the Street”. No, this song cannot be found on the excellent Russian compilation “Tribute to the Pogues” (Happy Ol’ McWeasel covered this track on that album). The song gets the Indonesian Celtic punk treatment and it’s an enjoyable cover.

A reduced version of the EP can be bought from Bandcamp (only 2 tracks). If you’re interested in the full EP, then e-mail the band’s label: wlrv.record@gmail.com


Tracking list:

1 - Rhymes from the Pub 2:39
2 - Barley's Drinking Team 3:26
3 - Glory Never fades away 3:44
4 - Fare You Well 4:35
5 - Homeland 4:22
6 - Sunny Side of the Street (The Pogues Cover) 2:55


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2018-07-25 ALBUM REVIEW - BASTARD BEARDED IRISHMEN "Drinkin' to the Dead" (2018)

Bastard Bearded Irishmen "Drinkin' to the Dead"

Release date: May 4, 2018

Running time: 65:30 , 15 tracks + 1 Bonus track

After having topped our Best of 2014 with their second album “Rise of the Bastard”, Bastard Bearded Irishmen only delivered a single in 2016, “Pirates of Three Rivers”. So, fans have had to wait till May 2018 to grab the latest album by Pittsburgh’s finest band.

The CD running time is 65:30. Then, in vinyl terms, “Drinkin’ to the Dead” would be a double album. There are 16 tracks on the album, 15 listed and 1 bonus track titled “Secret Strings”. There is only 1 cover (“Dirty Old Town”), 1 track written by fiddler Paul Dvorchak  (“Harvest”), 4 tracks written by mandolin/banjo player Danny Rectenwald (“Let’s Have a Party”, “What a Life that Would Be”, “Slip (the) Jig” and “Drinkin’ to the Dead” (prelude) and  the other tracks have been written by front man Jimmy Bastard.

Apart from the pirate theme (“Pirates of Three Rivers”), Bastard Bearded Irishmen have stretched the boundaries of their sound to Eastern European influences. In fact I daresay that Bastard Bearded Irishmen have become the U.S. answer to English band Smokey Bastard on tracks such as “No Problems, No Drama”, "Ya Ya Ya”, “Drunken Drinkin´” and “What a Life that Would Be”. Moreover, there is an instrumental number, “Harvest”, a couple of kick-ass party songs (“Moscato” and “Let’s Have a Party”), together with a number in The Tossers vein (“Another Bottle of Booze”) and a song that reminds me of the Eagles “Hotel California”.

My fave songs are, in running order, “Salutations, Memoirs, Denouements”, (celtic punk at its best), “Let’s Have a Party” ( amazing number to sing along, dance and drink), “Harvest” (brilliant tune based on mandolin and fiddle. Why most of the Celtic punk bands are reluctant to record their own instrumentals and keep on recording the usual worn out traditional tunes?), “Drunken Drinkin’” (a blend of The Dreadnoughts’ energy and Smokey Bastard’s sound), “Pirates of 3 Rivers” (an upbeat number featuring Mike Hall on accordion), “What a Life that Would Be” (another amazing Eastern European sounding number) and “Drinkin’ to the Dead” (a badass cut with a Flogging Molly twist featuring Jessica Hohman on flutes).

Bastard Bearded Irishmen “Drinkin’ to the Dead”  is a must have for every Celtic punk fan and the proof that these guys are one of the best bands in the Celtic punk scene.

Track listing:

 

01 - Salutations, Memoirs, Denouements 3:20

02 - No Problems, No Drama 6:19

03 - Let's Have a Party 2:50

04 - Dirty Old Town 5:14

05 - Harvest 3:03

06 - Ya Ya Ya 4:47

07 - Moscato (Intermission) 2:52

08 - Another Bottle of Booze 3:06

09 - Green Side of the Hill 5:29

10 - Drunken Drinkin' 4:24

11 - Slip (the) Jig 3:04

12 - Pirates of Three Rivers 3:41

13 - What a Life That Would Be 4:33

14 - Drinkin' to the Dead (Prelude) 3:33

15 - Drinkin' to the Dead :33

16 - Secret Strings 1:37

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2018-07-11 ALBUM REVIEW - IRISH MOUTARDE "Perdition" (2018)

Irish Moutarde "Perdition"
Release date: March 1st, 2018
Running time: 42:36, 13 tracks

Irish Moutarde released their debut album “Raise ‘em All” in 2013 and their sophomore album “Perdition” has been issued in 2018. During that five year period the band has had some line-up changes. Rhythm guitarist Mathieu Audet, piper Christian Haerinck and banjoist and acoustic guitarist Dominic Haerinck left Irish Moutarde in December 2014 and Gabor Somogyvari on pipes and Tony Vandal on banjo and acoustic guitar joined the band in December 2014 and March 2015. So the 7 piece band is now a sextet.

Even if 5 years have gone by and there are some “new” members, “Perdition” is the logical follow-up to “Raise ‘em All”. Obviously, Irish Moutarde have grown up as a band and some changes have taken place. “Raise ’em All” was an album sung in English, but “Perdition” consists of 7 numbers in French and 6 numbers in English. Moreover, a new traditional instrument can be heard, the accordion played by Andrée-Anne.

Highlights on “Perdition” would be tracks no. 1, 2, 7, 9 10 and 13. The opening cut “Prélude en La (lala)” is a catchy song with its la-la-las and a sound that sometimes reminds me of Breton folk. “The Poison Trail” is an amazing number with kick-ass bagpipes and banjo, and hey shouts. “À la santé de Lucifer” is an uptempo song with the classic Irish Moutarde sound. Andrée-Anne plays accordion on “Bientôt”, there are girl and boy vocals and a great electric guitar part. “Old Days” has an acoustic beginning but soon turns into a Celtic rock number with a Black Tartan Clan twist. Finally, “The Bitter End” is the brilliant closing number, and upbeat song featuring Pachelbel’s canon.

Regarding the other tracks on the album,“Terre Rouge” is a Rage Against the Machine meets The Real McKenzies song; “Jarrets” gets the SoCal punk treatment; “Eat, Drink and be Merry” is a Queen playing circus music cut; “N’oublions pas” moves to the Flatfoot 56 territory; “Only in Your Lies” features electric guitar; “Go Away” is a hardcore song and “Condamnés” is a lively track.

“Perdition” is available at the main digital platforms and physical copies can be purchased from Bandcamp and CDbaby.



Track listing:

01. Prélude en La (lala) 02:59   
02. The Poison Trail 02:49   
03. Terre rouge 03:12   
04. Jarrets 03:13   
05. Eat, Drink and Be Merry 03:04
06. N'oublions pas 03:34
07. À la santé de Lucifer 02:27
08. Only in your Lies 04:37
09. Bientôt 02:45
10. Old Days 03:38   
11. Go Away 02:52
12. Condamnés 03:57
13. The Bitter End 02:59

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2018-07-07 ALBUM REVIEW - JOLLY JACKERS "Out of the Blue" (2018)

Jolly Jackers "Out of the Blue" Tom-Tom Records TTCD284
Release date: April 20, 2018
Running time: 37:57, 11 tracks + 1 hidden track

Jolly Jackers released their fourth CD titled “Out of Blue” last April 20. Last year former fiddler Krisztina left the band and the new fiddler is Noémi Szentimrei. Given that Krisztina was the main songwriter in the band, some doubts about the band’s new direction might arise. But all the bands members have engaged in the creative process and the result is quite good. Most of the lyrics have been written by the girls (Enikő, Andrea and Noémi) and Mark and Viktor have written most of the music with a little help from the girls.

“Out of the Blue” consists of 11 tracks plus a hidden track. The first cut on the album is a short intro and the hidden track (called “Surprise”) is a jazzy instrumental. Then, there are 10 songs that keep up the Jolly Jackers fresh sound from previous releases. My fave numbers are the upbeat songs “Billy the Crook” and “Dancing Shoes” together with track no. 4, the wonderful “See You at the Sea”. But the lively approach of Jolly Jackers can also be heard on other interesting numbers such as “Deaf and Dumb”, “Lies” and "War”. Other influences can be noticed on “Chameleon” (country), “Until We Meet Again” (female Celtic pop à la The Corrs) and ”Demons and Angels” (wah wah towards the end).

The album has been published again by Tom-Tom and comes with a 12 page booklet with the lyrics to all of the songs and plenty of pics.

Track listing:

01. Blue 00:28   
02. Billy The Crook 02:54   
03. Rich, Famous & Cool 03:19   
04. See You At The Sea 03:03   
05. Chameleon 04:11   
06. War 03:36   
07. Dancing Shoes 02:03   
08. Lies 03:20   
09. Deaf And Dumb 03:32   
10. Demons And Angels 03:18   
11. Until We Meet Again 01:28
12. Surprise


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2018-06-30 ALBUM REVIEW - PENN DU "Mascarade" (2016)

Penn Du "Mascarade!"
Release date: June 14, 2016
Running time: 51:59, 10 tracks + 1 Bonus track

Penn Du (Black Heads) is a 7 piece Breton band based in Yvelines, Île de France (Parisian Region). The band was established in 2003, but the current line-up dates from 2011: Arnaud aka Nono (drums, 2003), Cédrick aka Drics (bagpipes, bombardes, whistles and bckg. vocals, 2003), Xavier aka Xav (keyboards, samples, 2005), Eric aka Gal (lead vocals and guitars, 2007), Anthony aka Anto (lead vocals, trumpet, bass and 12 string guitar, 2009), Sébastien aka Seb (guitars and djembe, 2009) and Raphaël aka Raph (fiddle, trombone, harmonica and bckg. vocals). They released their debut album “Définitivement à l’Ouest!” in 2012 and their sophomore album “Mascarade!” followed in 2016. Penn Du have labeled their music as 100% Rock Ska Celto-Bretonned.

All the tracks on “Mascarade!” are self-penned songs: upbeat Celtic rock with Breton folk influences. The boys say that they are influenced by the likes of Merzhin, Soldat Louis, Tri Bleiz Die, Tri Yann and Alan Stivell.

“Mascarade!” kicks off with “Complainte d’un Roi”, a Breton ska number. This was the first "single" off the album, as a video for this song was shot. Track no. 2 is the amazing “L’esclave”, my fave song on the album. Well-balanced blend of powerful guitars and traditional instruments. It was the second “single” off “Mascarade!” and the video for the song was out in 2018.

“Ar gwyr ar yezhou” is a song in French and Breton featuring bagpipes and fiddle about the respect for the French regions and their own languages (Breton, Basque, Corsican, Catalan and Occitan). “Merlot l’enchanteur” is another ska song featuring tin whistle, fiddle and bombarde. The beat is shifted from ska to reggae towards the end.

The other highlights on the album are, IMHO, “Everezh” and the bonus track “Chanson pour JC”. “Everezh” begins with acoustic guitar and vocals, and then the rest of the band joins in. Fiddle and tin whistle are heard at the beginning and bombarde and fiddle at the end. The song ends up again with acoustic guitar and vocals, together with a live at the pub atmosphere (claps and shouts). “Chanson pour JC” gets an acoustic folk-punk treatment based on djembé and fiddle.


Track listing:
   
01 - La complainte d'un roi 4:50
02 - L'esclave 4:41
03 - Ar gwir ar yezhoù 3:42
04 - Bertaèyn 4:48
05 - Merlot l'enchanteur 4:03
06 - Etat d'urgence 4:16
07 - La dernière marée 5:50
08 - Fantaisie 4:24
09 - Everezh
10 - Le vieux drapeau rouge 6:20
11 - Chanson pour JC 5:07 (Bonus track - Not listed on the CD)

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2018-06-27 ALBUM REVIEW - BODH'AKTAN "Ride out the Storm" (2018)

Bodh'aktan "Ride out the Storm" Go Musique GOCD1801
Release date: June 1, 2018
Running time: 49:03, 14 tracks (13 + 1)

“Ride out the Storm” is the second album in English released by Quebecer band Bodh’aktan. “Against Winds and Tides” was basically a bunch of songs from their debut album in French, together with some new songs and covers. But “Ride out the Storm” is an album featuring brand new songs.

As usual, there are some traditional numbers and a set of tunes. The first trad song is the anthemic “Heave Away” and is based on Newfie band The Fables’ rendition (it can be found on their debut album “Tear the House Down” from 1998). The second trad song is “Black Velvet Band” and features The Chieftains legend Paddy Moloney on uileann pipes. Bodh’aktan cover differs from The Grinning Barretts’ rendition that can be found on the EP that was reviewed here. In 1998 The Chieftains released an album together with Canadian acts,  “Fire in the Kitchen”. Bodh’aktan didn’t exist yet, so you won’t find this song on that album. But if ever “Fire in the Kitchen” is re-issued, it would be wonderful that this number could be added as a bonus track. The last traditional song is “Mick MGuire”. This song shares the music with “Hot Asphalt” and Bodh’aktan have been inspired by The Irish Rovers version. The set of tunes is one of the highlights on the album. It’s titled “Reels” and there are three reels (the second one is “Julia Delaney’s” and the third one “St. Anne’s”).

"About Things to Come" is a kick-ass intro featuring excellent pipes and percussion.Bodh’aktan’s classic sound can be heard on “Nothing but a Game”, “Ride out the Storm” and “You are the Ones”. “The Bridge” is Rock’n’Reel at its best and “Get Loud”, an AC/DC infused cut, showcases the band’s hard rock edge too. On the contrary, “While I’m Away” is a quieter song with a folkier approach.

Two versions of the sing-along “We Cannot Fail” are delivered: the standard version and the bonus one, featuring German Celtic rock heroes Fiddler’s Green.

Fans of Celtic rock will enjoy “Ride out of the Storm”. The first two albums put the level too high, but Bodh’aktan have been able to keep on offering top-notch albums with different sounds and approaches. 

Track listing:

01 - About Things to Come 1:08
02 - Nothing but a Game 2:47
03 - Get Loud 4:18
04 - Heave Away 3:11
05 - Black velvet band (featuring Paddy Moloney of the Chieftains) 4:36
06 - Ride out the Storm 3:18
07 - The Bridge 4:12
08 - Reels 3:42
09 - You are the Ones 3:29
10 - Chasing the Wind 4:14
11 - Mick McGuire 2:08
12 - We cannot Fail 3:57
13 - While I'm Away" 3:32
14 - We cannot Fail (Feat. Fiddler's Green) 3:59


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2018-06-18 EP REVIEW - FRINGALE "Mise en bouche" (2018)

Fringale "Mise en Bouche"
Release date: February 1, 2018
Running time: 24:12, 6 tracks

Fringale is the side project of Fabien Barot (The Charmrocks). “Mise en Bouche” is the band’s third EP, as they have previously released their self-titled 5 track EP in 2015 and another 5 track EP, “Deuxième Service”, in 2016.

“Mise en bouche” was recorded in June 2107 by Fabien (lead vocals, guitars, clarinet, percussions), Ninon Langlois (fiddle, background vocals), Pia Véran (bass, background vocals) Kévin Lérou (drums, percussions, bckg. vocals) and guest musicians Timothée Alkhallaf (trumpet), Frédéric Lamarre (trombone) and Romain Lambert, Marianne Taylor, Quentin Monget, Tanguy Morvant and Anne Doyen on background vocals.

The music on “Mise en bouche” is a party folk-rock with a Celtic twist. Lyrics are very important to really appreciate the band, but anyway the songs can be enjoyed by fans that don’t speak French.

My fave numbers are the opening track “Atomic Bouga Bouga” and the closing track “Chanson pédagoqique”. The former has a ska passage and features fiddle and horns, while the latter gets a reggae treatment. “Des mots” and “Un simple courant d’air” are also a couple of interesting cuts that remind me of the Shoepolishers.

“Mise en bouche” is housed in a cardboard sleeve and is available both at Amazon and iTunes.


Track listing:

1 - Atomic bouga bouga 3:25
2 - Le petit prince et les moutons 4:17
3 - Des mots 4:03
4 - Un simple courant d'air 4:00
5 - Confidente 4:34
6 - Chanson pédagogique 3:50

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2018-06-02 ALBUM REVIEW - MALASAÑERS "Footprints" (2018)

Malasañers "Footprints" Wolverine Records WRR229
Release date: March 16, 2018
Running time: 40:00, 13 tracks

“Footprints” is Malasañers’ sophomore album. Once again, the CD has been released by German label Wolverine Records. But there are significant differences with the band’s debut album. First of all, “Spanish Eyes” was recorded mainly by Spanish musicians. Secondly, the sound on “Footprints” has moved to the punk folk end rather than to the (Celtic) folk punk end.

The album has been recorded by front man Carlos del Pino (vocals, acoustic guitar, bass, banjo), Cornelius Appun (vocals, electric guitar), Frau Vau (fiddle), Teemu Salo (keyboards), Philipp Renz (drums) and guest musicians Sophie Höpner (cello) and Trine Pedersen (ska vocals and album’s producer together with Carlos).

A couple of videos were shot for “Sell the Night” and “Long Live the Glory”, two killer songs. The former, sung by Carlos, features banjo and keyboards, while the latter, sung by Cornelius, is an uptempo punk rock number with catchy chorus, So-Cal punk bass lines and claps.

Other faves are “My Time before I Die” and “Ghostly Lovers” (both upbeat songs with Cornelius on lead vocals), the poignant “Your Wars” sung by Carlos (whose lyrics remind me of the Levellers’ “Another Man’s Cause”), and the interesting “Paris, je t’aime”, featuring fiddle and keyboards.

Carlos del Pino songwriting had a Social Distortion twist on “Spanish Eyes". And he has a side-project with a Johnny Cash flavor too. These influences are more obvious on Malasañers new offering. Clearly the band shares a common ground with other acts like Airs & Graces and The Detonators. Production is pristine on “Footprints” and the album has been mastered by Mass Giorgini (Squirtgun), a guarantee of success.



Track listing:

01 - Sell the Night 2:54
02 - Workers on the Run 3:52
03 - My Time before I Die 2:43
04 - But not Today 3:22
05 - Long Live the Glory 3:17
06 - The Stars Are Falling 3:18
07 - Paris, je t'aime 2:40
08 - I Just can't Stay and Wait 2:56
09 - Footprints 3:29
10 - To the Border 2:25
11 - Ghostly Lover 2:34
12 - Fun has just begun 3:16
13 - Your Wars 3:09

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2018-05-30 ALBUM REVIEW - MEDUSA'S WAKE "Rascals & Rogues" (2018)

Medusa's Wake "Rascals & Rogues"
Release date: June 1, 2018
Running time: 11 tracks, 43:05

Medusa’s Wake is a six piece band from Sydney, NSW, Australia. The band was first featured on our pages last April 16, 2016, some days after they released their 7 track EP.

Medusa’s Wake have been recording their debut album "Rascals & Rogues" in 2017 and 2018 and the 11 track CD will be released next June 1st. Between both recordings, the EP and the album, an accordion player joined the ranks and former bass player Brett Fish left the band. So, the current incarnation of the band is Eddie Lawlor (vocals, mandolin, tin whistle), Frank Sallie (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica), John Coote (electric guitar, banjo), Ron Clark (drums), Ben Pattinson (accordion) and Zane McRae (bass).

Two songs from their EP have been re-recorded and 3 out of 5 songs from the Ringtail Sessions from May 2017 can be found on their debut album too. All of the songs have been written by Ed Lawlor. Neither “Seldom Sober” is a cover of “I’m a Rover”, nor “Gates of Hell” is a cover of The Currency’s song with the same title. “Botany Bay” from the EP is now called “Convict’s Tale” and “Lawlor’s Lament” is the final title for the song “Come Away with Me” from the Ringtail Sessions.

“Rascals & Rogues” kicks off with “Seldom Sober”: mandolin, some yee-has and the amazing accordion open for the rest of the band. Brilliant song with the Aussie-Irish DNA. It’s followed by “Hobart Sailor”. Tin whistle and mandolin are the main instruments on a song that has a The Rumjacks twist and whose chorus reminds me of “Hot Asphalt”.

“Tilly Devine” is the longest track on “Rascals & Rogues”. The rhythm section give a tribal atmosphere while the vocals make me think of SIR REG.

Track no. 4 (“Convict’s Tale”) is one of my faves. Medusa’s Wake moves to the early The Rumjacks territory and Ben proofs that right now he’s the most interesting accordionist in the scene. “Banshee’s Wail” gets an electric treatment with a great work by John. “Lawlor’s Lament” is another highlight and Medusa’s Wake delivers a song that wouldn’t be out of place on any The Tossers album. Once again, Ben’s accordion shines.

Mandolin and accordion are the first instruments that are heard on “Irish Sky”. Then the full band joins and after a go! shout the song burst into a lively number. There is an electric guitar part and some accordion and mandolin towards the end. Another track that can rival with the best work by SIR REG.

“Branxton” is a true gem! This instrumental number features mainly mandolin, percussion and shouts. I guess that it’s a live take in the studio. To finish up, Eddie says “All Right, thank you very much!” and then there are a lot of claps.

Harmonica can be heard on “Barney Dalton”, a Wedding, Parties, Anything meets Midnight Oil song.

The last two tracks on “Rascals and Rogues” are a couple of songs from the “EP”: the anthemic “No Nay Never” and the excellent “Gates of Hell”.

If you enjoyed Medusa’s Wake "EP", then you’ll love “Rascals & Rogues”. Only self-penned songs that have been perfectly arranged. And Ben has been the right addition to improve Eddie’s songs. Hats-off lads!

Track listing:

01 - Seldom Sober 2:52
02 - Hobart Sailor 3:00
03 - Tilly Devine 5:38
04 - Convicts Tale 4:22
05 - Banshee's Wail 4:23
06 - Lawlor's Lament 3:38

07 - Irish Sky 4:24
08 - Branxton 2.28
09 - Barney Dalton 4:14
10 - No Nay Never 4:16
11 - Gates of Hell 3:50

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Review by Kinksmarkham

2018-05-24 ALBUM REVIEW - HOLD FAST "Black Irish Sons" (2018)

Hold Fast "Black Irish Sons"
Release date: May 5th, 2018
Running time:29:04, 10 tracks

Hold Fast is a six piece band from Harrisburg, PA. So they are neighbours with The Kilmaine Saints. Hold Fast is Cole Brown (lead vocals, acoustic guitar),  Dave Thompson (tenor banjo, 5-string banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitar, piano, background vocals), Michael Parks (drums, percussion, background vocals), Buzz Klinger (bass, harmonica, background vocals),  Kayla Rosencrans  (tin whistle, background vocals) and Jon Heller (accordion, bagpipes, background vocals). Their debut album is titled “Black Irish Sons” and that’s what Phil Duckworth aka The Grinning Beggar from Paddy Rock Radio stated recently on facebook “Definitely one of my favorite of the year this year and totally epitomizes what Celtic Punk is meant to be!”

“Gangway” is the first cut on the CD. There is a bagpipes intro and the sounds of glasses and people in a pub. Then, the percussion and the banjo leave way to the full band after some “Gangway” shouts. Brilliant opening in the DKM vein with gang vocals and electric guitar.

The next number is titled “Drunken Irish Bastard”. Some banjo before Cole tells us that he’s an Irish drunken bastard. More gang vocals follow before the song gets a punk treatment with guitars and some accordion on the background.

Track number three is a crowd favourite, “The Banshee Wail”. Cole sings a cappella and little by little mandolin, electric guitar and the rhythm section join in. The dichotomy between acoustic and electric instruments is kept all along the song and it pays off. The tin whistle at the end is a little bit hidden in the mix though.

“My Girl is a Singer in a Punk Rock Band” is a fantastic punk number with woahs, tin whistle and more guitars. Imagine The Skels pushing to their punk end and you get the picture.

Fans of Lovecraft will recognize the name of track no. 5, "Cthulhu". The first half of the song features vocals, acoustic guitar and some bass, but the drums and the electric guitar find their place at the second half of the song.

There are two trad. numbers on “Black Irish Sons” and the first one is Hold Fast's rendition of “I’ll Tell Me Ma”: “Belle of Belfast”. The song gets the Celtic punk treatment with guitars and mandolin.

Cut no. 7 is the title track, “Black Irish Sons”. Electric guitar from the very beginning and powerful vocals. I daresay that Hold Fast sounds like In For a Penny if the band from Georgia add some electric instruments to their line-up.

“Curse of the Drinking Class” (pub version) showcases the band’s quieter side, with accordion and tin whistle.

The album is coming to its end and Hold Fast deliver a kick-ass pirate number with banjo, electric guitar and gang vocals: “Pour Me Grog”.

To finish up, Hold Fast have chosen a song from The Wolfe Tones repertoire, “Big Strong Man” (aka “My Brother Sylveste”). The boys and girl from Harrisburg play a fantastic Celtic punk version that can rival with The Pubcrawlers’ rendition.

Hold Fast is the next big thing on the East Coast Celtic punk lineage. The only “flaw” that I find is that the electric instruments “outweigh” sometimes the tin whistle and the accordion. But, apart from that, a brilliant debut album.

Track listing:

01. Gangway 03:16
02. Drunken Irish Bastard 02:38
03. Banshee Wail 03:44   
04. My Girl is a Singer in a Punk Rock Band 02:51   
05. Cthulhu 03:37   
06. Belle of Belfast 01:15
07. Black Irish Sons 02:42
08. Curse of the Drinking Class (Pub Version) 02:47
09. Pour Me Grog 03:00
10. Big Strong Man 02:52


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Review by Kinksmarkham

2018-05-17 MINI-ALBUM REVIEW - 7 STOUT CLAN "Alcohostility" (2018)

7 Stout Clan "Alcohostility"
Release date: April 2018
Running time: 22:11, 8 tracks + 1 secret track

While Sweden and Norway have well-known Celtic punk acts such as SIR REG, Finnegan’s Hell or Greenland Whalefishers, the Finnish Celtic punk scene is still a mystery for many fans. 7 Stout Clan is a five piece band formed in Savonlinna in 2008. The current line-up is Kalle (bass, double bass and vocals), Taavi (vocals, 5 string banjo, Highland pipes, uileann pipes, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, percussion and tin whistle), Elias (drums, percussions and bckg. vocals), Julius (electric guitars, vocals, tin whistle and bodhrán) and Juho (vocals, tenor banjo, guitar, mandolin and melodica). Taavi and Juho are the songwriters.

7 Stout Clan was featured on a couple of our samplers (April 2010 and April 2013). So far, they have released 3 CDs: “First Taste EP” (2009), “Too Drunk to Punk” (acoustic, 2011) and “Lump of Coal” (Christmas single, 2012). Most of the songs can be downloaded from their Mikseri pages.

The lads announced on YouTube last September 2017 that “Bastards Claps Your Hands” was a track from their upcoming EP. “Alcohostility” should have been released last March 3, but it had to be postponed. Luckily, the 9 track mini-album is already out.

“Alcohostility” kicks off with “Bastards Clap Your Hands”. The pipes and the banjo give a Black Tartan Clan twist to the song, but The Real McKenzies influence is there too. Needless to say that this number is bagpipes punk at its best.

The following cut is called “Whiskey Rain”. The song is short, less than a minute. It has a hard rock flavour, woah chorus and kick-ass banjo picking.

If you downloaded our samplers featuring 7 Stout Clan, then you’ll be familiar with the next track, “Grief Makes a Murderer”. Excellent pipe tune on this song.

Vocal duties are switched on track no. 4, the amazing banjo punk number “Old Scratch”. After that song, the guys deliver a bagpipes hardcore number full of gang vocals: “Tartan Army”, the proof that 7 Stout Clan’s gigs must be a blast

“Reissumies” is another fast-paced banjo driven song with electric guitar. On the other hand, “Let Me Have My Beer” is a party number featuring banjo and tin whistle: fun, fun, fun. 7 Stout Clan moves slightly to the Flogging Molly end on the “closing” number “Oh My Head”. But fortunately, the mini-album is not over, as the guys have added a secret track titled “Juhannus” (Midsummer /Summer Solstice). More pipes and electric guitar on the band’s comeback to the hardcore territory.

7 Stout Clan are not a prolific band. Nevertheless, “Alcohostility” is a real gem. Rough at the edges, but a gem. Grab a copy and file together with recent releases by Raise My Kilt and The Grinning Barretts.

Track listing:

1 - Bastards, Clap Your Hands 2:54
2 - Whiskey Rain 00:59
3 - Grief Makes a Murderer 3:18
4 - Old Scratch 1:55
5 - Tartan Army 2:23
6 - Reissumies 2:23
7 - Let Me Have My Beer 3:47
8 - Oh My Head 2:53
9 - Secret Träck - Juhannus 1:12



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Review by Kinksmarkham

2018-05-13 ALBUM REVIEW - THE DOGS FROM THE GRAPES - "In the Name of Captain Ludd" (2018)

The Dogs from the Grapes "In the Name of Captain Ludd" On Airish
Released date: April 6, 2018
Running time. 29:11, 10 tracks

The Dogs from The Grapes have released their sophomore album “In the Name of Captain Ludd”. The band issued their debut album “Sailor without Sea” in September 2015 and they were our Band of the Month in October 2015. On this new offering, The Dogs from the Grapes keep on exploring their own blend of punk and folk based on flute, accordion and banjo. It’s not easy to pigeonhole the band’s sound, but I daresay that it shares some points with other Italian bands like Lennon Kelly or Strawdaze. I mean, they are not your average Celtic punk band, since influences from Italian folk music can be noticed on their sound.

The album kicks off with “The Ballad of Captain Ludd”, a song with a “Mediterranean” accordion, flute and some trumpet at the end. "Wind Never Lies” is one of the standout tracks with upbeat tin whistle, some woahs and some banjo too. Cut no. 3, “A Fuckin’ Day” is the longest track on the album. Accordion and cow punk sounding guitar open before the flute joins. then, accordion and flute becvome the lead instruments on this number.

There are two traditional numbers, “Sitor Sailor” and “My Bonnie”. The former is played with an awesome tin whistle arrangement, while the later gets the Celtic punk treatment. Between those tracks, a couple of folk punk songs with electric guitar are delivered, “Human Extinction” and “The Manoeuvrer”.

“Roadsigns” starts the countdown to the end of the album, and is followed by my fave songs, “The Unchained Lady” and “Procambarus”.

“In the Name of Captain Ludd” has been released by Italian label On Airish (The Clan’s label) and can be found on the main digital platforms (Spotify, Deezer…). Digital copies can be purchased from Amazon too.


Track listing:

01 - The Ballad of Captain Ludd 03:06
02 - Wind Never Lies 02:12
03 - A Fuckin' Day 04:00
04 - Sitorsailor 02:43
05 - Human Extinction 03:06
06 - The Manoeuvrer 03:21
07 - My Bonnie 01:38
08 - Roadsigns (Read It on the Wall) 03:03
09 - The Unchained Lady 03:06
10 - Procambarus 02:33


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Review by Kinksmarkham

2018-05-10 ALBUM REVIEW - KRAKIN' KELLYS "Promised Land" (2018)

Krakin' Kellys "Promised Land"
Release date: March 17, 2018
Running time: 47:27, 14 tracks

Belgium, placed at the heart of Europe, is well-known because of its beers and its BDs (comic books) artists. Normally tourists prefer to visit Flanders (Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp) rather than the French speaking area (Wallonia). Even if the biggest cities Charleroi and Liège are not as interesting as the biggest Flemish cities, there are a couple of Walloon towns that are worth visiting: Namur and Mons.

Krakin’ Kellys hail from Namur and after having released several badass videos, they have finally released their long awaited debut album. Matthieu Hendrick (electric guitar), Pierre-Yves Berhin aka HAMO (button accordion), David Leroy (lead vocals), Oliver Drèze (drums), Stephane Mossiat (bass) and Rémi Decker (pipes and whistles) play Celtic skate punk. They blend traditional Irish Rock’nRoll with American punk music. Yes, they are not the first band to do it, since the likes of The Real McKenzies, Pipes and Pints, Drink Hunters or Irish Moutarde have previously followed a similar path. However, Krakin’ Kellys offer something different. And they add something new to the Celtic punk scene.

“Promised Land” consists of 14 tracks that are delivered in 48 minutes. Videos for the title track “Promised Land” and for “One Way” were shot in 2017 and obviusly those cuts are some of the highlights. At the beginning of 2018 the video for the amazing “Anarchy in the Double K” was unveiled and Krakin’ Kellys showcased their folkier end.

Together with those songs, there is a bunch of standout numbers such as the streetpunk song “United” (gang vocals and brilliant pipes and accordion tune), the excellent “When I Die”, with a great balance between guitars and the diatonic accordion (BTW, the accordion reminds me of Asturian folk band Tejedor), “Hey Bro” (an upbeat number with a Bastards On Parade approach) and “Giving Up” (a Rancid touch for a festive punk song).

Besides, Krakin’ Kellys master both ends, the traditional and the punk one, on “Come and Get Some” (accordion folk meets RATM) and “Our Pride” (R’n’R, hip hop and a pipes and accordion duel with an Ar Re Yaouank feel).

Ah, if you have enjoyed the cover for “Promised Land” you should know that it has been drawn by accordionist Pierre-Yves, who is also a comic book artist under the name HAMO.

If you are planning to visit Wallonia, these are the three events that you shouldn’t miss: 1) le carnaval de Binche, 2) Les 24 heures vélo de Louvain-la-Neuve, and 3) A Krakin Kellys gig. So grab a Jupiler, or better a Leffe Radieuse, and party with Krakin Kellys.


Track listing:

01. Anarchy in the Double K 03:37   
02. Bar fight 2:26
03. Promised Land 03:18   
04. Our Pride 3:47
05. United 3:15   
06. The Journey    3:16
07. Kinky Mary 3:20
08. When I die 3:25
09. Come and get some 3:16
10. Lovely Jess 3:07
11. Hey Bro 3:22
12. One Way 03:25
13. Giving up 3:13
14. Garry's Battle 4:34

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Review by kinksmarkham