2019-03-11 FULL CONCERT - IRISH STEW OF SINDIDUN LIVE AT THE TRISKELL FESTIVAL 2017

Day 13, Irish Stew of Sindidun live at the Triskell Festival Trieste (Italy, June 22, 2017).

 

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2019-01-12 NAME YOUR PRICE DOWNLOAD - GREEN SPIRIT

Green Spirit offers a special blend of soulful Irish melodies and lively pub music, and does this in a fairly unique instrumentation. The cello and the bodhrán, the fiddle and the fife all hold the promise of a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

The band was founded six years ago, on a windy Sunday in October. The members hail from all around Hungary, possess very diverse musical backgrounds, and have met in a small rehearsal room on that fateful day by no more than pure happenstance.

The harmony that is present in Green Spirit doesn't only exist on stage, but beyond music as well. The inspired and energetic music-making is backed by mutual respect and care and, of course, a willingness to make a tremendous party anytime and anywhere; in a train's buffet car en route to Transylvania, or in an upscale pub in Switzerland.

Green Spirit has shared the stage with The Rumjacks, Paddy and the Rats, Jolly Jackers, Highland Bastards, The Crazy Rogues, Punk Whiskey or Rapalje.

BTW, Júlia and Dominika are members of The Scarlet too.

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Line-up:

Háklár Tamás - Guitar

Rónaszéki Barnabás - Cello

Mészáros Dominika - Fiddle, vocals

Seres Júlia- Tin whistle, recorder, flute, lead vocals

Polonkai Éva - Bodhrán

Discography:

Rum in the Coffee (6 track EP, 2014)

Gleaming Breeze (4 track EP, 2017)

Matrózok dala ( Single, 2018)

Both the 2017 EP and the single can be purchased/downloaded for free from Bandcamp (Name Your Price). The songs from their first EP with all the girls, but different guys on guitar and cello, can be found on their youTube channel. Some songs are already on roation at Celtic Folk Punk radio.

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Gleeming Breeze

Matrózok dala

2017-11-27 ALBUM REVIEW - IRISH STEW OF SINDIDUN "City of Grigs" (2017)

Irish Stew of Sindidun "City of Grigs" Ammonite Records CD051
Release date: October 16, 2017
Running Time: 35:14, 10 tracks

Irish Stew of Sindidun have recently released “City of Grigs”, their fourth studio album and follow-up to their CD from 2011 “New Tomorrow”. Ana Milanovic left the band and the current fiddler is Nemanja Jovanovic. Apart from this line-up change, Irish Stew of Sindidun have released their new album with a new label, Ammonite Records.

“City Of Grigs” comes in a jewel case with a 16 page booklet. Ten songs have made the album, which is an interesting Celtic pop-rock work. There are seven original numbers and three covers. Regarding  the original songs, five have been written by the band leader Bojan Petrovic, one by Bojan and fiddler Nemanja and another one by Dejan Grujic. The production is excellent and the sound is based on fiddle banjo and tin whistle.

Bojan’s songs are the tracks no. 1, 3, 4, 6 and 8. “Stranger” is a fantastic opener that sets the pace for the rest of the album. “Heavier than Sin” was the first single from the album. A video clip was released for this song that features “The Fermoy Lasses” reel at the end, a tune that The Dubliners used to play together with “Sporting Paddy”. “Awake” has a livelier beginning and the banjo-fiddle-whistle tune is spotless too. “Holiday” has a Christy Moore spin. And “Emerald Blue” is a kick-ass Celtic pop-rock number.

“The Old City Keeper” is the only instrumental on “City of Grigs”, but I’s one of the highlights on the album. It has a funky touch that reminds me of Canadian band Mad Pudding. Hats off!

“Drink and Sing” is probably the most upbeat cut on the CD. This number was written by the Orthodox Celts bassist Dejan Grujic. As you probably know, Bojan joined the Orthodox Celts around 2011 and played the whistles till 2016.

Finally, Irish Stew of Sindidun deliver 3 covers too. My fave is Peadar Kearney’s song “Down by the Glenside”. Many bands insist on covering the same The Dubliners / The Clancy Brothers songs. However, Irish Stew of Sindidun have proved that there are other gems that should be re-arranged.  “Paddy’s Lamentation” is another good choice and, IMHO, “Step it out Mary” is maybe the softer cover of the three.

“City of Grigs” shows a different side of Irish Stew of Sindidun. The band’s sound is easily recognizable, but they have pushed it to a calm direction. They have taken The Corrs folkier moments and added some drops of Capercaillie and Four Men and a Dog to the mix. The final result is an amazing Celtic pop-rock album.

 

 

Track listing:

01. Stranger 2:47
02. Paddy's Lamentation 3:23
03. Heavier Than Sin 4:05
04. Awake 3:28
05. Drink And Sing 1:59
06. Holiday 4:07
07. The Old City Keeper 2:50
08. Emerald Blue 3:44
09. Down By The Glenside 3:59
10. Step It Out Mary 4:27

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Review by Kinksmarkham

2017-11-22 MINI ALBUM REVIEWS - THE GREEN DUCK "1er EP" (2015) and "2ème EP" (2017)

The Green Duck "1er EP"
Release date: July 28, 2015
Running time: 29:02, 8 tracks

The Green Duck is a French three piece band: Grégoire Butaeye (fiddle and background vocals, from Brittany) Laurent Réval (lead vocals, harmonica and drums, from Montepellier) and Lionel Fouchet (guitar, mandolin, background vocals, from Paris). This is the official line-up, but often they are joined by a banjoist and a bassist.

Their first CD was a mini-album released in 2015. That mini-album consists of 5 studio tracks and 3 live tracks. The studio tracks were recorded and mixed by Steph Legrand, who also played the bass on the first track. The live tracks were recorded by Bertrand Truptil.

The Green Duck set-list is based mainly on Irish standards, but there is enough place for the odd bluegrass number, some celtic style covers of rock classics and some originals. Then, the track listing on their first CD follows the same approach.

The mini-album kicks off with “Blow it away”. This amazing song was written by Laurent. It’s more bluegrass than Celtic, and guest Manu Bertrand plays dobro and banjo.

The next three numbers are Irish standards: “Drunken Sailor”, “Step it out Mary” and “Whiskey in the Jar”. These songs have been covered by a lot of bands, but the arrangements are top-notch. “Drunken Sailor” features the tune “Drowsy Maggie”. "Step it out Mary” has a beginning that reminds me of Louise Attaque, together with interesting fiddle arrangements and backing vocals. “Whiskey in the Jar” has some appealing fiddle arrangements too.

Track no. 5 ("Around the World") is the kind of number that I love: a kick-ass set of tunes. The three members do a great job.

The last three tracks are the live ones. Jean Marc Delon plays the banjo while Billy plays the bass. “Dirty Old Town” is played with gusto. “American Land” is a badass number too. “Highway to Hell” gets a country spin and the final result is awesome.

Track listing:

1 - Blow it Away 4:15
2 - Drunken Sailor 2:37
3 - Step it out Mary 3:40
4 - Whiskey in the Jar 2:32
5 - Around the World 2:31
6 - Dirty Old Town (live) 4:04
7 - American Land (live) 5:14
8 - Highway to Hell (live) 4:10

The Green Duck "2e EP"
Release date: July 12, 2017
Running time: 28:12, 8 tracks

Two years later, The Green Duck have released their second mini-album. Once again, there are 8 tracks, but all of them are studio takes. “On the Rise” is the first cut on their second CD. It has been written by Laurent Réval (lyrics) and Lionel Fouchet (music) and recorded and mixed by Steph Legrand. After listening to this gem I keep on wondering why these guys have not recorded more self-penned stuff.

The other 7 tracks on the mini-album were mixed and mastered by Lionel Fouchet. Even if they have been recorded at the studio, all of them have a “live” spirit. Regarding the standards, I’ve enjoyed their renditions of “Johnny I hardly knew Ye”, “The Foggy Dew” and “The Raggle Taggle Gypsy”, because the arrangements add something new.

Fortunately, there is a set of tunes on this new CD: “Paddy on the Turnpike and Tommy’s Tarbukas”. Maybe another set of tunes instead of a cover of a pub standards would have been better for the tracks balance.

The Green Duck’s second mini-album is over with “Hush Little Baby”. No, it’s not a cover of The Men They Couldn’t Hang's song, but the well-known lullaby. Weird choice, but it works.

Track listing:

1 - On the Rise 3:54
2 - Galway Girl 3:03
3 - Johnny I Hardly knew ya 4:47
4 - The Foggy Dew 3:53
5 - Paddy on the Turnpike and Tommy's Tarbukas 2:34
6 - The raggle Taggle Gypsy 3:15
7 - The Wild Rover 4:22
8 - Hush Little Baby 2:25


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Review by Kinksmarkham

2016-07-05 VIDEO - KOLORFUL "Sosem kérte"

Kolorful video for "Sosem kérte", the new song by the Hungarian band.

Kolorful - Sosem kérte
 

2016-04-27 VIDEOS - RUCKUS DELUXE

A couple of videos featuring songs from Ruckus Deluxe third album "Crashing the Gate".

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Ruckus Deluxe - 12 Pubs

Ruckus Deluxe - Long Lost and Gone

2016-04-19 REVIEW - RUCKUS DE LUXE "Crashing the Gate" (2016)

Ruckus Deluxe "Crashing the gate"
Release date: February 16, 2016
Running time: 36:00, 10 tracks

Celtic Folk Punk and More has been looking for hidden gems for the last 7 years. And one of our fave places to find new interesting bands is Canada. During the last  years we have discovered the likes of Whiskey Wagon, Craic the Lens, The Fourth Well or River Jacks. Maybe they don’t belong to the straightforward Celtic punk /Celtic rock world, but given that we’re called Celtic Folk Punk AND MORE, there is always enough place for them at our e-zine.

The latest Canadian band that I’ve recently come across is Ruckus Deluxe. They are Cirque du Soleil lead singer Chad Oliver on acoustic guitar and Grammy® nominated violinist Ian Cameron on fiddle, electric guitar and mandolin.

As they have told me “We are based out of Whistler BC Canada, we are playing a style of music that's not really Celtic, not really country, not really folk, just a hybrid of each. We are kind of calling it "Cel-try", as much as we love bands like Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys etc...we could never seem to make it sound the same (as much as we tried) It turns out Merle Haggard and John Fogerty influenced us as well. “

“Crashing the Gate” is Ruckus de Luxe third album. What can I say? This album is a killer! You won’t find the usual pub standards among the 10 songs, but the Celtic spirit is stuck to the bone. The album kicks off with “Dragging Me Back Home”, a top-notch song with a Paperboys twist showcasing Ian’s fiddling.

Track no. 2 is titled “12 Pubs” and together with the previous number is one of my top5 songs on the album. Once again, the song features an infectious fiddle and great lead vocals by Chad. Celtic pop at its best.

On the mandolin driven “Who You Supposed to Be”, Ruckus de Luxe moves to the country territory. And they do it pretty well.

“The Line in the Sand” reminds me of The Hooters. The mandolin tune has a traditional feeling that Celtic fans will love.

“Drunk Most of the Time” is another standout and I’d file it together with The Swinish Multitude stuff. Kick-ass song.

“It’s Over” is catchy as hell, probably the best song on the album and a perfect song to sing along and dance. Just listen to the fiddle tune towards the end. Wonderful!!!

Track no. 7 is called “The Long Way Round”. The boys come back to the country territory with that addictive mandolin sound. It’s followed by “Strolling Around the World” another mandolin led song where Chad shines on lead vocals.

“Stumbling Home at Dawn” also rivals with The Paperboys and “Long Lost and Gone” is a live take of a country song. In fact, the guys have told me “We road tested these songs in front of live audiences before we recorded them. If it did not make people dance, or clap along in a live situation, it did not make the record.”

Do you like The Clumsy Lovers, The Paperboys or The Elders? Then you should grab a copy of Ruckus Deluxe “Crashing the Gate” straightaway. I’m sure that sooner or later these guys will be nominated for some Juno Awards. They deserve it.

Tracklist:

01. Dragging Me Back Home 03:36
02. 12 Pubs 03:40   
03. Who You Supposed To Be 03:00   
04. The Line In The Sand 03:38   
05. Drunk Most Of The Time 03:56   
06. It's Over 03:32   
07. The Long Way Round 03:02   
08. Strolling Around The World 03:14   
09. Stumbling Home At Dawn 04:14   
10. Long Lost And Gone (Live) 03:46

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Review by Kinksmarkham

2016-03-14 FREE DOWNLOADS - THE SWEET COLLEENS DISCOGRAPHY

The Sweet Colleens are a five-piece Celtic roots based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their style is called fiddle-fueled accordion-infused celtic-cajun folk pop.

The Sweet Colleens are Dave Bade, Rich Larson, Jeremy Greenhouse, Wolf Loescher and Pete Sandvik —accomplished multi-instrumentalists who together fuse their diverse musical backgrounds into a high-energy, infectious, and crowd-pleasing mix of “Celtic folk-rock and alt. country/Americana, with Cajun and Caribbean seasonings.” With infectious original songs, warm vocal harmonies, and fiery instrumental arrangements, the Sweet Colleens are winning a loyal local following and fans across the Midwest and beyond.

Ex-pat Canadian songwriter and fiddler Jeremy Greenhouse and Minneapolis accordionist Pete Sandvik put together a band for a Y2K New Year’s show at Kieran’s Pub in Minneapolis. The Colleens went on to establish themselves as the Twin Cities’ favorite pub band and -- since the release of the band’s debut CD "Flop" and its celebrated sophomore release "Half a Mile from Home" -- has expanded its audience through shows and festivals in the Midwest and even a 2-week jaunt to France.

The Sweet Colleens CD "Half a Mile from Home" showcases the band’s trademark musical dexterity with 16 tracks that draw on a remarkable range of roots music – feisty medleys of Irish and Canadian fiddle tunes, a raucous cover of The Pogues’ “Fall From Grace,” Cajun-tinged original songs featuring performances by Michael Doucet of BeauSoleil, a folk-rock ballad about Jesse James, a tender waltz featuring the Trinidadian steel drum, and a dozen energetic and raw alt-country original songs about love, life, death and everything in between – all pulled together into a seriously fun and uniquely Minnesotan sound. 

The Sweet Colleens bring diverse musical backgrounds to bear on their truly unique folk-rock sound. Jeremy Greenhouse (vocals, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, harmonica), has recorded and performed extensively with Celtic, rock, Cajun and country acts in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. Pete Sandvik (accordion, piano, guitar, vocals), brings Cajun and rock influences, classically-trained dexterity, and a not-so-secret love for the Grateful Dead to his accordion playing with the Sweet Colleens. Dave Bade (bass, vocals) offers rock-solid bass during the Sweet Colleens live shows, and everything from bluegrass picking guitar solos to cello on their recordings. Finally, drummer Wolf Loescher’s style draws not only on the country-swing of his native Texas, but on the rich bagpipe-laced Celtic music of Scotland, where he lived for several years before founding the acclaimed Celtic-rock band Jiggernaut. Together, The Sweet Colleens offer a unique high-energy roots sound.

"The Monkey Dance: All the Kids Are Doin' It!" is the first foray into kids music by the Minneapolis-based Sweet Colleens, but the genre is clearly a natural fit for these good-natured denizens of the roots music world.

Released in January 2010 with two packed concerts to over 600 people at Minneapolis’s legendary Cedar Cultural Center, "The Monkey Dance" features more musical instruments than you could shake a banana at. The predominantly original songs range in style from funky to folky, Cajun to Caribbean, sad to sentimental to...well...just plain goofy. Special guests on the CD include The Minneapolis Youth Chorus and Michelle Campagne of the seminal French-Canadian folk-pop group Hart Rouge.

While "The Monkey Dance" is quickly winning over the under-10 crowd (not to mention minivan CD players everywhere), parents will also find themselves humming along to the Sweet Colleens’ sophisticated, rootsy arrangements—kids music that does it up right without dumbing it down. Happy listening... and don't forget your monkey-dancing shoes! 

The Twin Cities’ Sweet Colleens have taken their genre-busting Celti-Cajun Folk-Pop sound to new heights with "Closer to the Sky". With their feet planted firmly in American-roots music, the Sweet Colleens bring a spirit of joy and adventure to their 4th studio release, embracing the intimate melodies of traditional folk, crafting bold musical arrangements, and harnessing the power of modern rock.

The 11 tracks on "Closer to the Sky" take listeners on a wild musical ride, bridging diverse styles with seamless integrity. And the band’s original songs and instrumentals travel a beautiful, broken world: from the Great Plains to the beaches of San Diego, from smoky Toronto nightclubs to Cajun dancehalls, from Irish pubs to a quiet street in Nordeast Minneapolis. With "Closer to the Sky", The Sweet Colleens have redefined their sound while staying true to the emotional core of their past.

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Line-up:

Jeremy Greenhouse - Guitar, fiddle, mandolin, harmonica, vocals
Pete Sandvik - Accordion, guitar, vocals
Dave Bade - Bass, tenor banjo, vocals
Rich Larson - Guitar, vocals
Wolf Loescher - Drums, percussion, bouzar, vocals

Discography:

"Flop" (13 tracks, 2013)
"Half a Mile from Home" (16 tracks, 2005)
"The Monkey Dance (All the Kids Are Doin' It​!​)" (10 tracks, 2010)
"Closer to the Sky" (11 tracks, 2013)

You can download their albums for free from Noisetrade and, if you enjoy them, then go to Bandcamp and purchase their stuff. And remember that you can listen to The Sweet Colleens on our 24/7 streaming radio Celtic-Folk-Punk radio

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Noisetrade

REVIEW - FFR (CELTIC FIESTA) "Fresh Blood" (2015)

FFR (Celtic Fiesta) "Fresh Blood" VOC6368
Release date: July 28th, 2015
Running time: 40:43, 9 tracks

FFR (Celtic Fiesta) is a four piece band from Belfort (Franche-Comté, France). FFR would stand originally for Fruit Full River. The band was established in 1996 and has released one 4 track EP (“Diosa”, 2002), two live albums (tenth anniversary “Live 06/06!”,  2006, and “En Vie”, 2013) and four studio albums (“Seanchaí” ,2000, “Démenage”, 2004, “Art-y-Show”, 2011, and “Fresh Blood”, 2015). They have played at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient every year since 2004 and have also played in Germany at the Castellans Folk Sommer 2014 and several gigs in London in 2015, one of them a London Celtic Punks gig sharing the stage with Continental, The Lagan and Comrade X. The current line-up consists of Martial Redrejo (lead vocals, guitar), Marine Schmid (fiddle, vocals), Thierry (guitar) and Fred Séguin (drums, percussions, background vocals).

“Fresh Blood” begins with “On the Run”, a lively song in The Wages of Sin vein. “Dans tes bras” is obviously sung in French and it’s a longer number with a fiddle intro that reminds me of French/Welsh band Mirror Field and an awesome Hungarian feel at the end.

On “Another Love” the band moves to the Levellers fiddle territory. “True Bloody Love” is probably the Celtic punk number on “Fresh Blood” and my favourite track.

All of the band members shine on “Sunday Morning” an excellent set of tunes and probably one of the band’s hottest moments on stage. “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” is the only cover on the album and FFR do a fine job.

“Fresh Blood” is packed in a jewel case with an 8 page booklet where the lyrics to all of the songs, band pics, studio and song credits can be found.

FFR (Celtic Fiesta), together with the likes of Transpher and their neighbours The Shoepolishers, are live Celtic rock bands that are worth hearing. Go ahead and contact FFR to buy at least their latest album. Maybe you’re lucky and their previous live albums have not been sold out.

Tracklist:

1 - On the Run 3:57
2 - Dans tes bras 6:41
3 - Another Love 4:05
4 - Blinded by the Sun 4:19
5 - Run Wild 5:49
6 - True Bloody Love 3:37
7 - Sunday Morning 4:31
8 - Remontés 3:49
9 - The Devil Went Down to Georgia 4:01

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Review by Kinksmarkham

VIDEO - KOLORFUL

Kolorful, the Hungarian band formerly known as Colleen, has a new video: "Single Day".

Kolorful - Single Day

REVIEW - PADDY AND THE RATS "Lonely Hearts' Boulevard" (2015)

Paddy and The Rats "Lonely Heart's Boulevard" Nordic Records NR 05
Release date: September 7th, 2015
Running time: 49:51, 14 tracks

Paddy and The Rats “Lonely Hearts’ Boulevard” has had mixed reviews so far. Most of the critics are happy with the band’s new direction. However, a Russian colleague wrote on his site that this album was the disappointment of the year and several negative comments were made there and on other places. “Paddy and the Rats are a bunch of poseurs”, “Paddy has just got married and then he is writing softer material now”, “Paddy and the Rats are sell-outs” …

If one listens carefully to Paddy and The Rats previous albums, one will understand that “Lonely Hearts’ Boulevard” is a logical step on the band’s evolution. Echoes from the likes of The Beatles, The Corrs and Queen could be noticed on some old songs. So, a passage to the Celtic pop territory is not a big surprise. Mainly if we take into account Paddy and The Rats skills to write infectious and catchy songs. And the singles “That’s My Mature”, with its keyboards, guitars and backing vocals, and “Without You”, with mandolin and accordion, are brilliant pop-rock gems.

“Lonely Hearts’ Boulevard” is maybe poppier than the songs from their previous albums, but the Paddy and The Rats pedigree is stuck to its core. “My Sharona”, which is not a The Knack cover, showcases an amazing fiddle and accordion part. “Sleeping with the Winter” features a The Corrs sounding fiddle again. “Captain of My Souls” is an epic track that is inspired by the “Invictus” poem.  And “Junkyard Girl” shows a different side of the band and has a beginning that reminds me of the Velvet Underground / Lou Reed “Sweet Jane”.

On the other hand, there are several numbers faithful to Paddy and The Rats previous albums: the fast-paced anthems “Keep the Devil Down in The Hole” and “Drunker than You”, the fantastic bagpipes punk-rock number “Rock This City” and “Time in my Hands”, mainly on their second half.

"Lonely Hearts’ Boulevard” packaging is a 4 panel digipack. An 8 page booklet is included giving all the information about songs credits, studio credits and line-up, together with the lyrics to all of the songs. The album was basically recorded at Nordic studios by Zoli Baker, who also mixed and mastered the tracks. Paddy and Zoli produced the album.

The eternal question: should a band give the fans what they are expecting from them or should they follow their own creativity? Perhaps there is no a general answer that can be applied to every single band. Anyway, Paddy and The Rats are evolving, you like it or not, and they are being coherent on that evolution. No, “Lonely Hearts’ Boulevard” is not a "faux pas" on their career, definitely. Probably they’ll lose some diehard Celtic punk fans, but stretching the boundaries of the genre will bring new fans to them. Ands that's good for both the scene and Paddy and the Rats.
 

Tracklist:

01 - Keep the Devil Down in the Hole 3:41
02 - Lonely Hearts' Boulevard 3:34
03 - My Sharona 3:24
04 - Rogue 2:26
05 - That's My Nature 3:45
06 - Sleeping with the Winter 3:25
07 - Drunker Than You 3:02
08 - Captain of My Soul 4:10
09 - Blue Eyes 3:52
10 - Rock This City 3:33
11 - Time Is in My Hands 3:55
12 - Without You (I Don't Wanna Dance) 4:06
13 - Junkyard Girl 2:51
14 - What We Are 4:02    

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Review by Kinksmarkham

VIDEOS AND FREE DOWNLOAD - THE CENSUS "The Midnight Bus EP"

The Census is a "Instant pop classic" band from London, Ontario. Their "The Midnight Bus EP" is available at Bandcamp (Name Your Price). The songs are already played on our 24/7 streaming radio Celtic-Folk-Punk Radio.

"The boys are back! A rag tag crew of scholastically inclined lads, The Census hit the ground running after rocking the Sarnia Waterfront at the 2013 Sarnia International Power Boat Festival. With original tunes such as Riverboat Gambler, Green Heart and The Closer mixed in with some classic folk and rock covers, the boys put on a timeless and energetic live performance. A five piece band, The Census has taken their love of performing and accidentally turned it into a semi-professional pastime. With banjo, mandolin, and accordion adjoined by electric guitar, keys and drums, the band’s unique sound transcends all contemporary genres. Not afraid to play ‘outside the box,’ the boys put on “the best live performance this side of the Thames River” (Anonymous Music Aficionado, 2013). With their hearts and souls spilt on stage during every performance, the Census strives to live up to the slogan coined by their fans—Bold. Raw. Forever. ‘Bold’ to go where others will not, ‘Raw’ in their musical passions and to be ‘Forever’ etched in your hearts, The Census is set to have a colossal 2015!

"Recorded in Toronto 2013-2014, "The Midnight Bus EP" is a colourful collection of songs spawned by the creative vision of 6 men known only as The Census. These 5 genre-bending tracks are a tour de force that is sure to start any party off right.

To put it simply, "The Midnight Bus EP" truly is bold, raw and forever."
 

These are the videos for two tracks.

The Census - Greenheart




The Census - The Closer




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Line-up:

Zach Anderson - Guitar
Alex Boothby - Drums
Aaron Brown - Mandolin
Aaron Beaudrow - Banjo
Brad Azzano - Guitar
Alex Brown - Bass


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COLLEEN, A NEW BAND FROM HUNGARY

A new addition to the Hungarian Celtic scene: Colleen,  a Celtic pop-rock band from Budapest. They have released a couple of songs (a DKM cover and a traditional tune).

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Novák Éva - fiddle, vocals
Szalkay Olgi - flute
Wagner Zoltán - drums
Sajben Gábor - bass
Bogár Krisztián -guitar
Palágyi László - vocals

Colleen - Shipping Up to Boston
 


Colleen - Toss the Feathers

VIDEO - CRAIC THE LENS "The Jig is Up"

One man. One camera. One dark room.

This was not meant to be a full-on "music video" of this single. Julian Lloyd was asked to film the Craic the Lens entire "The Cannon" CD Release show at Broken City and edit it together to this one specific track. Some footage lines up with lyrics quite well... other footage is from songs other than 'The Jig Is Up' and is there just to create an overall vibe of the entire CD Release show.

Craic the Lens - The Jig is Up

BAND OF THE MONTH - CRAIC THE LENS

The Band of November hails from Calgary, Alberta (Canada): Craic the Lens. If you love The Stanfields, maybe you'll love Craic the Lens too. Check out their kick-ass song "The Jig is Up". Their debut album will be reviewed soon. Stay tuned!

Craic The Lens began in 2011 as a solo project of lead guitarist/vocalist Justin Wilson. He brought together influences from rock, punk, alt rock, and Celtic genres, mixing them with his own guitar style for something altogether new.

By early 2012, he had recruited bassist Taylor Lang and drummer Aiden Dunne (who had only moved to Calgary from Newfoundland a few weeks prior), and the trio played their first show on St. Patrick's Day 2012, helping to headline a university event. What was meant to be a one-off show developed into a full project, and they continued to play throughout the summer, releasing a 6-song EP in July (available on iTunes).

In October, the band was approached by mutual friend and banjoist Jake Hall about a collaboration, and over the next several months the transition was made to a full 4-piece. In 2014 they released their debut album "The Cannon"

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Line-up:

Justin Wilson - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Taylor Lang - Bass, vocals
Aiden Dunne - Drums, vocals
Jake Hall - Banjo, Mandolin, Tamborine

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REVIEW - DARVRA'S WAVE "The Witches Recall" (2013)

Darvra's Wave "The Witches Recall" Self-released
Release date: 4 November 2013
Running time: 42:17, 10 tracks
 
“The Witches Recall” is the brilliant debut album by Irish-Londoners Darvra’s Wave. Peter Heffron (lead vocals and guitars), Josie Simmons (tin whistle, sax, clarinet & recorder), Antonia Pagulatos (fiddle) and Joshua Law (drums) together with guest musicians Justin McConville (backing vocals and electric guitar), James Gavin (fiddle and bodhrán), Sean Parsons (banjo) and Matthew Nervin (box) have recorded this 10 track CD that has been produced and arranged by Peter and Josie. I’m sure that fans who enjoy Celtic folk music with a pop/rock twist will love this album.

To put it in a nutshell, Dardra’s Wave have put together the best elements of bands such as 4 Men and a Dog, Capercaillie, Goats Don’t Shave, The Waterboys or Goats Don’t Shave. The final result is a true gem. The tracks that stand out: “Joy to You” (amazing Celtic pop with a Beatles twist), “Think Twice” (a song with O’Carolan flavour and lyrics about the Troubles in Belfast), “Anthony” (sounds from the other side of the pond), “The Witches Recall” (based on the “Johnny Jump Up” tune) and “Back of Beyond” (great intro with the wolf, the waves and the bell on this instrumental number ).

However, above all, you should check out the kick-ass set of tunes: “Don’t Kit the Kat” (Lúnasa goes Celtic rock) and “Sack of Spuds” (a track to file together with pub sessions albums like “Music at Matt Molloy’s”)

Darvra’s Wave were our Band of October 2013. This was only a small milestone on their career, since their music will be soon appreciated by bigger folk and rock audiences.

Tracklist:

01 - Joy to You 3:56
02 - Don't Kick the Kat 3:33
03 - Think Twice 4:48
04 - Sack of Spuds / Grogans 3:46
05 - Anthony 4:54
06 - Song for Dave 4:30
07 - The Cat Song 4:49
08 - The Witches Recall 3:34
09 - Back O'beyond 3:19
10 - Think Twice (Bonus Track) 4:48

http://www.darvraswave.com
https://www.facebook.com/DarvrasWaveBand
http://www.reverbnation.com/londonirishband
https://soundcloud.com/darvras-wave
https://twitter.com/DarvrasWave

Click to buy:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Witches-Recall-Darvras-Wave/dp/B00FGG4Z2W

Review by Kinksmarkham

BAND OF THE MONTH - DARVRA'S WAVE

The band of October 2013 comes from London: Darvra's Wave.

"The name Darvra’s Wave derives from the mythological Irish fairytale ‘The Children Of Lir’ as in the story it was upon Darvra’s Wave that the King’s four children were selfishly and deliberately turned into swans by their wicked Stepmother.

The band formed in 2008 and under various names and lineups have been performing around London and developing their own music and sound. Two members of the band are the writers behind the music and both are very distinctive and different but compliment each other well leading to a diverse creative celtic sound. Though all are experienced folk musicians and half the band have Irish connections they use their ideas and concepts from other genres such as jazz, classical, rock and pop to influence their overall progressive performance. For the listener there is something for everyone and the band are certainly not a one trick pony."

"Darvra’s Wave formally known as London Irish Band perform regularly around London and the UK and are soon to release their debut album ‘The Witches Recall.’ Their celtic rock sound is both modern, rhythmic and electric as well as acoustic, soulful and ambient and the new album features both songs and instrumentals composed by two contrasting writers in the group."

http://www.darvraswave.com

https://www.facebook.com/DarvrasWaveBand

http://www.reverbnation.com/londonirishband

https://twitter.com/DarvrasWave

Josie Simmons - whistle/sax

Peter Heffron - vocals, guitar

Antonia Pagulatos - fiddle

Kevin Glasgow - bass

Joshua Law - drums

Sell your beats online at ReverbNation.com

VIDEO - ZAMBURIEL

Zamburiel is a Celtic Pop band from Madrid

http://www.zamburiel.com

https://www.facebook.com/zamburiel

Line-up:

Rocío Torresano - vocals, guitar
Elías García - pipes and flutes
Eduardo DeTorre - guitars and background vocals
Carlos Pérez - drums and percussions
Fran García - bass
Laura Estévez - fiddle and keyboards

Discography:

"Rutas de viaje" (10 tracks, 2008)
"Escapar" (3 tracks, 2013)
"Sin tí" (2 temas, 2013)

Zamburiel - Sin tí

 

REVIEW - PADDY AND THE RATS "Tales from the Docks"

Paddy and The Rats "Tales from the Docks" Nordic Records
Release date: December 12,2012
Running time: 50:30, 15 tracks

Some bands get the so-called “difficult third album” disease. If anybody was wondering if Paddy and The Rats have got it too, the answer is easy after having given some spins to “Tales from the Docks”. The prolific Hungarian band is still pushing forward. They have not changed their style. If everything works, why should they change it? These guys have been delivering a bunch of catchy tunes so far and their third album is not an exception.

During 51 minutes Paddy and The Rats keep on offering more than the average band. Fifteen tracks and no clunker. If they had decided to release a single every month, they could have done it. And most of them have topped the charts. For instance, the opening track “Bastards Back Home” (featuring “Scotland the Brave”), the excellent number “Celebrate” (featuring “Itchy Fingers”) and “Let’s Go Johnny” (kick-ass punk-rock song: great accordion, Rancid style bass line, great guitar work, gang vocals …)

Those would be the most obvious choices. Nevertheless, they are not the only catchy songs.  “The Captain’s Dead” is another top-notch pirate number ; “Red River Prince” is folk-metal at its best; “Wasted Time” is another fantastic number with its Brian May tribute passage, and “Drunken Tuesday”  is a drinking song that has a ‘60s pop feeling with a great chorus and a Poguesish accordion playing. Let alone “I Always See You”, a ballad featuring piano and tin whistle.

I could listen to this album 24hours a day. And the feeling would be the same, a Ramones song “Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World”. Paddy and The Rats have already conquered the European Celtic punk “kingdom”. Watch out American guys! You are the next ones to be conquered.

Tracklist:

1. Bastards Back Home 3:20
2. The Edge of Life 2:47
3. The Captain's Dead 3:55
4. Clown 3:42
5. Wasted Time 3:55
6. Drunken Tuesday 2:55
7. Ghost from the Barrow 4:14
8. Celebrate 2:56
9. I Always See You 4:03
10. Red River Prince 3:33
11. Let's Go, Johnny! 3:02
12. Scums of the Seven Seas 2:48
13. Here We Go 1:59
14. We Are One 3:49
15. Old Wive's Tale 3:25

http://paddyrats.com
http://www.facebook.com/paddyrats
http://www.last.fm/music/Paddy+And+The+Rats

Click to buy:

http://popshop.hu/?s=paddy

http://www.amazon.com/Tales-From-The-Docks-Explicit/dp/B00B64LVMK/ref=sr_shvl_album_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359221801&sr=301-2 (mp3)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tales-from-the-docks/id595488321 (mp3)

Review by Kinksmarkham

VIDEO - MUMMY DADDY "Just Play"

Another band from Thailand, Mummy Daddy, produced by British producer Simon Henderson.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mummy-Daddy-Band/131634343654828
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mummydaddy

Producer : Simon Henderson
Vocal : Thursday Hnadee
Bagpipe, Banjo, Tin whistle : Rocky
Guitar : Thanaphan Imurai
Bass : Somnuek Thachee
Drum : Banana Man

New artists:  Mummy Daddy
Genre: Alternative/Celtic
Produced & Melody: Simon Henderson
Arranged: Mummy Daddy & Simon Henderson
Lyrics: A classic rig

(Translation: Google translator)

"Inspired by the love, support and encouragement from their parents along.
Combined with the fusion of the growth of mold. Where a collection of different nationalities different people of different cultures from all over the world. Accumulated 10 years of experience in the music. The music in the spirit of the Mummy Daddy is not to present music with a mix of different musical styles, exotic but perfectly engaging as himself. A new way to listen to the first Single from Mummy Daddy song  Alternative music mix with the sound of Scottish bagpipes. To increase the fun for all who listen. By working in recording studios back to Analog. It's all on tape, which is difficult to run. Every time you play. Even if the point is to start out small. But the charm of this record is. Make it sound more dimension. The more emotional.

Content to talk about life in the present, where everything is in a rush to put pressure on a routine.

I want everyone to go back to that. Everyday life. I've been looking for the child at all optimistic. And enjoy life's simple to do it? It's time to return.
"I played well today," I try to be a child again?"

Mummy Daddy - "Just Play" Official Audio