2019-02-18 VIDEOS - THE SCARLET, HANDSOME YOUNG STRANGERS and IRISH MOUTARDE

More videos added to the current playlist on our YouTube channel, Celtic Folk Punk 2019

 

2018-12-04 HANDSOME YOUNG STRANGERS NEW EP OUT SOON!

Sydney bush/ folk punk institution Handsome Young Strangers will drop their brand new mini album ‘The Bleeding Bridge’ on Fri Dec 07. The mini album will be the ninth release on the fledging Tasmanian label “Folk ‘Til Ya Punk” and is available in physical and digital formats.

It has been six years since the release of the ‘Thunderbolt’ single and the accompanying video which gathered nearly 2 million views on YouTube and even found its way onto the Country Music TV Channel !

In 2016 the band released their ‘Battle Of Broken Hill’ EP which was their first for the ‘Folk ‘Til Ya Punk’ label and made many end of year best of lists for 2016 worldwide.

The Bleeding Bridge EP contains three original tracks as well as a cover of the Triffid’s classic:  ‘Wide Open Road’ (featuring Jason Walker on pedal steel) and notably, a suitably shambolic  breakneck version of the Australian Trad tune “Limejuice Tub”!


About Handsome Young Strangers

Handsome Young Strangers are a Sydney folk / punk / bushband comprising of 6 core members and a revolving door of guests.  Formed in 2004 and taking influences from bands such as Roaring Jack, Weddings Parties Anything, Redgum and The Bushwackers, the band built a loyal inner city following through their intense live shows.  This interest quickly led to major festival appearances and to date they have appeared at:  Woodford Folk Festival, National Folk Festival, Great Escape Festival, Sydney Blues & Roots Festival, Illawarra Folk Festival and many more.

Handsome Young Strangers today show no sign of slowing down with an album planned for 2019 backed up with plenty of interstate touring and festival appearances.

Sydney launch show:

Sydney – Marrickville Bowling Club, Marrickville:  Fri Dec 14, 2018

Also appearing at:

Botany View Hotel, Newtown:  Mon Dec 31
Hobofopo Folk/Punk Festival, Hobart:  Dec 7 – 9, 2018
Illawarra Folk Festival:  Jan 17 – Jan 20, 2019
Union Hotel, Newtown:  Sun Jan 27, 2019

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1. Coming Home (Dickinson) 3.26
2. The Bleeding Bridge (Dickinson) 3.30
3. Limejuice Tub (Trad / HYS) 3.15
4.The Rose Hill Packet (Hyland) 3.09
5. Wide Open Road (D. McComb) 4.10

Track 5 originally recorded by The Triffids

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Michael Carpenter at Love Hz Studios, Leichardt – Aug / Sep 2018.

Handsome Young Strangers are:

Drizabone D:   Lead Vocals (Tracks 1,2,3 & 5),  Mandola, Acoustic, Percussion
Mark ‘Na-Na’ Hyland:  Lead Vocals (Track 4), Electric Guitars, Acoustic, Baritone
Edward Lawlor:  Mandolin, Tin Whistle, Vocals
Adam Young: Electric Guitars, Vocals
Dave Hatt:  Bass, Electric Guitar (Track 4), Vocals
Mark ‘Looch’ Lewis:   Drums, Percussion, Vocals

Special guests on this recording:

Ben Pattinson: Squeeze Box (tracks 1,2 & 3)
Luke Moller: Fiddle (tracks 1, 3 & 5)
Jason Walker: Pedal Steel (track 5)
Michael Carpenter:  Honky Tonk Piano (track 4), Backing Vocals (track 5)

Front cover art by Jimmy Meeks at Fatal Design

Cover layout and design by Jim Mongrel at Drink Coffee & Destroy

 

 

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

2017-09-03 NAME YOUR PRICE DOWNLOAD - JACK FLASH "The Last Gig"

(Taken from the band's Facebook page)

 

"When I stepped on stage with Jack Flash for the last time, it was with a mixture of exuberance, a little sadness, and some relief. Relief that a big fear of mine hadn't come to pass. By the time our final gig came about, we were past due calling it quits. Interest in the band had waned, the six of us were spread across four different cities, and we all had different work and family commitments to occupy us. We were getting together a lot less often to jam, and shows were few and far between. Tom and I had even had a pretty serious disagreement over the vocal arrangement of a song. Artistic differences, just like a real band! My biggest fear in the last couple of years was that one day we would look back and realise, "oh fuck, that was our last gig. That gig we played where the sound was shit and only five people turned up, there was no rider and we didn't get paid. THAT turned out to be the last time we played together." Because life might have happened before we went out on our own terms. Someone might have got the shits and quit, or had to move far away. But it didn't happen like that. Somewhere along the line we made a commitment to each-other that we wouldn't call it quits until we'd recorded and released a final batch of songs, and we would play one final show in our home town of Toowoomba. And that's what we did. On the 4th June 2016, after a killer send off in Brisbane the night before, we played our last ever set in front of a packed room at The Irish Club Hotel. The crowd rewarded us by giving us their full attention and dancing like crazy for almost two hours straight. Oh we drew that shit out, you better believe it. If there's one time you're allowed to be self indulgent and play the majority of your back catalogue, with a lot of stupid banter and self-depreciative humour in between, it's at your last ever show. If you're a musician, you know how good it feels to make an audience move to a tune you've written (at least, you do if you play the sort of music that's conducive to dancing). Our last gig was everything we could have hoped it would be. There's a video floating around somewhere or us being hoisted onto the shoulders of our friends. We broke the stage! A marvelous capstone on almost 10 years together as a band. If you listen to this recording (kindly recorded live on the night be Justin Myers, and mixed and cleaned up a bit by Jake Hickey), you will hear that it is rough, raw, emotional fairly unprofessional, and with more than one bung note. But fuck me if we didn't mean every single note we played that night, because we played like it was our last chance. We played like we had nothing to lose, we played for the people who had supported us right from the beginning, and most importantly, we played for each-other.

 

Cheers, Looey"

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2016-12-19 EP REVIEW - ROGUE SCHOLARS "The King & the Maid & the Rebel" (2016)

Rogue Scholars "The King & the Maid & the Rebel"
Release date: 15 December 2016
Running time: 23:26, 7 tracks

“The King & the Maid & the Rebel” is the title of the long-awaited Rogue Scholars mini-album. Rogue Scholars hail from Gold Coast, Queensland (Australia) and they are Will Swan (lead vocals, accordion, tin whistle), Thomas D. Martin (banjo), Sean Moyles (guitars) and Govinda Gutwein (drums). Will Swan was a founding member of Catgut Mary and The Rumjacks, so for old Celtic punk fans like me he’s a legend and a guarantee that his band will be worth hearing.

Rogue Scholars mini-album consists of 7 tracks and 6 songs, given that there are two versions of “Xanadu”, the real one and the radio edit. Recently I reviewed the latest Handsome Young Strangers EP and they included a cover of a song by a kiwi pop singer. As Will was a guest on the Handsome Young Strangers debut album, I was a little bit worried. Maybe he has followed that trend and “Xanadu” was a cover of the Olivia Newton-John song. Fortunately, that was not the case and Rogue Scholars “Xanadu” is a self-penned song showcasing Will’s accordion and Sean’s rocking guitar.

“Mickey the Vermin” was advanced at the beginning of last year  and it reminds me of the earlier Rumjacks: jumping accordion, badass banjo, more electric guitar by Sean and Will switching to tin whistle too.

“Champagne Girls” was also advanced at the end of 2014 . The approach is a little bit different and the vocals have a British folk rock treatment. Amazing song.

“The Bank of the Roses” is the proof that there are innovative bands that are able to deliver real covers of Irish standards. A cover is not a carbon copy, and Rogue Scholars rendition of this song is brilliant.

"Melbourne Tram Song” will be familiar to some people, as this number was written by Will for Catgut Mary. As Will said at an interview on Shite’n’Onions a long time ago, “Melbourne Tram Song is basically a love song I wrote for the city. It blurs the line between the love for a person and the love for a place.” I must admit that I’ve always loved this song.

To finish up, Rogue Scholars have recorded a top-notch song: “We the Ragamuffin”. Watch out! This is a catchy number, you’ll end up singing along all the day long. All the proceeds from worldwide sales of "We the Ragamuffin" go to the White Ribbon Campaign.

“The King & the Maid & the Rebel” is a digital release and can be bought from the band’s Bancamp page. BTW, you’re right: most of the best EPs/mini-albums of the year have arrived in December.

Track list:

1. Xanadu 02:51   
2. Mickey the Vermin 03:13   
3. Champagne Girls 03:24   
4. The Banks of the Roses 03:34   
5. Xanadu (Radio Edit) 02:51   
6. Melbourne Tram Song 03:18   
7. We the Ragamuffin 04:11

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Review by Kinksmarkham

2016-12-11 THE DEAD MAGGIES - NEW SINGLE "She"

‘She’ is the new emotional and powerful single from Tasmania’s hard hitting folk-punk band The Dead Maggies. It will be launched on the 15th of December at Smorgasbaarg (Hobart) with 100% of sales going to support local domestic violence NGO; Support, Help, Empowerment (SHE). The song will be available to purchase from Bandcamp from Thursday9th December from 7pm AEST.

The song adapts the words of women in Tasmania who are experiencing and have experienced domestic violence into a single story with a dark and powerful message. Their stories came from a report released by SHE and The Dead Maggies hope to raise awareness and money for this invaluable NGO.

“I found reading the interviews [in SHE’s report] incredibly powerful. The women’s words made understanding the reality of seeking help, and society’s reactions, stark, bleak and horribly sexist. It was very hard to take in, the only reaction I could have was to turn it into a song. I’m proud of this song, I think it’s a good one. But it’s because of the words of those women. That’s where its power comes from. It seemed obvious from the moment I wrote it that we needed to use it to support SHE and support the movement against ending gendered violence and societies’ gendered reaction to violence.” (Gareth, The Dead Maggies)

Not long returned from their second international tour, and coming off the back of HOBOFOPO (Hobart’s first folk-punk festival) this is The Dead Maggies first release since their album “Well Hanged” (2015) which received rave reviews, national and international airplay.

This summer The Dead Maggies will be appearing at festivals including; Falls Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Taste of Tasmania, National Folk Festival and Fractangular Gathering.

She (the song) will be released in March on an EP with other tracks that are still currently being recorded.

 

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2016-11-23 EP REVIEW - HANDSOME YOUNG STRANGERS "Battle of Broken Hill" (2016)

Handsome Young Strangers "The Battle of Broken Hill" Folk Til Ya Punk FTYP0004
Release date: November 4th, 2016
Running time: 28:57, 6 tracks

Handsome Young Strangers are back with a bunch of bush songs. HYS are said to be more a collective than a proper band. Anyway, the core of the band (the “official” members) is Dion “Drizabone” Dickinson (lead vocals, mandola, guitars), Mark “Na-na” Hyland (lead vocals, guitars, dulcimer), Adam Young (vocals, guitars), Adam Kenny (bouzouki, vocals, The Rumjacks member too), Jim Mongrel (Bass, vocals, ex-Sydney City Trash) and Mark “Looch” Lewis (drums, percussion, vocals). Apart from them, several friends have gathered to guest on this mini-album.

Their brand new offering is titled “Battle of Broken Hill” and it’s a well-balanced blend of self-penned songs and covers. Exactly half of the album is original material and the other half covers. My fave songs are the opening tracks “Battle of Broken Hill”, “Poor Ned”, “Fisherman’s Blues” and “I, Argonaut”.

“Battle of Broken Hill” is a brilliant original song written by Drizabone about a “strange” incident  that took place in Australia in 1915. Lachlan McSwain (The GO Set) guests on bagpipes on this number, probably the most genuine Aussie song on the EP together with “Poor Ned”.

“Poor Ned” is a song that was recorded by Australian bush music heroes Redgum. In fact, the song was written by Trevor Lucas (Fotheringay), who brought it to Fairport Convention. Redgum sped it up and change its name from “The Ballad of Ned Kelly” to “Poor Ned”. HYS rendition is spotless: kick-ass version featuring Steph Miller (Roaring Jack) on mandolin.

The Waterboys classic song “Fisherman’s Blues” is simply perfect. It would be a sin to record a poor cover. But HYS have taken the right approach: respect for the original and some small arrangements to give the song a new lease of life. Excellent rendition on which HYS are joined by Steph Miller on mandolin, Marcus Peter Holden on fiddle and Michael Carpenter on Hammond organ.

“I, Argonaut” is another song written by Driza. Steph Miller guests on accordion and Marcus Peter Holden on fiddle. Great track.

The other two songs are musically different, less folk and more rock. “Mrs. Jones” was written by former band member Andrew “Fredo” Donkin who also guests on lead vocals. The song was inspired by The Sons of Lee Marvin and features Michael Carpenter on Hammond organ (BTW, Michael mastered the whole EP too). “Maxine” is a cover of Sharon O’Neill, a kiwi singer who topped the Australasian charts in 1983 with this song about a prostitute from Sydney.

“Battle of Broken Hill” has been released by Folk Til Ya Punk, the label which is focusing on the main Australian folk rock/punk acts. The EP can be purchased from their webstore and is also available on iTunes.

Tracklist:

1 - Battle Of Broken Hill 04:23   
2 - Mrs Jones 04:39   
3 - Poor Ned 04:02   
4 - I' Argonaut 06:16   
5 - Maxine 04:10   
6 - Fisherman's Blues 05:21

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Review by Kinksmarkham

2016-05-28 FREE DOWNLOADS - SYDNEY CITY TRASH Discography

Sydney City Trash was a Sydney-based Country/Punk band consisting of Mitch Hell (vocals, lyrics), Matty "Browny" Brown (lead guitar), Paddy Finn McHugh (rhythm guitar), Jamie "Jim Mongrel" Skjeme (bass), James Eric Bones (fiddle, mandolin) and Austin Ringo Citizen (drums). Three of its six members grew up in the small town of Tamworth in rural New South Wales, which is also Australia's Country Music Capital and their country roots are frequently reflected in the band's lyrics. The band has been described as the saviours of Australian Country, and is widely respected for its bitingly satirical and dense storytelling lyrics. The band released three studio albums: Classic Country Hits (2004), Once Upon A Time in Australia (2006) and Terror Australis (2009).

Vocalist and lyricist Mitch Hell was raised in Tamworth in rural New South Wales. After moving to Sydney and fronting various punk, straight edge, hardcore and Oi! bands he met up with former high school mate and fellow Tamworth survivor Paddy 'Toots' McHugh in spring of 2001. The pair wrote their first song the now infamous 'Whiskey in the Sun' in the early 2002 and recorded several incarnations of this song over the next year mostly as a joke, poking fun of where they were raised. However it wasn’t until 2003 with the addition of another Tamworth survivor Matthew 'Browny' Brown the band really started taking shape.

The three Tamworth boys dragged in whatever musicians they could find and busked on the streets of Tamworth during the 2003 Country Music Festival, playing mainly covers by Merle Haggard, David Allen Coe, The Descendents and The Clash. After the festival and inspired by the thrill of performing the boys went into 'Hilltop Studios' in Tamworth to record a demo with the idea of getting a real band together.

The demo worked and by mid-2003 the boys had recruited a drummer Angus Howie (also a Tamworth survivor) a bass player Pig Barnett and even a fiddle player Jim Eric Bones whom was then playing guitar for death metal band Punisha. All six of the boys rehearsed and in late 2003 went back into 'Hilltop Studio' to record their first EP the now legendary "Classic Cuntry Hits."

Over the next year the boys worked hard playing any gig going and writing as much as possible. They became inspired by old Australian bush and folk bands such as Redgum, Roaring Jack and Dingo. They were also heavily influenced by Celtic punk bands such as The Pogues and Flogging Molly. All these influences were used and shaped to make the band's first full-length album 'Once Upon A Time in Australia' which was released on Scott Mac of Toe to Toe's label Sold Our Souls. The album was released to much success and sold over 5,000 copies. Off the back of this the boys played across Australia with a plethora of local and international bands.

Continuing to work hard the boys suffered some casualties of the road. They lost drummer Angus Howie to the glitzy world of TV Ratings and he was replaced by Irish Austin Citizen. With a new energy the boys set about writing for their next album.

Another set back was the loss of the unflappable Pig on bass. R.I.P brother. He was replaced with good friend Jim Mongrel from various south coast punk bands, most notably Run For Cover.

It was with this new line up the boys went in to record at the 'Brain Studios' in Surry Hills, Sydney in early 2009 producing the third and final full-length album 'Terror Australis'.

(From Wikipedia)

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Classic Cuntry Hits From Beyond The Grave (9 tracks, 2004)

Once Upon a Time in Australia (15 tracks, 2006)

Terror Australis (12 tracks, 2010)

2016-05-08 EP REVIEW - JACK FLASH "Nothing but a Bad Dream" (2016) + FREE DOWNLOADS

Jack Flash "Nothing but a Bad Dream"
Release date: April 8, 2016
Running time: 24:51, 8 tracks
 
Sad news. Recently the Danish band Rovers Ahead disbanded and now, after 10 years on the road, the Aussie band Jack Flash call it a day.

Before saying goodbye, Tom Michel (vocals, mandolin), Luke Mysliwy (fiddle, tin whistle, bckg vocals), Blaise Clement (acoustic guitar, backg vocals), Shai Clement (acoustic guitar, bckg vocals), Liam Walsh (drums, bckg vocals and Jacke Hickey (electric guitar, backing vocals) have delivered a final EP.

"Well, here it is at last. Our final offering to the music god's, our swan song, our epitaph. Every last shred of creativity we had left as a group poured out, and as far as I'm concerned, the last word on Folk Punk (we're nothing if not modest). Ok perhaps that's taking it a bit too far, but it IS the final recorded word from Jack Flash, and we are very proud of it. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it. Available now for download on bandcamp, has it really been close to a decade? or was it all... 'Nothing but a bad dream'?

This is indeed our Swan Song, which means that the band is really calling it quits. So don't miss your chance to see us live! We have a show coming up at The Beetle Bar in Brisbane on Friday 3rd June , and Saturday 4th June in The Celtic Room of The Irish Club Hotel, Toowoomba. Would love to see as many people as possible come and give us a send off!"

“Nothing But a Bad Dream” consists of 8 tracks, one instrumental intro, 6 songs and another version of one of the songs.

“Intro” kicks off with an acoustic guitar, a fiddle and bass. It has a Western feel and little by little becomes electric. It’s stuck to the next number, “Gypsy Six Pack”, an amazing folk metal inspired song with top notch fiddling, woah chorus and gang vocals at the end.

“The Frosty Winter Morning” features tin whistle instead of fiddle. Colonial folk punk at its best.

“The Haunting” is maybe less “Aussie” and more “American punk” regarding the sound, where echoes to NOFX can be noticed. Once again, the gang vocals are really good, let alone the electric guitar and the fiddle.

Jack Flash move to a quieter end on “Hold On”, probably the folkiest number on the EP. There is some fiddle, but the guys sing a cappella, clapping and using their feet as percussion.

“The Revenge” is an epic number featuring Hanny J on guest vocals. Kick-ass number and a personal fave.

Tin whistle instead of fiddle is used again on “Where Ya Gonna Run”, where Jack Flash sound as as sort of an Aussie version of Flogging Molly.

The EP comes to its end with another version of “The Revenge”. This time Hanny J sings lead vocals instead of backing vocals.

“Nothing but a Bad Dream” is a digital only release. The album artwork has been made by Adam Rose and the album was recorded, mixed and mastered once again by Bryce Moorhead at The Shed Recording Studio.

So, go to bandcamp, buy a copy of “Nothing But a Dream” and get the rest of their discography by paying what you want. They'll be missed.

Tracklist:

1. Intro 01:47   
2. Gypsy Six Pack 02:53   
3. The Frosty Winters Morning 03:47   
4. The Haunting 03:48   
5. Hold On 01:14   
6. The Revenge Ft. Hanny J 03:19   
7. Where Ya Gonna Run 04:22   
8. The Revenge - Hanny J Full Version 03:23

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Review by Kinksmarkham

REVIEW - THE RUMJACKS "Sober & Godless" (2015)

The Rumjacks "Sober & Godless"
Release date: February 6th, 2015
Running time: 52:50, 14 tracks

The Rumjacks second album “Sober & Godless” is probably the Album of the Year (2015). Shite’n’Onions has not posted his list yet, but “Sober & Godless” made no. 1 at London Celtic Punks' and  MacSlon’s Irish Pub Radio's lists, no. 2 at Celtic Folk Punk and More’s list and PaddyRock’s list and was voted no. 2 by Celtic Punk Club followers at vk.

“Sober & Godless” was released 11 months ago, but my promo copy arrived in mid-November just before the CD I ordered from Amazon was delivered. As all of my colleagues wrote their reviews a long time ago and you have already worn out your copy, the review will be shorter than usual. The most interesting thing about “Sober & Godless” is the sound. The Rumjacks have obviously evolved from their early EPs to their second album, but they have a sound (and a production) that makes them different from any other band in the scene. This time there are no Aussie standards and the only cover is Billy Connolly’s “(I’m Asking You) Sergeant Where’s Mine”, a song that was covered by The Dubliners on their “30 Years  A Greying” album in 1992.

The album is a little bit long, but the running order helps to make it an enjoyable album. The beginning is perfect, with 4 killer tracks in a row: “Home Rule” (one of the top songs on the album), “No Pockets in a Shroud”, “Blows & Unkind Words” and “One Summers Day”. In the middle, the listener can take a breath, thanks to ska and reggae numbers such as “Barred for Life”, “Home” or “I Smell Trouble” and the folkier “Leaky Tub”. And finally, another 3 badass tracks to close the album: “The Reaper & Tam MCorty” (bloody brilliant song!!!), “Me Old Ball & Chain” and “400 Miles” (where they give The Real McKenzies a run for their money)

“Sober & Godless” packaging is a 4 panel digipack. No booklet is included, but the lyrics to every single song are available at the band’s website. However, neither studio credits, nor guest list are mentioned on the digipack. The band’s facebook confirms that the artwork has been made by Frankie: "For all who don't already know, our Frankie does almost all the art for The Rumjacks and since he can't nail a job that let him go touring for half the year, he's kicking out on his own. Doing art & design for other bands, festivals, backyard shindigs, bake-sales, cookouts (glad we spelt that right) and just about any other stupid idea you guys have got going.. Rip on over & give the boy a 'like' or three. Cheers all - The Rumjacks." Frankie's Cranky Bhoy Facebook Page. The cover art piece is titled 'Abyssus Abyssum Invocat'.

Master piece? Sure. Their best album? Let’s wait for the third one. Three are needed for a trilogy and we love trilogies, don't we?

Tracklist:

01 - Home Rule 3:36
02 - No Pockets in a Shroud 3:21
03 - Blows & Unkind Words 4:45
04 - One Summers Day 3:17
05 - Barred for Life 3:47
06 - Plenty 2:34
07 - Home 4:36
08 - Oh Sergeant Where's Mine? 3:45
09 - The Leaky Tub 4:21
10 - I Smell Trouble 2:55
11 - Sober & Godless 4:29
12 - The Reaper and Tam McCorty 3:48
13 - Me Old Ball & Chain 2:54
14 - 400 Miles Away 4:08

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Review by Kinksmarkham

REVIEW - THE DEAD MAGGIES "Well Hanged" (2015)

The Dead Maggies "Well Hanged" Folk til Ya Punk
Release date: November 13th, 2015
Running time: 44:35, 12 tracks

The Dead Maggies play their own brand of folk punk christened as Tasmanian Convict Punk. “Well Hanged” is their debut album after a 7 track mini-album released in 2014. The band has got rave reviews thanks to their fresh approach and their lyrics based on the hidden Tasmanian history. The current incarnation of the band is Hannah Morrell (fiddle, backing vocals), Gareth Davis aka GT Mongrel (guitar, clarinet, vocals), Matthew Bicket (drums, backing vocals), Mark Downie aka MD (double bass, vocals) and Alex Carey (banjo, backing vocals).

“Well Hanged” first track is titled “Black Mary” and it was chosen as second single from the album (video here). Following the band’s info, “The Mary in question is Mary Cockerill, who along with her partner Michael Howe controlled an army of one hundred bushrangers in the wilds of 1810s Tasmania. When The Dead Maggies found her story, they knew it needed telling. “It’s a tale of oppression, torture, escape, rebellion, revolution and loss,” says bassist Mark Downie. “We wanted to portray the oppression and demons that haunted Mary in her final moments.” “ Brilliant song  based on fiddle, banjo and double bass sounds and angry vocals.

The following number, "Tommy Pieman” tells the tale of a guy "accused of baking human flesh into pastry". Musically there is a slight Flogging Molly twist, but the clarinet and the double bass push the song on a different direction. Another highlight.

Track no. 3 is called “Matthew Brady” (“Bushranger, ladies-man & revolutionary”): haunting fiddle and banjo and epic vocals.

On “Mary McLauchlan” the clarinet takes the lead and accordion can be heard.

The Dead Maggies keep on digging on their Aussie-billy with the American influenced number “Billy Hunt”.

“Jorgen Jorgenson” was the first single off the album: “Viking, pirate, king, drunkard” (video here). Upbeat song and one of the album’s best tracks.

The following number is “Ghost on the Hellfire Bluff” and the approach  reminds me of The Mahones “Shake Hands with the Devil”, but wilder.

“Tim Miner” runs in a quieter mood, but before the end The Dead Maggies speed up the tempo. Great balance of banjo, fiddle and accordion.

“Snakebite” is a sort of an instrumental (there are some vocals at the end), a short number in a jazzy vein.

“The Truckdriver’s Last Waltz” begins slowly, but it has its faster moments. A song that The South Shore Ramblers fans will love.

The Dead Maggies musically re-visit the USA with “Savage River Mine”. The album is closed by “Bound in Chains”, excellent number on which uileann pipes are played.

As you can see on the pic, “Well Hanged” comes in a digipack. The album has been released through Folk ‘Til Ya Punk Records, a new label formed by The Dead Maggies and their friends. A lot of members of The Dead Maggies family are listed as guests: former member Burnie played accordion / keyboards, Ryan Garth added some uilleann pipes, low whistle and harmonica and Lucy de Vreeze , Dominic Francis and The Tarkine Commotion Choir sang on "Well Hanged" too.

It’s true. The Dead Maggies have created their own folk-punk genre: no covers, own songs about their local “heroes”, own instrumentation .... I was not used to the clarinet sound on folk-punk, but little by little the album is growing on me. So, first go to London Celtic Punks e-zine to read their album review  and then go to the Folk ‘Til Ya Punk Records store and grab a copy.

Tracklist:

01 - Black Mary    2:46   
02 - Tommy Pieman 4:17   
03 - Matthew Brady 3:31   
04 - Mary McLauchlan    4:16   
05 - Billy Hunt 4:45   
06 - Jorgen Jorgenson 5:26   
07 - Ghost On The Hellfire Bluff 1:31   
08 - Tin Miner 4:45   
09 - Snakebite 1:16   
10 - The Truck Driver's Last Waltz 4:35   
11 - Savage River Mine 2:52   
12 - Bound In Chains 4:13

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Folk 'til Ya Punk Store

Review by Kinksmarkham

THE RUMJACKS - AUSTRALIAN EAST COAST TOUR AND THIRD VIDEO FROM "SOBER & GODLESS"

The Rumjacks ‘Home Rule’ East Coast Tour just weeks away!

Sydney show confirmed, The Loft Warrnambool date added

Sydney folk-punk band The Rumjacks are delighted to announce that their final shows of the year will be on home soil, as they treat fans to the ‘Home Rule’ East Coast tour across November/December.

Fresh from a hugely successful debut overseas tour where they played to more than 50,000 fans in the Northern Hemisphere over three months, and a stellar return performance at Bigsound Live, the band has never been more gig ready! They have earned a fearsome reputation for the strength and passion of their live shows, tearing up the stage and inspiring audiences with their raw energy.

‘Home Rule’ will give The Rumjacks an opportunity to further showcase tracks from their acclaimed current album ‘Sober & Godless’, as they gear up for a massive 2016 with new recording, many more Australian shows to be announced, a return to the UK & Europe, and further overseas touring.

In addition to a fervid local fanbase, The Rumjacks have amassed a significant international presence; alongside their touring success, they’re now ranked as #4 band on Spotify outside of Australia, and the music video for their track ‘An Irish Pub Song’ has hit 12.4 million views on YouTube.

The Rumjacks ‘Home Rule’ East Coast Tour

Presented by The Music, Black Matilda, The Harbour Agency & Troubadour Music

November

Thursday 19 Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood
Friday 20 Barwon Club, Geelong
Saturday 21 The Loft, Warrnambool

December

Friday 4 The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba
Sunday 6 The Jubilee Hotel, Brisbane
Friday 11 Marrickville Bowling Club, Sydney

Tickets on sale from www.therumjacks.com

The Rumjacks - Home

VIDEO - THE DEAD MAGGIES "Black Mary"

The Dead Maggies second video from their upcoming album "Well Hanged"

The Dead Maggies - Black Mary

 

VIDEO - THE DEAD MAGGIES "Jørgen Jørgenson"

The Dead Maggies' new single matches their raucous folk-punk with a tale of the improbable yet true Jørgen Jørgenson. A pirate, a convict, a king and a drunkard, the title character is the perfect foil for The Dead Maggies' mix of foot-stomping folk and hollering punk antics.


A little-known legend, Danish-born Jørgenson once ruled Iceland for 50 days, and spent his final 14 years in Tasmania. When it came time to shoot the video for the single, the venue was clear: the Yukon, a fully restored Danish tall ship. “He was an adventurer who wrote his own legends while drinking, gambling, spying and pirating,” says vocalist/guitarist GT Mongrel. “He took on armies. He took on whole countries. He faced the executioners block and survived. He lived life as hard as life can be lived. He was a punk.”


The single is the first taste from The Dead Maggies’ forthcoming debut album Well Hanged, due for release on November on Folk ’Til Ya Punk Records. The album will feature Jørgen Jørgenson alongside 11 other tales culled from the dark and oppressive past of Australia’s southern penal colony, all set to music that finds the common energy, melody and attitude of folk and punk.


Formed in 2013 shortly after Margaret Thatcher’s death, The Dead Maggies are a new take on the melding of folk and punk, finding the common threads of story, energy and attitude between the two that ABC Radio Hobart has called “their own genre: Tasmanian convict punk.”

The Dead Maggies - Jørgen Jørgenson

 

ROGUE SCHOLARS, FIRST RELEASES

Those who love the likes of  The Rumjacks, Catgut Mary or The Currency should check out this brilliant Aussie band hailing from Gold Coast: Rogue Scholars

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Line-up:

Will Swan - Vocals, accordion, tin whistle
Tom Martin - Banjo
Sean Moyles - Guitar
MJ Meehan - Bass
Govi Gutwein - Drums

Rogue Scholars - Melbourne Tram Song



Rogue Scholars - Champagne Girls

FREE DOWNLOAD - JACK FLASH DISCOGRAPHY

(Thanks to Steven for the heads-up!)

Jack Flash, the band from Toowoomba, Australia, are sharing their discography at Bandcamp (Name Your Price). They would appreciate very much if you could leave a tip.

DOWNLOAD:

Take Notice 2007
B-Sides 2009
Rebel's Revenge Single 2011
Jack Flash s/t 2011

REVIEW - THE RAMSHACKLE ARMY "Letters from the Road Less Travelled" (2014)

The Ramshackle Army "Letters from the Road Less Travelled" East Grand Records EGRC017
Release date: 18 February 2014
Running time: 41:13, 12 tracks

Aussie band The Ramshackle Army skyrocketing career was stopped somewhere between 2012 and 2013. After having delivered a kickass EP in 2011, they were invited to play some gigs with Dropkick Murphys in the USA , where they met the SoCal and East Coast Celtic punk intelligentsia. The next step should have been the debut album,  but a couple of years went by and the CD was postponed.

I must admit that I was a little bit concerned. Between 2011 and the end of 2013 the band could have written and played a lot of new material. Therefore,  they could have plenty of songs to choose. But, in the meanwhile, the band’s sound could have evolved in such a way that the gap between the EP and the album could be huge.

When the title of the album was revealed, I thought that the new album would be a mix of British fiddle folk punk and Irish traditional music. “Letters from the Road Less Travelled” seemed to be the addition of “Letters from the Underground” (a Levellers album) and “The Road Less Traveled” (a Danú album). Obviously, this was not the case. The Ramshackle Army’s debut album owes a lot to their North American buddies, particularly to the So-Cal bands.

The album starts with an accordion intro, whose theme is that of the second track, “Anchors Aweigh”. It's a fantastic shanty that is followed by “Coffin & Copper”, one of the standouts of the disc. Lexington Field influences are disguised with Aussie roots on this number featuring fiddle and banjo.

My fave song on the album is “Boilermakers Hands”. It’s a catchy song that will make you think that you’re listening to Radio Birdman covering The Men They Couldn’t Hang “The Bells”. Excellent guitar work.

The CD is plenty of great songs and “The Road Less Travelled” is not the  exception that proves the rule. Great banjo picking on this Hoist the Colors sounding number. RSA know how to use the background vocals.

The next two tracks have also a So-Cal twist filtered by Australian music. I prefer  the mandolin driven “Broken Towns” to “Lockdown”.

“Broken White Lines” is the most stunning number on the album. Fiddle, tin whistle and a festive bass are played at the beginning of this song. When one thinks that it’s an instrumental number, Gaz and Nath begin to sing. An amazing song directly linked to the  “Life Lessons and Drunken Sessions” era.

Another song that I sing regularly is “Drink it Dry”. Drums, “One-Two, One-Two-Three-Four” and here we go! Banjo and fiddle haunt you and echoes from Billy Bragg and The Pogues surround you. My second-best song.

“Skin Will Burn” has an Aussie pedigree and a slight Hoist the Color flavour too. Great stuff.

The CD ends with “One Tree Hill”. It’s a brilliant faced-paced anthem with an awesome banjo and fiddle theme reminiscent of Flogging Molly “Tobacco Island”.

“Letters from the Road Less Travelled” is a tight album, but some points could have been improved.  I feel that the fiddle should be more prominent on some parts. Apart from that, I have a doubt. “One Tree Hill” is a very good closing number, but I keep on wondering if “Drink it Dry”  would have been a better  choice.

The canvas looking artwork is a labour of love. However,  the guests are not mentioned on the credits (Wez from  pirate punk band Sforzando on accordian and Dave from Catgut Mary on tin whistle) and no lyrics to the songs have beeb included. Maybe it’s not the band’s fault (The Tosspints CD from the same label had no lyrics too), but it’s really a shame.

The Ramshackle Army have probably released the most interesting album from the first quarter of 2014. The wait was worth it!


Tracklist:

01. Intro 00:42   
02. Anchors Aweigh 3:41
03. Coffin & Copper 2:44   
04. Boilermaker's Hands 03:42
05. Road Less Travelled 3:34
06. Broken Town    2:39
07. Lockdown 4:06   
08. Broken White Lines 4:01
09. Drink it Dry 4:15
10. Skin Will Burn 3:55   
11. Signs of Rain 3:37   
12. One Tree Hill 3:50

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Review by Kinksmarkham

FEATURED ALBUM AT CFPAM CELTIC FOLK PUNK RADIO

The Ramshackle Army "Letters from the Road Less Travelled" is the  featured album at CFPAM Celtic Folk Punk Radio this weekend.

The songs will be played at

6h00, 10h00, 14h00, 18h00 and 22h00 GMT+1 next Friday 28 February 2014

2h00, 6h00, 10h00, 14h00, 18h00 and 22h00 GMT+1 next Saturday 1 March 2014

2h00, 6h00, 10h00, 14h00, 18h00 and 22h00 GMT+1 next Sunday 2 March 2014

http://www.radionomy.com/en/radio/cfpam-celtic-folk-punk-radio/index


http://cfpam-celtic-folk-punk-radio.playtheradio.com

THE RAMSHACKLE ARMY - SONG ON STREAMING AND FREE DOWNLOAD

The Ramshackle Army debut album "Letters from the Road Less Travelled" will be out next month. A song from the album is available on streaming.

The two songs from their 2013 single, "Anchors Aweigh" and "Boys from Co. Hell" can be dowloaded for free from the band's site on Triple J Unearthed.

DOWNLOAD:

http://www.triplejunearthed.com/TheRamshackleArmy