2018-12-31 VIDEOS - THE HUMBLE HOOLIGANS, THE DISTILLERY RATS, SELFISH MURPHY AND RESTLESS FEET

The last videos of 2018. Enjoy!

2017-11-03 VIDEOS - THE WAILIN BANSHEES, RESTLESS FEET, TOXIC FROGS

Some videos that were added last month to the Celtic Folk Punk YouTube channel. Don't miss any update, subscribe!

The Wailin Banshees - Step it Out Mary



Restless Feet - Waste my Throat



Toxic Frogs - Go!

2017-04-19 ALBUM REVIEW - RESTLESS FEET "Homeward Bound" (2017)

Restless Feet "Homeward Bound"

Release date: March 15, 2017

Running time: 40:30, 13 tracks

“Homeward Bound” is the sophomore album by German band Restless Feet: Kai (vocals, tin whistle, Irish flute, banjo), Markus (vocals, guitar), Marcy (vocals, fiddle), Arthur (bass, banjo, electric guitar) and Alex (drums). If their debut album included a couple of Breton songs, this time the five piece band from Freiburg have focused on their own stuff (6 tracks) and some sea songs and Irish songs (7 tracks).

Regarding the original stuff, my fave is track no. 10, “The Ballad of Johnny Doran” with its chorus “I’m the Everywhere Man, slán and I’m gone”. “Sailor’s Yarn” is another highlight: drunken vocals, great fiddling and female backing vocals. The opener “Hold Sway” is a good Celtic punk number with a The Moorings twist. “Wake’s Souvenir” have an intro, the previous cut titled “The Cabin”, featuring accordion. The main song is well written, with interesting fiddle and flute arrangements, rocking guitar and backing vocals. Finally, “Waste My Throat (on Irish Folk)” is a kick-ass R’n’R number about the music we all love.

I enjoy when bands record sets of tunes on their albums. Restless Feet deliver a set consisting of “Irish Washerwoman”, “Cooley’s Reel” and “Maid behind the Bar”. Banjo, fiddle and flute do a great job.

There are a couple of Irish rebel songs, the amazing cover of “Boys of Wexford” and the poignant rendition of “By Memory Inspired”. The other traditional numbers / standards are all of them related to the sea. “The Shores of Botany Bay” includes a fiddle and tin whistle tune and it’s a great cover; “Rolling Down to Old Maui” has a fantastic fiddling towards the end. Both “Greenland Whale Fisheries” and “The Irish Rover” were recorded by The Pogues. “Greenland Whale Fisheries” follows the usual approach, but fortunately Restless Feet have added a traditional tune and some hey hey shouts à la Mahones. So the final result is awesome. “The Irish Rover” is played with gusto, but nothing new is offered to differ from other versions.

If Restless Feet’s debut album came in a jewel case, “Homeward Bound” comes in a 4 panel digipack with a 12 page booklet. All the lyrics to the songs and a lot of pics are included.

Restless Feet are a tight band and their original material on this album is top-notch. They have also selected some traditional stuff that will sound new to a lot of fans. In other words, there are a lot of songs on this album that will please the Celtic punk fans.

Track listing:

01. I Hold Sway 2:25

02. The Cabin (Wake's Intro) 0:26

03. Wake's Souvenir 3:47

04. The Shores of Botany Bay 3:33

05. Sailor's Yarn 2:23

06. Waste My Throat (On Irish Folk) 3:22

07. Tuneset 2:58

08. Greenland Whale Fisheries 3:17

09. The Boys of Wexford 3:29

10. The Ballad of Johnny Doran 3:45

11. The Irish Rover 3:11

12. By Memory Inspired 3:52

13. Rolling Down to Old Maui 4:01    

Website

Facebook

Click to buy:

Band's store on Facebook
CDbaby
Amazon com
Amazon co uk

Review by Kinksmarkham

VIDEO - RESTLESS FEET ""Empire of Gold"

This is the video for "Empire of Gold" off the Restless Feet album "Almost Irish".

Restless Feet - Empire of Gold

REVIEW - RESTLESS FEET "Almost Irish" (2013)

Restless Feet "Almost Irish"
Release date: September 8, 2013
Running time:22:36, 6 tracks
 

Restless Feet is a five piece band from Freiburg (Germany). Kai (vocals, Irish bouzouki, tin whistle), Markus (vocals, guitar), Marcy (vocals, fiddle), Jacob (bass) and Alex (vocals, drums) recorded this 7 track mini-album last year. The stuff on “Almost Irish” can be divided into three groups of songs: self-penned material, some covers of Breton music and some standards.

The two originals on the album are track no. 1 “Empire of Gold” and track no. 3, “The Irish Pride”. Both of them are amazing songs, but I feel that the former has better arrangements and production than the latter. I guess that they also feel that it’s the best song on the album, since an official video for this song was shot. It’s a fast-paced anthem with kick-ass strings, gang vocals and strong lead vocals.  “The Irish Pride” is also an interesting song with a catchy chorus, but I feel that it would have needed more energy.

It’s not quite usual that a Celtic punk band covers music from Brittany. Therefore I’d like to congrat Restless Feet for choosing a song from harpist Alan Stivell repertoire (“Tri Martolod”) and another one from Tri Yann repertoire (“Kan Ar Kann”).

Finally, I guess that the band didn’t have enough original songs on their setlist and then they have included some Irish standards on the mini-album. Their renditions are not bad, “The Foggy Dew” gets a 5 minutes treatment and “Black and Tans” is an awesome Celtic punk number. However, I would have enjoyed other songs that have not been covered so often.

Regarding the packaging, “Almost Irish” is delivered in a jewel case with a 4 page booklet with band members pics, line-up, credits and the lyrics to the two original songs.

Restless Feet are an honest and fresh young band. I expect that their sophomore release includes more original compositions and that they keep on digging for the Breton music treasures.

Tracklist:

1 - Empire of Gold 3:01
2 - The Rocky Road to Dublin 2:51
3 - The Irish Pride 3:31
4 - Tri Martolod 2:30
5 - The Foggy Dew 5:28
6 - Kan Ar Kann 2:25
7 - Black and Tans 2:47

Website
Facebook

Click to buy

Band's store
Amazon (digital)
CDbaby (digital)
iTunes

Review by Kinksmarkham