Dutch purveyors of rowdy Celtic-punk, Bunch of Bastards, have a new album, recorded ‘live in the studio’, and titled Drink, Holler and Dance. More details on https://www.bunchofbastards.nl
New album from The Muckers
The Muckers have a new album out. Titled, Whiskey Tango, the album is available digitally via bandcamp. Review to follow shortly (promise)
The Langer’s Ball: Hold Tight
I have here the vinyl release of Hold Tight. Funded through a Kickstarter campaign, this is the thickest slab of vinyl I’ve ever spun. Nice job guys. The duo of Mike (guitar) and Hannah (whistler and accordion) who make up The Langer’s Ball are super tight; they have been playing together for 15 years. The 11 tracks on Hold Tight are split between traditional Irish, Scottish and Sea Shanties and originals which gel very nicely with the more familiar. Of the originals my favorites are the polka / blues drinking song, Whiskey From The Still and the hard boozing, Bottom of The Bottle.
Always classy, The Langer’s Ball never disappoint.
Rick Barton: Nowhere Man
Legendary Boston punk guitarist, Rick Barton (The Outlets / Dropkick Murphys / Continental) has a new solo album, Nowhere Man, out on October 20th. The album is not your usual punk’n’roll but old school rock and roll infused country. Check out the advance tracks on BandCamp.
https://rickbarton.bandcamp.com/album/nowhere-man
The Peelers: US tour dates
***CANCELLED***
The Peelers are playing some rare US dates in September.
9-14 Greenfield, MA
9-15 New London, CT
9-16 Providence, RI
9-17 Boston, MA (Matinee)
9-18 Washington, DC
9-20 Savannah, GA
9-21 Punta Gorda, FL
9-22 Atlantic Beach, FL
SHARKS COME CRUISIN – Pay Me My Money Down
Here’s the video for Pay Me My Money Down the first single off SCCs new full-length record due out this Fall.
TC Costello
T.C. Costello has released a new album “El Rey De America” inspired by Galician music and Chinese pipes(!). The album is up on Spotify.
Check out video for The Tokyo Streets
The Go Set: The Warriors Beneath Us
The Go Set who hit twenty years together this year, 2023, are celebrating with the release of The Warriors Beneath Us, the band’s eighth studio album. I still remember receiving in the mail, Sing A Song of Revolution, The Go Set’s debut album back in 2005. I remember thinking that’s an odd name for a band, and the doggy black CD sleeve gave nothing away. Sing A Song of Revolution, almost ended up in the dreaded, to be listened to later pile. Fortunately for me, I played the sucker and it instantly blew me away, it’s still one of my favorite and one of the best Celtic punk releases “evah”! Every subsequent album by The Go Set has been superb. The Warriors Beneath Us reminds me most of the spirit and sound of the Sing A Song of Revolution.
West Into The Sun, kicks things off, with pipes, crunching guitars, a big brash course, and a tale of being press-ganged into the Royal Navy. Take Me Home and Horizons are both catchy, catchy, sing-along, guitar rockers. Speaking of catchy, Opportunities could be a radio hit. The Warriors Beneath Us, is another guitar rocker with some very slick guitar solos. Drink to the Night is a melancholy pub ballad. Raise Your Hands gets things cranking again. Broken Bones and Hearts kicks things into punk-rock overdrive. We Got The Numbers is a pro-union rabble-rouser. Things slow down on Tomorrow, a dark, war ballad of a soldier writing a letter home on the eve of the big offensive. On Gallows Bay, the pipes go up above 11, and it’s an absolute classic. Sunnyside of the Street closes and The Go Set puts a grungy stamp on The Pogues classic.
Here’s to another 20 years from The Go Set.
Sharks Come Cruisin: New Single
Providence based Shanty-punks (the original ones), Sharks Come Cruisin’, are releasing a new 7″, Pay Me My Money Down, in August. The single itself is pretty cool, it’s a handmade, lathe cut, made one at a time, record.
Kilmaine Saints: Same Again Tomorrow
I’ve always thought of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania based Kilmaine Saints as a sort of junior Dropkick Murphys, a band with a huge sound, led by a wall of bagpipers. Same Again Tomorrow, the Kilmaine Saints fourth (as I count’em) full length album after repeated spins to these ears is the album to prove the Saints have stepped out of the shadows from behind the big boys and into their own light.
The album bravely kicks off with the infectious fiddle and pipe led, Fanfare, a bold statement of intent to who the band are today. The bagpipes wail on the intro to, Same Again Tomorrow, merging into some frantic fiddling and a chorus to kill for as the Saints recant the adventures of being a gigging band. Siobhan is catchy, more straight ahead Celtic rock that will be in the band’s live set for the foreseeable future. The Animals classic, The House of The Rising Sun, is a strange choice for a cover but the Saints pull it off and give it their own distinctive Celtic twist with fantastic vocals from Brendan Power and some slick guitar leads from Erich Arndt. Off The Wagon is a spunky singalong about you know what, somewhat reminiscent of The Peelers. McGowan’s Wake, builds and builds on dirty guitars into a piper’s farewell. Throwin’ Hands and The Plight are sing along, drink along, Celtic rockers. Nomad has a distinctly spunky eastern European sound. Rally ‘Round The Flag is a bagpipe rocker tribute to the legendary New York Irish brigade, the Fighting 69th, again with some nice leads. Things slow down with, State I’m In, a ballad of lost love, regret and the resulting drinking. Things crank up again to a neck breaking speed on Undivided. Same Again Tomorrow closes with the fine instrumental lament, The Blood of Cu Chulainn.
Kilmaine Saints, take a bow lads, this is a standout album. Now get back to AA.
Shite'n'Onions 