You might have notice on the bottom right hand side of the blog there is now a little widget that tracks site visitors and how they found Shite’n’Onions – well to my surprise I’m getting lots of visitors from Saudi Arabia – now originally I was thinking that my Arab friends were actually searching on Shiite and getting Shite but then I noticed that the key words being searched were, “hairy backed guys” and I realized to my shock and surprise that The Skels have a fan base in the Middle East!
Speaking of HBGs, The Skels were in Boston for the 1st time in a long while, paying their 1st ever gig in bass players Henry Ryan’s home from home – Brighton’s own The Castlebar. The special occasion that merited 3 sets from The Skels and was to celebrate Paddy Keys of The Larkin Bridges impending nuptials (congrats Pat), and The Skels were in rare form – lots of Pogues covers, their own master pieces and synchronized Judas Priest style guitar/banjo poses – in fact there were even a few new tunes and an new CD announced which is schedule for release at the end of the year (though Chris Skel wouldn’t commit to which year). It was also nice to see Benny from Toxic Narcotic join The Skels on his accordion for a few songs.
The Skels are always great to see live and 3 sets in The Castlebar a special treat – I’ve been going to see The Skels for over 10 years and they never fail to impress and hope to see ’em again when they come back from their tour of Iran, Iraq and Yemen.
Saints Preserve Us is another balls bustingly good album from The Rumjacks. Classic Clash meets the Dubliners – fast and punky with a slight reggae undertone while downing pints with Luke Kelly and Ronnie Drew on a Friday night in O’Donoghue’s. Frankie McLaughlin’s lyrics are as sharp as ever – “though its been eight generations since we’ve kissed Erin’s shores, my bloods greener then yours”. I love the cover of the traditional, “An Poc Ar Buile”, sung (or snarled) in gaelic. Saints Preserve Us continues to prove that The Rumjacks are one of the premier Celtic-punk bands – but you knew that already.
Wow is this really the sixth album from Sweden’s Sir Reg? They still seem like the spunky new guys on the block. Maybe it’s because they are still hammering out Celtic-punk at a neck-breaking speed with no sign of slowing down or ‘maturing’, just playing like that proverbial underdog’s bollox. The Underdogs is all everything we know and love Sir Reg for; the aforementioned fast as feck yet melodic Celtic-punk but also a lyrical wit so sharp it could kick the eye out of a maggot that only a true Dub could produce.
Hard Time In The Country is a return to early form for The Langer’s Ball after the full band excursions of their most recent releases. Like the first couple of releases by TLB, Hard Time In The Country is a guy (Michael Strum) and girl (Hannah Rediske) acoustic duo doing contemporary interpretations of Irish folk, Americana, protest folk and Motorhead (really!).
Hard Time In The Country is a richly and beautifully performed album where each song seems to effortlessly gel together whether it’s a Billy Bragg cover (Constitution Hill), or an original (Hoist Your Cup High), or a traditional standard (Parting Glass) or even Motorhead’s 1916 (which really, really works a folk song)
LDR is a testament to the unrelenting spirit of Finny McConnell and The Mahones. Life sucks at times – health fails, relationships end, loved ones die, and all you can do is pick yourself up and keep going. Though sometimes moving forward involves revisiting the past as The Mahones have musically done on Love + Death + Redemption , moving back towards the classic Mahones sound of the mid 2000s and before i.e. not as punky as as The Hunger and The Fight (though stuff like, Win Some, Lose Some, show the Mahones can still pogo with the best of ‘em). Love + Death + Redemption is is the Mahones moving forward and hey it’s gonna be alright.
I’ve been a long time fan of Chicago’s (and formally Nashville’s) Pete Berwick’s bad attitude and cheap beer cowpunk. Island, Berwick’s sixth full length solo album in an almost 40 year career, backed by The Mugshot Saints, to these ears sounds like Pete has mellowed a wee bit. The Island is less cowpunk and more traditional outlaw country – Cash, Jennings and Haggard or even Steve Earle. While Pete’s previous albums could be described as the musical equivalent of a brawl at some rundown rural roadhouse, Island is more the older guy sitting on the porch, drinking that cheap beer and reminiscing of a life well live and battles well fought with not a single damn regret.
The now long running musical merger of McDermott’s 2 Hours, one of the forefathers of the whole Celtic-punk scene and their prodigy The Levellers has been joined by UK folk rock institution Oysterband on Nick Burbridge’s swansong for McDermott’s 2 Hours, Besieged.
If your not familiar with the work of singer, songwriter, playwright & poet Nick Burbridge, he is one of the finest Anglo-Irish songwriters and lyricists, a Beckett or Kavanagh to MacGowan’s Behan or even a Springsteen in his lyrical imaginary of the ordinary or downtrodden.
I’ve had a copy of Besieged since 2017, I listened continual to it though 2018 as I waited to be given the ok to review the advance copy. I can say it truly that Besieged is a great album, brilliantly crafted songs and lyrics and beautifully produced. An album that has passed the test of 12 months. The only question is Besieged the best album of 2017, 2018 or 2019?
The Road Not Taken is an impressive release from these Celtic son’s of France. The Road Not Taken is Sons of O’Flaherty first full length release following up on the band’s debut 5 track EP from a few years back. The Sons of O’Flaherty straddle the ground between the big boys of Celtic-punk, DropkIck Murphys and Flogging Molly. Closer to the Mollies then the Murphs but also reminiscent to the Swedish/Irish lads Sir Reg. Sons of O’Flaherty are tight, talented and a band to watch out for.
Personal favorites include “Saint or Sinner” and one of the best versions of “Fields of Athenry” I’ve ever heard.
I remember reading a quote about the original line-up of Motorhead (Lemmy, Larry Wallis and Lucas Fox). It went something like “If this band moved in next door to you, your lawn would die”. This quote comes to mind as I listen to Boobies, Banjos, Bagpipes & Beer the third full length by Kingston New York’s Alternative Ulster, however I’m thinking not only would your lawn die but your house would feckin fall down cos Alternative Ulster have bagpipes that go
It’s been a while since I’ve heard anything from Yonkers NY Shilelagh Law. Auld School is the band’s seventh album (I think the last one I heard was either the first or second release). Auld School according to the press release is a return to the bands Irish roots after moving to a more polished sound on recent releases. To me Auld School is reminiscent of those early releases – High energy, stripped down, sing-along interpretations of Irish-American standards that should be on everyone’s Paddy’s day playlist. Still New York’s finest.
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