Feather and Flame is the third full length from Headsticks who have arisen phoenix like from the ashes of Jugopunch and the Clay Faces. Best described as English with a just touch of Americana and some Irish blood in the ol’ veins folk-ROCK – reminiscent of The Clash – the attitude – but more Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros in style. NMA, The Levellers or an amped up Billy Bragg also come to mind.
In all while not an immediate album if you invest the time it will pay off ten fold i.e. its bloody good after a few spins.
Highlights included: What do you want – part revolution, part Rovers Return Go move shift – The old Christy Moore classic Every single day – pure punk’n’roll
Bodh’aktan is the self titled fourth full length album from Quebec based French-Canadian’s Bodh’aktan. Now if you haven’t heard Bodh’aktan before they play big ‘ol bagpipes punk’n’roll influenced by both the maritime and Celtic traditions and they do it all Francais…..and why not. Kind of like legendary French punk/metal outfit TRUST on a weekend bender in Connemara. Check’em out.
And now for something completely different – kind of. Some of you may remember Black Friday a Celtic punk outfit outta Cornwall (Got to Go is a must hear) well Tom O’Reilly & The Swaggers is four members of Black Friday donning cowboy boots and swapping Poitín for moonshine. The Swaggers perform laid back alternative country interspaced with traditional and Cornish folk and they do it very well. Reminiscent of Dublin’s Great Western Squares. Impressive.
Bit of a blast from the past here. Bacchanal’n’Philadelphia is the remastered, reissue of the earliest two recordings by Mischief Brew – six tracks are from Bellingham & Philadelphia” (the split LP with Robert Blake) and the five tracks from the Bakenal EP. This is pure campfire and tinnies acoustic folk-punk – powerful, melodic and biting. Check out Every Town Will Celebrate, I think you’ll like. Folk the system……indeed.
And every town will celebrate someday Waving sweatshop flags and grande lattes Wearing culture on their backs Wearing spirit on their hats One by one they’ll join the parade and celebrate Yeah, every town will celebrate someday
Wanted to give a big shout out to Minnesota’s The Langer’s Ball who have just released a very fine album in Whiskey Outlaws. The Langar’s Ball have come a long ways since their early guy and girl duo beginnings, now a five piece, The Langer’s Ball are ready to take on the Celt-punk establishment. Like I said, Whiskey Outlaws is a very fine album with the obvious influences of The Pogues and Flogging Molly but also the gypsy punk of Gogol Bordello or the Zydepunks and even Tom Waits. Traditional yet quirky as hell – check out Whiskey Outlaws – it won’t disappoint.
Rolling Sound the latest release by Aussie band The Go Set is an album you need to buy twice, not just because its another slab of fineness from one of the most consistently great bands on the whole Celtic-punk scene. In fact, I would say it’s my favorite Go Set collection with the exception of the Sing a Song of Revolution (and if they pulled Back in Black 2 outta their collective arses Sing a Song of Revolution would still top it for me). So why buy it twice? Well once so you can get it on glorious splatter green vinyl and twice cos the CD version comes with a DVD of These Are The Days a full length highly professional documentary on the band and realities of a DIY band touring the world and making music on their terms.
Alternative Ulster are a Celtic-punk band from Ulster County, New York and Rebellion is their first album. I would describe the sound of Rebellion as snot, spit and safety-pins punk rock of the 1982 variety being held ransom by a manic, whiskey swigging highland piper. The whole album is a ton of energy and enjoyment. 16 tracks in all with 10 originals based on Tip O’Neill’s political mantra that all politics good music is local (“Riot in the Rondout” tells about the Kingston, NY waterfront area notorious for street brawls. “Ten Guns for Kingston” is about their home town and “The British are Burning Kingston” recalls October 17 of 1777 when the British put Kingston to the torch. “Bannerman Island Ghost Wench” tells the story of a haunted island in the Hudson River) and six covers; Sham 69‘s “If The Kids Were United”, The Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop”, The Sex Pistols “Seventeen” (though I would like to hear’em do Winger’s “Seventeen”) and an amazing cover Black Sabbath’s “Supernaut”.
“Paddy Go Bragh” is the debut album from German Outlaw Celt-punk band The Dullahans. Fifteen tracks in all with twelve being souped-up folk standard made famous by The Dubliners and their like and three souped-up polkas – Adam Bell’s March, Bill Sullivan’s Polka and John Ryan’s Polka. So while there is nothing original here the Dullahans are tight and their interpretations are a hell of a lot of fun to listen to. Recommend if you like your Whiskey In The Jar served rowdy.
I’m way over due on writing a review of On Our Own, so apologies to the Wild Colonial Bhoys for my tardiness – that said I’ve played a ton of stuff from On Our Own on the podcast so I don’t feel too guilty. On Our Own is the third full-length release from the Twin Cities based band. On or Own is a first class album of Irish-American fiddle rock. Reminiscing of Lexington Field, Blaggards and Flogging Molly (though while not a punk as Flogging Molly WCB can keep up to the speed and energy). Check out Falling Through The Cracks, The Last Hurrah or Smell the Roses they won’t disappoint, promise.
Always good to get a CD in the mail from Walter Wouk. The Winter Codes, humm; arty prog looking cover, hummm; orange sticky note with a message from Walter – “the new release from Barney Murray“, feckin’ ace!!! Long time scenesters will remember Barney as the near legendary front man of Blood or Whiskey who left the band and essentially disappeared from music after the second BoW full length. Delighted to report The Winter Codes five track EP is classic Barney harking back to the debut BoW CD though stripped down acoustic with just Barney on voice and accordion and fellow ex-Bow David Walshe on guitar and mandola. The voice has that familiar growl and the FU attitude of old is still there. Welcome back lads and looking forward to more.
Shite'n'Onions 