Birmingham, Alabama is not a place I think of when I think of Celtic-rock’n’punk, if I was to think of a genre it would be dyed in the wool Southern-rock. Jasper Coal has changed that musical association for sure, for sure. Named after the coal mining town of Jasper in central Alabama a big destination for Irish immigrants in the 1800’s the six piece take their inspiration from the legends of the Irish in the mines of Jasper. Jasper Coal play big, solid Celtic rock rooted in their local traditions with strong fiddle work from Kevin Nicholson inter-playing with the piping of Ryan Morrison and the rowdy barroom brawl vocals of Ian Hoppe.
Once in a while a band slips through the cracks and I’m sorry to say that The Kidney Stones debut album, Raise ‘Em Up, fell through the cracks. They sent it and I put it in the “to listen to” pile then forgot ’bout it until recently when Tales & Anecdotes For The Slightly Deranged arrived in the PO box. So outta guilt I put them to the top of the “listen to next” pile though I wasn’t expecting much beyond bog-standard Celtic-punk.
Well?
Bhoy was I wrongs!
Yeah it’s Celtic punk but it’s the Irish Rover and it’s been hijacked by crew of Gypsy pirates from the port of New Orleans and they’ve raised the Jolly Rodger . Reminiscent at time of The Dolomites at their evil circus best. One of the highlights of the year.
Colorado based The Indulgers are longtime veterans of the Celtic-rock scene with a history going back to the mid-nineties, and fronted by relocated Dub., Damien McCarron. Whiskey Tonight is the bands seventh album and the sound of Indulgers is a laid back cool, mild and smooth like a good American whiskey but with the bite and kick of good Irish Whiskey. West Coast Classic Americana (Fleetwood Mac or even The Eagles – you know what I mean) meets classic Celtic-rock (Horslips, The Waterboys, The Saw Dactors and even Lizzy). Highlights for me were Ceili Mor (as Gaelic) and Story Rory (that’s Dublin Speak for “Whats going on”).
It’s been a while since the last studio album from The Fenians, it’s been about 10 years since “Every Day’s a Hooly” I think. Well the band haven’t got rusty in that time that’s for sure with a live album, a best off and plenty of live gigs between. If your new to the scene or haven’t heard the Fenians before they are a polished high-energy Celtic-rock (not punk) band from Orange County, California. Similarly to say NYC’s The Prodigals or The Elders but just with suntans, shades and a laid back CA sound – if they were any more laid back they would be lying down (I know old joke).
Highlights from the album for me include the rockin’ “Banshee Under My Bed” and the acoustic turns Ska “Leave Her Johnny Leave Her” is a must hear.
“Empty Bottles & Broken Things” is the follow-up full length by Galician Celtic-punk band Bastards on Parade to their very fine debut album “Tales from the Death Shore”. The bands new label Wolverine Records must have had a lot of faith in Bastards on Parade and are certainly willing to spend the dough on the band bring in producer John Rioux (Street Dogs) and I think that faith has paid off in another very fine album. No surprises here if you’ve heard BoP before, hardcore punk with pipes influenced by The Real McKenzies, The Street Dogs and Dropkick Murphys of course.
Standout tracks include Outcasts (with Finny from The Mahones guesting) and Shallow Waters (my personal favorite). Like I said a very fine album and if you like stuff like Warriors Code era Dropkick Murphys then this you’ll love. The band are on the road in Europe and if you can, catch ‘em.
Winners and Boozers is the mighty new album from Fiddler’s Green. 16 tracks in all of party Celtic-punk spiced up with European polka and songs of the seas – Rum and Irish Whiskey and the finest German larger. Loads a energy here, mixed with the occasional downtime to nurse a massive hangover (the slow stuff). There’s not a bad tack on Winners and Boozers which is quite an achievement for any band 23 years on the go. If I have to mention any particular tracks for highlights it would be the Celtic punk-ish Old Dun Cow and A Night in Dublin and the sea-fairing Old Polina and Buccaneer (done in a style that reminds me of Canada’s The Town Pants) and the epic Into The Sunset Again.
Rick Barton is a Boston punk legend going back to the early eighties with The Outlets and then as a founder member of the Dropkick Murphys. Rick wrote I believe pretty much everything on the first two DKM album then left the band. Rick has spent the last decade or so off the music radar with the exception of a full-length in 2002 as Rick Barton and The Shadow Blasters. Rick couldn’t say away too long though and got into production, producing the Street Dogs 2010 self titled release. Rick put together Continental in 2009 with his son Stephen on bass and 2013’s All A Man Can Do is their first full length (following up on an earlier 6 track ep). All A Man Can Do is in very much in the vein of the Shadow Blasters, American punk’n’roll that pay’s homage to the roots of rock’n’roll. An easy reference would be the Street Dogs or early DKM meets Johnny Cash. Highly recommended.
No Man’s War is the third release by San Diego based Lexington Field in the space of about two years – a busy band for sure (and all that with a full US tour or two). Lexington Field is a case of quality and quantity. Self describe as American Fiddle Rock, Lexington Field bring together on top of a big rock’n’roll sound, Celtic, bluegrass, Americana and folk and just a touch of punk to produce a very fine album with its own individual stamp in an often overcrowd field. Highlights for me among many include Rest of Our Days, The Chemical Worker’s Song and the mainstream friendly Dear Old Friend.
Ireland and Spain have long interconnected history’s going back tens of thousands of years. The Iberian peninsula was the staging ground for various waves of early settlers to Ireland through the Celts and onto the middle ages when trade ties were very strong with the West of Ireland – where do you think the “Black Irish” come from? In later years the Kings of Spain supported the Irish cause and the Earls took flight to Spain and even in the 20th Century the Spanish civil war attracted Irish volunteers on both sides.
So its not that strange to be listening to a Celtic punk outfit from Toledo, Spain. Refarmatory is the second full length for The Fatty Farmers and its good and sometimes its very good. The two bands that come to mind listening to Refarmatory are Flogging Molly and especially Norway’s Greenland WhaleFishers. Loads of strong Celtic instrumentation and melodies played at full throttle but never losing the essence of the sound to the speed and energy of the playing. Check out Next Sunday We´ll Be Back Again…….
The Vandon Arms are a Celtic/Folk/Punk band from Des Moines, Iowa, who have been together since 2006 and while they have previously release a number of EPs, No Loyalty Among Thieves, is the bands first full length (I think).
On the first listen there isn’t a hint of Jack or Diane and John Mellencamp ain’t nowhere to be found. Then again maybe it was Indiana Johnny Cougar was singing about ? Shite’n’Onions is based in Boston and we get a bit fuzzy once we get beyond Worcester (pronounced Wooster) where it’s all kind of flat with a oasis at PaddyRockland, then flat again, then you hit the sea near San Francisco.
What I did hear was straight ahead Celtic-folk-punk with strong influences by Flogging Molly, The Tossers and The Mahones (“Down The Boozer” is covered) . After multiple listens I’m a fan and still not a hint of Pink Houses (for you and me).
Shite'n'Onions 