Review

Rum Rebellion: Crusin For A Boozin

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“Crusin For A Boozin” is the first full length album from Rum Rebellion, an “Oirish” band from Portland, Oregon. The first thing I’d like to point out are the amount of original songs on this album. Nine out of eleven! There’s obviously some talented songwriters in this gang of ruffians, no doubt. Then there’s the music… Damn! For only being together for roughly a year and a half, these guys must have some weird telepathic thing going on here…The tin whistle, guitar, fiddle, and bouzouki seem to flow together like a musical stream of whiskey, backed up with a solid set of drumbeats and bass lines. The vocals accompany the music perfectly, and sound as if Popeye was clutching an empty bottle of rum instead of a can of spinach! (Spinach is bad for you nowadays!) Another thing I’d like to mention are the amount of sea shanties! I think every track makes at least once reference to something nautical, so at least you know this reviewer is happy!

Speaking of Rum Rebellion, As you may or may not know, the band got the the name from the Rum Rebellion of 1808. It was the only successful (if only temporarily so) armed take over of government in Australia’s recorded history. The rebellion was precipitated by the Governor of New South Wales, William Bligh, who attempted to normalize trading conditions by prohibiting the use of spirits (Rum) as payment for commodities. Bligh was aiming to reduce the power of the rum merchants and the New South Wales Corps, which had a role in the trade. These groups resented his interference and the quarrel built to a military rebellion on January 26, 1808. The group of mutineers included John MacArthur as one of the leading personalities. Bligh was arrested by George Johnston of the New South Wales Corps, who took control of the colony. Bligh was held for over a year and when he agreed to leave for England, he immediately attempted to return. Stupid bastard.

Lucky for me, I have been able to witness this band start from scratch. I’ve been lucky enough to have seen them live a few times, (Some I can’t remember… like cough*opening for the Tossers*cough!) and they sound just as good live as they do on record. I’ve also heard them absolutely nail a version of “Dirty Old Town” on the radio. I’ve seen them on street corners busking away like madmen. So let me mention that I am seriously impressed with “Crusin For A Boozin”

100% Pirate approved!

Track listing:

1. Anchors Aweigh!
2. Raise Yer Glasses
3. Boots & Bottles
4. Beer Run
5. The Rusty Cannonball
6. Drifting Down The River
7. A-Rovin
8. Drink With The Devil
9. Ramblers Road
10. Drunken Sailor
11. Dragons Tooth Jig

Go get this album! By the way if you’re in the Pacific Northwest anytime soon, check them out live!
12/31/06 @ SE House Show
1/8/07 @ Tiny Tavern (EUGENE)
1/11/07 @ House Show
1/12/07 @ the Paragon
1/13/07 @ Comet Tavern (SEA)
1/27/07 @ Diablo’s (EUGENE)

2006

Review by: Barnacle Brian

Review

Whisky Chaser: Rantin’ & Rovin

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“Just as you thought things couldn’t get any wackier along comes an off-the-wall music combo which looks set to give Scottish folk music a whole new meaning: Celtic rock band Whisky Chaser.”

“It was in the summer of 2004 that vocalist-guitarist John “Fanny” Adams got together with drummer Wal, vocalist-penny whistler Klaire and vocalist-guitarist Will over a few pints, and began to experiment with music of a decidedly folkish feel. At first they leaned toward the Irish side of Celtic, but with the arrival of bagpipes-bohdran-mandolin supremo, Stripey McDoog, and bassist-vocalist James, the band’s focus shifted North of the Border.”

Sadly, Will has since gone on to other pastures but the core of the band remains and bravely carries on.

Anyway, the disc is really a cover of other tunes, some being traditional. There’s nothing you may not have heard elsewhere but who doesn’t do that now? I mean, everyone covers somethin’ now and again.

On to the disc then…

At the start you’re greeted by the spirited pipes of Doog “Stripey” Grant into a jaunty version of “Scotland The Brave” which leads to a rousing cover of “Leaving Of Liverpool”. The oft done “Whiskey In The Jar” is next with a punkish slant featuring Klaire on the whistle followed by a heart-felt rendition of “The Skye Boat Song”.

This could well be the signature song of the disc if not for the nicely done “Wild Mountain Thyme” and “The Torch” ably done here with the afore mentioned Will and Klaire on vocals. This is a nice change a pace and bridge for the disc.

From here we get to the faithfully done Dropkick Murphys “Heroes Of Our Past” which takes us to “Amazing Grace” which always leaves one with a tear in the eye as it’s done here even with a bit of an edge. The disc wraps up with a nice version of “The Wild Rover”.

So, I know what you’re thinkin’…who the hell is Whisky Chaser and how the feck did they make the Shite n Onions top ten?

Well, I’ll tell yas…

Simply put…heart and a sound everyone likes. There’s nothing new here, no argument there but they’re here because they play with conviction and they love what they do. And while the CD is good, their real strength is in their live show. They’ve played with some damned good bands, most notibly Neck. They pull out the stops each and every night no matter how big the crowd and give it all they’ve got.

They’re what most of us like in a band and they do a bang up job doing what they do. They’re like us given what they like, the way they play and they entertain us and what more can we ask for, really?

If you get the chance to see this lot live, go ahead and do it. You won’t be cheated. They’re great folk that put their hearts into it and it’s definately worth it.

“One thing’s for certain…the image of the lone piper will never be quite the same once you’ve seen Whisky Chaser explode into a mad blur of tartan, kilts, sporrans and bagpipes.” Having seen them, I can attest to that!

2006

Review – The Blackstuff

Review

McDermott’s 2 Hours Vs The Levellers: World Turned Upside Down

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While M2H have had quite a storied history dating back into the eighties, in all honesty I had never heard of them until my trusty postman pushed a copy of their most recent collaboration (Disorder) with their old friends The Levellers through the Shite’n’Onions mail box. I promptly (honest) review it for S’n’O and posted a good review – though my thoughts being these guys are real good but not really my cuppa. Nick Burbridge, vocals, guitar and songwriter for M2H was good enough to forward a couple more McDermott’s CDs (The 1986 debut and their first paring with The Levellers, 2000’s World Turned Upside Down) to listen to  – which I did, but moved on quickly.

Most recently I reviewed McDermott’s latest release, a live CD, and was struck by just how good M2H really are and so after repeated plays of the likes of “Laying the Sligo Maid” & “Harry Brewer” I went back to listen to them on the studio version and was total and utterly blown away by how good M2H are and especially on World Turned Upside Down – It’s not an immediate album (and that’s my excuse for missing it on the first pass) but give it a chance because it worth it – possible one of the best Folk-Rock (with a heavy Irish twist) CDs ever made in my book and certainly one of the best I’ve every heard. The songwriting is superb, as too is the playing and the production. The aforementioned “Laying the Sligo Maid” & “Harry Brewer” (which compares to The Green Fields of France as an anti-war classic or in this case anti-war but if your going to fight do it for something you believe in) are must hears along with the Spanish flavored “La Passionaria”  which is the song The Pogues were trying so hard to write on Hell’s Ditch.

World Turned Upside Down will be very much towards the top of my best CD’s of the year list – 2000 release or not

August 2005

http://www.burbridgearts.org/music/index.htm

Review

Bumfight: EP

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Aha, DIY punk. To quote WFW, “recorded at one session, in one day, in an out building behind a farmhouse”, “mixed and mastered in a few hours and on the streets a couple of days later” and in the Shite’n’Onions review queue for 6 months – sorry guys. This is 10 tracks of some of the most brutally loud punk rock I’ve ever heard and to quote Lemmy “If this band move in next door to you – your lawn would die”.
 

August 2005

Review

Larkin: Reckoning

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I’d never heard Larkin before and didn’t know what to expect but I have to say I was missing out. I’ve nothing against Tulsa, Oklahoma. Any city with a hockey team is OK by me but I wouldn’t have expected this. 

Pretty impressive shite from my point of view…This band really got my feet and other parts movin’. This is what I like from a band of this genre. Tunes full of energy with a good sound accompanying it. Nothing overpowering, just straight forward stuff.

As other outfits can easily be identified by their vocal styling, the same can be said of Larkin. Chad Malone’s vocals are a perfect accompaniment to the music; providing a voice that brings Larkin’s songs to life, meshing the music and lyrics together nicely. The other members of the band do a good job providing the base for Malone’s voice.

Larkin does a good job mixing their songs so that the instrumentals don’t overpower the vocals; meaning you can actually hear what they’re singing about. There is a very nice blend of instruments in all of their songs from David Lawrence’s pipes to Karen Naifeh Harmon’s fiddle. All of them find their place in Larkin’s offerings. One would be hard pressed to find any place where the music didn’t fit.

The entire CD is pretty good but I really liked “Of Hope and Misfortune”, “Ghost of Long Gone Days” the instrumental “Woody Hornpipe” amongst others. 

Give Larkin a listen. I think you’ll like what you hear. I’ll be givin’ this one plenty of play.

August 2005

By The Black Stuff

Review

Various Bands On Myspace.com (Part One)

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A few months ago, someone told me about Myspace.com. My first thought was LiveJournal. You know, one of of those websites where you can post your horrible, teenage poetry on some blog so all your “buddies” can read them, and feel sorry for your pathetic ass, and give you a big hug in the school hallway right before math class….(Okay I’m done.) Yes, for the most part Myspace is worthless, but I’ll admit, the cool thing is you can listen to all kinds of bands, (Some good, some REALLY bad!!) that you never would have heard about. Here’s a quick list and description of some of the bands I thought are worth checking into. 

The Dirges –  I’ll admit, this is the reason I felt the need to review all these bands I heard on Myspace. You seriously need to check The Dirges out right now. To put it very blunt…They have a great fucking sound. In fact, if you decide to check out Molly Malones Pub in Hollywood. (Of Flogging Molly fame) You’ll probably see The Dirges up on stage playing some tunes. They are more or less, Molly Malones “weekday house band”. Speaking of Flogging Molly, a member of The Dirges, (Francis DeAngelo) sing backup vocals on their last album. They also opened up for Spider Stacy/Filthy Theivin’ Bastards in L.A. a few months back. Just what does this band sound like? Here’s a description form the band: “The Clash meets Van Morrison in a Irish pub. They all leave, go to Shane MacGowans house for a few pints and ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!” I honestly think they sound better than that description, but what do I know! Reminds me of a young Van Morrison fronting The Low & Sweet Orchestra. Look for a big ol’ review on Shite’n’Onions soon! Consider this as a quick teaser. Have I mentioned great fucking sound yet?

The Scotchgreens – From Ketchum (Ketchup?), Idaho. The ScotchGreens are not a Celt-Punk band at all, but the majority of S’n’O readers will enjoy them anyways. From the website: “Formed in 1998 and originating from Idaho and California, The ScotchGreens blend punk rock, bluegrass, and American roots music to form a unique sound that challenges and captivates its fans. Based out of San Diego, The ScotchGreens have a reputation for high-energy shows, and play on a regular basis throughout Southern California.” 

Meisce – From Seattle, Washington. They describe themselves as: “A drunken Irish folk singer dancing in the barn he just lit on fire.” Meisce has been together since October of 2002, combining elements of Irish folk, gypsy, Eastern European klezmer, and punk rock, among other influences. We are excessively drink-friendly, and our live shows usually erupt into frenzied dancing and flying alcoholic beverages. They are in the process of recording a full-length album, and from what I’ve heard from these guys so far, it should be good. check out 

The Sharky Doyles – From the south side of the Windy City. I know they’ve been mentioned on S’n’O before, but you gotta love the way they decribe their sound: “If Social Distortion, The Pogues and the Dropkick Murphys had a three way with your little sister, the Sharky Doyles would be the little bastard that came out 9 months later.” You’ve gotta admit, that description alone deserves a listen, and when you do, I’m sure you’ll enjoy The Sharky Doyles.

The Barstool Hooligans –  You’ve gotta love the name. The Barstools some from Eire, Pennsylvania, and from what I’ve heard, they have a celtabilly punk’n’roll kind of sound. The second album should be out Fall 2005. Look for a full review of that album sometime soon.

Fighting Sullivans – Do you like the GC5, Dropkick Murphys, and lyrics influnced by Shane MacGowan and Billy Bragg? Then you’ll enjoy Fighting Sullivans. Hailing from the great state of Ohio, home of The Boys From The County Hell, The GC5, and the most horrible name in NHL hockey: The Blue Jackets (Okay second worst, right after The Mighty Ducks.)

The Swaggerin’ Growlers – If you’re a fan of The PubCrawlers, you’ll also these guys. Probably because The Swaggerin’ Growlers consist of former members of the Pubcrawlers. As a fan of big jugs, I just knew I’d enjoy clicking on the makeshift play button the webmasters over at myspace provide. Speaking of growlers, I have a few growlers full of beer in my fridge. It’s 5pm somewhere…http://thuglygoose.com/ or of course www.myspace.com/theswaggeringrowlers

Brennan’s Revenge – From Eastlake, Ohio. I’m just going to get the band do the talking…
“As legend has it a man named Rick Sirl (quite possibly the sexiest man on Earth second only to the mighty Ogre…) was looking for pictures of naked tribal women in Readers Digest (he always confused Readers Digest and National Geographic) when he had a most terrific idea. 
He thought to himself “I am going to start a progressive rock band and we will be called Silly Wizard and the Lazy Geniuses!” It was a glorious event, the dawning of a new day! 
After a few hideous performances at his favorite bathhouse Rick decided to change things up a bit. He decided to play something other than progressive rock, something with a little testicular fortitude. Something like Irish influenced Punk-Country-Folk-Rock.”

The Closet Squatters – From Chicago, Illinois. Don’t ask me what the fuck a closet squatter is, because my first thought wasn’t exactly worth going into detail, but it was pretty fucking sick… The Closet Squatters sound like a nice mix of Flogging Molly meets The Kissers.

County Hell –  If you’re in Tallahasse, Florida and need a quick Celt-Punk fix, Check out the band, County Hell. They play around town from time to time. I’m not sure if they have a website up & running yet, so in the meantime, check out www.myspace.com/countyhell   So that should keep you alll busy for a while. I’m sure there’s plenty more decent bands out there, and I’m sure we jokers here at Shite’nOnions will eventually review them one way or another. So you’ve got to admit, even though the majority of Myspace users may have countless pages of shite on their collective blogs of boredom, there are also a few decent bands worth checking out, and supporting. Not maybe those bastards will send me money for all the fucking times I mentioned their site!

August 2005

Reviewed by “Barnacle” Brian Gillespie

Review

The Pubcrawlers: Another night on the floor

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The Pubcrawlers have come a long way from their rough and ready first demo recorded a little over two years ago and while they band still retain that early enthusiasm they have come on in leaps and bounds as a band in terms of musical and studio skill – fans of straight ahead, no frills Celtic-Punk like The Porters, The Real McKenzies and Dropkick Murphys will certainly get a kick outta this and all others should keep an eye on ’em cos that classic is just around the corner.

August 2005

http://www.the-pubcrawlers.com/
Review

Various Artists: Paddy Rock Radio Volume 1

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First of all hats off to Paddy Rock Radio’s John Bowels for putting this comp together. As someone who has put together a similar project I know what’s involved in pulling everything together and believe me it can be a major pain in the ass. Chicago based Paddy Rock Radio is a peer Shite’n’Onions and a long time supporter of the Celtic/Punk scene. Paddy Rock Volume 1 is a celebration of the shows 5th anniversary  and is a collection of both classic and new Paddy Rock. Some of the the music on offer here will be very familiar (The Peelers, The Prodigals, Greenland Whalefishers and The Mahones) and some stuff is new even to me. The new bands to me that I loved and now want to check out further are Flatfoot 56 (bagpipes and hardcore), The Killigans (Flogging Molly like with feeling and great vocals), Switchback (Reggae’n’Irish).

Full band list: Flatfoot 56, The Peelers, The Bloody Irish Boys, The Killigans, Jackdaw, The Go Set, The Mahones, Switchback, The Prodigals, Greenland Whalefishers, IceWagon Flu, The Scuttlers, The Broken Shillelaghs

August 2005

http://www.paddyrock.com/http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/paddyr
Review

Con: 9 Songs

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And now for something completely different. Well sort off. While most Celtic-rock bands use The Clash as their jumping off point from the rock world into the world of The Pogues and onwards to The Dubliners and Clancys. Con from Philadelphia have influences coming from late eighties/early nineties alternative rock – The Pixies and U2 when they were ripping off, eh, being influenced by The Pixies. Adding to this base are traditional Irish melodies which soften the hard guitar edges. Singer-songwriter Frank Daly appropriately enough was with rebel group Spirit of ’16 prior to Con. The lyrics here are some of the most pro-Irish Republican I heard this side of Black 47 or That Petrol Emotion and like both these very fine groups I feel the lyrics may hold the band back from wider acceptance outside the Irish rock scene but I doubt somehow they give a shit about that.

August 2005

Review

The Scuttlers: Heathen Death Barrels

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Its hard to believe The Scuttlers contain a member of legendary 70’s Aussie punks X – Geoff Holmes – ‘cos this is totally different to anything old punk fans could ever imagine. Think of a Celtic Grateful Dead tripping on Irish whiskey and magic mushrooms – jigs’n’reels and raggle taggle  with  spacey female vocals often hidden behind background tapes. The cover of “Whiskey in the jar” is an amazing Alt-country version.

August 2005

Potato-eating, Whiskey-drinking, Bog-trotting, CELTIC PUNK ROCK