Review

The Street Dogs: Back To The World

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Like a blast of fresh air over that steaming pile of shit some people like to call the music industry, The Street Dogs are welcomed like an animal lover with a fenced yard, walking into the pound with a smile on their face. This has to be the greatest way to start off the new year! Hell, I was still shaking off the cobwebs of New Year’s Eve, when I stumbled down to the mailbox, and opened up a package containing The new Street Dogs album. I guess you could say I was caught odd guard. (You should have heard how loud I barked “Holy Shit” when I saw the album!) Speaking of being caught off guard, that could explain my reaction when I first heard the early demos that eventually became “Savin Hill.” All I could say for the rest of the day was “McColgan’s Back!!!”

When The Street Dogs came to town last fall, I was more prepared. It was their first time coming to Portland. Playing moments after Boston won the World Series, The Street Dogs were in high spirits, and it showed. (Hell, after the Briggs played, there was about a 45 minute break between bands… We were all downstairs in the bar, watching the game on the big screen!) I never got around to writing a concert review of that gig. (The Briggs, Street Dogs, Flogging Molly) I think I was too busy listening to “Savin Hill”… The greatest record of 2003.

Well guess what, “Back To The World” is even better!

Sticking to the same formula as their previous efforts. “Back To The World” covers all the important subjects. Sounding more polished than ever, The Street Dogs have once again, lit the fuse and blew the God-Damned roof off.

Here’s a quick teaser, until the album hits stores Jan. 25th.

1. Strike A Blow:
An assult on the current state of music. A song about bringing new life to the radio.

2. You Alone:
A song dedicated to Greg Riley A.K.A. Chickenman.

3. In Defense Of Dorchester:
Hometown pride. You can hear this one on The Street Dogs website. One of my favorites.

4. Back To The World:
Obviously the title track, “Back To The World” is a soldiers tale about the current mess in the Middle East, wishing he could get back to his wife, & kids. This one really hits home.

5. Tale Of Mass Deception:
After telling us a tale about a soldier’s story in the previous track, The Street Dogs blast our current so-called “leaders”.With a bit of the accordian mixed in for good measure, “Tale Of Mass Deception” starts out like this: “An elaborate con on the common man,
Propelled by your massive media plan.
And I can see your hostile takeover, greed and your lies.
Turning what I love, into what I despise.”
(You can also hear this one on The Street Dogs website)

6. Drink Tonight:
After the last couple of songs, it’s time to take a break and have a drink or two. “Drink Tonight” is obviously a drinkin’ song, a very good drinking song. Turn up the volume to 11, and hold on, it’s the hardest hitting track on the record!

7. Stagger:
A song about a crusty old WWII Vet sitting at the end of the bar, bitter & drunk. I can almost picture this guy.

8. White Collar Fraud:
Ever worked in an office (Or anywhere for that matter!) with a backstabbing asshole who sucks up to the boss, and does anything they possibly can to get ahead. Well, this is a song about that guy. (I hate that guy…)

9. Patrick:
Remember that guy in school that aced every test with ease, and had the whole world in the palm of his hand, only to blow it on drugs, drinking, and general fast lane living? Well, this is a song about that guy.

10. Pull The Pin:
I very well could have missed the entire point, but what I got outta this one was it’s about a guy at the end of his rope with a gernade, and he’s about to pull the pin.(Or something to that effect.)

11. Hands Down:
A real man doesn’t strike a woman. It’s about keeping your hands down, and talking about it peacefully. A real man doesn’t beat his wife. No matter what!

12. Union & The Law:
What’s wrong with being treated fairly? You knew it was coming eventually, this is a Pro-Union song giving a voice for the working man. “Union & The Law” is about exposing the current problems with “company downsizing.”

Holy shit, 3 days into 2005, and I have already heard the best album of the year! The Street Dogs will be touring this winter with Social Distortion. I’m sure you all will have tickets.

November 2014

Review by: Brian Gillespie

Review

Jugopunch: Cold/A fiver on the horses

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“Trad Irish with balls”, that’s how Stoke-on-Trent’s Jugopunch describe themselves in the press pack that accompanies their new single – Cold/A fiver on the horses – and I’m not going to disagree. The three tracks presented here while strongly rooted in Irish folk like the Clancy’s also nod in the direction of fellow Anglo-Irish men, The Pogues. Think “Dirty Old Town” and “A Pair of Brown Eyes” and you get an idea of the direction the band is going in.

November 2014

Review

Luke Kelly: Thank You for the Days

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For those of you in ignorance of Luke Kelly, he was the finest interpreter of traditional Irish and folk ballads bar none, both as a member of the Dubliners and on his own – ask Dave King or Shane MacGowan and I think they’ll second me.

“Thank you for the days” contains 9 (out of 10) previously unreleased versions of very well known Luke Kelly standards (McAlpines, Rocky Road, Galway Races etc.) recorded in the rough and ready in some very primitive studios back in the early ‘60’s and recently rediscovered in some dusty folk archives during research for a Noel Pearson film on the life of Luke Kelly, “Luke”. The 10th track, “Thank you for the days”, recorded in the early ’80 just before Luke’s death seems a little too polished and out of place in this collection, a great song though.

Probably not the best place to start discovering Luke Kelly (The Luke Kelly Collection is a much better starting point) but it’s a strong collection that show cases the raw power and passion of Luke’s voice.

July 2004

Review

Ricky Warwick: Tattoos and Alibis

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Irish born, Scottish raised, Ricky Warwick is the former front man of 80’s metal band, The Almighty. The Almighty looked tough and sounded tougher. A mix of Motorhead, AC/DC and SLF. The big problem with The Almighty was that they were signed to a major label over in the UK, who put constant pressure on them for “the hit”, diluting what could have being one of the great metal bands and when the hits didn’t come, The Almighty were given the short shift and told to eff’ off

Tattoos and Alibis is Ricky’s first solo effort and it’s stripped down acoustic root’s rock, kind of like Mike Ness on “Cheating at Solitaire” – all steel guitars, whiskey bottles, gruff vocals and broken hearts. Unfortunately, the big problem here again is the eff’ing A&R guy whispering in Ricky’s ear, “We need a hit.”

July 2004

Review

Rum Runner: Association

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Living somewhere in the same neighborhood as The GC5, and The Swingin’ Utters, Rum Runner make you want to pump one fist in the air, while your other hand is  busy grasping a pint glass and spilling beer all over yourself. Obviously influenced by Shane MacGowan, Rum Runner doesn’t sound like your run-of-the-mill Celt-Punk band. Probably because they aren’t your run-of-the-mill Celt-Punk band… They are a streetpunk band first and foremost, with celtic, oi, and slight blues influences hidden underneath the thick layer of  vocals, guitars, drums, and bass. (also include a little banjo, & harmonica)

Calling Calgary, Alberta home, (Fuck Tampa Bay-that puck was IN the net!) these guys have just gotten started. The best part about Rum Runner is just about everybody will enjoy their music. Punks, Skins, and even those goofy Celt-Punk-Drunks, are all invited to the Rum Runner party! Recently releasing the debut album “Association” on Long Shot Records, Rum Runner should have a bright future ahead of them. I loved the album from the 1st track, “Association” to the 12th track, “Streams of Whiskey” (Yes, THAT Streams Of Whiskey”.) But, overall my favorite track was the Nipple Erectors cover “Nervous Wreck” It sounded just a great as the original. (It even starts out with that unmistakable MacGowan laugh…you know, “KKRRRSSSHH” The one that sounds like Sesame Street’s Erine)

  Track listing :
1. Association
2. Nervous Wreck
3. Whiskey & Wisdom
4. Torn Ten Dollar Bills
5. Balls
6. Street Credibility
7. The Green Sod
8. 10.30 In The Morning
9. Dragonflies
10. Nagelbett
11. Industry
12. Streams Of Whiskey

July 2004

Review By Brian “Beer-Spiller” Gillespie

Review

Josh Lederman y Los Diablos: The Town’s Old Fair

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Boston’s self proclaimed “King’s of the Irish wedding band scene” actually hail from bordering Somerville, a small and gritty, working class ethnic city that also happens to be one of the hippest places to live in America (Utne Reader) and all this with out losing it’s way to yuppies and gentrification. One could argue that Los Dablios embody the very essence of Somerville.

Los Dablios take Josh Lederman’s melancholy and boozy, romantic lyrics and vocals inspired by the MacGowan and Waits school of songwriting and combine it with American and ethnic roots-rock with a strong Irish and Jewish overtones – of course – and at times touches of Jazz, Cajun and Big Band. Someone once described this as folk punk for nerds and computer programmers – a perfect description.

July 2004

Review

The Ruffians: Live at CBGBs

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Bet yah didn’t know that CBGBs stands for “Country, Blue Grass and Blues”. CBGBs started out its life as a live music venue that specialized in all three of those forms of music. The Ramones changed all that (and the face of rock’n’roll) forever. So it’s not that unusual for a band with a squeeze and Irish folk influences to be recording a live CD at the birth place of punk. But, don’t worry punk purists, the Ruffians rock hard enough to do “the Brudda’s” proud.

The Ruffians have come a long way since their 2002 debut EP, “The Naked & Proud”, and have developed into a very fine band indeed with a very distinctive original sound – squeeze box and wall of distorted guitars. “Live at CBGBs” is a testament to the band.

Now can somebody tell me what OMFUG stands for?

July 2004

Review

The Go Set: a Song of Revolution

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I hate the phrase “kick ass” but it’s the only description that fits The Go Set. ‘Sing a Song of Revolution’ not only kicks some serious ass, it kicks butt and arse and whatever they call ass/butt/arse in Australia. Take classic Bon Scott era AC/DC, the celt-ism and social conscience of Roaring Jack and the bagpipe punk fury of The Real McKenzies along with 20 cans of Fosters and you’ll get an idea of what The Go Set sound like. “Sing a Song…”, was recorded two days so it’s raw, loud and powerful. Recommended to those who like their guitars turned to 11 and the bagpipes turned to 12.

July 2004

Review

Warblefly: Crashing Through the Trees

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Although their third release, this is my introduction to this British folk-rock band. For someone who’s written almost exclusively about folk-rock on the world stage for the past several years, I must admit to being pleased to have finally heard this band, while at the same time, chagrinned for having not heard them sooner. Warblefly shoots out of the starter blocks in fine form with “Folk Ruts,” an alternative rocker in classic Levellers style with aggressive rhythm and melody-driven fiddle. “New York Gals” is a more guttural, punkish piece barely resembling my first exposure to that song – Steeleye Span’s 1975 version from COMMONER’S CROWN. “Devil in the Kitchen” is a deliberate instrumental very British sounding while “Going Home” incorporates a “down home” bluegrass or mountain style. “When the Rain Came” again recalls the Levellers but don’t let those two Levellers references give you the idea that Warblefly is purposely patterning themselves after that classic Brighton-based band. With their mix of British folk and punk flavored with occasional American folk stylings, and their attention given to the instrumental passages, Warblefly are true originals. Politics notwithstanding, “The Ballad of Ali Abbas” is the highlight of this album, with its rapid-fire rhythm and vocals coupled with an incredible melody and juxtaposition of electric guitar and folk instruments. It wasn’t until after several listens that I realized that I didn’t even agree with the sentiment of the song, but I didn’t care because it’s such a great piece.

July 2004

Review By Dave Sleger

Review

Aiden Crossey: Where Old Ghosts Meet

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I’m a little embarrassed here; I’ve been sitting on “Where Old Ghosts Meet” for almost 6 months. Why? Because I felt I didn’t have the depth or knowledge of pure traditional Irish music to write a proper review. Sure I can fake it with a ballad group but with a collection of the purest Jigs and Reels (and the occasional Song and Waltz) I’m stuck, and the sad thing is I had every opportunity to be exposed to some of the best trad music around (many of the teachers in my school were serious players and people like banjo player, Eamon Coyne (http://www.eamonncoyne.com/) were a few years ahead of me) but of course I was more interested in Iron Maiden and the like.

Aiden Crossey is a former Belfast punk from back in the day and now a long time London resident – a former member of one of Neck’s early line up’s. “Where Old Ghosts Meet” is sixteen tracks of serious traditional Jigs and Reels broken up by poems and songs. Now if you’ve just discovered Irish music through Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphys and you’d like to explore it more then I’d recommend you check out greatest hits packages by either the Clancy’s or The Dubliners but if you really want to explore the richness of pure traditional music you won’t go wrong with “Where Old Ghosts Meet” (and it’s all done with a punk D.I.Y. spirit.)

July 2004

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