Review

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem: Irish Songs of Drinking and Rebellion

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It’s in no small part due to the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem that Irish folk music has risen to the level of popularity that it has today. Influential beyond words, the Clancy Brothers reside comfortably on most Irish bands “tops of the genre” list. Really, all that need be said about the Clancy Brothers can be summed up thusly: One of the most influential and popular groups of the genre, the Clancy Brothers works and their collaborations with Tommy Makem have become known as indispensable classics of the movement.

The brothers Clancy (Paddy, Tommy and Liam) hail from Carrick-on-sur, County Tipperary, Ireland (same county as Shane Mac, for those keeping score.) It was said that their mother loved a singsong, and the least excuse would do to burst into one. Their father was an opera singer, so the boys came by it honestly. After various musical endeavors (Paddy and Tom serving in the RAF and emigrating to Canada, then on to America as actors) Liam Clancy and Tommy Makem went to America. They joined Paddy and Tommy (who were running a theatre) there and to supplement the income, they started singing in a place called “The Filthy Pig” in Greenwich Village.

The shows they played were boisterous, playing old Irish traditionals with one mike between the four of them. They soon gained notoriety, with people like Bob Dylan showing up for gigs. Their Mother knitted them Aran sweaters, they appeared on Ed Sullivan and could see that big things lay on the horizon. And although the Irish in America were still hesitant and by no means full of today’s boisterous Irish pride, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem helped shatter that by performing for President Kennedy in the white House, complete with a sneeringly defiant “We Want No Irish Here.”

Over the years, the group used drama, humor, conflict, joy and pain to express their simple folk tunes and to bring Irish music to a new level. The collection I have chose to represent them is “Irish Songs of Drinking and Rebellion” but there are many, many others out there that would be just as good. On this appealing disc, it is amazing how much can be conveyed through the tunes, ranging from rebel anthems to drinking sing-a-longs. From the simple, plaintive whisperings of “The Patriot Game”, to how much emotion they can evoke in songs like “Kevin Barry” and how much raucous joy “A Jug Of Punch” or “Finnigan’s Wake ” might induce. True, this is a simple introduction to the group, but it shows just how much they are capable of. Just when you think you have pegged down the happy tippling tunes like “Whisky You’re the Devil”, they bring things down with the perennial funeral favorite “The Parting Glass” and you’ll thank God that you have heard it, and thank God the Clancy Brothers chose to share their immense talent with the folk world. We’re all better for it.

So, pick up this or any other such collection for you can rarely go wrong with the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. Treat yourself if you already haven’t.

February 2002

Review by Sean Holland

Review

Dropkick Murphys/Face to Face: Split CD

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Whoah. Piss in a pint and I’ll drink it down. Crikey. What can I say about the Dropkick Murphys new tune “The Dirty Glass (Darcy’s Revenge)?” It’s a masterpiece of the spit-their-face-and-tellemtofeckoff-lost-love song, Irish style. Ken and Co have combined their growing-by-the-tune talents with Boston’s own Kay Hanley (her of Letters to Cleo fame) for a Shane MacGowan/Kritsy MacColl-style revenge rant that is, dare I say it, the best of it’s kind since the dynamic duo did it years ago in the “beers drank and tears shed” past.

It opens with a beautiful accordion/acoustic melody with Kay as title character Darcy, lamenting for her lost Murphy, whom she has lost to “health and good cheer.” Ken, as Murphy, soon rages on about how he was “five years younger” and corrupted by the elder Darcy. They battle of wits is propelled along and interrupted by brother Al Barr, who joins in chastising Darcy for corrupting his younger, drunker boyo of a sibling (One can almost picture poor Kenny wallowing away in some cop-filled, dirty little Boston bar, crying in his dirty stout.) So back-and-forth they go, placing blame, taking piss-shots and having a helluva time doing so.

Hanley strikes hard with: “Listen to the big shot with his pager on-call/you spent most of those nights in my bathroom stall” and asks furthermore “How was I to know he was just a fiend and a no good cheat?” to which Ken scores the knockout “Well, that’s all in the past, bitch, cause now I got it beat.” He sounds as if he’s having as much fun giving the kiss-off as Shane did all those years ago. Wicked good job, boys, wicked good job. These are the tunes that are my absolute pleasure to review.

The boys continue on with two covers, the familiar live staple “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, which is given the familiar Murphys bombast to grand effect. The real pleaser of the two is “21 Guitar Salute” by the often-overlooked Oi! band the Press. The tune itself is great, but it, too, is Murphy-ized, especially in the outro, and to grand effect, by Spicy’s bagpipes and Matt’s Celtic-style drums.

All in all, an appetite-whetting winner from the Dropkicks until their next effort. We can only imagine what that will be like.

Uh, as for the Face To Face contributions, I’ll just say that I’m not what one would call a fan of this type of band. They play California-style power-pop-punk that is fairly good for what it is, I guess. Much better than crap like Blink 182. Anyway, they start the thing out with “Fight or Flight” which is an OK original, and then cover “Road of the Righteous” by, of course, the Dropkicks and then “Wasted Life,” the classic by Stiff Little Fingers. Let’s just say that, in my opinion, these two covers are the best things this band has ever done and leave it at that.

So, go out and grab this for the DKM side, and long for their next release like the wino does for his next booze-induced euphoric ride.

February 2002

Review by Sean Holland

Review

River City Radicals: Everything You’re Afraid Of

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Long before there were other “River City” bands playing tired, Clash-like/Rancid-ish streetpunk out East, there was a little band of skinheads in Peoria, Illinois playing the tightest, cleanest Oi/streetpunk out there, if anyone cared to listen. Long before other such similarly titles bands got signed to major labels, the River City Radicals were putting out their own cassette-only releases that made 75% of what passed for Oi! back then look like drivel. But history is a dirty little whore of a mistress, and while the untalented are often rewarded, bands like the River City Radicals are overlooked. I am here to make sure they get noticed.

In all fairness, this release is quite old. The boys in the band are no longer the skinheads of old that recorded this album (although they still adhere to the same values and still cover such luminaries as Cock Sparrer, the Boys, the Clash, the Undertones, etc.) At the time of the recording, the band consisted of Frank Schapmire: guitar/vocals, Josh and Joe Schwindenhammer: guitar/vocals and bass/vocals, respectively and Tim Beck on drums and piano. Beck has since quit the band, and they are heading in a more rock-n-roll direction. Frank has, nowadays, much more of a Stones influence than the hooliganism of old. But things change, and often for the better. No matter, on to the album. The album opens with the anthemic rock-n-roller “Violence” which sets the bar for what’s to follow – clean guitars that rock (almost NOBODY is doing rock-n-roll guitar like these boys do) big choruses and multi-talented musicianship all around. Lyrically, it’s what you would expect from skinheads – working class odes to drinking, fighting, getting drunk and laid, but done so cleverly, with the nod of a cap and the wink of an eye. Just when you think you have them pegged, Frank and Josh always seem to have an ace up their sleeve.

My two favorite cuts occur early on into the album, cuts three and four, respectively, and are “Lady Luck” and “In Your Underpants” (love the chorus.) Both cuts utilize piano/organ, giving things a Mod/Power-Pop flavor, and a hammond-esqe elegance. This is an appropriate thing, considering it seems to be the direction the band is headed in at the present. (These days, they do a rocking live cover of “Makin’ Time” by the Creation.) Other top-notch cuts are “It’s All Over” a Cockney Rejects-style ’77 sing-along complete with Oi! Oi! Oi! background chants, “Hooligans Friend” which is straight-up backstreet Oi! and “Patriot” which explores similar territory. All in all, a great album that was overlooked by most labels, which was their loss, because this is one of the great skinhead rock-n-roll albums the Midwest has ever seen.

With this release being old, I wonder what the future releases will be like. Judging from the output of the past, the new stuff will be nothing less than grand. If you ever get a chance to see these guys live, do it, and do me a favor – request an old ditty called “Irish Spring” that Frank and company have since disowned, but trust me – it rocks…even if Frank thinks it’s crap. For info on how to obtain either of the first two River City Radicals releases, drop me an e-mail, you’ll thank yourself later.

February 2002

Review by Sean Holland

Review

USM (United States of Mind): Demo

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From the corpses of several Boston punk bands, including S’N’O faves, Darkbuster, comes United States of Mind, Boston’s newest punk rock hopefuls. The boys in the band are: Rocco (ex-Capture the Flag) on vocals/guitar, Mike Gurly of Darkbuster fame on bass and vocals, Bob Kadles on guitar and vocals and Jon Stone on drums (both lads are from Meat Depressed.) What to expect from this new, potent blend? Well, you may or may not be surprised.

The opening, blistering tin whistle solo more than justifies this band’s presence on a site dedicated primarily to Irish punk/folk/whateverthefuck and this segues into the first cut (and my favorite) “Your Country.” This tune sets the stage for most of what follows – complete with Paul Weller-esqe “La-la-la-la’s, “Your Country” is one of the better efforts of power-pop, mod-ish, ’77 rock I’ve heard in quite some time. It, and most of the album seems influenced by such luminaries as Stiff Little Fingers, the Clash, the Jam and the Who, combined with a Boston rock-n-roll touch of their own. Indeed, Rocco tends to sound like a combo of Weller and Strummer, and that, dear friends, is a compliment.

As the album progresses into the rock-n-mod piece, “True to Your School” it combines a ‘50’s feel with Clash-like power to perfection, and hints of songs to come, as quite a few employ this technique – an almost 50’s power pop feel. Other tunes that stand out include “Song For a Generation” and “Nite Out” which actually reminds me of another Boston band, The Shods. “The Peter Pan Song” follows and continues along the same lines – Shod-ish power-pop, and the “I don’t wanna grow up – Not me! Not Me!” sing-along works and works well. “Armies of the World” follows and it also bounces along, Jam-like, infecting the bloodstream and causing one to sing along. The very early Clash-y “Check Your Head” has a chanted chorus that would make Sham 69 proud. Damn, these guys would’ve rocked on “Tops of the Pops” in 1978. Really, all that can be said is every cut on this disc is a winner…and that don’t happen often.

The band even go so far as to cover “Batman Theme” which Weller did with the Jam, as a tribute to Pete Townsend of the Who. The influences go ‘round and ‘round and end up here, with a modern, rocking sound. I can’t really say I’m surprised, as the band members are obviously talented and have taken bits pieces of their forefathers and combined it with their own parochial interests. Impressive to say the least. So “Ready Steady Go” it is and pick up this demo right now….At $3 it HAS to be the steal of the year (and it’s only February.)

February 2002

Review by Sean Holland

Review

The Veros: The Way I Feel (CD-R single)

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In the sorted world of Shite N Onions, nothing could fall further from the genre of Irish folk than French Oi! which is exactly what the Veros are. So, this review is primarily of interest to the skinhead/punk contingent among the readership, and if there are none, then this review is primarily for me, because, well, the Veros are too good to be overlooked.

For those of you familiar with French Oi!, the band Snix is considered a classic of the genre, and along with such earlier bands as Tolbiac’s Toads, the Warrior Kids, Brutal Combat and others, defined the movement in France and often times bettered their English counterparts.

Boni, the drummer for Snix, is the lead singer and guitarist for the Veros. With this release, he, along with bass player Vero and drummer Denis, show why the Veros are a new classic – they haven’t forgotten their roots.

The Veros are a three-piece and their sound is primarily inspired from their French forefathers and from such English acts as Cock Sparrer, the Last Resort, 4-Skins, early Skrewdriver, Stiff Little Fingers and the like, yet all the while retaining that esoteric French sound. Mid-tempo, with clean guitars and catchy choruses throughout. All sung in flawless English (except for the covers of French Oi!)

This interactive CD-R includes two Veros originals, “The Way I Feel” and “Got To Get Away” both of which are top-notch, and “The Way I Feel” already has my vote for Oi! tune of the year. The interactive portion includes a web page with band pictures and profiles, as well as an MP3 section where the band cover the 4-Skins, the Last Resort, Skrewdriver and several others (7 total.) Also included are 4 videos, featuring “The Way I Feel” and Cock Sparrer’s “We’re Coming Back.” It’s all very professional and well done.

This release is easily one of the best things I’ve got in months and deserves to be heard by any and all fans of Oi!, streetrock, etc. Hopefully, the Veros will be putting out a full-length (or at least more singles) soon. By paying homage to the past greats, and being led by one who was involved, The Veros are the immediate present and future of French Oi! To order this interactive CD-R, go to Pure Impact records at pureimpact.com.

February 2002

Review by Sean Holland

Review

Fathom: Available Light

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“Available Light” is the 7-track debut demo CD from Long Island’s Fathom. Fathom play what they describe as “Progressive Celtic Rock”. I wasn’t sure if I’d like this based on the description, the term progressive always makes me wince as I think of overblown, self-important, 70’s monsters in dressing gowns like Yes or ELP. This I like though, the music is much more contemporary then the progressive tag would lead you to believe. Imagine if the classic mid-eighties U2 sound was influenced by traditional Irish music or the Edge played on the Waterboys “Fisherman’s Blues” along with strangely enough a touch of “Out of Time” period REM then you’ve a good gist of Fathom’s sound (the songs are also good by the way). Recommended to fans of the Prodigal’s or anyone who ever wished Dave Matthews could do a jig.

February 2002

Review

Shane MacGowan’s Popes: Across the Broad Atlantic

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After a very long wait, we finally have an official live album to add to our collections. Shane MacGowan and The Popes have released “Across The Broad Atlantic” (at least in the U.S., Europe will have it in February I believe.) The album was recorded live on St. Paddy’s Day last year in New York AND Dublin! How the hell can that happen, you may be asking? Well, according to the liner notes in the album sleeve, Thanks to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, the official Paddy’s Day in Dublin had to be moved from March to May and Shane became the first ever Irish performer to be able to celebrate Paddy’s Day on stage in both New York and Dublin in the same year! Yeah, like Shane needs TWO Paddy’s Days in one year to celebrate! As many of you would expect, the album is sometimes spotty. The crowd sounds like it may have been diluted down in the studio a bit, but unlike a few bootlegs, you can actually hear the band in between tracks.(Too bad you can’t understand just what the hell Shane is saying on a few of ’em!) The Popes sound solid throughout the album, but Shane sounds like he may have been drinking warm whiskey out of a dirty ashtray on one or two tracks. He even sings “Fairytale of New York” with his mother, and let’s just say it’s …..a bit off key. Some of the standouts on the album are the eerie “Angel Of Death” the last song Hank Williams wrote, also “Body Of An American”, “More Pricks Than Kicks”, and “Streams of Whiskey” I especially enjoy the great echo effects from Shane when he gives his typical banshee howls during some of the songs. It is definitely about time we can own a “real” live album, although some bootlegs are a better quality show, just not a better quality recording. I also heard a rumor that another live album is in the works from The Pogues. I guess it’s a Show from 1991 in Switzerland, that will be released as another “official” live album. That’s great guys!! How ’bout an “official” album with some unreleased tracks on it?

February 2002

Review by Brian Gillespie.

Review

Suspect Device: Boston Massacre

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Suspect Device are the Stiff Little Fingers of Mission Hill. Like Jake Burns, Suspect singer/guitarist Jay Bennett grew up to a soundtrack of sirens and gunshots. When he sings, “Who remembers ’89?”, he’s not talking about the punk scene. But, as did SLF, this four-piece have turned bad experiences into upbeat, powerful street-punk anthems. And they’re no rip-off; these are damn good songs. With his rich, Bragg-cum-McColgan voice, Jay belts out catchy melodies over quick beats and tight riffs. Nearly all the twelve 3-minute songs are fast, but they snugly fit short solos, reggae breakdowns, a ballady intro. You’ll crank this again and again.

February 2002

Review

Shilelagh Law: …Half the Bottle Down

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Kicking up a storm of contemporary Irish American and traditional Irish rebel and drinking songs without an electric instrument in sight is Yonkers, New York based Shilelagh Law. “…Half the Bottle Down”, the self-released debut CD is split between nine traditional standards and five originals. The traditional numbers are all pint raisers with rousing bar room courses while the originals are more contemporary sounding tales of New York Irish life, similar at times to Black 47’s more mellow moments.

In summary – upbeat, foot tapping pure Irish folk, kind of like the Wolf Tones with new batteries in their pacemakers with a splash of Black 47.

February 2002

Review

The GC5: Singles Collection

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This is the debut release on the new Cosa Nostra label started by the GC5 and Mark from the Hudson Falcons. Those of you unfamiliar with the GC5, they are a young band from Mansfield, Ohio who play solid, unpretentious street punk with a touch of hardcore. Reminiscent of the Dropkick Murphys before they went “Riverdance” (just joking Ken). “Singles Collection (1997-2000)” is a compilation of the bands early, now very out of print singles on Michigan’s Transparent Records, a couple of re-records of some real early stuff plus some previously compilation only tracks and a ripping cover of Billy Bragg’s “There is a Power in a Union”. The songs are loud, fast and short; 16 songs in 33 minutes. Yet as loud and as fast as the GC5 play the band never forgets the importance of the song and the hook. “Singles Collection (1997-2000)” is a good introduction to a great band and a good way to pick up those songs you won’t find anywhere else now and a great way to follow the bands growth and progression through to just before the release of the brilliant first CD “Kisses from Hanoi”.

February 2002

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