Folk punk supergroup, The Walker Roaders, release a new 7″ single, Maggie May Went to Heaven. The Walker Roaders are James Fearnley (The Pogues), Ted Hutt (Flogging Molly), and Marc Orrell (Dropkick Murphys).
Pre-order here: https://walkerroaders.rosecityworks.com/collections/music
The Rumjacks are back with their sixth album, Dead Anthems, the second full-length with Mike Rivkees barking at the helm – the Boston bhoy who jumped aboard the ship Rumjack for 2021’s Hestia and gave the band a new lease of life after the departure of Frankie McLaughlin. Produced by Mike Rivkees with Pete Steinkopf from The Bouncing Souls co-producing, Dead Anthems got a crisp, punchy sound that still keeps the raw Celtic-punk grit we love.
Kicks off with “Come Hell or High Water,” a immigrant tale you’ll be roaring along to in no time, then barrels into the frantic “They Kick You When You’re Down.” Ken Casey from the Dropkick Murphys lends his growl to “Cold Like This,” a ode to New England winters. Standout for me is “An Irish Goodbye on St. Valentine’s Day” – catchy as hell, with that bittersweet sting of love slipping away in the pub haze.
Compared to Hestia, that fiery return album, Dead Anthems tightens the screws: sharper hooks, bigger production, and a good mix of full-throttle punk with some thoughtful slower burns. The back half, like “Eye for an Eye” and the closer with its Ska undertones, “Some Legends Never Die,” adds real depth without killing the momentum. It’s a cracking listen that keeps The Rumjacks right up there with the best in Celtic-punk. Grab a pint, knock it back and give Dead Anthems a spin (loud).
It’s been a bit of a wait, hasn’t it, folks? After those two Woody Guthrie-inspired acoustic jaunts – This Machine Still Kills Fascists and Okemah Rising – that had the Dropkicks channeling their inner folk troubadours, the Boston street-punks are back with For The People, and Jaysus, it’s like they’ve plugged back into the electric grid of their Celtic punk origins. No more sittin’ ’round the campfire strummin’ protest ballads; this one’s got the bagpipes wailin’, the banjos pickin’ furiously, and that signature gang-vocal roar that makes ya wanna down a pint and stomp the floorboards.
Produced by the ever-reliable Ted Hutt (who’s been behind the boards since Going Out In Style), For The People clocks in with 12 tracks (or 16 tracks on the expanded edition) of pure, unadulterated Murphys mayhem. It’s got that raw energy that harkens back to their early days – think Do Or Die meets Signed And Sealed In Blood – but with a matured edge that comes from decades of road-warrior wisdom. The themes are still rooted in the working-class struggle, solidarity, and a healthy dose of anti-establishment bite, but delivered with the kind of hooks that stick in yer skull like a well-thrown elbow in the pit.
Frontman Al Barr is still on leave (family comes first, fair play to him), but he makes a killer guest appearance on “The Vultures Circle High,” beltin’ out those gravelly vocals like he never left. Ken Casey holds down the fort admirably as always, his bark leadin’ the charge on anthems that beg for live sing-alongs. Speakin’ of guests, the album’s packed with some stellar cameos that amp up the Celtic flavor: Irish up-and-comers The Scratch bring their chaotic energy, The Mary Wallopers add that rowdy folk-punk grit, and none other than Billy Bragg joins the fray on a raucous cover of Ewan MacColl’s “School Days Over.” It’s a perfect fit – Bragg’s socialist soul meshes seamlessly with the Murphys’ ethos, turnin’ the old miner’s lament into a full-throated pub banger.
Standouts? “Who’ll Stand With Us?” the title track kicks things off with a blisterin’ pace, bagpipes screamin’ over thrashin’ guitars. The balls to the wall “The Big Man”, an ode to Fletcher Dragge of Pennywise. The aforementioned “School Days Over” and “One Last Goodbye: Tribute to Shane”
All in all, this is the best Dropkick Murphys album in a long time. It’s a triumphant return to form, remindin’ us why these lads are the kings of Celtic punk. If ya’ve been cravin’ that high-octane blend of Irish tradition and punk fury, grab For The People and crank it loud!
Celtic-punk supergroup, The Walker Roaders, have a new single out ,Singing School.
The Walker Roaders are James Fearnley (The Pogues), Ted Hutt (ex-Flogging Molly), and Marc Orrell (ex-Dropkick Murphys). The line-up is completed by producer Brad Wood (Liz Phair, Smashing Pumpkins) and Bryan Head.
According to the band, a new album is being recorded between Pogues gigs and various production gigs.
Okemah Rising is the companion album to the Dropkick Murphys 2022 release, This Machine Still Kills Fascists, i.e. it’s the unpublished lyrics of legendary American folk singer Woody Guthrie as interpreted by the Dropkick Murphys. Al Barr is still absent from the band, so vocal duties fall to Ken Casey. Like This Machine…., Okemah Rising is more rooted in Americana than punk, though it still has that raw sing-along, punk energy. The Violent Femmes guest on Gotta Get To Peekskill, Boston folk-hooligan Jesse Ahern, guests on Ripping Up The Boundary Line, and the DKMs rerecord an acoustic, I’m Shipping Up To Boston. If you liked This Machine…, you’ll lap up Okemah Rising; if you didn’t, well, the Murphys will be back to being the Murphys soon.
The Walker Roaders, a musical collaboration between former members of The Pogues (James Fearnley), Dropkick Murphys (Marc Orrell) and Flogging Molly (Ted Hutt) release a new song, There Must Be More To Life Than This, today. The single is available from all the usual places.
Legendary Boston punk guitarist, Rick Barton (The Outlets / Dropkick Murphys / Continental) has a new solo album, Nowhere Man, out on October 20th. The album is not your usual punk’n’roll but old school rock and roll infused country. Check out the advance tracks on BandCamp.
https://rickbarton.bandcamp.com/album/nowhere-man
Hello, is the fourth (or fifth?) full-length album by New England based Continental. Fronted by Boston punk legend, Rick Barton, along with his brother, David Alex Barton, formerly of The Outlets. Rick was a founding member of the Dropkick Murphy, playing guitar on their legendary albums, Do or Die, and, The Gangs All Here. Like The Outlets, Continental is a family affair as Rick is joined by son Stephen Barton on Bass as well as drummer Andrew Dickson and Paul Yu on lead guitar. Continental play punk-influenced rock’n’roll. The Clash is an obvious influence but I hear the melodies of the Beatles, the sleaze of the Rolling Stones, and the pop sensibility of Cheap Trick along side some dirty blues guitar. Continental is a very fine band and Hello is a fine album that deserves your attention.
Screw the Oscars, screw the MTV awards, screw Rolling Stone and the CMA, here is Shite’n’Onions best of 2022 list. The only list that matters.
#1 THE MAHONES: JAMESON STREET
A full force Céilí romp and possibly the most authentic trad sound I’ve ever heard coming out of any Celtic punk band.
#2 FINNEGAN’S HELL: ONE FINGER SALUTE
As good as anything the big boys are doing
#3 THE WINTER CODES: SET THE DARKNESS REELING
Barney still has a voice that could strip paint at 50 feet
Their most Celtic-sounding album with an almost Seán Ó Riada style Celtic orchestration
#5 SIR REG: KINGS OF SWEET FECK ALL
Something you can’t fake.
#6 JESSE AHERN: HEARTACHE AND LOVE
This is real blue-collar rock’n’roll with the authenticity you can only get from someone who actually works hard for a living.
#7 DAN BOOTH & NICK BURBRIDGE: ICONS
Beautiful – musically, lyrically, and sounding
Best album to piss off your neighbors with:
THE TEMPLARS OF DOOM: RISING OF THE DOOM!
And on this one, the bagpipes go up to 11.
Best vanity project (just kidding) album:
DROPKICK MURPHY: THIS MACHINE STILL KILLS FASCISTS
Dropkick Murphys ode to Woody Guthrie
Best punk supergroup album:
Fast, powerful punk rock with great melodies, kind of like, well,…………Hüsker Dü
If there was an justice these guys would be huge album:
Back to Zero, is really great rock’n’roll and an album I suspect I’ll be listening to for a long time into the future.
It’s not only Woody from the movie Toy Story who had squeal. The Dropkick Murphys are giving Americas favorite fokie, Woody Guthrie, a squeal with a follow up to, This Machine Still Kills Fascists, titled, Okemah Rising. The album features guest performances by folk punk pioneers Violent Femmes, Jesse Ahern from Quincy, Mass., and Jamie Wyatt. Okemah Rising comes out May 12 on CD, LP and on streaming services worldwide.
Shite'n'Onions 