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.
April 27, 2015
Millionaires is the second full length release from Continental, Rick Barton’s post Dropkick Murphys vehicle. If your familiar with Rick’s post DKM stuff it’s more of the same – big guitars, big hooks, Johnny Cash and Joe Strummer drinking cheap whiskey and riding boxcars, and not a single bagpipe wail in earshot. The album is on vinyl from the nice folks at East Grand.
August 31, 2013
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.
Guitarist, Rick Barton was a founding member of the Dropkick Murphys and songwriting partner to Ken Casey. Rick departed the DKM’s before the sessions to “Sing Loud, Sing Proud” because of his inability to strike a balance between being in a touring band, owning his own business and responsibilities to his family (a difficult balance for anyone). Fortunately the DKM’s survived the departure for Barton and I’m glad to report Barton survived the departure of the DKM’s.
“An American Rock Song” is a great Punk’n’Roll album, with influences from the Cult (think Billy Duffy’s guitars on Electric), Social Distortion and Bruce Springsteen’s darkest period Nebraska. Powerful guitar driven catchy Rock’n’Roll with deeply personal lyric’s that beg for forgiveness for past mistakes, redemption and rebirth. The Shadow Blasters are not a baby Dropkick’s but you’ll hear the influence that Barton had on the DKM sound. A fine CD that stands up on it’s own and out of the huge shadow cast by the Dropkicks. Highly recommended.
October 2002
Shite'n'Onions 