Fiddler's
Green |
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Fiddler's Green
"Drive Me Mad"
Deaf Shepherd Recordings
2007 has been the year for me when it comes to amazing Celt-Rock
& Punk and one of the main reason's would have to be
Germany's Fiddler's Green and their explosive release "Drive
Me Mad". The Fiddler's Green is comprised of 6 mad
men taking Celtic-Rock and speeding it up 10 fold to what
I like to call the ultimate "Celt-Rock Energy Drink"!
Fiddler’s Green has taken some Trad. tunes like "The
Night Pat Murphy Died", "When Will We Be Married",
"Marie's Wedding", "Salonika", and more
and transforming them into songs that will have you bouncing
around your living room with their unique fusion of Celt-Rock/Ska/Punk
and more that would make any band learning how to do this
music right back to school. "Drive Me Mad" will
be on our list of Top 20 CDs of 2007... the question is
who will catch them at the top of the list?! Good luck!
Tracks of interest: "Irish Air", "Folk's
Not Dead", "Salonika", "Marie's Wedding",
"Captain Song", and hell... the whole fuckin’
album! Pick this one up today you bastards or you'll never
know what great music is out there!
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The
Fisticuffs |
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The Fisticuffs
"Bruised But Not Beaten"
Self-Released
Hailing
from dear old Chicagoland.... The Fisticuffs have been a
welcome addition to our list of bands here at Paddy Rock
Radio. If you put Neck, The Tossers, and the Greenland Whalefishers
in a blender and added a shitload of Whiskey... you would
have one hell of a drink that will knock you on your ass
and show you no mercy... and it would be called the Fisticuffs!
"Bruised But Not Beaten" pumps out some of the
best Celt-Punk like a feckin' kick to the head!
The recording is a bit raw... but so is their sound... raw
and in your face! Bobby Baldwin's snarling vocals, Dave
Beneventi's multi-talents of Mandolin/Banjo/Guitar and Ian
Tully on Bagpipe/Tin Whistle/Bodharan, Arcadia Kust's masterful
Fiddle, Lil Stevie on Washboard, Ian Sutherland's shredding
lead Guitar work, and Brandon Simmons & Tony Dellorto
providing the backbone on bass & percussion.... all
seem to be too many for most bands to work like a fine oiled
machine... but somehow each one fills in the gaps to provide
for one hell of a LP. Word be told... this disc is good...
but to get the full effect... go see them live!
If you like the sounds of the Dropkick Murphys, Greenland
Whalefishers, or The Tossers... you will love this disc.
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Flatfoot
56 |
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Flatfoot
56
"Jungle Of The Midwest Sea"
Flicker Records
Flatfoot
56 is back again with their second Flicker Records release
"Jungle Of The Midwest Sea", and the pride of
the Southside of Chicago has yet to disappoint me. "Jungle
Of The Midwest Sea" just shows how much they have
grown as a band... the song-writing is powerfully poetic,
the musicianship is a well-oiled machine, and each track
will have you rising up and singing along with every word!
From start to finish this is a solid release and a homage
to those who work hard to support their family in a city
with no remorse... this is a album that speaks true of
being proud of who you are... and not letting the bastards
bring you down...This is Celt-Punk at it's best from a
working class band for working class people!
Side note.... guest vocals by T. Duggins on the title
track... and his brother Aaron did some whistle parts
as well on the disc.
Tracks of interest: "Loaded Gun", "Pay
Me A Dollar", "Carry Em' Out", "Jungle
Of The Midwest Sea".
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Flatfoot
56
"Knuckles Up"
Re-release
Flicker Records
Flatfoot 56 is the most aggressive Celtic oriented punk
band in the Chicago paddy punk rock scene. Mandolin and
bagpipes accompanying loud ass guitars… Flatfoot
56 has that street punk anthem sound with the angst and
aggression that would make any punk rocker happy enough
to throw their fists into the air to the rally call!
This Flicker Records release has further enhanced tracks
than their previous on Fatcalf Productions... and also
the "Brotherhood" video to top that off!
I found new tracks that caught my attention with every
listen, but “Brotherhood”, “Knuckles
Up”, & “The Long Road” stood out
from the rest. “Knuckles Up” is one hell of
a CD with great lyrics, musicianship, and a great take
on “Amazing Grace” near the end of the disc
that even made this drunken’ sinner sing along.
My final say on this disc... pick up “Knuckles Up”
if you like the sounds of The Casualties or early Dropkick
Murphy’s and not because you think you know Celtic
Punk because Flogging Molly is cute and makes you feel
warm inside.
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Flogging
Molly |
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Flogging
Molly
"Whiskey On A Sunday"
Side One Dummy Records
I usually
not one for reviewing the bands that everyone knows like
Flogging Molly, The Pogues, or DKM... mostly because they
are already are a success and don't need our help in selling
records. However, this CD/DVD release is one of the best
packaged collection of music and video documentary that
is on the market in Celtic Rock & Punk I've come across
to date. A behind the scenes look at Flogging Molly talking
about the stories behind their song-writing, life on the
road, and how they got their start. "Whiskey On A Sunday"
is not only for the fans of the band... this is for bands
getting into Celtic Rock & Punk, fans of the music in
general, and for all of you who want to get in on the history
of a band that will go down in history as one of the best
bands in the Celtic Rock & Punk scene that has taken
over the world.
Pick it up today... or I'll lite your hair on fire.
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Gaelic
Storm |
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Gaelic Storm
"Bring Your Wellies"
Lost Again Records Gaelic
Storm is back again with more great acoustic Celt music
with their latest "Bring Your Wellies". Every
venue I've visited throughout the Midwest the one band
that has been requested by fans has been Gaelic Storm.
Why? This group of craic addicts have a knack of not only
writing amazing songs but the music fills in the gaps
to make for songs that will last a lifetime. If I don't
hear "Kiss Me I'm Irish" in every pub this St.
Pat's then I guessthey wouldn't have any tastes in great
drinking songs that make you break out in song and dance...
and maybe make you lose your pants.
If
you like the sounds of Enter The Haggis, The Saw Doctors,
The Prodigals, The Elders, Young Dubliners, or
The Sandcarvers... you will love this disc!
Tracks
of interest: Me and The Moon, Never Drink 'Em Dry, Kelly's
Wellies & Kiss Me I'm Irish.
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The
Greenland Whalefishers |
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Greenland
Whalefishers
"Down and Out"
Patchwork Record Production
The
Greenland Whalefishers have been friends of our since we
started here at PRR. These Scandinavians have been making
the best Celtic-rock/punk tunes since I received their 1996
disc "The Mainstreet Sword"... and might I go
one step further to even say better arranged than the Pogues.
All I must ask is when the hell are these boys coming across
the pond to the US and do a world tour... I have fans coming
out of the wood work asking me everyday! "Down and
Out" is a great representation of how Celtic-Rock/Punk
should be played with great tin-whistle work by Agnes, the
snarling vocals of Arvid, crashing percussion by Orjan,
and some of the best musician ship overall by all others....
how can you lose with the "God of War", Odin,
as your fiddle player? The Greenland Whalefishers would
be best described as the Pogues if they were turned up to
eleven!
If you are interested in the sounds of The Pogues, Blood
Or Whiskey, The Popes, or The Tossers you will have a great
time rockin' out with pint raised high to this disc.
Tracks of interest: "Hit The Ground", "Standing
In The Wind", "A Song About Porter", "Set
Me Free", "Molly's Lullaby", "Down and
Out", "Ramones".
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Highland
Reign |
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Highland
Reign
"Back Where We Started"
Piper Records
"Back
Where We Started" is exactly as it's named... this
recording takes you back to your Celtic/Scot roots.
From time to time I like to listen to some tracks by bands
with traditional instruments playing songs of old and new...
and one that I can't seem to get enough of at my local pubs
here in NW Indiana is Highland Reign. "Back Where We
Started" is a stripped down release from this kilted
trio... with great gigs/reels and trad. tracks like "The
Scolding Wife", "The Rattlin' Bog", and "Mountain
Dew"... and a great original like "Down the Pint".
As it is written in the liner notes... these are great songs
as if heard around a campfire or your local pub.
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Ice
Wagon Flu |
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Icewagon
Flu
"Off The Wagon"
Jivin Jones Records
Icewagon
Flu is one of the newest offspring of the Celtic fusion
movement on the East coast incorporating all different forms
of reggae, funk, folk, country, and rock with some original
and trad Celtic tunes.
Where most bands would find this musicial blender a tough
task, however Icewagon Flu pulls it off with their musical
talents, wit, and humor both live and in the studio. "Off
The Wagon" captures some of Icewagon Flu's best tracks
that I've received to date all on one disc. "Off The
Wagon" is an amazing contemporary Celtic-Rock CD with
their original sound, arrangment, and radio ready tunes.
If you enjoy the sounds of Enter The Haggis, Ceann, or just
looking for a Celtic Rock party band that could play almost
any venue... Icewagon Flu is the band you need.
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The
Indulgers |
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The
Indulgers
"Out In The West"
Self Released
The
Indulgers have come a long way with this celtic folk-rock
with a touch of Americana on this disc. Like a book of great
stories in years past.... The Indulgers take you on a journey
on the roads and country sides of those brave souls who
migrated to the "West". This release reminds me
of my ancestors who came over here from Denmark years ago
and made that trip across country... some of whom died...
and others who struggled found their way to land and a place
to call home. This is stripped down music with history,
purpose, and emotion... great song-writing... almost a soundtrack
of what I should have learned in school.
If you like Celtic folk/rock that you can groove to rather
than get pissed drunk to at a jumping party... you will
Indulge yourself on this trip "Out In The West".
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JD
& The Longfellows |
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JD &
The Longfellows
"Confessions"
Self-Released As
you know I love songs about drinking and good times...
even if it's not specifically Celtic oriented, and JD
& The Longfellows has one hell of a drunken masterpiece
here with "Confessions". You can hear the influences
of Skiffle, Rockabilly, and even Ska throughout on the
disc.
Imagine the Pogues if you took away their Irish brogue,
mandolin, tin whistle, and singing about Irish history…
and made a transition over to an English accent, acoustic
guitar, fiddle, and singing about drinking, life, and
just plain madness! Simple but amazing songs that will
become a part of the soundtrack of my life as a drunkin
DJ really soon!
If
you enjoy the Pogues, Nigel Burch & The Fleapit Orchestra,
or just looking for some great songs for your next party…
you will dig this disc.
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