I think it’s pointless even trying to describe what The Dropkick Murphys are all about – everyone should have heard of them by now and if you haven’t, you really ought to. They’re a band that, while maintaining their Irish-American musical roots, have changed their sound in an attempt to satisfy the fans. And I’m not talking about switching genres, more refining what the band are all about. Of course some people have moaned that the Irish-US ‘image’ is all a pretense anyway, and that the band are merely putting on a facade, but tell the truth it’s never really interested me. TDM are a solid, reputable band that have always put out records of a decent standard. Their recent singles collection (clearly a dressed up ‘best of’) proved that.
This new album keeps up the standards the Murphys have set, even if they’ve endured vocalist changes along the way. Moreover, this is a pretty fun album. ‘Sunshine Highway’ has a wonderfully crafted and melodic chorus, while thestraightforward Irish folk of ‘The Green Fields of France’ is another highlight. As usual, there are bagpipes, a mandolin and more than a healthy dose of their punk rock roots. But this album isn’t just about the music – there are some strong lyrical themes too. ‘The Last Letter Home’, incorporates parts of a letter written by a Dropkick Murphys fan who was killed in Iraq during the war, while in the very first song the band cry “We are the ones who will never be broken / We are the ones who’ll survive.” You get the feeling this album will cement their long-standing reputation as being a fine band.
Hellcat
Paul