What Are You Listening To?

[CRAZY-HORSE]

DROPKICK MURPHYS "going out in style" 2010,cd. #6 US, #83 UK.

hooray!

a modern "punk" group who actually are "punk" in the old school term of the word...none of this Blink182/Green Day rubbish(dont get me wrong i like Green Day but refuse to term them as "punk"!!)
these guys of Irish heritage from Boston,USA are the real mccoy, they are the Pogues and The Clash rolled into one solid outfit. i love the way they use traditional celtic instruments(banjo,fiddle,accordian,bagpipes etc) and use it with blistering effect to the solid power chords of punk. the songs are short and to the point(13 tracks coming in at around 45 minutes), love the fist pumping anthemic chorus styles of the early Clash material. track #12 includes Bruce Springsteen on guitar and guest vocals, track #13 is the traditional Irish folk ballad "the irish rover" beefed up to rock. the rest of the album deals mainly with subject matter of 'the poor downtrodden working class' and touches on 'having the backing of a union for strength'...all working class material and true to 1977 punk.
this is only one of two albums of these guys i own out of around seven or eight releases and this one is first class punk rock/punk folk at its finest.

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

tracks:

1. hang 'em high***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFw9AP5q0Pw audio
2. going out in style***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7g3RuoreRc video
3. the hardest mile**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4S5wxHmA4Q audio
4. cruel***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGBGsm2vSYQ audio
5. memorial day***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1Qx0X4T_s0 video
6. climbing a chair to bed**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5E6mU9X1kk live
7. broken hymns***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHLHdj4DAjw audio
8. deeds not words***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EreTmEZ4teg audio
9. sunday hardcore matinee***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vZHP4nZeh8 audio
10.take 'em down***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Ng153ORDo audio w/- lyrics
11.1953***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SE1QgEhq8Q audio
12.peg o' my heart***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA_ikf-vlWc audio
13.the irish rover***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxFIQSZpqcY audio

3s=11
2s=2
1s=0

rating: 2.8

[Music Head]

^^
hope to pick that one up someday

[Tiggi]

There seems to be something Punkish in the atmosphere at the moment !!

First off, one of the great album titles...

Third release from Brit Punks The Damned, from 1979. They managed to make most of their peers sound quite sedate, but they do slow down a little on this one so it's not a one-paced album. Early Damned albums were classy IMV.

Contains the 24-carat classic Smash it up.


AllMusic 4+/5 stars.

[CRAZY-HORSE]

ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS "armed forces" 1979,cd. #2 UK, #9 AU, #10 US.

not much can be said about this one that doesnt say "brilliant", its Costello's third album in a little over eighteen months, and the third in a row of greatness from the other Elvis.
the cd version contains the tracks from both the UK/US versions which is always nice, subsequent cd reissues of this contain another seven or eight tracks, being b-sides and demo's...but im happy with my copy of 13 tracks.
the album was produced by another 'genius' from the70s in Nick Lowe and he does a fine job here.
all i can say is this is perfect pop/new wave from the late 70s, perfect melodies and lyrics, and that voice...how unique is that?!
Elvis is usually forgotten when people name great songwriters but he has been writing great songs for nearly 35 years now.

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

worst track: moods for moderns
best track: olivers army & sundays best

tracks:

1. accidents will happen*** #28 UK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLCj95iIgzg live
2. senior service**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6G7Q0Oe95w audio
3. olivers army*** #2 UK, #24 AU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNMCWGCAIME live
4. big boys***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22ikYwfqAmc audio
5. green shirt***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5f-GOz1Njg video
6. party girl**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQOctYbYKHw audio
7. goon squad***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy27p86zjF4 audio
8. busy bodies**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WV_tylvekg audio
9. sunday's best***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sP3LkjaP4k audio
10.moods for moderns*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isKx2_GXTYw audio
11.chemistry class**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFt-Ky3X57c audio
12.two little hitlers***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKS8gmXGCT4 live
13.(whats so funny bout)peace,love & understanding?***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XYFJUP84lE live

3s=8
2s=4
1s=1

rating: 2.5

[Music Head]

^^
love it.

[Tiggi]

Without the intervention of work colleague Robbie, this would have passed me by.

I have their first two, from the late 1970s, but haven't listened to any of their output since. Those two, Pink Flag, & Chairs Missing are great early Post-Punk albums.

This one, from January of this year, is significantly different from their early output. Age seems to have mellowed them somewhat, but they haven't lost all of their Post-Punk intensity. The sub two minute songs are gone, though, and the longer tracks give the band room to stretch out a bit more.

A touch of Psychedelia creeps in as well, mainly in the vocals.

Good album, straight onto the Buy List.


AllMusic 3/5 stars.

[Music Head]

Why haven't you talked Robbie into joining the site?

[Tiggi]

I think he'd find it hard to fit it in amongst the relentless downloading of albums he does...

[Tiggi]

Recommended by Dogbreath on MD Mk 1.

American Alternative Rock band for whom this album is apparently a big change of direction (this is the only album of theirs I have, so don't have any other reference point). Their sixth from 2004.

Difficult to pinpoint any obvious comparisons although vocalist Andrew Rieger (I think), bears comparison with the vocals of Mark Chadwick of the Levellers.

There's a brisk, lightly Punky energy to this album, and it's definitely a grower.


AllMusic 4/5 stars.

[CRAZY-HORSE]

Why haven't you talked Robbie into joining the site?

i agree MH, get him on here Tiggi!