Earlier this month I watched a solid four-part
documentary on punk rock. One of the lessons I took from it was that punk is an
attitude as much as a style of music, and that denying someone the title simply
because it isn’t ‘pure’ enough is just uncool.
Whatever you want to call this next band, I
like their music, and that’s what matters.
Disc 1303 is… The Meanest of Times
Artist:
Dropkick Murphys
Year of Release: 2007
What’s up with the
Cover?
A family portrait of some kids you wouldn’t want lurking around your silverware
or left alone in a room with your cat.
How I Came to Know
It: I’ve been a fan of the
Dropkick Murphys since my friend Andrew introduced me to them. This album was just
me checking out their latest album.
How It Stacks Up: The Dropkick Murphys have made nine studio
LPs, and I have seven of them. Yeah, I’m a fan. Despite that fandom, one of
those albums has to finish last, and “the Meanest of Times” is it. If you’re a
glass-half-full kind of person you might say it ranks higher than the two
records I passed on.
Ratings: 3 stars
If “The Meanest of Times” had been the first
Dropkick Murphys album I’d ever heard, I would probably be raving right now at
the brilliance of it all. This is because when you first year the Murphys
infectious, aggressive blend of Celtic folk music and punk rock it is something
of a musical revelation. This being the sixth Dropkick Murphys album I’d ever
heard, my reaction was more akin to “Oh, so more of this? I like this!”
There is a lot to like, and like hard rockers
ACDC drop killer rhythm guitar licks and keep 4/4 time, the Murphys know what
makes their sound great and how to stay in their lane. You won’t encounter them
exploring a lot of new sound on “The Meanest of Times” but you’ll still have a
rollicking good time, and even a slam-dance or two if you’re in the right company.
I did not have a slam-dance, as I listened to
this walking around town and riding the bus. Coming off of a soft-spoken
contemporary folk album, I didn’t cotton on to the Murphys signature mix of
rock guitar, raucous unison singing and the blast of bagpipes at first. However,
it didn’t take long, and by the end of my first run through I was ready to sing
along, or yell about something important, or maybe just yell for the sake of
it.
For a band as big and boisterous as they are -
the Murphys have seven members and whatever they play, they play it loud
– the sound is never muddy. These guys bring the energy of punk rock, but they
bring the musicianship of Celtic folk. Lead singer Al Barr is also a big part
of what makes this band rock. He has a rough rasp and earnest delivery that
makes you feel like every song is being played at a live show.
If you like your
punk to sound like it is being played by drunks in the garage next door, this
is not for you. But if, like me, you like a blast of visceral energy but also appreciate
good production, then the “Meanest of Times” will give you joy.
This album covers the traditional Murphys gamut
of subjects. The positive songs invest heavily in themes of family, friendship,
drinking and fighting. Yes, for the Murphys a good donnybrook is a perfectly
acceptable Saturday night. A good example comes from the first track, “Famous
for Nothing” where the boys belt out a chorus of:
“Their gang went my way for basketball
My gang went their way for alcohol
When we met it wasn’t pretty at
all
Still the bells of St. Mary’s
kept ringing”
The heavier tracks take on serious social issues,
none more so than on “State of Massachusetts” a song about children
being taken by the state from homes stricken with poverty and violence. On “Vices
and Virtues” we hear about friends lost to alcoholism, war, suicide and gun
violence. It is grim stuff, sung with an appropriately desperate energy.
The album also features some updated traditionals,
including “(F)lannigan’s Ball” and the two-hundred-year-old “Johnny,
I Hardly Knew Ya,” still a powerful combination of martial might and dread.
The Murphys fill them all with a fast-paced fist-shaking power that is
undeniable.
For all that, this is the same old fare they
mastered long ago. If you liked it then, you’ll like it now. Just don’t expect
any earth-shattering revelation. The Murphys know what they do and they do it well.
Best tracks: Famous for Nothing, The State of Massachusetts,
Vices and Virtues, (F)lannigan’s Ball, Rude Awakenings, Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya
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