DO OR DIE (1997 HELLCAT RECORDS)
Exclusive Review from CMJ NEW MUSIC REPORT
The Dropkick Murphys are a product of Boston's hearty Irish-American working class; a rowdy, beer-swillin' group of punk rockers weaned on equal parts of the Pogues and Stiff Little Fingers. Do Or Die, the quartet's full-length debut, plays out like a long night spent imbibing in the pub: a few nostalgic sing-alongs and traditional ballads so start things off, some slightly more boisterous numbers as the stout begins to take effect, and finally some all-out, violent barroom fisticuffs to really prove their punk muscle. "You say it's because we're boisterous: You hate us cause we got our dignity/There's a difference between the two of us/It's the sense of morality and what corrupts," begins "Never Alone," the band's ode to their hometown streets, the loyalty of friendship and working class society. The song's message is driven home by a chugging guitar and bass riff, gruff, anthemic vocals and a fierce, shout-along chorus. "Caught In A Jar" takes the bouncing rhythm of a traditional Irish jig and beefs it up with some snarling vocals and a crunching guitar; "Fightstarter Karaoke" melds Clash-like riffing with Oi!'s ferocity, and "Memories Remain" goes for the throat with its side by side/one for all sentiment and barreling punk energy. Also toss back a few black and tans to "Far Away Coast" and "Road Of The Righteous."
THE GANG'S ALL HERE (1999 HELLCAT RECORDS)
Exclusive Review from CMJ New Music Report
Raise that mug o' Guinness and pump your fist in the air with your drinking buddies, because Boston's Dropkick Murphys are back, leading the charge of the working class with new member (and former Bruisers vocalist) Al Barr. The Gang's All Here is the band's second full-length and it's bursting at the seams with communal, oi-inspired singalongs that invite you to chant with the Murphys while downing a hearty pint of stout. The record contains enough elements of Irish folk to sink a ship. Barr's gravelly voice complements '77-style punk riffs that fly by faster than a speeding bullet, while a handful of tracks are playfully decorated with bagpipes and fiddle. Rancid's Lars Frederiksen produced the album, further strengthening the band's punk rock roots, if not its genealogical Irish pride.
