Since the release of their last album The Gang's All Here in 1999, the Dropkick Murphys have gone through some changes. The quartet that recorded Gang has expanded to a septet, packing more guitar firepower as well as adding acoustic instruments to further their modern folk vision. The resulting sound is on full display on their latest release Sing Loud, Sing Proud, an album which connects the dots on the direct lineage between punk rock and folk music.

For most punk bands, touring is essential survival skill. Since the release of The Gangs All Here, the Murphys have juggled a touring schedule that has included the Warped and the Punk-O-Rama tours, plus two additional North American tours and several jaunts to Europe, Australia and Japan. Somehow in the midst of all of this touring the band found time to not only write and record a new album but also give their entire band a facelift.

The Dropkicks growth spurt began with the addition of long-time ally James Lynch was brought in on guitar to help flesh out the bands instrumental melodies. Once the band grew to a five-piece, original guitarist Rick Barton chose to leave in order to settle down with his new Swedish bride, and was replaced by young guitar prodigy Mark Orrell. In addition to bringing a flashy new dimension to the band Orrell adds to the bands expanded instrumental lineup as a self-taught accordion player. Finally bagpipe player, Spicy McHaggis and Ryan Foltz on mandolin and tin whistle were added to the fold and the band was finally ready to hit the studio.

Work began in earnest on Sing Loud, Sing Proud while the band was still on the Punk-O-Rama tour. The band began recording during time off in between legs on the tour and bass player Ken Casey took over production duties from Rancid guitarist and vocalist Lars Frederiksen, who had helmed the previous two full-lengths, The Gang's All Here and Do or Die. Says Casey, "Lars has basically given us his time, patience and knowledge through two records and he's helped a lot of other bands. It just seemed like a mutual decision of, `I helped you with two records, you guys have come a long way on your own, it's time to see what you guys can do for yourselves.' I don't think we would have been to that point without his experience."

One needs only to hear Sing Loud, Sing Proud tracks like "Forever" or "Heroes of Our Past" to appreciate the impact of the additional players have had on the Dropkick Murphys music. "It's a fuller sound, and more of a show with more people on stage," says Ken Casey, the group's bassist and, along with drummer Matt Kelly, the remaining founding member. "You know, Rick was 39. The average age of the band has come down dramatically. Mark is 17, James is 21, Spicy's 18 and Ryan's 23. I think the members are more in tune with the age group we play to."

The augmented line-up seems to be a natural evolution, and the culmination of a long-term objective. "It's pretty much always been a goal of the band, we could just never find the right people," admits Casey. "We've always dabbled with the additional instrumentation in our previous records, it's just that we never went that heavy into it because we didn't recreate it live. And now, we are. I think the people that come to see Dropkick Murphys are looking for that anyway."

The songs on the new collection range from beer-mug-thrust-skyward anthems such as "A Few Good Men," to the more introspective (though no less raging) "Which Side Are You On?" Most likely there is no other band that can do as high-energy a jig as the Murphys do on "Rocky Road to Dublin," a song that best captures the unique and powerful vocal exchange of Al Barr and Ken Casey. Joining in on "Good Rats," a song about the secret ingredient that spices up the band's favorite stout, is kindred spirit Shane MacGowan. "He can belt out the songs," laughs Casey. "We were thrilled to have a chance to work with him on an original song of ours." The former Pogues leader also guests on the vinyl-only version of "The Wild Rover," a special treat, points out Casey, "for people who still own a record player."

One of the albums more heartfelt numbers is "Fortunes of War." The anthemic song is dedicated to the memory of Brian Deneke, a punk rocker who, in 1997, was run down by a Cadillac in an Amarillo, Texas parking lot by a rival teenager. The killer was "punished" with ten years probation. "We were on tour down in Texas, and Brian's brother and all of these young punk rock kids came up and said, `can you dedicate "Barroom Hero" to Brian? We had it played at his funeral.' So we met all these kids and heard the story. That's why when I saw it come out in the press that the kid that committed the crime just received probation, it hit us pretty hard. We'd been following the story, played some benefits down there, and met his parents." Along with the Murphys, Deneke also loved English punk pioneers originators CockSparrer, whose vocalist Colin McFaull joins in with Barr on the song.

Following the early-February release of Sing Loud, Sing Proud, Casey says the band will devote themselves to "touring heavily." The group will most likely headline, as has been the case for the last several years. "We always like to be able to put together a good package of bands that the kids want to see," says Casey. "It's great to feel like you have something to do with presenting some good music." Dropkick Murphys' love and respect for their audience is obvious in the care they put into both their touring packages and their modern folk music, not to mention the sing-along choruses that encourages even the kid way in the back to join in.

Boys On The Docks: 1997

Do Or Die: 1998

The Gang's All Here: 1999

The Singles Collection Volume 1: 2000

Mob Mentality- Dropkick Murphys/Business Split: 2000

Sing Loud, Sing Proud!: 2001

Face To Face vs. Dropkick Murphys: 2002

Live On St. Patrick's Day: 2002

Blackout: 2003

Website: www.dropkickmurphys.com