Brigade M - National Revolutionary (English) 

(reviewed by QuestForTruth)

 

I just had to pick my arse up off the floor this morning. I went to the mail box and found that the "Brigade M" CD that I've been waiting for had arrived! I placed it in my stereo and turned the volume up and...I honestly have to say that I've just had my arse rocked off! This band totally destroys! I was sold after the first 2 seconds of the first song on the CD.

 

The guitars are loud, thick and heavy! Also, the drums aren't your average WP "one two, one two" beat, if you listen you can hear spurts of 'double bass'. Now, in my opinion this music is too progressive to be considered Oi or RAC. If Brigade M played in my neck of the woods it would be considered Hardcore. Which sounds simple, but, Hardcore has a distinct sound. The fast drums and LOUD guitars, breakdowns, and the no BS vox just give it an awesome no BS hardcore feel (just the way I like it).

 

Now for the real kicker! They are playing National Revolutionary music! We finally have music about US...finally a band we can relate to, both musically and politically. This band is going to be in my CD player for a long time...

 

 

(OUT NOW!! The ONLY place to get Brigade M 's cd - National Revolutionary in the U.S.! Destined to become a classic and a very hot item being the last release from this mighty band! Visit the SUPPORT section to purchase it!

 

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Dropkick Murphies - the Warriors Code

I'll just put my cards right on the table and let it be known loud and clear.
DKM are one of my all time favourite bands and have been ever since I first heard them. Even so, no band is removed from criticisms if they are putting out fillers and 'bunk punk.' But good on them that this album was not one of those and not one to disappoint.

With an inspiring cover to this cd showing strength and pride in the ways of the warriors breed and a whole slew of songs that will bring you to your feet making you take pride and heart in the working class struggles of the Euro-American worker-soldier the Murphy boys sing praises to Massachusetts's Irish boxing legend Mickey Ward, fallen friends in 'Last Letter Home', and even due a rendition of The Green Fields of France that is among the best.

Were it not for folks like DKM and those that continue to due the folk songs of the past, European traditions and cultures might themselves already be things of days gone by and long since forgotten. To bands in this genre's credit, they are keeping them well ad alive!

These guys deserve much support regardless of anything else simply for bringing these songs to a new generation of folks. Give them your support and buy the damn album! Support bands that have the courage to stick to their roots redoing traditional songs such as Green Fields of France and others, and the ability to keep putting out fine albums like this one!

They 'had me at hello', or rather, renditions of Fields of Athenrye and Celtic drum and bagpipes. I would have gladly paid my $20 or whatever it cost me, just for the ability to hear 'The Workers Song' over and over again at any time of the day for the rest of my life.

I don't know of another song by any other band that so brings to life, like this one does, all of the struggles of those that are led to die in battles, purportedly for their nations sake, or so we are always led to believe, meanwhile back home fat cat capitalist bosses sit in their cozy offices sending legions more of us us off to die.

So they would have had nothing but rave reviews from me already after just hearing that one song, but then they went and added a bonus DVD with live versions of both Rocky Road To Dublin and Boys on Parade as well as a video of Blackout. I was hooked from the moment it hit the cd player.

 

 

This CD is worth the cheap price for the great tunes, anthems and sing-alongs that makes this album great - but well worth it for time you being that it includes the Workers Song and a DVD, not to mention that the Boston Red Sox owe their winning of a world series after 86 years of curses and losses to this band!

 

 

After hearing this CD again and again, it becomes apparent that in small droves and enclaves everywhere Irish-American and thus European herritage and working class values are alive and well in the hearts of these lads, and their fans, and even more apparent that I had better quickly find  another favourite cd to give those around me something else to get tired of quickly.

 

 

 

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THE BLOODY IRISH BOYS - DrunkRock

Calling themselves 'a drinking group with a singing problem,' and mixing blue grass, punk rock, and that traditional Irish pub song feel, The Bloody Irish Boys jam out some of the best songs in a genre that stands on its own two feet.

Paying respect to heritage and culture in a time when such ideals are frowned upon by the musical establishment and society in general; these guys belly up to the bar with the best of the Irish musicians and punk rock bands in my book.

Bands like this are a rare find these days, with songs that will make you want to pour yourself a tall glass of Guinness stout and sing along they provide some really great music that has found a permanent home in my cd player the past few weeks.

Some of the more memorable songs on the cd that you come across are:

 "Standing With Me" - a song dedicated to singer Shane Underwood's banjo pickin' grandpa. The feel behind this song is nothing short of amazing.

 

"Theres many things that I forgot through my life

 

But there's one thing that wont leave

 

Thats the memory of my grandpa standing in that old house

 

Playing that old six string."

 

 

-Standing with me - the Bloody Irish Boys

 

 

It has that traditional Irish sound to it and makes you feel the sort of bond that grandpa and grandkids ought to have, and at the same time makes you want to get up off your bar stool raise your glass, do a jig and sing right along!
Being that this cd has been played non-stop since I got it, the kids tell me "Play 'the grandpa song' again" and do their damnedest to try and imitate what they figure an Irish jig must look like. Leave it to the pure mind of a child to let you know when you've found a good song and a great sounding band and they surely will!

Their rendition of Finnegan's Wake is fantastic and is a great reminder of the past and the ties and traditions that bind one to their ancestors even today.

Songs that are deserving of the REPEAT TRACK button on my cd player are the cover of Highlanders Farewell and their own amazing hymn "The Great Irish Famine". The latter one details the plight of the Irish that left their Fatherland for that of America on 'the coffin ships' to escape the Irish famine brought on by Imperialists of England.

Singer Shane Underwood's unique sounding voice makes one feel the pain and emotion of the times and hope that many a youth of Irish and European descent will pick up the cd and that it might be the thing that brings them back to their roots.

 

 

 

"I send out a prayer to all you brave men
Who lost your lives back then
I send out a prayer to bless your souls
..
I send out a prayer to all you brave men
Who lost your lives back then
I send out a prayer for the suffer to cease
So you may rest in peace
May God be with you all."

 

: The Great Irish Famine - The Bloody Irish Boys

 

 

 

 

This is a cd you won't want to pass by and what's more, its full of heritage inspired tunes, songs about good beer (what more could you ask for?) and done completely without the aide of million dollar band contracts and budgets. In fact, Shane Underwood maintains the job requirements of singer/song writer, website designer, apparently 'official cd shipper' as he had wrote a thank you note inside my cd for the order and likely, official Guinness Stout picker upper as well. Good luck getting any of your fancy mainstream rockstar bands to do anything like that on their own much less sing about anything meaningfull.

 

I can't see this band staying unsigned and indpendantly ran for too long. It will surely only be a matter of time before they join their contemporaries of Dropkick Murphies and Flogging Molly amongst others of this Folk Punk genre, and another band that deserves it more I don't know!

Support the cultural revolution, support the underground music scene and bands that have the courage to sing traditional Irish/Folk ballads in a time where most youth of today couldn't even tell you what the word 'heritage' means or has to do with them, let alone what the 'Great Irish Famine' was...

 

  Thanks to The Bloody Irish Boys, I have found my new favourite band and a cd to play on top of "my usual" consisting mostly of Dropkick Murphies and Flogging Molly anymore.

Visit the Bloody Irish Boys

and get the cd from them at:

The Bloody Irish Boys
629 N. Broad St.
Lancaster, OH 43130

 

 

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(admittedly this cd was downloaded, which thus led to my exposure to a new band or two, and the purchasing of several other bands cds including the review listed above. ) 

IRISH PUNK DRINKING SONGS

A superb album that has been hogging my iPod's playlist for quite awhile. Bands such as the Pogues, The Mahones, Dropkick Murphy's, Flogging Molly and a new favourite of mine - The Bloody Irish Boys all do their damnedest at singing and bringing to life such classics as The Night Pat Murphy Died, Whiskey your the divil, and Finnegan's Wake. This cd is definitely upbeat and true to form Irish folk. Though not just drunken Irish punks re-doing old pub songs, not that there would be a thing wrong with that mind you, there are great new tunes by all the bands mentioned and more, that are all their own.

In amongst the classics mentioned are thrown a handful of awesome new tunes by Flogging Molly such as Drunken Lullabies and Dropkick Murphy's hard-hitting Irish others. Truth be told, had it not been for this album I would have never gotten the absolute pleasure of hearing The Bloody Irish Boys and that would have been a downright shame!

This is one album that you need in your collection if there's an ounce of punk or Irish in ya, or if ya just can't pass up a fine stout beer. So crack open a Guinness or Killian's Irish Red and crank this one up, punk!