I will admit, I was skeptical about the Dropkick Murphys’ newest album before I listened to it. As a fan of their past music, specifically their album Blackout, I truly wasn’t sure if they could replicate its success and Irish-rowdy-bunch style. I was pleased to discover that they can still pump out some great tracks. And though some feel a bit like reused versions of past songs, there are some great songs to be heard.
Their first song, titled “The Boys Are Back,” truly is evident in the album. They may be older, married and fathers, but these guys still have stories to tell, and they do it in such a great way. Some of the songs feel like rehashing of past songs, such as “Prisoners Song” and “Rose Tattoo.” But there are also some great tracks, including my new favorite Christmas song “The Season’s Upon Us.”
The band’s music has always had a drunken camaraderie to it: the idea of uniting in times of trouble. Their style of music is still there, and though this album doesn’t have as many bagpipes as the past few albums, it’s still great to hear that they can still make some great tracks.
Another great quality of this album is that it reflects a change in the band. Many great bands fail to have vitality because they cannot adapt their sound and change. They fail to grow as musicians. These guys reflect through their lyrics that they’re getting older, but they’re adapting to their change. Their camaraderie as musicians and friends is especially evident in their tracks “Don’t Tear Us Apart” and “End of the Night.”
Some more great tracks include “Jimmy Collin’s Wake,” a song that probably plays every time an Irishman steps outside. “Out on the Town” also feels almost like a throwback to their older style of music, and it was good for them to have those tracks that grounded the album.
As they say in “End of the Night,” “The amber, the fire is starting to fade, but it’s now that I’m at my best.” While they may not necessarily be at their best, their newest album shows that the Murphys are still alive and still rocking out.
