Ska Mixed With Traditional Irish?! Surely You Jest!
When I was browsing the music collection over at the Free Library of Philadelphia (a good way to find some music that isn’t punk/ska/hardcore), somewhere between Bach and Brahms, I noticed a band named “Black 47”. Thinking that is sounded like a punk band’s name, I grabbed it, and read the back cover of their “Trouble In The Land”:
“A streetwise mix of rock, reggae, ska, and Irish music…” Ska? Irish? I knew I had to check out this little Frankenstein.
A mix between Flogging Molly and U2, with a strong touch of ska horns and rocksteady rhythms, “Trouble In The Land” definitely has it’s shining points. Songs such as “Delirious”, “Those Saints”, and “Bobby Kennedy” strongly demonstrate this peculiar yet intriguing hybrid of genres. However, the album is also laced with plenty folksy rock ballads which kind of bored me.
Finally, as if the sound wasn’t sounding weird already, the lead singer at times sounds exactly like Dave from Big D and the Kids Table
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3 comments:
Fires of Freedom is by far their best album (imo) and you should give it a listen as it adds some hip hop to the mix as well. These guys are supposed to be phenomenal live and last I knew played regularly at Connolly's in NYC.
My musical parodies are new, Weird Al moi ain't.
Stay on groovin' safari,
Tor
Black 47's earlier records use a much softer touch with the reggae and are closer to the Irish punk sounds of the Pogues. Black 47 isn't usually mentioned as a primary influence, but I've always found the Dropkick Murphy's sense of melody to be particularly influenced by them.
Their regular gig at Connolly's is coming to an end tomorrow (Feb 23), by the way, as they start a tour to support their new album.
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