Flogging Molly

When people think of Irish punk, bands like The Pogues and the more recent Dropkick Murphy's come to mind. Flogging Molly have the potential to change all that. "Swagger" is perhaps one of the most solid albums I have purchased in a long time, and its going to be a long time before this CD leaves my player. Ever song is a keeper, without a clunker in the bunch. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Dave King, Nathan Maxwell on bass, Dennis Casey on guitar, George Shwindt on drums, Bridget Regan on tin whistle and fiddle, Rob Schmidt on mandolin and banjo, and pro skater Matt Hensley on accordian. The album starts off with the quintessential Flogging Molly song, "Salty Dog". The song meshes traditional Irish stylings with the agressiveness of punk. Most of the other songs on the album stick to this formula, but there is some deviation. Some songs, such as "The Worst Day since Yesterday" are much more low key, and lean more towards Irish folk music then punk rock. Producer Stever Albini helps Flogging Molly to forge a true rock-folk hybrid on "Swagger" and honestly, the results are mixed. Like I said, there isn't a bad song on the album. The problem is that some of the rock parts feel forced, almost like they were slapped on rather than mixed in. This certainly doesn't make this a bad album by any means, its just something that could be worked on for the next album. Either way, this is a strong effort from one of the most original bands on the scene today. Go buy this. Tracks to check out: "Salty Dog", "Selfish Man", "The Likes of You Again", "Devils Dance Floor", and "Far Away Boys".