Flogging Molly

Flogging Molly: Within A Mile Of HomeWithin A Mile Of Home (2004)
Side One Dummy Records

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: pwfanaticpwfanatic
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on September 14th 2004The Dropkick Murphys are the only Irish punk band that I will ever listen to. At least that is what I told myself for the past few years. As everyone dabbled in and enjoyed the sets of other somewhat similar bands, I remained blissfully ignorant of the force that was Flogging Molly. So it wasn't .

The Dropkick Murphys are the only Irish punk band that I will ever listen to. At least that is what I told myself for the past few years. As everyone dabbled in and enjoyed the sets of other somewhat similar bands, I remained blissfully ignorant of the force that was Flogging Molly. So it wasn't until this past year on the Warped Tour that I finally was exposed to these Celtic boys (and girl) and I was blown away.

Within a Mile of Home starts off in with the fast paced frenzy of pure Irish jig inducing opener "Screaming at the Wailing Wall." The song holds a more traditional sound then just pure punk, but it maintains the speed of your standard punk song. It is infectious beyond anything and everything. Lead man Dave King talks of terrorists and communists, but the song never loses its heartwarming appeal of good pub music.

The next song "Seven Deadly Sins" keeps up the fast pace already established, but sounds a bit heavier, holding a more street-punk edge (not much, but more than the previous song) because of the presence of backing vocals and standard sing-alongs. There is a lovely breakdown that showcases the fiddle nicely with the effects of people cheering and I immediately craved a Guinness more than I usually tend to.

Not all the songs maintain this traditional punk sound, though. "Whistles of the Wind" slows down the tempo and heads straight for the complete traditional sound. King serenades over a slower toe tapping Irish ensemble. It is an abrupt change considering the speed of many of the other songs, but it works perfectly.

Flogging Molly shows throughout Within a Mile of Home that they have a mastery of the traditional sound, and their harder and faster songs are definitely a lot of fun. But for some reason I find myself starting to fade away as the album continues to progress. Maybe it is because I have only been exposed to them for a half hour before and I cannot handle their Irish greatness. But as the album progresses, it becomes either a slow traditional song or a fast paced punky traditional song. They appear to have great musicians and many of them in the band, so maybe they could have done well to throw some solos here and there. Who knows, maybe I expected way too much out of them after their awesome live performance. Still, people who want to listen to this band will buy the album, and people who haven't at all must check it out for themselves. Music this fun is few and far between.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

BlackFridayRule (July 11, 2007)

hey flogging molly got it. you know when they say something it's real because all of dave's experiences make for some great songs.

nikko (March 11, 2007)

factory girls is a great song

Anonymous (March 16, 2006)

I liked it a lot better when it was called THE POGUES!!!

Anonymous (October 27, 2004)

I haven't heard this cd hence the no star rating but both of their other albums are pretty good but the essence of this band is live man they fucking kick so much ass it isn't even funny i have had the pleasure of seeing them twice and man they are fucking excellent they were the highlight of the warped tour this year as far as performances go there were some bands i like better but they had the best show so much energy i catapult myself into the crowd with a full glass of beer and that my punk rock friends is what you call bliss didn't even matter it was 110 degrees in phoenix that day. They make you forget everything going on for the time they are on the stage

Anonymous (October 27, 2004)

Like Flogging Molly,try Blood Or Whiskey,simmilar but Irish based
Go to:
www.irishandpunk.tk for MP3s of BoW and other Irish Acts...

Anonymous (October 18, 2004)

good but not a special record

Anonymous (September 21, 2004)

Why do i love flogging molly but think the dropkick murphys are rubbish.

Anonymous (September 21, 2004)

The Pogues stole their sound from The Dubliners.....

Anonymous (September 20, 2004)

Progression is most often found through the improvement of what once was to what now is. To say that they are copying the pogues because they are irish is just retarded. They have their own originality. The lyrics, the music just because they sound irish they are not original? Well, they are irish.

If you like this, grab the previous 2 albums. If you are looking for some more solos, grab SWAGGER, it will blow your mind.

This album is really good as well though. Factory girls is a song I can't get into. Other than that, great album hope to see them around for a long long time.

Anonymous (September 20, 2004)

....don't say words you can't spell, especially big ones that you think make you sound smart....asceticism, thank you, idiot

Anonymous (September 20, 2004)

"First of all, I can't give a band like Flogging Molly props at all. They're essentially just copying the Pogues, no originality. The end."

By your theory every band is just copying off the first person to ever strum a guitar

Fuzzy (September 20, 2004)

"First of all, I can't give a band like Flogging Molly props at all. They're essentially just copying the Pogues, no originality. The end." ...and the Pogues were just playing traditional irish music, copying their ancestors.

Anonymous (September 20, 2004)

"First of all, I can't give a band like Flogging Molly props at all. They're essentially just copying the Pogues, no originality. The end. "

Everyone's copying someone, there are hundreds of pennwise ripoffs, thousands of opivy ripoffs and millions of ramones ripoffs out there, sure there are bands like intro5pect that just add a new element into a carbon copy of other popular styles, in essence people just have to figure out what they like and what they don't like, It's all been done before, when a band tries to develop a new sound they're usually labeled as "pretentious" anyhow. I like what I like because it's fun or puts me in a good mood, not because it's original.
-noranoriginalcomment aka notfeelingcreative

Anonymous (September 19, 2004)

Haven't heard the album yet but the tour with The Briggs and The Street Dogs is gonna kick ass.

*buttbadger*

Anonymous (September 19, 2004)

First of all, I can't give a band like Flogging Molly props at all. They're essentially just copying the Pogues, no originality. The end.

Oh yeah, I seem to remember punk being about acceptance and individuality. I guess it doesn't mean that anymore. And what's this bullshit about not including women in shows? The state of punk is worse that I could ever imagine.

Anonymous (September 18, 2004)

Hensley Rules!!!

boba_fett (September 17, 2004)

"Good punk rock names should relate to the fundamental principles of punk. The following are band names stemming from these principles:

Punk is shocking: mohawks, piercings, black leather, swastikas. Punk rock is a big middle finger waved proudly in the face of society. It follows from this that a punk rock band's name should offend and annoy straight-arrow types. A good example of this type of name is: Heil Hitler Murder Murder Suicide Hooray For Al-Quieda Fuck You All Twice With A Curling Iron Set On High We Fuck Children and Set Puppies on Fire Just To Hear Them Shriek . There, that covers most of the bases.

Punk is conservative: the basic punk rock sound, pose, and attitude has not changed in a quarter of a century. Punk rock is a lovingly preserved and perpetuated tradition, like Hula dancing or building Shaker furniture. A band name that pays respectful homage to punk rock's status as cherished museum relic would be: BHT (a preservative, get it?)

Punk is conformist: everyone knows punk rock survives because it imparts a vital sense of belonging to the kids who can't hack it the normal high school social groups. Accordingly, punk rock kids all dress, talk, and act like each other in order to fit in with the subculture. This also explains the reason all punk rock records sound alike. A punk band name that acknowledges this important fact would be The Same or possibly The Clone Rangers, though the latter is kind of dorky.

The apotheosis of Punk: given the defining characteristics of punk: self-righteousness, conformity, opposition to mainstream society, preservation of tradition, aesceticism (straight-edge) and rejection of materialism, it is easy to see that punk rock and fundamentalist Christianity go hand-in-hand. The present profusion of Christian punk bands is proof of this. Any true punk band should thus have a name reflecting the Christian beliefs that so perfectly reinforce the punk rock tradition. For example: Moshing For Jesus or Jumpin' Jack Chick.

So remember: Punk's not dead, on the third day it rose again, and will return to cull the worthy from the unworthy as with wheat from chaff. "

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Anonymous (September 17, 2004)

I've been living in a hole in the ground and have never heard these guys until I saw them play this new thing called the Warp Tour. These guys rock really hard, much like my cock when they kicked into "Drunken Lullabies", I had to play with myself just to go limp so I could enjoy the rest of the show. I got drunk at the show and 3 guys took advantage of me, shooting loads upon loads of spunk, I don't think I'm going to Warp again, but I'll see these guys play when they play San Francisco, near the Castro.

Anonymous (September 17, 2004)

Punk is dead.

Anonymous (September 17, 2004)

This band isn't hardcore! I only like hardcore bands. Fuck being Irish, that's not hardcore. All of you stupid kids should like hardcore and nothing else. It's not some trend, it's a lifestyle that will be here for ever, just like ska and swing. So fuck you faggots for not only being into hardcore.

XXX 4 LIFE

Anonymous (September 17, 2004)

"the last guy is a douchebag. he is probally the same kind of puss that goes to the warped tour and listens to new found glory and yellowcard, all the time holding his girlfriends hand and protecting her in the MOSH PIT! I bet you even put your hair into a mohawk that one day out of the year don't you dude. the only crime hear is that you saw a band like this at the warped tour! they should do themselves some respect and get off a trendy ass tour like that, so that don't have to play to the posers that come out for the fest in every city! ever hear of matt hensley you puss! I didn't think so, b/c he is more punk than you and your blue haired girlfriend(for one day outta of the year) combined! do us all a favor and off yourself!"

1. i never ever had a mohawk like you oh so cool punk rockers
2. i dont bring my girlfriend to the concerts i go to, because the music i listen to (bane, atreyu, everytime i die, converge, against me!) is not a place I want to bring my girl
3. my fucking mother is more punk than half of these old crusty "punk" bands.
4. my girl happens to be a brunette thank you.
5. how about you go take your dickie shorts, patched up denim jacket, pierced face and go jump off a bridge.

"Mark my words. Pussy bands such as: New Found Glory, Yellow Card, Simple Plan, will be looked at the same way bands like Warrant, Poison, Slaughter are looked at nowadys..

I hope all you emo fuckers OD on your Prozac prescriptions."

I dislike all of those bands myself. and i happen to be in perfect mental and physical condition, maybe you should stop playing with fire and burn shit, thats not cool

im sorry bands like this (dropkick murphys) sound like shit. bah

sprainedsoul (September 17, 2004)

Saw these guys at Warped this year and was floored. Had never listened to them until they kicked into "Drunken Lullabies" at the show.

I was Hooked.

This is a great record. Although it doesn't break any "new ground", it'll keep FM fans happy. Will it bring in new converts? Probably not.

Go to the live show, however ... and I dare you to not be converted.

Anonymous (September 17, 2004)

I love this record, however, if I wasn't 75% Irish I don't think I would be into flogging molly half as much as I am.
-notfeelingcreative

Anonymous (September 17, 2004)

Mark my words. Pussy bands such as: New Found Glory, Yellow Card, Simple Plan, will be looked at the same way bands like Warrant, Poison, Slaughter are looked at nowadys..

I hope all you emo fuckers OD on your Prozac prescriptions.

Anonymous (September 17, 2004)

the last guy is a douchebag. he is probally the same kind of puss that goes to the warped tour and listens to new found glory and yellowcard, all the time holding his girlfriends hand and protecting her in the MOSH PIT! I bet you even put your hair into a mohawk that one day out of the year don't you dude. the only crime hear is that you saw a band like this at the warped tour! they should do themselves some respect and get off a trendy ass tour like that, so that don't have to play to the posers that come out for the fest in every city! ever hear of matt hensley you puss! I didn't think so, b/c he is more punk than you and your blue haired girlfriend(for one day outta of the year) combined! do us all a favor and off yourself!

Anonymous (September 17, 2004)

this shit fucking sucks. i dont know how you people talk shit about every other band posted on this website, and yet you like this irish/scotish folk-punk-rock shit. wow you all fucking suck. i hope you all die horrible deaths.

barnaclebrian (September 16, 2004)

F.Y.I. This is a Flogging Molly thread you dumb ass dipshit. Oh yeah, learn how to spell Dropkick Murphys. You suck! Go O.D. on some smack, bitch.

Anonymous (September 16, 2004)

The Dropkick Murpheys suck so fucking hard

Anonymous (September 16, 2004)

This CD is definitely great music and you'll probably love it if you've liked other Flogging Molly. I would agree with a poster a ways back, though, that most of the CD is a little less drunken pub party song and more Irish history anthem. Seems a little more serious than the last two.

Anonymous (September 16, 2004)

I liked it better when it was called the Pogues...

princessdanarchy (September 16, 2004)

It took you until the 2004 warped tour to hear Flogging Molly? I thought I was sheltered for a while...

Xine (September 16, 2004)

I have really become anti-slow songs, but the new molly songs are growing on me. It's a good album and i really enjoyed hearing nathen sing on queen anne's revenge which to me seems to be a sequel to cruel mistress. within a mile of home is a great song and i think should be released as a single because it has that pop appeal and is essentially a pop song. a great one, but a pop song. overall, it's not what i expected, but its much appreciated.

Anonymous (September 16, 2004)

Im sorry but this CD was such a let down for me.

Anonymous (September 16, 2004)

Just like previous Flogging Molly releases, "Within A Mile From Home"
grabs you by the bollocks, picks you up off the ground, and slams you
hard against the wall with a sonic blast of fury that only those
Molly Malone floggers could produce. Yes indeed, the latest FM
release is here, and i'm already black & blue from the bruises. I'm
sure you already know, but the first time you hear these guys, your
jaw will drop, and your head will explode. That first listen is
simply too much for the body to handle. You just have to buck up, and
soak it in. It takes a few listening sessions just to describe
them. "Within A Mile From Home" is no different than any other FM
album. It does not disappoint. It WILL kick your ass, and you will
love it.

"Within A Mile From Home" contains 15 tracks that in this reviewers
opinion should be played from start to finish with no interruptions,
and no excuses. You'll enter the audio journey with determination,
and you'll exit with a sense of satisfaction only a handful of albums
can deliver."Within A Mile Of Home" is one of those albums. From the
first track, "Screaming At A Wailing Wall", to the final
effort, "Don't Let Me Die Still Wondering" It's all there. From the
euphoric laughter, to the bitter tears, and from the doubt, to the
the unconditional love, that only the beauty of life can bring. Lead
singer, Dave King, still has that desperation in his lyrics & his
voice, but just not as raw and vulnerable as they were on the first
album "Swagger". These lyrics are fine tuned, and more calculated.
Obviously, they were written by a proud soul who has seen the peaks,
and the valleys of life, and doesn't mind telling you about it.

Musically, Flogging Molly have grown since the last release.
(Am I hearing Cajun and a little Appalachian in the mix?) They are
still as tight as a broke Scotsman during tax season, and still as
diverse as a refugee ship arriving at Ellis Island in the 19th
century. Speaking of ships, nautical fans will enjoy tracks such as
the pirate anthem, "The Seven Deadly Sins", and "Queen Anne's
Revenge" with Nathen Maxwell (bass) up front with the vocals. There's
the ballads such as the tearful track, "The Spoken Wheel",
or "Whistles The Wind", that's sure to have you signing along with
the chorus. I should also mention the kick ass track "To Youth (My
Sweet Roisin Dubh)" that was previously released on the latest Warped
Tour 2004 Compilation. Then you've got yourself a duet on "Factory
Girls" with Lucinda Williams sharing the microphone.

All in all, you can never tell people what the standout tracks are
on a Flogging Molly album. Certain tracks affect people in different
ways, but one things for sure, there's always something for everyone
on FM albums. (which can explain the crowds at their live shows.)
Speaking of shows, I'm looking forward to the upcoming tour. I'm
looking forward to sharing the Devil's Dance Floor with fellow
Flogging Molly fans from every walk of life. I'm looking forward to
picking you up off the floor, only to have you return the favor. I'm
looking forward to packing a pub full of chanting Flogging Molly
fans. I'm looking forward sharing an evening with an amazing band
that continues to amaze me with a new release every couple of years,
and maybe that's the riddle. To simply look forward to the next time
Flogging Molly will grab you by the bollocks, pick you off the
ground, and slam you hard against the wall with a sonic blast of fury
that only Flogging Molly could produce. We've all felt it right? or
is it just me? Hell, I dunno, what do I know? Cheers to ya!

Review by Barnacle Brian Gillespie
www.shitenonions.com

Anonymous (September 16, 2004)

well hmm, i'm not sure about all the arguing crap going on in here, but yeah, the album is freaking aweseome, flogging molly definately know how to stick to their sound. there are a few slight changes in the sound but nothing dramatic. the lyrics are great as usual, dave king is one of the greats, that's for sure. personally, i think the coolest thing about this band's music and lyrics is that they actually takes things from dave's past, and irelands history and brings it to life. you can't beat that. by the way, people talking "racism", most likely about skinheads... do some research you bunch of ignorant hicks, pretty much every where else in the world, besides california (f-ing peckerwoods), being a skinhead is anti-racist. quit hiding behind your ignorance.