Flogging Molly – Drunken Lullabies

Review

'Drunken Lullabies' hits like that fourth shot of Jameson - sudden, wild, and making you want to both fight and hug everyone in the room. Flogging Molly cranks the Irish-punk fusion dial to eleven, throwing accordion, tin whistle, and violin into a blender with distorted guitars and watching the beautiful chaos unfold. Steve Albini's production is crisp enough to let you hear every instrument clearly, which is saying something when seven people are collectively losing their minds on stage. The album barrels through twelve tracks with the unstoppable momentum of a bar fight, yet somehow maintains enough musical discipline to keep from flying off the rails entirely.

This 2002 release shows the band hitting their stride, finding the sweet spot between traditional Celtic soul and punk rock attitude. Tracks like the title cut and 'Rebels of the Sacred Heart' deliver gut-punch lyrics about displacement and identity while still making you want to form a circle pit. What separates Flogging Molly from their Celtic-punk contemporaries is how authentic both sides of their musical equation feel - these aren't punks with a novelty fiddle player or traditional musicians trying to be edgy. They've created something that feels like what would happen if The Clash and The Dubliners had a whiskey-soaked jam session that turned into a full-blown street riot. - Levi