This CD is billed as Canada's premier Irish punk band versus Australia's plunderers of the high seas. I'll just come out and say it. I'm a sucker for the Irish punk featured on this album. "Drunken Night in Dublin" begins with some pounding drums, and goes into some tin whistle. It is a perfect blend of traditional Irish and punk. In this song, The Mahones really capture the spirit of The Pogues. The singer even punctuates the lyrics with yells of "Yah!" just like Shane MacGowan is wont to do.
The Mahones play a high-energy Irish punk. Three of their four songs on the album are all-out, drum-fueled songs that will get your toes tapping and may even make you want to break out into a jig.
Catgut Mary's half of the album is more of the same. This band goes balls-to-the-wall with high-octane Irish punk featuring some very prominent accordion and gravelly vocals. "Paddy's Lantern" is an awesome rocking tune in which every member of the band comes through loud and clear.
The Catgut Mary half of the album closes with a live tune ("Drunken Lazy Bastard"), and I have to tell you, this band's shows must be incredible. The guys must be worn out when they're done performing if this song an indicator. This song is nine and a half minutes of pure rock and roll.
So who wins this "bout?" The listener, that's who. This album is thirty-four and a half minutes of spirited Irish punk in the tradition of The Pogues, or Flogging Molly. Fans of those, or any other Irish punk bands, should pick this album up.
