Flogging Molly: Float

Flogging Molly is back with Float. The thing I love most about the Irish punk band's music is that Flogging Molly can rock and growl with the best of the Celtic Punks, yet they don't sacrifice substance or melody in order to do so. The structure and components of their songs are hearty enough that they would still be solid even if stripped of all the bluster and noise. Float is no exception, though perhaps not quite as captivating as previous efforts. There's no true stunner here, no "Devil's Dance Floor" or "Another Bag or Bricks" or even "Light Of A Fading Star". Rather, the new tunes tend to run together in a glorious and exciting riot of sound.



"Requiem For A Dying Song" is a rousing hyperactive start, "(No More) Paddy's Lament" keeps the fast tempo but gives it a dark edge. "You Won't Make A Fool Out Of Me" and "The Lightning Storm" kick up the dust again in a whirlwind of shouts and tempestuous orchestration. Many of the other tracks - the most notable being "Man With No Country" - sustain the cacophonous breakneck pace.

There are a few brief reprieves amidst the noise in the softer and more serious tone of "Float" and "Us Of Lesser Gods", both of which emphasize the prettiness of the stringed instruments and allow the melodic grit of Dave King's voice to shine.

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Flogging Molly: Within A Mile Of Home

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you probably already know that Flogging Molly is one of my very favourite bands. I've posted about them here frequently throughout the years, and any friend who rides in my car is usually forced to listen to my Flogging Molly mix at full volume. Until recently, I only had heard their music via mp3. I finally got one of their albums, Within A Mile Of Home. Though I was already familiar with a few of the songs, it's been great fun acquainting myself with the rest of the album.



Flogging Molly's music has accurately been described as Irish Punk and Celtic Punk. They combine traditional Irish instruments and historical lyric themes with a modern punk-rock sound. They're often compared to Dropkick Murphys, but their sound is closer to The Pogues or The Clash.

The band is composed of Dave King on vocals and acoustic guitar, Bridget Regan on fiddle and tin whistle, Dennis Casey on electric guitar, Matt Hensley on accordion, Nathen Maxwell on bass, Bob Schmidt on mandolin and banjo, and George Schwindt on drums. King is originally from Dublin, Ireland, but has been living and playing in America since the late 1980s.

Within A Mile Of Home was released by SideOneDummy Records in 2004, and was Flogging Molly's third studio album. Like all of Flogging Molly's albums, the lyrics are full of historical drama and the music is charged with energy.

The album opens with "Screaming At The Wailing Wall", a song heavy with poetic lyrics and political anger.

"The Seven Deadly Sins" is a pirate sea chanty in tribute of Joe Strummer, to whom (along with Johnny Cash) the album is dedicated. The frenzied pace of the song is classic Flogging Molly, calling to mind "Devil's Dance Floor" from the Swagger album.

"Factory Girls" is a duet with Lucinda Williams. As you'd probably imagine, the sound is a combination of traditional Irish and American alterna-country. It's a bit more laid back than most of the album.

"Whistles The Wind" is a swaggering Irish drinking ballad with cello and viola. And "The Light Of A Fading Star" is a kind of war-torn love song with upbeat music and bittersweet lyrics.

The foot tappin' music of "Tobacco Island" masks the lyrical tale of Irish slaves being shipped to Barbadoes by Oliver Cromwell to work on sugar plantations in the seventeenth century. The song is another highlight of the album, and I imagine it's spectacular live.

"The Wrong Company" is a short acapella Irish drinking song. "Tomorrow Comes A Day Too Soon" has a Cajun flavor to it, thanks to fiddles and washboard. "Queen Anne's Revenge" features bassist Nathen Maxwell on lead vocal, with a little more punk than Irish in its music. And "The Spoken Wheel" is a lovely, mournful tune that features guest vocals by Noel O'Donovan.

The album closes with "Don't Let Me Die Still Wondering", which was inspired by the life and death Johnny Cash. The song is about living life to the fullest.

Flogging Molly Official Site

Buy the album