Well this is an overview of Flogging Molly's Debut album, Swagger.
Given by the album title, you know this album is going to be about some punk asshole 's life (Dave King, lol) and mostly it is consistent with that.
INTRO:
The reason this album did not get a 5 score is because, well, it is not perfect. It is not perfect because not everyone who listens to this album is "ready" for this type of music. But after a good while this album can easily become your favorite. just make sure are ready for these three things:
1. Prepared for something new
2. Prepared to be contantly surpised
3. Prepared to dance
CONTENT: (I will first do instrumental comments and then follow with the meanings of the songs to the best of my knowledge, it would also help if you listened to the music while reading the reviews for it)
1. SALTY DOG: The opening "grabber" for this album, it features Maniac fiddlework by Bridget with her sound enriched with Hensley's accordian. (he does that most of the time.) This song brings up the mood but lyrically means something of a tragedy "They threw a rope around your neck, To watch ya dance the jig of death", i guess Dave meant: good riddance of a salty dog pirate arsehole!
2. SELFISH MAN: Listen very closely, many people think that Hensley's music is drowned. (like Rudd13 said, the main reviewer). But go on, listen very closely and you will notice that the accordian makes the fiddle sound much better! really good guitar also. Seems like Dave used this song as a confession rant to how he can only admit that he was a selfish man through this song.
3. THE WORST DAY SINCE YESTERDAY: I'll be honest, i almost fell asleep the first time i heard this song, listen to just the bass for 5 seconds and you'll know what i mean. But after hearing this sound loudly, this is a song that you can really dance to!
4. EVERY DOG HAS IT'S DAY: This song gets my vote for best fiddlework in the album. (even though ALL their songs have killer fiddle!) Lyrically this song is like the opposite of Salty Dog, at least the way I interpret it. It has a lot of geographical references (Suez Canal, Nova Scotia), Very nice!
5. LIFE IN A TENEMENT SQUARE: ok Bridget just dropped her fiddle and picked up the tin whistle, and her sound still kicks ass! And because Hensley is not beefing up her fiddle this time, his sound also really stand out! And some raging guitar tunes are jammed in the middle. I think this song's lyrical meanings are pretty straight forward, what life is like in a Tenement Square, it sucked i guess. "While our mother's asked God, What was hell ever for, When you lived in a Tenement Square"
6. THE OL' BEGGARS BUSH: Ahh, more excellent tin whistl'in by Bridget, and some ripping guitar work. And Mr. Hensley and his accordian comes through again! Bridget's music really stands out here, the tin whistle contains gobs of emotion in this song. From what i read Dave King grew up in a town called the Beggars Bush which was a town that was converted from a millitary base or something. Gosh i have to say how much the accordian and the tin whistle goes so well in this song, makes you wanna go crazy. Also listen carefully to Bob's mandolin near the end of the song, insane.
7. THE LIKES OF YOU AGAIN: The fiddle(like always!) and the guitar really stand out on this song. For Bridget this song is the fiddle equivalent of the previous tracks tin whistle for this album, as it contains a lot of emotion and pretty much carries this song all the way. I think Dave is singing about what his father would think about what he is doing now if he was alive today, because his father died when he was very young.
8. BLACK FRIDAY RULE: Flogging Molly's first epic song. If you ever heard this song live then you know what i am talking about by "epic." As i mentioned about how Hensley's accordian beef's up the fiddle, however in this song it seems like the opposite because you mainly hear the accordian with the fiddle complimenting it. Until the end of the song where Bridget practically does a fiddle solo (and it rocks!). I should mention the electic guitar kicked ASS here (im an Iron Maiden fan, i know good electric guitar when i hear it). This song mentions his wife, and somethings about his hopes and dreams: "I am the King and sure long may i reign"
9. GRACE OF GOD GO I: I think this song was needed just t lead up to "The Devil's Dance Floor." Call it "necessary filler" if you must. Im still trying to figure out the meaning of this song to this day.
10. THE DEVIL'S DANCE FLOOR: Bridget seems to pick up the tin whistle a lot on this album (which is not a bad thing). The mandolin and the accordian really stand out in this track. And this song could not have been sung by anyone besides Dave King! From what i can tell this song has something to do with a persons inner desire: "We're all just dancers on the Devil's Dance Floor"
11. THESE EXILED YEARS: Excellent guitar and great accordian really go good together in this track with some mandolin ringing in the background. It is neccesary for this song to be slow so u can recharge for the next song (hahaha). Dave was exiled from Ireland so he could not see his mother for some eight years? not sure how long exactly. So, i think this song means Dave's exile from home, and talks about his doubts about what he is doing because he doesent have his mom with him: "A loaded room, an empty gun"
12. SENTIMENTAL JOHNNY: I know what your're thinking, Time to bust out the piņata's and beat the hell out of it! Gives you this weird vibe while listening, i told you to be prepared to be surprised! This is like the only song where i could not hear Bridget very clearly. The trumpet just shakes the room! Seems like a song about someone who has a friend who only lives life to the fullest, but realizes what happens to those kinds of people in the end: "I wonder did Jesus, come to redeem him, Save poor Johnny's ol' soul"
13. FAR AWAY BOYS: Very good instrumentation in the beginning, makes you mood shift quickly. Some late tin whistle entry in the end, overall a great song to end this Flogging Molly album. Honestly i dont really understand what this song means, but sounds like a person who is trying to make the best with what he has, but at the same time missing someone he cares about
: "I put my head down, and dreamt you were here"
CONCLUSION: Well my main goal is to make the readers of this review appreciate this album more. I think i did my job if someone thinks higher of this album after reading this review. This album hits all the highs and lows and everything in between. I think Bridget's music alone is enough to make this band my favorite. Think about it, who in the world would be able to replace Dave King's voice with Bridget Regan's fiddling (or anyone in the band for that matter) and still get music that is as original and great as Flogging Molly?
There is no band that is more original then Flogging Molly, this album proves it so.
Please give me your feedback comments about how i wrote the review and/or what you think about this album or Flogging Molly in general after reading this review.
Thanks for reading, and you should check out www.floggingblog.com if you want frequently updated news or to chat with some hardcore Flogging Molly fans.
