Sing Loud, Sing Proud (CD - 2001)

Dropkick Murphys: Ken Casey (vocals, bass); Al Barr (vocals); Marc Orrell (guitar, accordion, background vocals); James Lynch (guitar, background vocals); Ryan Foltz (dulcimer, mandolin, whistle); Spicy McHaggis (bagpipes); Matt Kelly (drums, bodhran, background vocals).

Additional personnel: Shane MacGowan, Colin McFaull, Desi Queally (vocals); Rick Barton (guitar); Johnny Cunningham (mandolin); Brian Queally (whistle); Carl Kelly (Uilleann pipes); Joe Delaney (bag pipes); Andreas Kelly (accordion); Zack Brines (piano); Katie Terrio, Ryan Whelan, Marissa Alterie (background vocals).

Recorded at The Outpost Studios, Stoughton, Massachusetts.

Personnel: Marc Orrell (vocals, guitar, accordion); James Lynch (vocals, guitar); Matt Kelly (vocals, drums, bodhran); Colin McFaull, Ken Casey , Shane MacGowan, Al Barr (vocals); Rick Barton (guitar); Ryan Foltz (dulcimer, mandolin, tin whistle); Johnny Cunningham (mandolin); Spicy McHaggis (bagpipe); Marissa Alterese, Brendan Alterese, Katie Terrio (background vocals).

Recording information: Outpost, Stoughton, MA.

Photographers: Amy Archer; Angela Giovine.

Arranger: Dropkick Murphys.

The Dropkick Murphys are to punk what House of Pain was to rap. They bring an explicitly Irish sensibility to their chosen style (there are shamrocks on the album cover, and there's a bagpiper in the band, for goodness' sake) while remaining true to the conventions of the genre. Still, despite the occasional jig-like detour or pennywhistle flourish, the Murphys aren't trying to reinvent punk.

Their songs are presented the way punk was meant to be; loud, fast, hard, and simple. The driving guitars and pummelling drums that power these songs could be descended from the vintage Ramones (or at least Social Distortion) album of your choice. Admittedly, there aren't too many other punk bands that combine mohawks with kilts, or power chords with bodhrans, but that's what gives the Murphys their distinctive sound. minimize