Archive for the ‘Fun music’ Category
Icewagon Flu Review: The Great American Something
On January 19, 2008 in Fun music, Pub/Drinking Music, reviews, traditional celtic music
This review was originally posted in July of 2007. We’ve changed platforms since then and the URLs have changed. Please adjust your bookmarks.
I bought Icewagon Flu’s newest release The Great American Something the weekend it was released. I’d love to say that it’s taken me this long to feel that I could do it justice in a review- but that’s just silly. I don’t feel that I can do it justice, I just feel that I can’t hold it back any longer.This is a great album which explores a slightly broader range than their last CD, Off The Wagon. Where Off The Wagon was more traditional in nature, though still played with a strictly Flu sound, The Great American Something is completely theirs. All songs were written by the band, and while the sound isn’t quite as strong as it is when they’re live, you absolutely will not be disappointed.
We knew they could perform the heck out of a live gig, and songs like Nudity and Whiskey & Soda showed us that they could write great songs too. But pulling together an entire original album and making it work is what separates the good bands from the great. And Icewagon Flu is a great band.
True, this album nearly backs entirely out of the Celtic and Paddy Punk genres, but the originality of everything they play should keep it in the rotations of your favorite stations that have played them before.
Clowns & Jokers starts off the CD with a mellow kind of groove, followed by a slightly more upbeat Blue #9. I have no idea what it means, but it’s one of my favorite songs on the album.
The rest also follow Flu’s basic sound while maintaining each song’s individuality. Little Red Devil actually sounds a bit beachy while Wild Irish and Industry Down hold Icewagon Flu’s place in Celtic and Paddy Punk music.
All in all, I’d say the only thing better than this CD is seeing them live. And for $15 it’s a great value.
You can purchase The Great American Something at CD Baby.
Ceann Review: Rave, Rant, Lose Pants
On January 19, 2008 in Fun music, reviews
This review was written and originally posted in August of 2007. Since then, BandVox has changed formats, and the URL changed along with it. Please update your bookmarks.
Fans of “Almost Irish” will be thrilled with Ceann’s new CD “Rave, Rant, Lose Pants”. For the most part they continue in the same style of (slightly bizarre) humor and beat. Saying that they’ve matured is rather like saying the sun is blue. Technically impossible and more or less irrelevant. They are, however, including already popular songs such as Monahan the Mutineer, New York Girls, and Go, Move, Shift. Naturally with their own flair. I was especially impressed by Patrick Halloran’s McGranahan’s Wife because not only was it funny, it sounded like a traditional song given a Ceann twist.
It may sound sacrilegious to say so, but three songs on their new disk beats the.. Um… pants, off their last album. Blame the Viking is the first actual song on Rave, Rant, Lose Pants and it’s earned its place in the top spot. From mysterious stains to mysterious pregnancies, everything can be blamed on the Viking. Trust me, it says so in the song.
Pretty on the Inside is the biggest insulting compliment that I believe I’ve ever heard. Is it an insult? Is it a compliment? Can anyone really tell? It’s funny as hell, and as a friend recently pointed out “It’s the ultimate guy anthem!”.
And Boom!. Has Al Quaeda ever been so funny? Suicide bombers that just can’t do the job right. Except when it comes to blowing up people who write songs about them. Last Ones Standing is a bit of a stepped up Almost Irish. On My Tab pretty much defines them as leaches- albeit likeable leaches. And I’ve Got No Beef With You might offend some vegetarians, but I have trouble believing that anyone wouldn’t find this funny.
In fact, the only downer on the whole album is the original song Home. Now, I can deal with them trying to stretch their wings a bit- I’m all for artistic integrity and all. It’s even a rather nice song in a soothing yet depressing kind of way. My problem isn’t even that they have a guest vocalist, Julia Reisse. She has a great voice, and she sounds good on the album. The problem I have is that both Patrick and Julia are singing on this track- in separate time. The result is entirely jarring. I don’t know if this is a result of how they recorded, how it was mixed, or if they intended it to sound this way- but no matter how hard I try I can not enjoy this song. If either Patrick or Julia was the sole vocalist I’d have probably warmed up to it by now. But not together.
Still, one black spot on an otherwise flawless album is pretty good odds- and you can’t beat it for the price!