Reedição

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat; they're not the Pogues. The casual listener might be forgiven for making such a mistake, as Flogging Molly is clearly influenced by Shane McGowan's rabble-rousers, but beyond the combination of lyrical Irish folk with punky rock rhythms, Flogging Molly is a band with its own identity. As the accordion, fiddle and banjo toss off traditional sounds steeped in Irish musical history, the slamming drums, raging guitar, and of course vocalist/songwriter Dave King's colorful tales present a forceful rock outfit. "What's Left of the Flag" shows Flogging Molly's political acumen, while "The Sun Never Shines (On Closed Doors)" takes on larger, more metaphysical subjects. But whether the septet, who wield pennywhistles and pipes as easily as Telecasters and Stratocasters, are playing the role of rowdies or reinventing the folk ballad with rocker fury, their emotional commitment is palpable and total.

Recorded at Electrical Audio, Chicago, Illinois; EMG Studios, Los Angeles, California.

Flogging Molly includes: Dave King (vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo, bodhran, spoons); Nathan Maxwell (vocals, bass); Dennis Carsey (electric guitar, background vocals); Robert Schmidt (banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, background vocals); Bridget Regan (fiddle, whistle, Uilleann pipes); Matt Hensley (accordion); George Schwindt (drums).

Engineers include: Steve Albini, Patrick Shevelin, Ted Hutt.