Dropkick Murphys

The band's first album since leaving Hellcat Records and launching their own label (Born and Bred), The Meanest of Times is also marked by much shouting in unison and copious references to things only people who live or have lived in the Boston area will understand. You also get a more loyal pulsing Pogues-style Celtic punk than their previous records evinced (see: "The State of Massachusetts" for one). Dropkick Murphys appear to be one of those rare bands that continue to evolve and get stronger even 10-plus years after their inception.

These seven Massachusetts guys know how to make even dire moments sound like a hot
party. On their sixth album, fiddle, mandolin and other Gaelic accouterments adorn
rave-ups like “The State of Massachusetts,” reminding you they're a punk band with a
Celtic twist. They're also songwriters -- and good ones, too, preserving their party-boy
reputation while turning out giant, soulful choruses on songs both manicured an... More >