BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD: Irish Goodbye: CD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Austin, TX Celtic punk band has been around since October 2012 and has put out a fun debut album.
The lead vocals done by James Young are raspy, and rough, but not completely, there is a strong smooth sound to it right there in the middle surround by the roughness. It does have that traditional Celtic feel to it, and it has just the right amount of roughness to it to make it not so traditional. It’s good dance music, fast paced, high energy, and this isn’t a serious album, it was meant to entertain and have fun with. The backup vocals are good, strong, and energetic. The lyrics are good and strong, really clear, really bouncy, and the band is having a really good time doing this album and you can hear it. The tracks “Irish Goodbye,” and “Whiskey And Wine” are good examples of the band not taking themselves, or their music seriously. The track “Rebel Songs” is more downbeat at the beginning and more serious, but it fits with this album. If they didn’t put this song on here, the whole album would be one big fun-fest, so this track balances the album out. “A Kind Of Wake” has a 1950s rock and roll/Celtic feel to it and it works really well, it’s more rock in my opinion.
A very fun album that shows the band having fun, but a touch of seriousness slips in. I’m looking forward to hearing more from them.

 

Review by: Amy East

https://www.facebook.com/BeforeTheDevilKnowsYoureDead/

BLACK IRISH TEXAS: An Ode to Saint Cecilia: CD

These five guys from Austin, TX lay down six Celtic songs mixed with punk attitude and raw emotion that will touch you. Not just a drunk Celtic punk band, playing the same old crap that you hear over and over again, no, they mix things up and bring influences from bands such as Mr. Lewis and the Funeral Five, Flatcar Rattlers, Los Hispanos,UK, The Bulemics, and Hipsterectomy just to name a few.

The band get things going on this E.P. with “An Ode to Saint Cecilia,” a very fast-paced song chock full of energy and it really gets you up and dancing. The song has raspy vocals and a big sound that would be killer in a live setting. “Complicated Man” is a slower song with feeling and the violin really stands out giving the song a nice texture and sound that is very haunting. “Thrills of Yesterday” is another fast tune with great gang vocals and a twangy, country western sounding guitar that fits perfectly in the mix. “Puke (Lift Up Your Head)” brings in some more country western music mixed with the whiskey soaked vocals and the mid-paced song really gets your head nodding along, especially when the female vocals come in and bring a sweetness to the song. “Year After Year” starts slowly, but turns into a quick song that has a lot of great gang vocals and that violin is mixing with the guitar playing and just sounds fantastic. “Red Haired Mary” is the last track and it is a killer song that has you singing along with them and again would be great to hear live, it’s such a lively and probably my favorite song on the whole album, plus those female vocals add so much to it.

Only six songs, but what a great bunch of songs on this release. It feels like you’re in the pub with them having a party and makes you want more. This is the kind of multi-faceted Celtic music that I love, not just punk, not just mellow, but a great mixture with a few twists to grab you…and great lyrics too, just be aware that they are fairly raw and maybe not for singing to your grandparents…unless they’re really cool.

https://www.facebook.com/blackirishtexas

http://blackirishtexas.com/