Customer Reviews

Blackout

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

The Dropkick Murphys have the unique ability to blend musical styles together and create their own sound. Even on Do or Die, they showed they were more than aggressive punk rock. Though the band is a shadow of its original line up, they are making the best music yet. They have become the first band since the Pogues to fuse celtic sounds and punk and come up with their own sound. What began with Sing Loud, Sing Proud culiminates with Blackout. Opening up with Walk Away and Workers Song, the Dropkicks prove again that they can be as loud as they want to be. The Black Velvet Band is a brilliant rendition of an old song as is the Fields of Athenry( my personal favorite song on the album with the pipes and guitars on full blast and an irresistable chorus). They take Woody Guthrie's Gonna Be a Blackout Tonite and make it their own anthem to their town (think Never Alone off Do or Die). The most unique song on the album would have to be The Dirty Glass where Ken Casey and Al Barr square off against a female vocalist in a musical dialogue of a love story, it sounds surprisingly like Fairytale of New York by the Pogues. Bastards on Parade and Time to Go are raucous tunes that prove the bar is still alive and well in the Murphys. Kiss Me im S*i&faced is a fun tongue in cheek tune as well. Overall this album is a triumph all the tracks are strong, it is their best work and one of the best combinations of punk and celtic music since If I Should Fall From the Grace of God by the Pogues.

Many people seem to slate this album because it is seen as a departure from Do or Die. While that album was by for a more raw Oi!punk sound this album does have its merits.

DM give us the same Oi! chants, Irish heritage and lyrics about drinking that have made them popular. Track that stands out for me is "Fields of Athenry" Great to hear it rendered into an Oi! track (Wonder if the DM know it is a popular terrace song of Liverpool fans (all be it with the lyrics changed to "Fields of Anfield Road"))

Outside the Shankly Gates
I heard a Kopite calling
Shankly they have taken you away
But you left a great eleven
Before you went to heaven
Now it's glory round the Fields of Anfield Road.

All round the Fields of Anfield Road
Where once we watched the King Kenny play (and he could play)
We had Heighway on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
Of the glory round the Fields of Anfield Road

Outside the Paisley Gates
I heard a Kopite calling
Paisley they have taken you away
You led the great 11
Back in Rome in 77
And the Redmen they are still playing the same way
All round the Fields of Anfield Road
Where once we watched the King Kenny play (and he could play)
We had Heighway on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
Of the glory round the Fields of Anfield Road

The DM have often been compared to Cock Sparrar and Sham 69 and that would probably be a fair comparaison. Don't know why anyone would have a problem with the DM celebrating their Irish heritage this is a pretty good album.

Well worth a listen.

The album isn't actually bad. It doesn't have the spirit as the previous albums but it's worthy. It has a couple of Irish traditionals done to punk rock along with the title track of "Blackout" which was written by the Gutherie clan and given to Dropkick Murphys.

It has some good moments and bad moments, but it's not a weak effort. It just may not have that same appeal as past albums to older fans. The tracks "The Dirty Glass", "The Workers Song", and "Fields Of Athenry" along with their cover of "Black Velvet Band" make it energetic.

This is where artistic style and skill culminate, the Dropkick Murphys' finest album. Deeply rooted in their Celtic Punk musical style, the Murphys show a flair for creating songs with a broad appeal, while maintaining their roots as a band that started in Quincy, Massachusetts. The Murphys possess the ability to write angst-filled rebellious lyrics and run the gauntlet to the tradtional humorous Irish song with the final track on the album. This is a must own for fans of DKM and anyone who enjoys punk, Celtic music or having pint.

Ah, the Dropkick Murphys. If you are reading this review or thinking of buying this CD because you want some mellow but witty pub songs, and a stirring mandolin cover of "Wild Rover" or "Lessie Lindsey" to enjoy while you gaze upon your Brookstone cork Shamrock coasters in your handcrafted home bar while drinking expensive neatly brewed import beer, maybe later watching a nice program about the Emerald Isle on PBS, this is not the CD for you. Stop reading this review.

Witty as it may be, this is not quiet pub music. Nay, the Dropkick Murphys are and have been for as long as I can remember the forerunners in absolutely rowdy drunken barroom Irish/American rock music. They play their instruments about as well as any punk rock band, albiet alittle better than most, and the vocals are gravely and rough. However there is absolutely nobody who can match the energy found in any Dropkick Murphys album (or live show... however we will not get into that). The songs are filled with fire. They are filled with pride, loyalty, and a strong identity that is so lacking in this grey society these days. The Dropkick Murphys are absolutely not politically correct, they are whole-heartedly Irish and American and they embrace it in the face of accusations of closed-mindedness. I guess it's tough embracing your heritage and identity these days.

Blackout is a thuroughly solid record. Easily their most polished album. They seem to have buffed the presentation, and rounded out some of the rough edges, mainly in their guitar sound and vocals. Really the only song I would give the thumbs down to is their cover of Woody Guthrie's "There's Gonna Be A Blackout Tonight" which sounds somewhat forced and unnatural. The other tracks however have the classic Dropkick flow to them. "Dirty Glass" in particular is a great track that doccuments a wonderful love-hate relationship between Al and his bartender Darcy. The song really captures the progression of a night of drinking, it starts off kinda tipsy, and by the end the lyrics are slurred and insults are being hurled freely. The energy level is still fantastic through out.

Again this is beer swilling fighting-good-time music for those who embrace their Irish roots, or those who are just Irish on St. Patty's Day. Either way, if you're a fan of completely unique mayhem, the Dropkick Murphys are for you, and Blackout is a great place to start.

I agree with other reviewers that this album is definitely more commercial than DKM's other albums, but it's still one of my favorites. The songs are simpler, less Irish, and more of the sing-a-long variety with repetitive lyrics (Gonna Be a Blackout Tonight and This Is Your Life), but there's something about the album that just plain makes me feel good. If you're looking for something edgier, this isn't it, though, try "The Singles Collection."

I love this CD. Period.

1. Walk Away ~ 9/10 ~ great opening song, upbeat, awesome lyrics
2. Worker's Song ~ 9/10 ~ good mesage behind this song, fun to sing to
3. The Outcast ~ 7/10 ~ this one doesn't stand out very much, kinda mediocre
4. Black Velvet Band ~ 9/10 ~ good remake, but you can't match an original
5. Gonna be a Blackout Tonight ~ 8/10 ~ there's a lot of energy in this song, good instrumentals
6. World Full of Hate ~ 10/10 ~ I really like this song, its not the normal dkm approach, but they still pull it off
7. Buried Alive ~ 10/10 ~ great song, i never get sick of it
8. The Dirty Glass ~ 11/10 ~ This is definitely my favorite on the cd, its hilarious, great to sing along to
9. Fields of Athenry ~ 10/10 ~ an instant dkm classic, i love the irish history in it
10. Bastards on Parade ~ 9/10 ~ great lyrics in this song, but it gets repetitive
11. As One ~ 10/10 ~ Great pipes in this one
12. This is Your Life ~ 8/10 ~ kinda sounds like others on the cd, but still a good tune with great lyrics
13. Time to Go ~ 10.5/10 ~ My second favorite on the cd, you can't go wrong with the bruins
14. Kiss me, I'm %@$#Faced ~ 10/10 ~ so so funny, great end to a great cd

DKM delivers in a way only they can pull off...if you ever get a chance to see them perform live, i highly reccomend it, they are insanely awesome...peace

I LOVE BLACKOUT JUST AS MUCH AS ALL THEIR OTHER ALBUMS!!! all you morons who say that you're behind dkm all the way, but then contradict yourself by saying that you hate Blackout...you don't deserve to even express your opinion. Blackout is awesome! just as great as sing loud, sing proud, do or die, the gang's all here, live on a five, etc...dkm has been keeping up the god work for 7 years now and by my standards, they've gotten better, just like their work has. so all you out there saying that Blackout sucks, think about how much you really are behind them, becase you're not.
worker's song-kiss me i'm s**tfaced: all f*cking great!!!

I'm a huge punk rock listener. I listen to every punk band you can think of. Dead Kennedys, Crass, Flux of Pink Indians, Rudimentary Peni, Kraut, Rancid, Distillers, NOFX, Anti-Flag, The Unseen... I even listen to The Casualties once in a while.

Last summer, someone told me that I should check out Dropkick Murphys. He had told me they were a cool Irish sounding punk band. I decided to check them out, and I bought The Warrior's Code. I was instantly blown away with it and I needed MORE! So, I went back to the CD store a couple of days later and got Do Or Die, Sing Loud Sing Proud and this one. And let me tell ya, this is an awesome little CD here. Very fun to sing along to. I guess I'll do a song by song review of it.

1. Walk Away - 10/10 - Great song. One of my favorites.
2. The Worker's Song - 9/10 - Catchy and fun.
3. The Outcast - 10/10 - I love the lyrics in this one.
4. Black Velvet Band - 9/10 - Heavy Irish influence. Awesome.
5. Gonna Be A Blackout Tonight - 10/10 - LOVE This song and it's music video, too!
6. World Full of Hate - 9/10 - Different from the other stuff, but this is why it's great.
7. Buried Alive - 8/10 - Good punk rock sounding song. It isn't one of the best, but it still rocks.
8. The Dirty Glass - 11/10 - My FAVORITE song on this CD and by the band.
9. Fields of Athenry - 10/10 - Great rock 'n roll sounding song.
10. Bastards on Parade - 7/10 - It's okay. I like it's instrumentals a bit.
11. As One - 9/10 - The bagpipes at the beginning are awesome.
12. This Is Your Life - 10/10 - Catchy & fun, like all the songs on here.
13. Time To Go - 9/10 - Great shout along track.
14. Kiss Me I'm Sh*tfaced - 9/10 - Kinda funny. I like it!

Overall, this is a pretty damn good record. If you're a fan of punk rock or rock 'n roll, you'll love it. IF you just like music in general, you'll love it. Oh, and if you do like it, definately get Sing Loud Sing Proud. I think that that one is their best. I can't believe I didn't get into these guys sooner!

PS: I'm much older than 13.. Well, 17 isn't much older, but yeah, I'm older than 13. :p

When this album came out, I didn't bother going and getting it, I didn't know why; Murphy's rule! Then the warped tour 2003 came to town and Murphy's were on the bill. I caught their set and (I) was totally blown away by their new stuff, the next day I went out and bought it.

Blackout is great and proves Murphy's can do no wrong. A lot of fans of their older stuff don't really like this album; They say it's to mainstream or to poppy. True, it's not like their early stuff (with is also great), but nonetheless, it doesn't lose the amazing punk/celtic sound Murphy's are know for. I highly recommend this cd along with their older stuff.