Customer Reviews

Gutter Anthems

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Enter the Haggis is one of those bands that somehow makes everything work. Scattered throughout all of their CD's are all kinds of tracks from all kinds of genres. The interesting thing, for me, is that I was not necessarily a fan of many of these genres, until Enter the Haggis. They have this way about them in that they craft music that anyone can listen to and get stuck in their head. The more you listen to it, the more interested in it you become. With their latest dish, ETH shows that they know what their fans like the best from their previous releases, while at the same time, they still throw caution to the wind and try some new sounds with great results.

After a nice intro that sounds like a celtic version of something U2 would open an album with, ETH hits us heavy and hard with what should (in my opinion) be their next great live anthem, The Litter and the Leaves. Craig blasts the bagpipes with all his might and the results should lead many listeners, like me, to turn this song on many times while driving with the windows down. Now that the band has the listener's attention, they start to really show their talent.

Rather than trudge through a description of every song, which I think would take away from some of the surprise of the album (and become a little boring to read), I will make a few comments. After the very Haggis opening to the album, the band begins to add more ingredients to their bowl of haggis by trying new sounds and new genres. From the folky sound of Cameos, to the rocking sounds of The Death of Johnny Mooring (which lead my fiance' to come up with the nickname of Rage Against the Haggis), this album has it all. Even the instrumentals are so good and well crafted that I didn't notice that there were no lyrics until a few listens. And that's the beauty of it. ETH can let their songwriting and instrumentals speak for themselves.

But to truly get a taste for what the boys from ETH have to offer, one must see the band in their natural habitat: the stage. For as good as their music is on the album, it finds a new life on the stage and shows its true emotion. With the addition of these fifteen selections to their library, ETH is ready to wow even more listeners than even before. Maybe this petition to see this band live is out of place, but please take my advice and get to know these songs from the CD and then go sing along with the band on their next tour stop. Few bands (I think) are just as good on the stage, let alone better, than they are on the CD. Enter the Haggis is one of them.

In the end, this is another classic ETH album that will please old fans and should go a long way in making others warm up to them. Very well done.

I've had this for a month now, and it is still as addictive today as it was the first time I heard it. An excellent, interesting, intelligent album that rocks -- what's not to love? Looking forward to experiencing these songs when they are touring! Check out their website at www.enterthehaggis.com

With "Gutter Anthems" Enter the Haggis achieves what most Indie bands would give their collective eye teeth to own: a stunning tour de force which in this case effortlessly combines such seemingly disparate genres as Celtic rock (they're Enter the Haggis, eh?) American folk/ western, traditional rock and yes, dare I say, pop. No fewer than eight of these songs have true radio potential. "Sea of Crutches", "Lights and Cars", "Suburban Plains", "DNA", "Real Life/ Alibis" -- any of these is hundreds of times better than most of what passes for pop music on the radio these days. Amazon does not have sufficient superlatives for "Gutter Anthems" as it is not just the best of artist/ best of genre. It is the best of any genre this Toronto quintet have seen fit to include on the CD. It is the rarest of Indie gems: a CD which reaches to a broader audience while satisfying the fan base who've been with the band all along. This could do it for them. This CD deserves to do it for them.

If there is any justice at all in the music industry, "Gutter Anthems" will be the album that breaks Our Heroes into the Big Time, "Sea of Crutches" will be their first top 40 hit, and NOBODY who's been listening for the last ten years as the band honed their playing and writing skills would dare claim "sell out."

Yes, I am a Haggis Head. And I've never been more proud of it.

I have somehow managed to miss this group up until now. This is an error I am quite ready to rectify as soon as possible. "Gutter Anthems" is my kind of Celtic music, a blend of contemporary with bagpipes and the traditional themes interwoven.

"Gutter Anthems" is 15 songs and one very generous hour's worth of solid music. My absolute favorites of the collection are "Bury My Demons" with a bass vocal solo that sends shivers up and down your spine. "The Death of Johnny Mooring" has hard-driving vocals with a predominant fiddle and drum riff that will get you up on your feet. "Murphy's Ashes" opens up with a pipe solo backed by plangent guitar chords and a catchy piano run, which is a great companion to the old classic "Paddy Murphy."

Usually, there's one song I'll skip on a CD, but in this case, I can honestly say the whole fifteen songs are well worth listening to. I've had the CD in my computer for a week now and I will probably only replace it with Christmas music.

Rebecca Kyle, November 2009

Basically, this is exactly what one would expect from the next Haggis offering. Strong musically, vocally, and lyrically. Wonderful instrumental interplays compounded by the same eclectic mix of instruments we've come to expect from Enter the Haggis. Their 3rd studio offering (from this lineup) doesn't stray too far from the formula of Casualties of Retail or Soapbox Heroes. Gutter Anthems makes an excellent first Haggis album and is a "must-have" for the serious fan.

Enter The Haggis's newest album is a work of pure genius. The songs and sounds are well varied, the different influences are blended seamlessly into songs that cover a broad range of emotions and images. Particular favorites include ALL OF THEM.

I'm always somewhat skeptical when I read a review that starts out with "something here for everyone", because......a) it's such a painfully overused cliche, and b) it somewhat implies that if you listen long enough you'll eventually come to something you'll like. So when I say, "something here for everyone", what I REALLY mean is "everything here for everyone", because that pretty much sums up this cd. It's so dang cleverly disguised however, that you don't even know WHY you love it, you just know you do. What's more, your hard rockin' 14 year old son, your folksy Great Aunt, your hip-hoppin' niece in college, and your Celtophile older brother love it too. Why? Because these guys know EXACTLY what they're doing. They deftly weave rock, pop, Celtic, bluegrass, folk, jazz, and more, into such cleverly written, amazingly additive, highly listenable tunes, that you can't help yourself but enjoy it. You might as well just give in and buy the thing now, because if you listen to the song samples one or two more times through they'll be stuck in your head, and why be stuck with just a slice when you can have the whole pie!

I love the new Enter the Haggis record. The Litter and the Leaves and DNA are my fav tracks! Definitely a must listen!

While Enter the Haggis is a pillar of the Celtic rock genera (though it might be more accurate to call it Irish-American Punk or Post-Punk Rock, but that's a mouthful), this is the first of their's I've purchased.
For me, Celtic rock begins with Flogging Molly. Gutter Anthems is musically similar to Float and Speed of Darkness. Thematically, too, it maintains key elements of the genera. Similar bands include Seven Nations, and the Dropkick Murphys. Worth price of admission!

I'm always somewhat skeptical when I read a review that starts out with "something here for everyone", because......a) it's such a painfully overused cliche, and b) it somewhat implies that if you listen long enough you'll eventually come to something you'll like. So when I say, "something here for everyone", what I REALLY mean is "everything here for everyone", because that pretty much sums up this CD. It's so dang cleverly disguised however, that you don't even know WHY you love it, you just know you do. What's more, your hard rockin' 14 year old son, your folksy Great Aunt, your hip-hoppin' niece in college, and your Celtophile older brother love it too. Why? Because these guys know EXACTLY what they're doing. They deftly weave rock, pop, Celtic, bluegrass, folk, jazz, and more, into such cleverly written, amazingly additive, highly listenable tunes, that you can't help yourself but enjoy it. You might as well just give in and buy the thing now, because if you listen to the song samples one or two more times through they'll be stuck in your head, and why be stuck with just a slice when you can have the whole pie!