Customer Reviews

Valley of the Shadow of Death

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Inspired by bands like the Chieftains and Pogues in their Irish influenced folk/punk ways, we have the Tossers from Chi-town. As an avid fan of this genre I must say that the Tossers just keep getting better & better with each new album they put out. Their new album "The Valley of the Shadow of Death" blew me away the first time I heard it and still continues to do so. It's been two years since "Purgatory"(their last album) came out and I've been anxiously awaiting any new Tossers material. Unlike most bands of this genre that rely so much on traditional Irish tunes to carry most of their album, the Tossers possess tons of creativety when writing their own original lyrics. Lead singer and mandolin player, T. Duggins voice just matches the music so well, just check out the opening line in "Criminal of Me"-"My great, great, GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT Granda was a king!" and Becca's fiddle playin' sounds so superb, especially on the traditional "Preab San Ol"(translate "another round" of drinks) which opens up with 2 verses of Gaelic Irish, followed by 2 verses of English, but damn! This tune really jams out as it develops and now has become my favorite on the album. From the anthem like "No Loot, No Booze, No Fun" to the angst fury found on "I've Pursued Nothing" and to the inspirational "Crock of Gold"(would even make Shane MacGowan proud), there's not a bad track to be found on this album. They may not be as well known like other Irish influenced bands out there, but who cares! If they wanted Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys fans they could easily grab them. So without hesitation I can easily say this is the best Tossers album to date and the best Irish influenced album of 2005 and I highly recommend it!

After listening to the mandolin dominated Communication & Conviction, the Last Seven Years; the solid albums Purgatory and the Long Dim Road; and finally The Vally of the Shadow of Death, I can honestly say that this is the best Tossers album to date. The songs are well balanced and they have stayed true to the Irish/Punk roots that make their music work. I especially enjoy A Criminal of Me, The Crock of Gold, and the title track; but that is not to say there are any weak tracks on the album. If you're interested in hearing some Irish punk this would be a good place to start off, or perhaps listen to some of the Pogues, who started it all. If you've listened to some of the other Tossers albums and enjoyed them you'll surely enjoy this one as well. If you like some of the other bands out there like The Pogues, Flogging Molly, the Skels, and Blood or Whiskey, then you'll like these boys from Chicago too.

I have been a fan of the dropkick murphys for many moons and also a fan of flogging molly. Though far more obscure the tossers are in the same leage as the previously mentioned bands. Though people say that they are irish punk i feel that they are realy closer to traditional irish music with a hint of punk influence. the resulting sound is astounding. this is the only tossers cd that i own but they are a new discovery for me and i plan on purchasing many more cds of theirs. i highly recomend this for anyone who likes irish music.

I am an avid listener of all things Celtic and would consider this to be one of the top Celtic albums and groups. Duggins has a powerful voice which I find easier to listen to than Flogging Molly. The music relys on powerful banjo and mandolin performances which helps steer them clear of obnoxious guitar riffs which can so often detract from a strong celtic group. The Tossers do a nice job of mixing American themes along with Irish themes and make sure you know that they are from Chicago. All in all the vocals are amazing and have you singing along from the first song to the last. The music makes you want to get up and stomp your feet along with it. What makes the album even better is if you have ever seen the Tossers perform live, then you realize just how much passion and energy they put into their music. I highly recommend this album for anyone who enjoys powerful celtic music.

This is totally off-the-wall release for Victory, atleast in comparison to a lot of the crap they've been peddling to the mainstream which I suppose is the irony about Victory--they can release such brilliant records at times and release absolute garbage other times. In anycase, The Tossers basically don't fit into anything Victory currently puts out (or even in the past, that I can think of?) and while I'm not to awfully caught up on this style of music I suppose it's best described as an Irish influenced fusion of folk and punk--something like the Dropkick Murphys but with more of a focus on the irish and folk influences and just a dash of punk (basically you're not going to hear any fast 3 chord progressions here but it does have the attitude of a punk record). From a technical perspective, the music is written very well and it's catchy as hell. Their some tracks that are only 1:30 long and then others that clock in well over the 6:00 mark. The band is very talented at what they do, but even I'll admit this record isn't for everyone. The average listener of Victory's current roster will probably absolutely hate this. Listen before you buy. Highlight tracks include "Good Morning Da," "No Loot, No Booze, No Fun," and the title track.

First heard them on Jimmy Kimmel. I bought the CD and I am a huge fan.

The Tossers seem to be fairly underrated. I admit that I am a huge fan of Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys, but The Tossers may be every bit as good. I only own three Tossers' albums so far, "The Valley of the Shadow of Death," "Agony" and "On A Fine Spring Evening," and they all rate five stars as far as I'm concerned. So if you're looking to start a Tosser's collection then this is a good place to start, and if you already have some of their music then you will enjoy this album as well.

The Tossers are one of the best bands you may have never heard of. Take my word for it and grab a copy of The Valley of the Shadow of Death, which was released in 2005 by Victory Records. This Celtic punk rock band from Chicago has punched out quality tunes since the early 90's yet is not as well known as their Celtic counterparts Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys.

This album is no different, as it starts off with a catchy tune called "Goodmornin' Da." This track sets the stage for the energy that pervades the album. But The Tossers also show their diversity in "The Crock of Gold," which starts off slow and speeds up into yet another catchy, bouncy tune. The catchy melodies continue pretty much all the way up until the final track, "The Valley of the Shadow of Death." This song is a slow mournful sounding track that finishes off the album rather nicely.

Unlike other popular Celtic punk bands, the Tossers prominently feature the mandolin. Songs like "Preab San Ol" proudly demonstrate frontman Tony Duggins' mandolin majesty. The CD also prominently features the fiddle, which drives many of the melodies that The Tossers so perfectly integrate into their songs.

Instrumentally, The Tossers cling strongly to their ancestral roots. Every song on the CD presents that distinctly Irish dynamic. It helps that the band incorporates traditional instruments, such as the mandolin, tin whistle, and accordion. The band also features a banjo. All in all, they are a great collection of musicians. They really know their stuff and it shows. The Tossers are a good blend of traditional Irish and punk rock. They fall somewhere in the middle, which I find to be a pretty good medium. The Valley of the Shadow of Death blends the best of both the Celtic and punk worlds into one electric, melodious sound.

Lyrically, the album speaks to their Irish heritage. "Preab San Ol" is a traditional Irish drinking song. Half the song is in Irish (yes, they have their own language) and the other half is in English. References to their ancestral homeland can be found throughout the album in several songs such as "Goodmornin' Da," "The Crock of Gold" and "Out on the Road" among others.

And of course, The Tossers never shy away from the subject of alcohol, as one can tell by the title of the track "No Loot, No Booze, No Fun." It is very much alluded to throughout the CD. They also have a couple songs of rebellion, which they also, not surprisingly, blame at least partially on the alcohol.

I had to order this CD off the Internet because I couldn't find a copy in any stores. But it was worth the four dollars shipping to get my hands on this. If you're interested in Irish music or punk rock, The Tossers are a good place to start. Or if you're simply looking to expand your Celtic collection, give this album a look. And learn some Irish while you're at it!

This band is what I would call a polished Irish punk band with skilled musicians. The Pogues were like a runaway train ready to derail at any moment but this band is firmly on the tracks which to me takes away from the excitement of the music. They are talented but if I was going for a modern Celtic punk band I would have to go with Flogging Molly. They have a slight feel of hardcore punk edge to them.