Customer Reviews

WITHIN A MILE OF HOME [Vinyl]

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As has been mentioned countless times already, "Within a Mile of Home" differs a bit from previous Flogging Molly albums. This album manages to change styles enough to not be a mirror image of "Drunken Lullabies" without abandoning the clear Irish vibe to each of their songs. Their Irish-punk style may be formulaic, but the group's actually managed to grow within the formula.

Though not everyone seems to like the entire album, the really good tracks--"Seven Deadly Sins," "To Youth", and "Tobacco Island"--seem to win over everyone. "To Youth," in particular, is a great ode to Ireland; thoughts of James Joyce are practically inevitable. And the Irish pub hoe-down (yeah, I said it) in "Tobacco Island" is easily one of the year's best punk-rock jam sessions. Along with "Screaming at the Wailing Wall" and "Queen Anne's Revenge" (a great track featuring bassist Nathen on vocals), these tracks are enough to lift the album above both "Swagger" and "Drunken Lullabies"--and this says quite a bit considering how good those albums are.

The ballads are also strong, if not on the same level as "Death Valley Queen." I've never heard any music by Lucinda Williams before, but her turn on "Factory Girls" is respectable. The brief "Wrong Company" is enjoyable, and "Don't Let Me Die Still Wondering" is a good closer (though I think the title track would've been a better stopping point).

Some take issue with the first track's approach to modern politics--the "sell-out" phrase has already been uttered-- but I don't think it seemed inappropriate. This band has always been political, even if it was usually focused on the Roundheads (see "Tobacco Island") and Ireland's resistance. But a group can't focus on the same flavor of injustice without wearing the audience down from time to time, so why not focus on what they perceive to be the injustice of their own day? Perhaps this dates them, but frankly just playing in the "Irish punk" genre would probably date them too. And besides, there's enough treatment of injustice in a universal sense to give the song a longer life.

All in all, this is a great album, even better than the group's previous two albums, even if the style is a little different from those. Fans of the group will likely not be disappointed.

After the harder-edged sound of DRUNKEN LULLABIES, this album returns to the softer-edged and more tuneful sound of SWAGGER. There are some tunes that drag a bit--tracks 4 and 5 are kind of blah, for instance--but track 7, "Tobacco Island," is worth the price of the CD all by itself (it may be the new "Black Friday Rule"), and "Tomorrow Comes a Day Too Soon" and "Within a Mile of Home" are impossible to sit still through. Almost as good as the first one. Flogging Molly proves they've still got it.

My belt is to long, my hair to short and gray, I have no tattoo or body piercing. These things normally keep me away from the racks where this band is kept being more at home in Easy Listening, Jazz, Classical, Folk or Country. My CD collection has a strong Irish section. One side of my family came to America during The Great Hunger; the other came after the Easter Rebellion. Irish music and lore is part of the family and in the blood. The Clancy Brothers, The Irish Rovers, The Dubliners, The Chieftains and The Coors have all drawn on and contributed to the music of Ireland. These contributions have produced an electric lively interesting sound. Flogging Molly is building on this heritage and expanding it. These guys are good! They have a sound that is a combination of Irish music and punk rock that attracts and beguiles. My introduction was a ring tone on my son's phone but they appeal to any student of Irish music. This is a good introduction or addition to your CD collection with several strong tracks. Screaming at the Wailing Wall, Tomorrow Comes a Day too Soon and Don't Let Me Die Still Wondering are ones I liked. This is my first CD but it will not be my last.

I have something to say before even review the CD. Anyone that says Flogging Molly is a rip-off of the Dropkick Murphys doesn't know what they're talking about. The Dropkick Muphys weren't the first celtic rock band out. The Pogues were out in the 80s and the Dropkick Murphys came out in 1996; Flogging molly in 1997. I think some people need to do some research before putting anything down. So onto the review...

I think this album is good, but I must say that I do like Swagger and Drunken Lullabies more than Within A Mile Of Home. I think this album is lacking in some of the celtic elements that their past albums have had.

If anyone is a first time Flogging Molly listener, then I would strongly suggest listening to Alive Behind The Green Door or even Swagger first. Listening to them is one thing, but seeing them live is another. Once you see them live, you will then understand what got all of us Flogging Molly fans hooked.

Alright. Now I'm a die-hard metal fan.. Opeth, Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, Megadeth and everything inbetween. But this album kicks serious ass. I'm a huge Flogging Molly fan. I've seen Flogging Molly described as punk but honestly, I dont see the resemblance... reminds me more of an Irish-washed version of The Who (their earlier stuff). If more punk was played like this, the world would be a better place. Progressivly, the band has done nothing but get better. Swagger was great and had some absolutly dynamite tracks on it. Drunken Lullabies was a massive step foreward as far as the music and feeling is concerned. Within a Mile of Home only gets better from that. From start to finish this song is nothing but a full-on romp through fiddle laiden music, complete with perfectally suiting vocals. There are a few slow songs, though that dosnt necissarily mean they are any lesser of songs. Though, keeping in a running track, the best songs are the more "Pirate" themed songs (Queen Anns Revenge, Seven Deadly Sins) IMO. For anyone reading this, pondering whether or not to buy this album I think I speak for any FM fan when I say DO IT IMMEDIATLY. Classic rock, Irish punk and a fiddle never sounded any better.

Flogging Molly have made exactly the type of album I want from a band I already like. They cautiously explore a little new territory while still delivering the kind of stuff that made me love them in the first place. "Tobacco Island", "Screaming at a Wailing Wall" and "Seven Deadly Sins" are right in line with what they've been doing and I couldn't be happier about that. However, "Factory Girls" and "Wrong Company" are successful and enjoyable departures. Flogging Molly is and will always be one of my favorite bands. Please, just go buy this.

I am happy to report that I am wrong. Having seen them in concert along with having their last two CD's, I expected the usual letdown (sellout) but was greatly pleased by this album. Is it better than the last two CD's? That's hard to say, but I can safely say that I will be listening to it for a LONG time. They have stuck to their roots and it has paid off handsomely in the final cut.
"Seven Deadly Sins" is one that will have you dancing an Irish jig.

When first listening to this album, many first reactions may be to say that this isn't as good as Swagger or Drunken Lullabies. I thought the same way. But then, after going through the CD several times, I found myself coming back to this one over and over, far beyond Drunken Lullabies. Overall, the intrumentation is phenominal, far beyond the other two albums. The melodies range from soft and soothing (Wanderlust, To Youth) to drunken lullabies style awsome (Tobacco Island, Seven Deadly Sins) to haunting and emotinally chilling (Spoken Wheel, With a Wonder and a Wild Desire). Overall, an intense and amazing album.

Track by Track:

1. Screaming at the Wailing Wall - 8/10 - Not the best opening, although it has its moments. Like I said above, the medoly is very nice, and clearly shows that instrumentation in this album is spot on. I don't agree with the lyrics too much (they focus on politics) but overall, its a pretty decent opening.

2. Seven Deadly Sins - 10/10 - Amazing. Astounding. One of the best flogging molly songs ever. EVER! It got me hooked with its awsome pirate accents, crazy fiddling, and overall upbeat coolness. If you're reading this, you've probably heard this song already, so you know what I'm talking about! Awsome!

3. Factory Girls - 7/10 - The weakest song on the album, and yet it gets a 7 because its not that bad. It has a nice realxing coutnry feel to it, which is kind of different, considering we just had the crazy Seven Deadly Sins. There's a guest singer, and she's not bad, alhtough I perfer Dave King's vocals. Overall, its not a bad song, but not as memorable as some of the other ones.

4. To Youth - 9.5/10 - Another awesome song, with some nice sounding guitar, adnd a very lovely flute. Its fast paced, yet not as harsh as Seven Deadly sins or some of the Drunken Lullabies stuff, and it has a beautifuly melodic ending. "Goodbye to my love! My sweet Roisin Dubh! Goodbye now until we meet again!" To this day I don't know what the phrase roisin dubh means, but the song still is awesome.

5. Whistles the Wind - 9/10 - Generally, I don't like ballads very much, but this is so musically well done, and so brilliantly put together, that I can't give it any lower than a 9. Perhaps even 9 isn't doing it justice, but I do have a bias against slow songs, especially sad ones. Yet despite the slightly somber lyrics, the song has a beautiful feel, with the violin being extremely well played. Overall, great song, great lyrics, that depsite the somber mood, make you think.

6. The Light of a Fading Star - 9/10 - Again, another great song. Its not exactly a fast song, but its not whistles the wind either, and so its hard to classify. THe chorus is memorable, if only because of Dave's perfect voice. Dave King's voice really shines above all else here and when he bellows the chorus right in the beginning, you can tell this is a treat. Guitar dominates much of the song as well, and gives it this different adn unique feel from much of the rest of the album.

7. Tobacco Island - 10/10 - Another gem, almost as good as Seven Deadly sins. It has a great set of lyrics talking about Cromwell and how the Irish got screwed by the English. The lyrics are dripping with sinister irony, yet the song is upbeat and awesome, with a killer fiddle and an amazing instrumental at the end. One of the best on the album.

8. The Wrong Company - 8/10 - I know, I know, its barely even a song. It's kind of filler, but I love the lyrics. Its really just a vocal solo that lasts 40 seconds, but I like it better than the previous vocal solo. The lyrics are catchy, and funny. I always listen to it, simply because its there, its quick, and funny.

9. Tomorrow Comes a Day Too Soon - 10/10 - Yes, another 10, this song as a brilliant violin and accordian combination, and has a nice upbeat catchy tune with a cool chorus. There's not much to say about this song, except that its sooo cool for its optimismstic lyrics, happy tune, and overall, its a cheery listen.

10. The Queen Anne's Revenge - 8.5/10 - This one's different, and has reminders of Cruel Mistress in it. At first, the change of singer may startle you, but overall, its a good song, with a very priate feel to it, and some great instruemntals. Again, I perfer Dave King's voice, but this far exceeds Factory Girls, and has a very good chorus.

11. The Wanderlust - 9.5/10 - Similar to To Youth for its soft and gentle melody, yet still being fast paced. THe chorus is very memorable, and I always have a fondness for this songs lyrics, which talk of a couple that split up long ago, with Dave King's voice reminicing on the good times. "So Raise a cheer, to those forgotten yeaaaaaaars, back to the corner, where we went our seperate wayyyyyyyys!" Great song!

12. Within a Mile of Home - 10/10 - Yesiree, another 10. This is very similar to Tomorrow Comes a Day too Soon, and just as aweosme. A little more reflective, not as optmistic, but still, great lyrics, with a great uplifting and upbeat melody and chorus. I always find myself singing the chorus in random places, hehe. Great song.

13. The Spoken Wheel - 8/10 - The strange and sometimes hated song, its called filler a lot. The opening is haunting and beautiful, with Dave King singing a sad song about when he will die. The ending is more optimistic, with a change in pace/melody that leads brilliantly into the next song, which is almost like a continuation. However, its hte middle that kills this song. THis could have easily gotten a 9, 9.5, had it not been for the most obnoxiously horrible guest singer who sings a verse in the middle. The voice is so mindnumbingly bad, it brings in memories of William Hung from AMerican IDol. ARgH! Drives me nuts because its such a good song, but alas, ruined by the inclusion of that bad singer.

14. WIth a Wonder and a Wild Desire - 9.5/10 - This is basically a contiuation of the previous song, set to a fast (very, very fast) pace, but with similar lyrics/melodies. Its a great song, with an amazing violin solo. Very memorable, and if listened in conjunction wiht the Spoken WHeel (if you can get past that bad singer), the two make for an incredible combination.

15. DOn't let me Die Still Wondering - 9/10 - Again, ballads never appealed to me, yet this one is haunting and brilliant, with a great sound of insturments in the background, and Dave's amazing voice taking center stage with lyrics that really make you think. He talks about dying and getting old, and its really something unique. Most bands are so young, that this kind of point of view doesn't come out, yet Dave King sings this truly unique tune. Amazing, and with a very good melody line and chorus.

So there you have it. One of the best albums ever created. Superior to the other flogging MOlly albums, and clearly shows that FLogging Molly has improved and set themselves as one of the most unique and amazing bands ever formed. So "raise a cheer" to Flogging Molly, "my Roisin Dubh" who certainly will never be a "fading star."

I must admit, when I first heard of Flogging Molly, I was intrigued, seeing as I'm about 70% Irish. An Irish rock band? I wonndered what it would sound like. The answer is, better than anything you would expect. Within A Mile of Home is one of the best CD's I own. Flogging Molly blends pure rock and traditional Irish elements perfectly. The CD starts off with the fast, loud "Screaming at the Waling Wall." It is a good song, but not great. However, it will give you an idea of what the band sounds like. Immeadiately we move to the tounge-twisting sea-shanty "The Seven Deadly Sins." If this song does not suck you into the album and the band's sound, turn it off and walk away. It's more likely you will feel like dancing to vocalist Dave King's whiplash verses, and then yelling the chorus along. We go on to the slower, more mellow tune "Factory Girls." Personally I think it is the second to worst song here, but still isn't bad and is perfectly capable of being stuck in your head. Then onto "To Youth," which kicks up the speed again and will have you jigging. "Whistles the Wind" is the slowest song so far, but also the best. The lyrics are amazing and the music fits, again, unexpectedly well. Don't freak, because suddenly the blaring guitar of "The Light of A Fading Star" will be pounding in your ears. Another excellent song, worth every bit just for the aforementioned guitar part. Tobacco Island has brilliant drumming and is similar to "The Seven Deadly Sins," but the instumental at the end is a bit too long. "The Wrong Company" is about 40 seconds long, and is simply a little barsong with no music, just vocals. It is surprisingly catchy, however. "Tommorow Comes A Day Too Soon" is a refreshing surprise with a bit of a Cajun influence, and another great song with an instantly catchy chorus. Now, "Queen Anne's Revenge" is the worst song here, partly because another band member does the vocals, and the whole song just seems a little obnoxious. It is still listenable, though. "The Wanderlust" is simply, another great, fast, song. "Within A Mile of Home" is my personal favorite, and every bit of ithe sound just meshes beautifully with stunning lyrics. "The Spoken Wheel" and "With A Wonder and A Wild Desire" are more like one song than two the way the CD is set up. It starts slow, but picks up once into the second song/part. The lyrics are brilliant here, the best on the album, although narrowly. It all wraps up perfectly with the wistful pleading of "Don't Let Me Die Still Wondering," which is a sad, slower, yet hopeful song. If you haven't gotten into Flogging Molly yet, do it soon! Irish or not, you will love the way it sounds.

While many comment on what a great live band Flogging Molly is, few note what great songwriters they are. This is the third album filled with instantly memorable tunes and thoughtful and moving lyrics. Though it is hard not to jump around listening to these guys, I recommend one listen while reading the lyric sheet. As others have noted, this album is a bit more varied than the first two efforts, but every cut is a winner. I don't know who can match them as musicians these days. The rhythm section is remarkably versatile. Oh, and the duet with Lucinda Williams is great. An amazing band that deserves a wider audience than I think they have.