Flogging Molly basically sound like The Pogues with a punk band and more predictibility. That is to say, rollicking Celtic tunes mostly on the traditional instruments (squeezebox, fiddle, pipes) with strong rock underpinnings in the rhythm section.

The fiery spirit of Celtic music suits a marriage with punk, but I find the distorted guitars don't really help beyond securing a demographic. That reflects my own preference, and it's safe to say fans of either genre will find something worthwhile here. The musicianship is good but not outstanding, and the vocals and lyrics are pretty average. Overall, it's the genuine Irish spirit of carousing that carries the album.

Most of songs are upbeat and many end up sounding rather like one another. This isn't entirely bad because it's a formula that works pretty well, but a few standouts (like Tobacco Island) show there's a lot of potential not being tapped like it could be.

3.25/5