On March 11, just around the corner from St. Patrick's Day, the Dropkick Murphys dropped a limited edition deluxe CD/DVD of their killer 2007 release The Meanest of Times on the masses. This well-known Celtic punk rock band, which hails from my neck of the woods in Quincy, MA, just finished its annual (and long sold-out) St. Patrick's Day shows in Boston and Lowell, MA a few nights ago as well.

The Dropkick Murphys have become legendary in Boston during their twelve years of existence, but it seems that with each passing year, they gain new audiences and more mainstream exposure, even beyond the music industry. For instance, the band's breakout Woody Guthrie-inspired hit "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" was featured in the box office hit The Departed in 2006 and played at Fenway Park each time Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon entered a game in 2007.

In fact, the Dropkicks have become heavily involved in Boston sports over the past several years. In 2004, they covered the Red Sox-themed piano-led boogie and rally song "Tessie," which could be heard following the conclusion of Red Sox games at Fenway Park right after The Standells' 1966 hit and ode to Boston, "Dirty Water." They've played at several Sox games, all of which the team has won, including Opening Day 2005 as part of the beloved home team's celebration for winning the World Series in 2004, their first since 1918. The Dropkick Murphys have also played free concerts at the TD Banknorth Garden after Boston Bruins home games in recent years, and performed on a flat-bed truck alongside Red Sox players as part of the team's 2007 World Series Championship parade last October, their second in four years.  [Hey, Boston Celtics! You might want to give these guys a call sometime soon.] 

Footage of the Dropkick Murphys' celebration with the Sox appears on the DVD portion of the band's Meanest of Times reissue. The original, CD-only version hit store shelves in July 2007 and debuted at #20 on the Billboard 200 chart, the band's highest debut ever.  It was the band's sixth full-length, the follow-up to the excellent Warrior's Code CD from 2005.  Talk about paying your dues!

This limited reissue contains twenty audio tracks, including five bonus cuts. It may be a bit too long, but you still get more than your money's worth.  It features a mix of rowdy, fast-paced punk rock and some slower folk-punk ballads, all with plenty of attitude and energy. The tunes are routinely laced with slick banjo riffs, bagpipes, tin whistles, and other elements characteristic of the band's brand of Celtic rock.

There are fight songs, tales of hard luck, and stories of families torn apart on singles like "State of Massachusetts" and the "spleen"-kickin' "Flannigan's Ball," which was recorded in Ireland with The Pogues' Spider Stacy and Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners. Elsewhere, gritty yet soulful choruses can be heard on the likes of the folk-rocker "Fairmount Hill."  The bonus tracks include a new, piano-heavy version of the uplifting fan favorite "Forever (2007)," originally from 2001's Sing Loud Sing Proud record. It's a catchy sing-along song. Call it their "Piano Man."