Tuesday , March 19 2024
On their ninth album the Celtic rockers show no signs of slowing down.

Music Review: Young Dubliners – ‘9’

On this, their ninth album, the Young Dubliners show few if any signs of age or of slowing down. A statement of vital lyrical and musical energy comes right at the top, as “We the Mighty” opens the disc in muscular style. Oddly, the second track tugs back to the ’80s with shades of Huey Lewis, as does mention the title, “Say Anything,” which brings to mind the 1989 John Cusack flick of the same name. What the song’s about, though, is retaining one’s own innate sense of agency, and that’s a message that never goes out of style.

young-dubliners-9

Punk-pop pace quickly returns with the emotionally charged “Up in the Air.” Then the band’s folk-Celtic side bursts forth with evocative mandolin in the intro to the power ballad “Rain,” which laments a farewell: “Can’t stay forever, you have to move on.” But “Seeds of Sorrow” takes the form of an Irish dance fused with a raw punk chorus that turns the song into an up-on-your-feet shouter – you’d have to be a read sad sack for this song not to get your blood pumping. Yet the words betray the group’s lyrical side: “Throw away seeds of sorrow…Love will follow, cross my heart.” It’s a smart and effective juxtaposition.

“Fall” has a similar rebellious rawness, and also bracing is the instrumental Abhainn Mór, driven by racing violin, uilleann pipes, and whistles. Throughout all this variety, the band displays a solid knack for melodies, which ties this album together as much as their tight arrangements and Celtic energy do. It’s also why a group that’s been around long enough to put out nine albums still sounds relevant. A good song is a good song, whether it feels Irish, punkish, like ’80s pop, or like music from no particular time or every time.

“We are the ones not for the world to see – only you and me.” So goes the piano ballad that closes the disc in a slow storm of grown-up passion. It’s a fitting end to a set of songs that display the Young Dubliners’ gift for mature songwriting, persistently youthful energy, and, equally important, a sound that evinces with every note their complete dedication to their art.

About Jon Sobel

Jon Sobel is Publisher and Executive Editor of Blogcritics as well as lead editor of the Culture & Society section. As a writer he contributes most often to Music, where he covers classical music (old and new) and other genres, and Culture, where he reviews NYC theater. Through Oren Hope Marketing and Copywriting at http://www.orenhope.com/ you can hire him to write or edit whatever marketing or journalistic materials your heart desires. Jon also writes the blog Park Odyssey at http://parkodyssey.blogspot.com/ where he is on a mission to visit every park in New York City. He has also been a part-time working musician, including as lead singer, songwriter, and bass player for Whisperado.

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