Float

First off, I've never even heard of Flogging Molly until I did my Hauk review a few weeks ago. When I originally received an e-mail from Hauk regarding a request to review their new album No Mercy For The Slain, there was a reference to them having some elements of the band Flogging Molly in their music. I decided at that time that I should check out Flogging Molly and see what they were all about. I went to their My Space page and on it they had their new album Float in it's entirety available for streaming. From the first song until the last I was immediately hooked by what I heard. The album was released on March 4th and I went to Best Buy to purchase a copy. I've been listening to it non stop ever since! Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, Float is eleven tracks of beer drinking Irish/Celtic Folk/Punk Rock. Many consider Flogging Molly to be the band that has picked up the torch left behind by The Pogues. Flogging Molly's brand of fiery Irish/Celtic Folk/Punk Rock is based more on traditional instrumentation and styles than other Irish bands like Dropkick Murphys or Blood & Whiskey, which are a bit heavier and aggressive. At times, Float will probably make you want to get up and start square dancing more so than headbang. However, the end result will be the same as the music is sure to get your body a movin' and yer feet a stompin'! Most of the songs have that Devil Went Down To Georgia type of feel. Flogging Molly is the brainchild of ex. Fastway singer Dave King (vocals, acoustic guitar). You won't hear much of his older vocal style traits such as his Robert Plant like wailing. Dave King sounds more natural and suited for what he has been doing with Flogging Molly. The guy is from Dublin after all! You can hear that in his voice at times. But one thing he has still maintained since his Fastway days is the ability to rock! The rest of Flogging Molly consists of Bridget Regan (fiddle, tin whistle, classical guitar, Uilleann pipes), Dennis Casey (electric guitar), Matt Hensley (accordion, concertina, piano), Nathen Maxwell (bass), Bob Schmidt (mandolin, mandola, banjo) and George Schwindt (drums, percussion). Float is full of memorable melodies and insightful lyrics. Instruments such as the fiddle, tin whistle, accordion, mandolin, banjo and acoustic guitar give Flogging Molly their Irish-Celtic Folk feel while the up-tempo drum beats give them more of the Punk Rock feel. However, Flogging Molly have a great ability to slow things down too without losing any emotion in the music. I guess you can look at the album in two ways. There are faster, louder cuts that seem more suited for intense stage performances and an excitable audience, pumping fists in the air and singing along to the songs. These tracks would be more characteristic of things like overdriven guitars, soaring violins and manic drum patterns. Then you have your acoustic ballad types, designed to slow down the pace and make things more intimate. The slower cuts are driven by instruments such as the acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. Flogging Molly seems to blend both halves equally well. The end result is energetic, catchy, melodic and very listenable. Requiem For A Dying Song is the opening track and the one that made Flogging Molly grow on me instantly! It has a Clash feel to it with the political over tone lyrics like "there's a government whip cracked across your back". It's upbeat with a working class chorus that is sure to make people pick up their baseball bats and start revolting! The title track Float begins with an acoustic guitar and slowly builds momentum with a mournful accordion, joined by the fiddle and mandolin. (No More) Paddy’s Lament has an anthem like feel with it's war like lyrics. Tracks like Lightning Storm and Man With No Country have more of a Pirate Rock feel with the driving drum beats and crunchy guitars. The bass line at the beginning of Man With No Country almost sounds like an homage to Lemmy from Motorhead! Other songs, like On the Back of a Broken Dream and Between a Man and a Woman will make you want to get up and dance, while tracks like Us of Lesser Gods, You Won’t Make Fool Out of Me and Punch Drunk Grinning Soul will inspire you to raise your mug of beer in the air and and sing along in unison with the rest of a drunken crowd! I'm sure many will question why this album is scored 100 / 100 and given an "Album of the Year" stamp. Well readers, I've been doing this for six years now and there have been many albums in the past for me that deserved these credits but I never fully felt comfortable giving them the ultimate compliment. In this case, I can't deny this for Flogging Molly as they are more than deserving of it. Float is doing for me what many of my top albums of the year have done for me in the past; extended play, memorable songs with catchy choruses, top notch musicianship, meaningful lyrics, etc. Go to their My Space page and see what I mean! You won't be disappointed!