10440 - BLOOD OR WHISKEY (1999)
BLOOD OR WHISKEY
''BLOOD OR WHISKEY''
1999
39:29
**********
1 Bucharest 02:17
2 Take Me Along 02:32
3 La La La 02:21
4 New Banjo Thing 01:32
5 Wack For A Widdle 01:47
6 Good Bye My Girl 02:55
7 Deathwatch 04:37
8 Keep The Baby 02:22
9 Unfinished Business 01:50
10 Always Remember 03:19
11 Prospect Hill 01:37 (Pete St. John)
12 The Mero 02:52
13 Galway Town 02:49
14 Even Her Love 03:01
15 Drunken Priest Of Dingle 01:52
16 Feile 01:39
Tracks By Blood Or Whiskey, Except 12
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Barney Murray/Lead Vocals, Bouzouki
Colm Gallagher/Tin Whistle
Paul Walshe/Banjo
Dugs Mullooly/Vocals, Guitar
Tomas Touhy/Bass Guitar
Rizz O'Meara/Drums
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REVIEW/AMG
Dave Sleger
Some artists bank on comparisons to similar-sounding, established acts, while others consider it an affront to their creativity and integrity to be tagged as a "sounds-like" band. County Kildare's Blood or Whiskey realizes that mentioning the Pogues is inevitable when describing their style, and they don't mind. Lead vocalist and bouzouki player Barney Murray possesses a guttural voice that makes Shane MacGowan sound like a syrupy crooner by comparison. Murray bears an uncanny resemblance to Animal, lead singer of early-'80s punk band the Anti-Nowhere League, and in true punk fashion there's no shortage of songs: 18 all together, with several clocking in at two minutes or less. The aggressive, paradoxical vocals along with banjo and whistle-driven songs are also trademarks of that other band, and neither group relies a great deal on the folk archives for their set lists. Blood or Whiskey's rough-hewn melodies are catchy enough, but with lyrics like "Shot in the head in a bar in Bucharest I was just hopin' to score" ("Bucharest") and "You can keep the baby, baby, just don't ask me to stay" ("Keep the Baby"), Blood or Whiskey's persona is one of neither sophistication nor sensitivity. Briefly lost in the comparatively poignant accordion waltz intro of "Deathwatch," reality abruptly strikes 30 seconds later when in lumbers Barney to leave his indelible imprint on the song: "I was a happy boy living on the dole but you came and ruined it all for me." Colm Gallagher's tin whistle playing is convincing enough, and some pleasant guitar/banjo harmonies are uncovered on occasion. Even though Barney Murray barges in like an uninvited guest, he deserves credit for never wearing out his welcome. Slightly demented yet oddly charming.
**********
WIKIPEDIA
**********
TO THE TOP
**********
''BLOOD OR WHISKEY''
1999
39:29
**********
1 Bucharest 02:17
2 Take Me Along 02:32
3 La La La 02:21
4 New Banjo Thing 01:32
5 Wack For A Widdle 01:47
6 Good Bye My Girl 02:55
7 Deathwatch 04:37
8 Keep The Baby 02:22
9 Unfinished Business 01:50
10 Always Remember 03:19
11 Prospect Hill 01:37 (Pete St. John)
12 The Mero 02:52
13 Galway Town 02:49
14 Even Her Love 03:01
15 Drunken Priest Of Dingle 01:52
16 Feile 01:39
Tracks By Blood Or Whiskey, Except 12
**********
Barney Murray/Lead Vocals, Bouzouki
Colm Gallagher/Tin Whistle
Paul Walshe/Banjo
Dugs Mullooly/Vocals, Guitar
Tomas Touhy/Bass Guitar
Rizz O'Meara/Drums
**********
REVIEW/AMG
Dave Sleger
Some artists bank on comparisons to similar-sounding, established acts, while others consider it an affront to their creativity and integrity to be tagged as a "sounds-like" band. County Kildare's Blood or Whiskey realizes that mentioning the Pogues is inevitable when describing their style, and they don't mind. Lead vocalist and bouzouki player Barney Murray possesses a guttural voice that makes Shane MacGowan sound like a syrupy crooner by comparison. Murray bears an uncanny resemblance to Animal, lead singer of early-'80s punk band the Anti-Nowhere League, and in true punk fashion there's no shortage of songs: 18 all together, with several clocking in at two minutes or less. The aggressive, paradoxical vocals along with banjo and whistle-driven songs are also trademarks of that other band, and neither group relies a great deal on the folk archives for their set lists. Blood or Whiskey's rough-hewn melodies are catchy enough, but with lyrics like "Shot in the head in a bar in Bucharest I was just hopin' to score" ("Bucharest") and "You can keep the baby, baby, just don't ask me to stay" ("Keep the Baby"), Blood or Whiskey's persona is one of neither sophistication nor sensitivity. Briefly lost in the comparatively poignant accordion waltz intro of "Deathwatch," reality abruptly strikes 30 seconds later when in lumbers Barney to leave his indelible imprint on the song: "I was a happy boy living on the dole but you came and ruined it all for me." Colm Gallagher's tin whistle playing is convincing enough, and some pleasant guitar/banjo harmonies are uncovered on occasion. Even though Barney Murray barges in like an uninvited guest, he deserves credit for never wearing out his welcome. Slightly demented yet oddly charming.
**********
WIKIPEDIA
**********
TO THE TOP
**********
