Artist: Welch Boys, The
Label: I Scream Records
Release: 2008
Runtime: 49:01
Rating: 3.5/5
Oh yeah. Has anyone ever heard of Dropkick Murphys? You know the drill. Take rock n’ roll, convert it with a punk twist, toss in some Irish folk shenanigans, and the muffin’s baked. This well-fed Boston quintet, sworn to boozy brawling and revelry, is still led by the unshakable guitarist T.J. Welch (of Blue Bloods). He’s joined by Slapshot vocalist Ed Lalli, plus guitarist P.J. Dionne and bassist Mark Powers. The band has taken on a new drummer, Steve Maffeo, who stepped in to replace Ron Holbrooka, who passed away (in his sleep).
With the new album, The Welch Boys pick up their story right where the debut left off. So: major-key refrains and lead motifs. Ed Lalli has that proper drunken, gravelly, wheezing voice that’s trying to carry the melody, in places deliberately sloppy, which definitely earns plus points for the band’s boozy punk n’ rock and, above all, for The Welch Boys’ credibility. The riffs are trivial, sometimes downright dumb-simple, and the choruses come loaded with gang vocals, or rather a crew of drinking buddies that no force on earth could drag out of an Irish pub. TJ Welch proves he’s no total outsider on guitar. He knows exactly how to pull a bold, boozy rock energy out of individual riffs, and he also surprises by throwing in guitar solos that, first, aren’t totally cookie-cutter simple and, second, nobody would miss anyway. Punk doesn’t necessarily need solos, but this time around they’re not necessarily harmful either.
You can’t tell exactly how hammered the quintet was while recording, but there must have been quite a few molecules of assorted alcohol derivatives floating around the studio air. All sorts. The lyrics are roguish, even teasingly spicy when it comes to humor (Pervert – about guitarist Pete Townshend). The guys can’t resist having fun with Let’s Break The Law either, a witty, very-much-their-own take on the original by Anti Nowhere League. There are a full 18 songs on the album, and going by that number alone, you can tell the booze doesn’t give these boys a moment’s peace even in the studio.
So? A simple “party drive,” making fun of themselves and everyone else (the lyrics are the album’s juicy bit) at every turn, a winding ride through this twisted but lovable punk rock, with a mild Irish folk touch that pushes you into doing silly things. It’ll also be interesting to fans of Deadly Sins, NOFX, Street Dogs, and, in milder, occasional doses of course, if you’re a son or daughter of the Slovenian nation: The Drinkers.
Lineup
Ed Lalli – vocals
TJ Welch – guitar, backing vocals
PJ Dionne – guitar, backing vocals
Mark Powers – bass guitar, backing vocals
Steve Maffeo – drums, backing vocals
Production
Jim Siegel & The Welch Boys
Track List
1. Head In The Sand
2. No Hope
3. Charlie The Marine
4. Transparent Man
5. Drinking Angry
6. Police Dog
7. Pervert
8. My Own Creation
9. Ambulance Ride
10. 8 %
11. Johnny Black
12. Route Irish
13. Let’s Break The Law
14. Stronger
15. Two Steps Forward
16. Time Ain’t On Our Side
17. Turn It Loose
18. Sonic Lobotomy
