Saturday, January 16, 2016

 

Grooving to Celtic Rock


Unique instruments and folksy touch in Celtic Rock

Hit play on Drunken Lullabies by Flogging Molly now, as you start reading. I love the unique folksy touch and instruments in Celtic Rock: bagpipes, violin, flute and mandolin add their distinct flavors to the de riguer instruments of Rock music to create a merry jamboree.  In Drunken Lullabies, listen to the wonderful section here: banjo and drums at 2:29, violin enters at 2:35; and the full guitar/drum thrash at 2:41: Fabulous! Video is interesting, too, with the skateboarder and scooters nipping around.

Flogging Molly, a new band discovery!

After Drunken Lullabies (nippy, restless), above, listen to these two stirring numbers:

Float (soulful, moody): Nice lyrics on the main refrain:
Don't, don't sink the boat, 
That you built, 
You built to keep afloat 

Also, great interplay of vocals (main refrain), guitar and bagpipe starting at 1:11; with violin entering at 1:30 with a super tune of it;s own.

Here's What's left of the flag  (vigour, loyalty); different flavor altogether. Great tune and lyrics on the main refrain:
"Walk away me boy
walk away me boys
and by morning we'll be free
wipe that golden tear
from your mother dear
and raise what's left
of the flag for me"

They have an interesting logo, borrowing from Ireland's clover leaf logo:


Ireland: Country of great music; Old love: Corrs and Bono- Summer wine
Considering Ireland produced U2, Corrs and Cranberries, its among my top "music" destinations, and should be among yours, too. Check out this old classic, Corrs and U2 joining voices in a soulful Irish partnership (the original by Nancy Sinatra should be listened to also): Summer Wine . A guitar toting Bono enters like a boss at 0:22. Among other must-listen Celtic rock number from memory is Dropkick Murphy's power ballad Shippin up to Boston , the song which took The Bourne Identity trilogy from top-class to out-of-the-world. 

A trip beckons: Celtic rock, sports and Guinness! 
I know there are castles and meadows and whattnot, but I have three things in my ideal itinerary set:
  • Three concerts - one big name like U2 or Cranberries or Corrs, at least a cover band. One classic Celtic rock a la Flogging Mollies, and one full country Celtic folk. 
  • A cricket match between two counties (two thoughts - Dravid coached em! Kevin O Brien played for em!) and a Celtic FC football game
  • Half day at an Irish pub with much consumption of Guinness

Shout outs:
VP: You discovered Summer wine, remember?
ABK: Thanks for the company while writing and the tags for Drunken Lullabies
SV: Highlights from Ireland - please put in comments?
JJP, PJ, RG and APS: That office email has been converted. 

# posted by Ashwin Ravikumar @ 9:33 PM 4 Comments

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