Five Star: A look at albums
that are so good that they impress even the most cynical of critics. Very
few albums are superior enough to obtain a five star rating but occasionally
a band slips through the river of mediocrity that is the modern music industry
and they produce an album that restores our faith in the future of rock!
This series is a look at such albums.
When Mike McColgan left the Dropkick Murphy’s
in 1999 to pursue a career as a firefighter, the band lost what may have
been its most distinctive element. McColgan lent a very unique prescience
to the vocal duties of the Murphy’s with his huge delivery and bombastic
sound. He truly sounded like he was singing without a microphone
at times, like he was just belting out those Irish pub-ballads over the
din of a crowded watering hole. To say the least he left a void when
he departed not only in the band but also in all of punk music, which is
wanting for decent vocalists in a serious way. The release of the
new CD by the Boston-based Street Dogs is reason to celebrate for all fans
of serious punk music. McColgan has returned with this new band,
joined by the former drummer from the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Joe Sirois,
veteran bassist, Johnny Rioux (the Bruisers, the Disasters) and an unknown
young guitarist to reclaim the heavyweight title of bloody knuckles, conscious
punk rock. With “Back to the World”, Mike McColgan has returned to
the world of punk rock with an authoritative statement.
The overall sound of the disc grabs the
listener immediately, hearkening back to big sound of early Clash and Stiff
Little Fingers records. There is an urgency to the sounds coming
from the speakers that rarely finds its way out of a punk record anymore.
The hooks are huge and the disc never loses its sense of melody.
Even when razor sharp guitars cut straight through the song, the bass and
drums keep everything tight and the whole record keeps your feet tapping
and your fist pumping. If this record were to play in your local
pub, the Guinness would taste that much better as you raised your pint
skyward. There is a spirit of camaraderie that spreads throughout
all of “Back to the World”. That spirit flows directly from the disc
and into the consciousness of the listener. The songs all feel as
if they are filled with meaning, and a closer listen to the lyrics proves
this out. Whether it’s the political fire of “White Collar Fraud”
or “Tale of Mass Deception” or the personal sentiment of “Patrick” the
music goes deeper than the typical whining fans are stuck with in most
punk today.
The vocals may have been the most anticipated
aspect of this release for a lot of fans that missed McColgan’s distinctive
stylings. They end up being a little bit of a mixed bag. On
the plus side, McColgan has become and exceptional singer as opposed to
the shouter he used to be. On the flipside of that, however, he hardly
sounds like he did on “Do or Die” and the vocals at times sound a little
bit low in the mix. It’s probably not fair to expect him to sound
the same, though, since certainly he’s grown leaps and bounds as a person
and a singer in those nearly six years since he quit the Murphy’s.
Still, a song or two of the Mike McColgan of yore would have been a nice
touch, but who knows what all that smoke inhalation from being a fireman
does to a singing voice. The sing-a-long quality of the lyrics is
still there, which is a huge plus. The feeling that the audience
is one voice and one mindset is tough to achieve, especially on a studio
record, but Street Dogs have captured it perfectly on “Back to the World”.
So much so, that it may be tough for them to pull it off live without it
being a little bit of a letdown.
It’s hard to say enough good things about
this release. Based on this outing, there probably is not a better
punk band out there right now in this more traditional punk style.
Everything in the music and the words comes together perfectly on this
debut record and it never lets up from the first urgent guitar notes reminiscent
of “White Riot” by the Clash until the final diatribe on “Unions and the
Law”. Street Dogs have stepped into the ring and landed a straight
right, knocking out the front teeth of any other current punk band trying
to be real. This is the kind of band that music needs more of to
finally put Emo and Pop-Punk down for the count. Absolutely exceptional.
More Info
Street
Dogs - Back to the World
Rating: Release Date:
January 25, 2005
Track Listing:
Strike A Blow You Alone In Defense Of Dorchester Back To The World Tale Of Mass Deception Drink Tonight Stagger White Collar Fraud Patrick Pull The Pin Hands Down Unions And The Law
Posted by ed:
I really need to get in touch with Johnny Rioux . Any information would be great. Thanks in advance.
Posted by Nino 210:
What do i think????
i think they are one of the BEST punk rock bands ever, ive saw them for the first time through a show with flogging molly who was headlining, and i didnt know who they were at first, but i recognized Mike from Dropkick and woundered if it was him, once i heard his incredible voice i knew it was him, i quickly rocked out with them and loved them, ive seen them 5 time since from bamboozle to warped tour, and have blown me away each and every time, singing with mike when he is in the crowd is an incerdible feeling.... all i can say is ......WERE GOING BACK TO THE WORLD, BACK TO MY GIRL, BACK TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!
From
~Nino210~
"Rock On Guys"
you'll see me soon
Posted by cote-dangerous:
The best album i've heard since do or die.
Posted by toon:
they fokking rock
Posted by caroline:
The street dogs are awesome Ive had the pleasure of seeing them twice once with social d and once with tiger army these guys have become one of my favorite their cd is great and a must own!
Posted by Frank:
This CD is awesome! I saw 'em on St. Patty's in Dallas, I'm surprised they aren't that popular.. screw Yellowcard and Simple Plan and all that other weak fake pop punk BS, Street Dogs should be rockin' on the radios!
Posted by Judy :
This band rocks, I've seen em in Columbus,Oh & again in Nashvile. They have a commanding stage presence. Love this CD and Savin Hill.
Posted by inthefight:
Street Dogs are for real. Some think this album was a let down after the succes of the debut album Savin Hill. The new album is just as solid, can't wait to catch them on tour w/ Social D & Backyard Babies
Posted by jb:
I have heard this band and they are awesome! I have also seen them perform live in Dallas and it was a HIT! The crowd went wild over thier music and they are all Handsome!
Posted by freds:
I saw them live in london,uk and malmö, swe last november and it was superb!
Posted by Opie:
I don't know. I listened to these guys. They were pretty good, but to say that
"there probably is not a better punk band out there right now in this more traditional punk style" is a bit of a stretch in my opinion. At present, there are MANY, MANY exceptional punk/hardcore bands out there!
I actually passed on this CD to review myself.. that's how impressed I was....
