Dropkick Murphys: Going Out In Style

Dropkick Murphys: Going Out In Style
It is hard to understand what Dropkick Murphys mean to Boston. There have been many bands/groups to rep New York City; from Beastie BoysTo the 5 Boroughs to Ramones‘ “53rd & 3rd”, there are plenty of odes to the big apple. If you eliminate Dropkick Murphys, Boston pretty much only has “Dirty Water” and that was written by a band from California. Dropkick Murphys gives Boston a city with a rich history the musical accompaniment it deserves.
Like the city of Boston, the Murphys are gruff and rowdy. And for their wares, the band has managed not only success in Boston but world round. The band’s last two albums have done damage on the US charts, peaking at 48 and 20 respectively. On their seventh studio album, Going Out in Style the band seeks to duplicate this success without getting stale.
I think going stale should be a real concern for the Murphys who seem to be as complacent as a band comes. Their albums always have the exact same hallmarks. First is the obligatory song about Boston; on this album, it is the album’s title track “Going Out In Style”. The track name check’s everyone from Bobby Orr to Mayor Menino. Next is the acoustic based sing-a-long song; on Going Out In Style, “Cruel” fulfills this duty. The track is more melancholy than the popular, “Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced”; the track is about overcoming the odds to prevail, a popular subject matter for the Murphys. Finally is the token song about war. In this case, the song is “Broken Hymns” which is about a Civil War battalion.
Despite predictable song subjects and styles, Dropkick Murphys are still the best of the modern crop of Irish punk bands. Going Out In Style delivers their patented brand of the genre as well as The Meanest of Times or The Warrior’s Code. The only unfortunate part is that there is not a lot to distinguish Going Out In Style from its two predecessors.
Rating: 7.2/10
MP3: Dropkick Murphys “Going Out in Style”
Buy: iTunes or Amazon

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