The seventh studio album from Boston natives the Dropkick Murphys Going Out In Style is something of a concept album and a brave and compelling new direction for the band.
Continuing their wonderful combination of punk rock and more traditional Anglo-Celtic musical styles, this album marks a maturity and a major step up for what was always a compelling band, especially on a live front.
Loosely inspired by guitarist James Lynch’s grandfather, Cornelius, the band have created a fictional character by the name of Cornelius Larkin, who is the centre point of this album. The album’s conceit is that Larkin has passed away and the songs presented here are very much a celebration of his life as both an Irish immigrant to America and his experiences fighting in the Korean War.
Larkin is an Everyman character in the space of the album. The experiences depicted in tracks such as “Deeds Not Words” and “Take ‘Em Down” are illustrative of not only the band members, but family and friends was well. The album has a very candid and personal feel to it. Continuing on from 2007’s “The Meanest Of Times”, it also has a beautiful production to it by Ted Hutt, which shows the band at their finest, especially in regards to the fantastic musical groove and world that they have created on both record and a live front over the past fifteen years.
More than this central conceit, via the music, band members share their experiences of their lives as both Bostonians and their Irish ancestry. The result is a stunning album that is the most personal to date for the Murphys.
Kicking off with the anthemic “Hang ‘Em High”, about Larkin’s experiences during the Korean War, this album, considering the subject matter, is never depressing or maudlin to listen to. The celebration of life is what jumps out the most about this very accomplished album.
Album highlights include the rowdy and incredibly likeable title track, which features guest spots from Fat Mike (No FX) and Australia’s own Chris Cheney from The Living End. Another standout is the gorgeous “1953”, a surprisingly tender and affectingly honest love song from the band. Unexpected and quite haunting.
Bruce Springsteen features on the great “Peg O’ My Heart”, sounding very much like a kindred spirit to the Murphys. Although musically quite different, Springsteen and the band definitely share many of the same working class, unpretentious attitudes and outlooks towards life.
The album closes with guitarist James Lynch’s father, Pat, sharing lead vocals on a fantastic take on the traditional song “The Irish Rover”. A great note to finish on, Going Out In Style heralds a major step forward for the Dropkick Murphys as a band.
-Neil Evans.
