Help me find these songs I can't describe... (Angry-ish drummy Celtic?!)
June 1, 2016 1:03 PM Subscribe
Looking for songs in the vein of Fairytale of New York by the Pogues and Foggy Dew as performed by the Young Dubliners. Snowflakes below.
So, I've really been enjoying these kinds of songs lately but don't have the musical knowledge to articulate exactly what I like about them-- Maybe the tragic story line? Maybe the traditional sound paired with the not not traditional sound? Maybe a memorable, singable chorus? Maybe a forceful drum or beat? I feel like what I'm looking for is somewhere between the Van Morrison and the Chieftains album and the Dropkick Murphies. Which is...vague.
I've already tried making Pandora stations with Fairytale of New York or Foggy Dew as seeds but it keeps veering too far off in one direction or the other...
I'd love some song recommendations!
So, I've really been enjoying these kinds of songs lately but don't have the musical knowledge to articulate exactly what I like about them-- Maybe the tragic story line? Maybe the traditional sound paired with the not not traditional sound? Maybe a memorable, singable chorus? Maybe a forceful drum or beat? I feel like what I'm looking for is somewhere between the Van Morrison and the Chieftains album and the Dropkick Murphies. Which is...vague.
I've already tried making Pandora stations with Fairytale of New York or Foggy Dew as seeds but it keeps veering too far off in one direction or the other...
I'd love some song recommendations!
Great Big Sea - The Night Pat Murphy Died; The Old Black Rum.
The Irish Descendants - Come Out Ye' Black And Tans; Downtown Girl.
posted by misteraitch at 1:40 PM on June 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
The Irish Descendants - Come Out Ye' Black And Tans; Downtown Girl.
posted by misteraitch at 1:40 PM on June 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Hm, maybe for the more traditional side, you'd like the Wolfe Tones? Or the more driving side, Flogging Molly (although that's pretty close to Dropkick)?
posted by General Malaise at 1:53 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by General Malaise at 1:53 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
"Angry-ish drummy Celtic" made me think of this cut from the band Cu Dubh.
You may also want to poke around the rest of the site. Cu Dubh is funky - their web site declares them to be "primal bagpipes", and their work tends to work in some Scandinavian and Arabic influences mixed in with the Celtic stuff (the rhythms on "Sacred Heart" get really funky).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:15 PM on June 1, 2016
You may also want to poke around the rest of the site. Cu Dubh is funky - their web site declares them to be "primal bagpipes", and their work tends to work in some Scandinavian and Arabic influences mixed in with the Celtic stuff (the rhythms on "Sacred Heart" get really funky).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:15 PM on June 1, 2016
How do you feel about Black 47? Also, The Tossers and The Machines.
posted by Candleman at 2:27 PM on June 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Candleman at 2:27 PM on June 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Do they need to be 100% sincere? I was thinking about St. Bushmills Choir. I used to see them play every St Pat's in Seattle. Might be a bit too Dropkick Murphys for you. There's also Boiled in Lead.
posted by jessamyn at 2:30 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn at 2:30 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
I love Clann An Drumma, though the stuff of theirs that I've heard is instrumental. (I was actually sitting in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh during the Festival many years ago, heard their drums from afar, and followed the sound to watch them because they were that good.)
If you love Foggy Dew, you've listened to Follow Me Up to Carlow by the Young Dubs, right? One of my favorite songs ("up with halberd, out with sword" - oh, the best).
Gaelic Storm isn't usually angry (more on the humorous side, actually), but they do a lot of good drumming. I particularly like their version of Rocky Road to Dublin.
posted by bananacabana at 2:49 PM on June 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
If you love Foggy Dew, you've listened to Follow Me Up to Carlow by the Young Dubs, right? One of my favorite songs ("up with halberd, out with sword" - oh, the best).
Gaelic Storm isn't usually angry (more on the humorous side, actually), but they do a lot of good drumming. I particularly like their version of Rocky Road to Dublin.
posted by bananacabana at 2:49 PM on June 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I think you'd like Spirit of the West. Start with Home for a Rest, then The Crawl, and maybe Save This House.
This is part of the soundtrack of my undergrad years--whenever the campus bar would play Spirit of the West, the dance floor would suddenly be absolutely packed. Brings me back every time every time I listen to them.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:12 PM on June 1, 2016 [5 favorites]
This is part of the soundtrack of my undergrad years--whenever the campus bar would play Spirit of the West, the dance floor would suddenly be absolutely packed. Brings me back every time every time I listen to them.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:12 PM on June 1, 2016 [5 favorites]
You're describing a lot of popular Irish music since the early 80s honestly. Bands like The Saw Doctors, Black 47, The Tossers, Chieftains etc all combined trad music with punk/ rock elements. Especially in the live shows. Then there are the UK bands like the Pogues and North American bands like Spirit of the West, Great Big Sea and Dropkicks. Also massively.popular in eastern Europe witjj bands like the Orthodox Celts, who are surprisingly good. Firkin is Serbian too I think.
Basically there are a ton of trad rock bands and YouTube is the best place to look imho. A lot of these bands are massively popular for decades and while Pandora won't throw them at you people will lovingly compile massive YouTube playlists.
posted by fshgrl at 4:03 PM on June 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Basically there are a ton of trad rock bands and YouTube is the best place to look imho. A lot of these bands are massively popular for decades and while Pandora won't throw them at you people will lovingly compile massive YouTube playlists.
posted by fshgrl at 4:03 PM on June 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The Levellers are pretty good for this kind of thing:
posted by brennen at 4:07 PM on June 1, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by brennen at 4:07 PM on June 1, 2016 [5 favorites]
Also check out the album Domestic Blues by Bap Kennedy and Steve Earle.
posted by fshgrl at 4:22 PM on June 1, 2016
posted by fshgrl at 4:22 PM on June 1, 2016
Definitely the Saw Doctors, who I love. And who are back together and in the studio this week, which makes me extra happy.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:15 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by wenestvedt at 7:15 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Seconding Great Big Sea and I would also add Oysterband.
posted by capricorn at 10:16 AM on June 2, 2016
posted by capricorn at 10:16 AM on June 2, 2016
Definitely the Levellers!
Have you listened to Del Amitri? They're Scots and have almost zero "trad" in their sound, but were just really great.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:04 PM on June 2, 2016
Have you listened to Del Amitri? They're Scots and have almost zero "trad" in their sound, but were just really great.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:04 PM on June 2, 2016
Serious ditto on the Sawdoctors and on Oysterband.
Their work is dearer to me than 90% of my blood relatives. Without it, I would likely perish.
Just as important to me, if not more so, is Weddings, Parties, Anything. Start with The Big Don't Argue, or with They Were Better Live if you can't find TBDA.
Also, you might find some joy in Richard Thompson's catalog. For what you're describing, I think I'd start with Rumor and Sigh, Mirror Blue, or maybe Mock Tudor.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 9:26 PM on June 2, 2016
Their work is dearer to me than 90% of my blood relatives. Without it, I would likely perish.
Just as important to me, if not more so, is Weddings, Parties, Anything. Start with The Big Don't Argue, or with They Were Better Live if you can't find TBDA.
Also, you might find some joy in Richard Thompson's catalog. For what you're describing, I think I'd start with Rumor and Sigh, Mirror Blue, or maybe Mock Tudor.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 9:26 PM on June 2, 2016
The Dubliners McAlpines Fusiliers is very similar to The Foggy Dew.
posted by night_train at 1:32 AM on June 3, 2016
posted by night_train at 1:32 AM on June 3, 2016
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