Flogging Molly - Whiskey on a Sunday

Maybe to a fault, I feel that Flogging Molly needs no introduction. This L.A.-based Irish-Punk band has been rocking bars, clubs, and pubs since 2000. Now with their fifth official release, a CD and DVD combination, the band is storming back into the world of live recordings (the band’s previous live album Alive Behind the Green Door), but also into the world of video documentary. For those unfamiliar with Flogging Molly, think of The Dubliners or The Pogues. The band combines traditional Irish music with concepts ranging from the IRA to piracy, with the traditional “fuck-it” attitude that makes Dublin one of my favorite cities. The record features new versions of songs like “Drunken Lullabies,” “Another Bag of Bricks” and “Tomorrow Comes a Day Too Soon,” along with live versions of “Swagger,” “Black Friday Rule,” “Within a Mile of Home,” and “What’s Left of the Flag.” The band’s energy can be felt in each recording, which includes the occasional on-stage musings of lead singer Dave King. Although the live recordings are non-too-perfect, they are charming all the same. The CD is only part of the package. The DVD documentary, Whiskey on a Sunday, directed by Jim Dziura, was shot over two years in seven different countries. This is more than just concert footage, this is a full-on behind the scenes, intimate video cataloging the life and times of one of the most infamous Irish punk bands of our generation. Features include live concert footage, studio footage, candid interviews with all seven members of the band, Dave King’s explanations of various song origins, their return to Molly Malone’s pub (where the band got their start), and more than a little whiskey. There ain’t nothing better than listening to a band you wouldn’t mind getting drunk with, and Flogging Molly is definitely one of those bands. Down-to-earth, fun-loving, and damned hard-working, this is one band you can still respect in the morning. [www.floggingmolly.com]