Artist: Flogging Molly

Album: Whiskey on a Sunday 

Blending traditional Irish instrumentation and melodies with modern punk, Flogging Molly has become one of the more popular bands who have sprouted from the Celtic rock genre. With an accordion, guitar, banjo, fiddle, and percussion piled on top of each other, the band creates stunning chorus melody, and once heard, incites involuntary whistling and even a little bit of dancing. This has been true for all of the previous Flogging Molly recordings and is not necessarily false for Whiskey on a Sunday, however, it is safe to say that the new release will not attract many new Flogging Molly fans. Judging it as a CD release, I was disappointed for it only includes one new song (Laura) and most of the re-recorded tracks are downplayed (for example, the acoustic version of Drunken Lullabies). It is important, however, to view the CD as an accompanying soundtrack to the Whiskey on a Sunday documentary. The DVD is very much worth buying this release. The DVD is not just a compilation of live footage and interviews; it is a full-length documentary on the complex stories of seven music loving individuals. It includes the story of a great Irish punk band and how they came to be, commentaries from the band members on each others stories, commentaries from fans, and intertwined sequences of  live performances. As I watched the DVD, I could hear the songs from the CD in the background and it made sense why they were re-recorded the way they were. They all fit in perfectly to the mood of specific parts of the documentary.

So if you’re looking to find a great new CD release when buying Whiskey on a Sunday, I give it a B- (although "Laura", the new track, is awesome!). However if you want to buy a great documentary with a complimentary soundtrack, then Whiskey on a Sunday definitely deserves an A+.

-Carla De Paz