Dropkick Murphys - Meanest of Times (CD)

The Meanest Of Times One Of The Best From DKM

By Yahoo! Shopping User  Sep 19, 2007

Pros: The lyrics booklet contains explanations of every song except one. This album holds the band's trademark sound while still successfully growing.

Cons: Some fans may not like the newer sounding songs.

Those bad boys from Boston are back again with their sixth new full length record (and ninth overall release not counting their recent live DVD) to the joy of fans worldwide. This record is one that will likely meet most fans' expectations. It ha...s a feel about it that sounds like a combination of 'Sing Loud, Sing Proud' (2000) and 'Blackout' (2003). That is not a bad thing, either. It also takes the fan in a slightly new direction on songs such as "Surrender", "I'll Begin Again" (which sounds a little bit like Pearl Jam, believe it or not, due to the guitars), "Fairmount Hill", and "Rude Awakenings." The slightly different sound may take long time fans a bit aback. However, this may be a good thing. It could actually lead them to listen with interest to see where each song goes. It shows that while the band does an admirable job of maintaining its trademark feel, it has also obviously grown. Another interesting factor of this release is that with the exception of "Tomorrow's Industry", every other song on this record has notes in the lyrics booklet, explaining the lyrical content of each track. This is a positive in that there are so many bands out there that write cryptic lyrics (cryptic does not always mean bad either), without a full explanation as to their meaning. This leaves songs open to so many different interpretations, and sometimes to a band having to explain itself. The members of Dropkick Murphys have chosen the high road, though, explaining in short, yet concise terms, what each song is about. This helps the enjoyment and understaing of the overall product. Even if one doesn't listen to a band for its lyrics, fans still have plenty of good music to which they can listen. This record, overall, is proof positive that a band doesn't have to be signed to a major label (as a note, this record was released on Born and Bred records, instead of the band's longtime label, Hellcat Records). A band can be on a completely unknown label, get little to no airplay on tv and/or radio, and still put out one heck of an album, lyircally and musically. It is agreat record for new and old fans of one of the best punk rock bands in the industry. Read more Less