The Dropkick Murphys' "Blackout" is praised by RollingStone.com

Boston's favorite barroom heroes Dropkick Murphys polish off their beer-soaked growl and bagpipe jigs for a dynamic fourth album entitled Blackout. Their gnarly presentation captured on The Gangs All Here (1999) and Sing Loud, Sing Proud (2001) is in full effect, but the punk rockers go beyond their signature rowdy style for their bravest and tightest material to date. Twin vocal duties from Ken Casey and Al Barr are ferocious and charming, and both are keen to Shane MacGowan's and Billy Bragg's working class anthems. But there's a glimpse of trickery ("Break the Law") hinting throughout. The Dropkick's version of an unpublished Woody Guthrie song ("Gonna Be a Blackout Tonight") is raw spirited punk rock and evidence of the band's classic Celtic-inspired style. Traditional Irish favorites like "Fields of Athenry" and "Black Velvet Band" get a facelift, but it's the rough-edged "Ones You Loved" that truly represents the Murphys' festive theme. They'll never tire of raging against the pop/rock machine, and we'll never get sick of their fist-pumping hymns.

(MACKENZIE WILSON)
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