The Dropkick Murphy’s are a Celtic Rock band out of Massachusetts. Back after a four-year hiatus with their ninth studio album titled 11 Short Stories of Pain and Glory. Now the first couple times I listened to this album this was the first time I had listened to a full project of theirs. Obviously I’ve heard songs by them. I like most other people have heard “Shipping Up To Boston.” But I’ve never listened to a whole album by them until now. However, after a couple listens I went back and listened to one of their earlier records, and I understood why some people weren’t totally on board with this album. Because in comparison this album is a little more pulled back than usual. You won’t find any “Shipping Up To Boston” on this record.

Still though, I really enjoy this album a lot. It gets off to a bit of a slow start with “Lonesome Boatsman” not really being much of a song. But once it gets into “Rebels with a Cause” the album really starts to settle in. “Rebels with a Cause” as well as “Pay My Way” are songs dealing with drug addiction. According to the band they did a charity event for drug addiction and it was here where they were inspired to write these songs. I think that’s very admirable, “Rebels With A Cause” is about two kids were given up on, but then someone comes along and gives them another chance. It’s a good story and it’s very inspiring. Other than the songs about drug addiction the band takes on a pretty tongue and cheek attitude. Some of the songs on here are a little silly and they make me smile. “First Class Loser” is a song about a guy that they just hate. Like they really hate this guy. It’s hilarious. “Kicked to the Curb” is a misadventure about a guy who was in a relationship with a gold digger. I don’t know if humor is what they were going for on this song, but it’s what they got. Then one of my favorite songs on this album is about someone starting a bar room brawl over a hat. Then the song “4-15-13” which is the date of the Boston Marathon Bombing, is a tribute song for the victims of that event. That song is definitely the most emotionally taxing listen on this whole record. It’s incredibly effective and it’s a great tribute to the victims of that horrible event. Tonally I think this album really hits a sweet spot between goofy and serious. The band knows when it needs to be serious, and when it can loosen up and be funny. I think that awareness really serves the band well and helps make this album feel more coherent.

I went on a lot about the lyrical themes of each song, but there isn’t as much to say about the instrumentals. I mean they’re okay. I like the mix of traditional Celtic folk music with more contemporary punk rock. Especially since the idea of this album is that these songs are supposed to be narratives, and one of the defining characteristics of Irish folk music is the idea of a story being told through lyrics and song. The old Irish folk feel of these instrumentals work well with the narrative ideas of this album. Especially on the songs that focus more on violence or disdain. Such as “First Class Loser” or most notably “I Had a Hat” Both of these songs compositionally are the most steeped in Irish music and especially for “I Had a Hat” it fits well with the narrative of that song. Starting a bar room brawl over a hat, doesn’t get much more Irish than that. But the Punk Rock element of their music identity feels a little overshadowed by the Celtic element more than it has on past Dropkick Murphy albums. Usually the two work well together but in this case it feels like one is restricting the other ever so slightly. As a result, the album can feel a little watered down and not as rough around the edges as a true Dropkick Murphy fan might like. I would have liked to have heard the drums be a little more prominent in some of these mixes. Especially on “Blood” or “Rebel With a Cause.” Punchy and heavy drums are rather characteristic in Celtic rock and some of these songs were really screaming for some more punch that just wasn’t there. With that being said though, I personally enjoyed most of the music on this record. However, I have to take into account that this is my first full length album by the Dropkick Murphy’s. And I think that longtime fans of theirs may listen to the music and see it as a step back. However, I think it works well with the tone that they are going for on this project.

At the end of the day I can honestly say that I very much enjoyed this record. I really like the sound of Celtic Rock and this band really plays up the Celtic side of that more here than in their previous records. While I would have liked this album to be a little rougher around the edges I think the songs are all well thought out and well written. Sure some of the songs are a little silly and that might turn some people off, but I found them entertaining. And I do admire how the band knows when to step back and get more serious on songs like “4-15-13,” or “Paying My Way.” These songs do well to offset the lightheartedness and keep the record more grounded. I respect the band for having enough awareness to know when to get silly, and when to get serious. The silly songs are entertaining, and the serious songs are quite captivating. I’m feeling a light 9/10 and a strong recommendation that you check this record out. If you’ve already listened to this album feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think. And as always, have a great day.