Dropkick Murphys - The Meanest of Times Review

I first saw the Dropkick Murphys on the last night of 1997, opening for legendary Boston ska-coresters The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (so screw all you bandwagon jumpers...just kidding...sort of).  And while their half hour set that night surely could not have predicted the amount of success they've gradually built, it also wouldn't have been an unfair assessment to say that I was potentially watching the next band of Boston punk legends to be.

Hot off of their song I'm Shipping Up to Boston being used in Martin Scorsese's The Departed last fall, the Murphys released their sixth full length studio album, The Meanest of Times, last week.  Not as instantly ferocious as their previous release (2005's The Warrior's Code), the Meanest of Times is nonetheless an album to be reckoned with.  On my first listen, I don't know how crazy I was about this disc.  Coming off of the Warrior's Code, I half expected that same energy here, and when I didn't get it, I was a bit taken aback.

The main difference between the two records, in this writer's opinion anyway, is that the guitars aren't quite as loud and upfront, while the vocals have been given a boost, both in terms of quality and in terms of volume.  The turned down guitars might make you think the Irish instrumentation will have picked up, but that is not the case.  Yes, there's a couple of traditional Irish songs here as always, and yes, you'll hear accordion, and bagpipes and tin whistle, and banjo in spots, but this is first and foremost a punk release.

The group's songwriting has become even more focused this time around, as songs like God Willing and Loyal to No One can attest.  God Willing is nothing more than a reminder to never take your loved ones for granted, but for a song with such a generic premise, it has an honest spirit and an urgent energy throughout.  Loyal to No One is just the opposite.  It's a spiteful, raging track about selfish people, a song that hits a particular chord with me right now regarding someone I unfortunately am a 3rd party to ("he can't keep a woman...he loves them leaves them, takes what he needs, cause he's loyal to no one, no one at all").

First single The State of Massachusetts looks at dysfunctional families and the effect it has on everyone involved, from the kids to the adults.  My first few listens to this song didn't do much for me; I thought it was too much about capitalizing on the sound of I'm Shipping Up To Boston.  But every listen has made this song grow on me exponentially.

Fans of the band's more punkish numbers will love Vices and Virtues and especially the breakneck pace of Tomorrow's Industry.

The undeniable highlight of the album though is (F)lannigan's Ball, a Murphys modern take on the traditional Lannigan's Ball.  With guest appearances on vocals from Spider Stacy of the Pogues and Ronnie Drew from the Dubliners, the song is a by the numbers example of how the Murphys have come to appeal to people who normally wouldn't go near traditional Irish folk songs, as well as people who normally wouldn't go near punk rock.

The only song that feels out of place here is the ballad Fairmount Hill, a revamped take on the traditional Spancil Hill.  It's placement is jarring in contrast to not only the songs that immediately precede and follow it, but to the other songs on the record period.

Regardless, The Meanest of Times stands as one of the Murphy's two or three best records, coming very close to their previous pinnacle, Sing Loud, Sing Proud.  Longtime fans shouldn't be disappointed, and newer fans will get quite a nice expanded introduction to the best band Boston has to offer at the moment.

4.5 stars, rounded down.