Content area
Full Text
While the Dropkick Murphys would likely prefer a hockey analogy here, it's hard to resist baseball lingo in noting how the release of the band's new compact disc "Blackout" next Tuesday will be akin to winning a doubleheader.
First, "Blackout" stands to join the short-but-noble line of punk- rock albums to crack the mainstream marketplace and remain essentially a punk-rock album; for references, see "London Calling" by The Clash, "End of the Century" by The Ramones and "... And Out Come the Wolves" by Rancid.
The Dropkick Murphys' second victory comes with "Blackout" easily landing a spot in the pantheon of all-time great Boston-baked rock records; for reference, see "Toys in the Attic" by Aerosmith, "Sanctuary" by The J. Geils Band, "Let's Face It" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and the first, self-titled album by The Cars.
Of course calling "Blackout" strictly a Boston product is a bit misleading, because Worcester-bred James Lynch is the chief architect of the band's guitar sound, and drummer Matt Kelly, one of two original members still in the band, hails from Leominster.
Of course, whenever the Dropkick Murphys hits a stage, everyone in the room suddenly has the right to sport a thick Southie accent, become a Bruins fan, and can claim some Irish sweat, if not blood, for the day.
That ability to pull the listener into the band's own orbit is the ultimate strength of "Blackout," a CD in which some of the original songs sound like they could have been written by Woody Guthrie, and a set of lyrics actually penned by Guthrie comes across as a modern punk anthem.
"Blackout" is the Dropkick Murphys' finest moment since its 1997 full-length debut, "Do...