HARP
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FLOGGING MOLLY
FLOAT
(SIDE ONE DUMMY)
www.sideonedummy.com
More Celtic, less hectic: That pretty much sums up the formula for Flogging Molly’s fourth full-length, which accentuates the traditional Irish roots of the band’s core sound while toning down the electric guitars and breakneck tempos that have made the L.A.-based group a Warped Tour mainstay. Recorded in singer/songwriter Dave King’s native Ireland, Float’s sentimental ballads and fist-pumping drinking songs spotlight King’s airy tenor and a lilting cushion of acoustic guitars, violin, accordion, banjo, and mandolin. Even the most uptempo tracks on the album sound more suited for a Londonderry pub than a mosh pit, with only drummer George Schwindt’s whipcrack snare beats and the barest hint of electric guitar providing a link to the band’s hardcore-punk roots. No doubt the band – renowned for its high-energy show—will still crank it up onstage, but Float is so accessible and easy on the ears that even fans of traditional Irish folk music might want to check this out.
JIM TESTA
