If the Dropkick Murphys had stayed underground and never attached their music to a Dave Mirra game, they’d look a lot like the Charm City Saints. They’re a boon to the Indy Irish Punk genre, and this album from 2009 is a great part of their lineup.

It starts with a pretty mellow tune called “Egan’s Polka,” then wastes no time burning the house down with “The Night Pat Murphy Died” and “My Last Goodbyes.” Like any good album it doesn’t have just one tone for all of the tracks–by the time you hit the medley at the halfway point (integrating traditional songs like “Whiskey in the Jar” and “Finnegan’s Wake”) you know these guys are legit.

And of course the ending is right on track: the final tunes bring it to a conclusion that strikes the same chord as the first track. It’s mellow, but doesn’t let your heart rate take a break. All in all the Charm City Saints are great for any Irish Punk fan, and “Hooligans and Saints” is a great starter album.

Artist: Charm City Saints
Buy the Album: Hooligans and Saints

Graham Bradley primarily reviews fiction on his book blog, GrahamChops. He is also a contributor to Marc Gunn’s Celtic MP3s Music Magazine.