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Release date: January 3, 2017
Running time: 52:40, 13 tracks
For all of you that belong to the Shite’n’Onions generation, The Peelers are a living legend. The boys from Glengarry County (ON, Canada) delivered a kick-ass mini-album in 2002, “Boots & Suits”, and then a proper debut album in 2004, “Liquordale”. The album was chosen album of 2004 by Shite’n’Onions and fans will remember songs like “I’ll Meet You at the Bottom of a Bottle”, “Plastic Paddy” and “Savannah”. However, after the release of this must have album, The Peelers went on hiatus. The band moved to Montreal and played the odd show there, while rumours of an upcoming album were spreading. They covered “Rise Again” on the “Whiskey Devils – A Tribute to The Mahones” album in 2010. But no The Peelers album arrived in the following years. Fortunately, the band begun to record their new album in October 2013 and the recordings were finished in October 2015. The new album was announced last year on Facebook and finally “Palace of the Fiend” has been released at the beginning of January 2017.
A gap of 12 years and a half between their previous album and the new one is too much time. Would Dave Barton and his band mates be able to meet their fans expectations? I daresay that “Liquordale” is a must have album and “Palace of the Fiend” is an essential album too. I’ve been listening to The Peelers previous works. Producer Pierre Pineault did a great work on “Liquordale”. He has recorded, edited, co-arranged, mixed and mastered “Palace of the Fiend” and the final result is even better!!! Let alone the line-up. Old band members Dave Barton (lead vocals, guitars), Eric Diamond (tin whistle), Christos “Zeus” Smirnios (drums), Tim Duggan Walsh (guitars, bass, banjo, mandolin) and Ewen McIntosh (mandolins, ex-The Crofters, ex-The Glengarry Boys, Hadrian’s Wall) and new members Jonathan Moorman (fiddle, ex-Bodh’aktan, guest on several The Mahones albums) and Christopher Monaghan Stewart (mandolin, drums)
have been joined by Sean “Riot” Ryan (electric guitar, Irish Nails, The Mahones) and guests Johnny Fay (drums, The Tragically Hip, producer of The Mahones third album), Micheal O’Grady (accordion, but tin whistler on The Mahones), Neil Emberg (backing vocals), Finny McConnell (vocals on “Going Down Swingin’ “, The Mahones), Lorraine Muller (vocals on “Beggars, Rats and Boozers”) and a horn sextet.“Palace of the Fiend” starts off with “New York”, a kick-ass Canadian Celtic-punk anthem that proofs that The Peelers are alive and kicking.
“Bastard of the Bunch” is the next number. The song was advanced on Soundcloud and it was enjoyed straightaway by fans missing The Peelers previous stuff.
Track no. 3 is titled “The Black-Eye Blonde”. Great traditional sounding intro based on fiddle, tin whistle and accordion. “Julia Delaney’s” is played at the end of the song.
The following cut is “Going Down Swingin’”, a Flogging Molly infused song featuring Finny McConnell. You can watch the video for this amazing song HERE.
“The Dark Path” has inherited the same DNA of the “Liquordale” songs, while “Five Roses” is an awesome number with a Johnny Cash twist featuring organ. References to The Clash can be heard on that song: ““Breakin’ rocks in the hot sun” / While singin’ about a White Riot”.
“Beggars, Rats & Boozers” is a song sung by Dave and Lorraine Muller, who also guested on the band’s rendition of “The Fields on Athenry” from the “Boots & Suits” mini-album.
If the quality of the CD was top-notch so far, 6 brilliant songs are played in a row before the album finishes up. “A1 A FLA” is an upbeat number that any Celtic punk fan will love. Track no. 9, “Farewell to Clean and Sober” is stuck to “A1 A FLA” and it’s the catchiest song on “Palace of the Fiend”: “In the morning the mornin’ see you in the mornin’ / Meet you up the boreen wher the cold north winds blow / In the morning the mornin’ see you in the mornin’ / We ask for part and whiskey but they still say no”. Once again, references to The Clash can be heard: “Joe is on the jukebox / ‘See it gets to Jimmy Jazz”.
The beginning of “I’m off to Kill the Devil” reminds me of Goats Don’t Shave second album. Although I thought that it was an instrumental number, it’s a badass song.
“Stand down Cleary” features an audio excerpt from Boxing Championship Jack Dempsey vs Jess Willard from July 4, 1919. The song is about an Irish stand out boxer from Co. Tipperary. Needless to say that The Peelers give Flogging Molly a run for their money.
“Company of the Saints” is a true gem: fab song featuring a horn section that will make you think of Shane MacGowan’s best moments.
The album is over with an excellent version of the traditional song “Cunnla” (sic). “Cúnla” was the first cut on Planxty’s second album “The Well below the Valley” (1973) and The Dubliners recorded their rendition featuring Stockton’s Wing on their “25 Years – Celebration” double album in 1987. Hats-off guys! Great choice and better rendition.
Regarding the packaging, The Peelers “Palace of the Fiend” comes in an eight panel digipack including all the lyrics to the songs, studio credits and thank you section.
2017 is going to be an epic year. The heavyweights of the genre are back with their new albums. Will they be able to meet the fans’ expectations? The Peelers have already done it. If you love real Celtic punk, grab your copy of this album.
Track listing:
01. New York 3:55
02. Bastard of the Bunch 3:16
03. The Black-Eye Blonde 4:34
04. Going Down Swingin’ (ft. Finny McConnell) 3:51
05. The Dark Path 3:45
06. Five Roses 3:36
07. Beggars, Rats, & Boozers (ft. Lorraine Muller) 5:34
08. A1A FLA 2:18
09. Farewell to Clean and Sober3:16
10. I’m Off to Kill the Devil 4:12
11. Stand Down Cleary 4:25
12. Company of Saints 4:12
13. Cunnla (for Ger) 5:47
Click to buy
Review by Kinksmarkham
