Dropkick Murphys
Signed and Sealed in Blood
Born & Bred Records
Producer: Ted Hutt
Score: 8 out of 10
Fresh off Going Out In Style, Boston’s notorious punks with bagpipes drop the pretense and execute a rock & roll mission of the purest kind—have maximum fun. It’s a shift audiences will appreciate. There aren’t any dreary, introspective dirges to detract from the genial debauchery, and the sharp lyrics paired with rollicking hooks will ensnare the most jaded music snobs. Nearly every track hits its target, the best being “The Season’s Upon Us,” a comical take on dysfunctional family Christmases. None of this negates the reality that their self-referential genre has grown long in the tooth, but Signed and Sealed proves that impactful music doesn’t necessarily prioritize seriousness.
By Andy Kaufmann
