For the People
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are angry on For the People, but they haven't forgotten how to make good company out of it. The record moves between political frustration, old friends, family memories and a farewell to Shane MacGowan. The common thread is the sense that nobody should have to deal with everything alone.
Who'll Stand With Us? gets the argument started with a strong rhythm and the sort of group chorus the band have always handled well. Ken Casey sounds fully committed, and the song makes its position clear. The force comes from the performance as much as the words. It is a very good opener.
Longshot, with The Scratch, brings more of the traditional folk side forward. The banjo gives the song a distinctive starting point, and the extra voices feel like part of the band rather than visitors waiting for their turn. The collaboration adds something useful to the sound.
There is humour here too. The Big Man is a lively salute to Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge, delivered with obvious affection. It gives the album a welcome release without making the more serious songs feel less sincere. Chesterfields and Aftershave goes in the other direction, using a family memory to make the record's broader idea of community feel personal.
The guests are well chosen throughout. Billy Bragg fits naturally into School Days Over, and Al Barr's appearance on The Vultures Circle High gives that song an extra pull. Neither moment feels like a name added to improve the credits.
The familiar massed choruses and Celtic-punk arrangements do a lot of work, so this probably won't change anybody's mind about the band's basic sound. What makes it effective is the feeling behind those tools. The songs have different reasons to be loud, and enough detail to keep those reasons clear.
One Last Goodbye closes with The Scratch returning for the tribute to MacGowan. It's warm, sad and suitably unruly. For the People earns that ending by treating its people as individuals, rather than leaving them as an idea in the album title.
