“A Drop Of The Hard Stuff” by The Dubliners - album review

features in: Album Chart of 1967Album Chart of the Decade: 1960s

TJR says

The boisterous beardies have now signed with Major Minor Records, and this is their first album on the new label. After three live LP’s, someone clearly thought it time to take the band into the studio – whoever he was he was a very wise man. These results are thoroughly wonderful – the depth of talent on display is clearly heard on this crisp production. There are 13 traditionals in the set, plus a cover of Ewan MacColl’s “The Travelling People”. One of the great things about The Dubliners is that they seem to take undisputed ownership over any traditional song which they care to handle. Such is the overwhelming strength of the individual characters within the ensemble. There’s a peculiar twist to their interpretations that appeal to your everyman – to the worker, to the man on the dole, to the winners and the losers, to the liars and the fighters. I won’t lie to you – I have bias for my favourites within the group. Ronnie’s low vocal rumble just affects me – he’s a rough and ready diamond with a twinkle in his eye and a great sense of mischief. His readings of “Seven Drunken Nights” and “The Old Alarm Clock” are works of indisputable legend. Having said that, it’s Luke Kelly who ultimately steals the show on the album’s highlight – his plaintive balladeering is simply sensational on the perfectly pitched “Black Velvet Band”. Here’s a health to The Dubliners. “To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a…”

The Jukebox Rebel
21–Feb–2010

Tracklist
A1 [03:44] 9.6.png The Dubliners - Seven Drunken Nights [album version ’67] (Traditional) Folk
A2 [03:19] 7.8.png The Dubliners - The Galway Races (Traditional) Folk
A3 [01:57] 9.8.png The Dubliners - The Old Alarm Clock (Traditional) Folk
A4 [02:37] 6.8.png The Dubliners - Colonel Fraser And O’Rourkes Reel (Traditional) Folk
A5 [03:37] 8.0.png The Dubliners - The Rising Of The Moon (Traditional) Folk
A6 [02:29] 9.2.png The Dubliners - McCafferty (Traditional) Folk
A7 [04:46] 9.5.png The Dubliners - I’m A Rover (Traditional) Folk
B1 [03:22] 7.3.png The Dubliners - Weile Waile [album version ’67] (Traditional) Folk
B2 [03:51] 7.0.png The Dubliners - The Travelling People (Ewan MacColl) Folk
B3 [03:12] 6.8.png The Dubliners - Limerick Rake (Traditional) Folk
B4 [02:11] 7.2.png The Dubliners - Zoological Gardens [album version ’67] (Traditional) Folk
B5 [01:52] 6.4.png The Dubliners - The Fairmoyle Lasses And Sporting Paddy (Traditional) Folk
B6 [04:28] 10.0.png The Dubliners - Black Velvet Band (Traditional) Folk
B7 [02:50] 7.5.png The Dubliners - Poor Paddy On The Railway (Traditional) Folk

© The Jukebox Rebel 2005-2020 All Rights Reserved