I previously reviewed Drunken Redemption, the second CD release from the Kilmaine Saints. Next up is #4, Whiskey Blues & Faded Tattoos. (No, I don't know why I only have their even-numbered discs. It's a mystery.) But the album is, if anything, even better than #2.

The band lineup has changed only slightly in the intervening years. They're still fronted by lead singer Brendan Power, with Liz Mallin on fiddle, Bill Brown on banjo, bagpipes, bouzouki, whistle and mandolin, Mike McNaughton on drums and Jon Heller on bass and bagpipes. The only difference since Redemption is a new guitarist, Rich Lipski.

The band is still powerful and loud, bellicose and ready for a barroom brawl at the slightest provocation.

The album begins with a distant bagpipe, growing in volume before launching into the frenetic Mallin-penned anthem "Idiom," followed by the title track, written by McNaughton and Heller. Other exceptional original tracks on the album are "Long Shot Nag" (McNaughton), "Ride Like Hell" (McNaughton) and "Raise My Glass" (Mallin). An atypical track for the band is Mallin's "Golden Pen," written for a deceased friend and sung a capella by Mallin and what I assume are a collection of Kilmaine spouses.

One of the great things about the Saints is the vocal energy of Power, who was born to sing this type of music. Another great thing is the song selection; a lot of Celtic rock and punk bands simply add some flair to traditional or cover songs, but the Saints write a lot of their own material, and it's good.

That doesn't mean they don't know when to throw some traditional pieces into the mix. This album, for instance, includes their arrangements of "The Foggy Dew," "Mingulay Boat Song" and "No Awa Tae Bide Awa," each with a distinctive Kilmaine stamp. They also do a rousing version of Brendan Loughrey's "Tiocfaidh Ar La."

Whiskey Blues & Faded Tattoos is an all-around good, fun album that's perfect to crank with the windows open! You'll love the Saints, so don't hesitate to invite them into your homes.

[ visit the Kilmaine Saints online ]