The latest disc to drop out of my unending pile of unreviewed CDs is The Whiskey Never Lies by Sligo Rags. Heck, this thing is fun!

It's gratifying to see on the Google that the Rags are still active out in southern California, and two of the four members on this album are still with them. According to their website, their name derives from a line in the "Irish Rover," which lists a portion of the ill-fated ship's cargo as "one million bags of the best Sligo rags." Clever.

The band in 2007, when this album was recorded, was Michael Kelly on fiddle and vocals and David Burns on guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals -- both of whom are still active Rags -- plus Gordon Rustvold on bass and Eric Hartwell on assorted percussion.

The album kicks off with the title track, an original song by Burns, who seems to be the band's songwriting powerhouse. It's a daunting song about the honesty bestowed by whiskey on its imbibers. I like it. The track list proceeds through a variety of Burns originals ("Wexford Line," "No Great Shakes," etc.) and covers including the traditionals "Brennan on the Moor," "Black is the Color" and "Whiskey Yer the Devil," and Ewan MacColl's "Go, Move, Shift."

My favorite track on the album is Kelly's ambitious "Suite for a Drunken Sailor," which bookends a rousing version of the shanty with a fun set of reels.

Rather than a straightforward Irish presentation, the Rags imbue their music with a folky, bluegrass aspect that gives it fresh perspective. I'm glad I found this album among my collection -- it's CDs like this that keep me revisiting older material I've accumulated over the years. The Whiskey Never Lies is a hoot and a half by a band that knows how to have a good time!

[ visit the Sligo Rags online ]