Dropkick Murphys will release their seventh full-length studio album,Going Out In Style, March 1, 2011 on their own Born & Bred Records (ILG). Produced by Ted Hutt, Going Out In Style features the group’s signature blend of punk rock energy, folk soul, Irish spirit and American rock ‘n roll on tracks like “Memorial Day” (streaming now at www.RollingStone.com), “Going Out In Style,” “The Hardest Mile,” “Cruel,” “Climbing A Chair To Bed,” and a rousing rendition of “Peg O’ My Heart” with guest vocals by Bruce Springsteen.
Fans will get a taste of the new music before it’s released when Dropkick Murphys—Ken Casey (lead vocals, bass guitar), Al Barr (lead vocals), Matt Kelly (drums, vocals), James Lynch (guitar, vocals), Tim Brennan (guitars, accordion, whistle, vocals), Jeff DaRosa (banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, harmonica, vocals) and Scruffy Wallace (bagpipes)–hit the road February 23 for their annual St. Patrick’s Day U.S. tour. The trek, featuring Against Me! as support on most dates, will wind up in Boston for the band’s run of St. Patty’s Day week hometown gigs. Also look for the Murphys to tour Europe in April and August, with additional U.S. dates planned for May and June.
The album’s title track is a rousing celebratory anthem complete with guest vocals by NOFX’s Fat Mike, The Living End’s Chris Cheney and Rescue Me mainstay, actor/comedian Lenny Clarke. “Going Out In Style” roars with a gang-style refrain and simultaneously heartfelt and hilarious lyrics. “We all have this romantic idea that our death will be like an international day of mourning, but that’s not going to happen,” chuckles Barr. “The song has two sides. There’s a serious side recounting this Larkin’s life, and then there are all of these fun parts about various women and characters.”
For Going Out In Style, Dropkick Murphys even enlisted the vocal talents of the legendary Bruce Springsteen–whom they first met at a DKM gig in New York and later collaborated with onstage at one of Springsteen’s Boston shows. Springsteen swaps verses with Casey for a spirited take on the old standard “Peg O’ My Heart.” “It has a classic old fifties rock and roll feel,” says Casey. “Both of my grandmothers are named Peg. One grandmother, Peg Casey, is always saying, ‘When are you going to do that song? Your grandfather always sang it to me!’ The time signature changed, so hopefully they still appreciate it when they hear it.”
On Going Out In Style, Dropkick Murphys throw a 45 minute, 49 second party to end all parties, all the while reveling in the Irish tradition of telling tales of triumph, tragedy and celebration through music. The band revives the art of the album as a cohesive whole on this raucous and rollicking romp overflowing with punk rock energy, folk soul, and rebellious spirit. Dropkick Murphys deliver one anthem after another. “Hang ‘Em High” ignites the album with a gang chant into a unforgettable bagpipe laden riff, driving guitars and big drums. Nodding to AC/DC while infusing flourishes of Celtic soul, “Hang ‘Em High” is the ultimate battle cry. Then there’s “Take ‘Em Down,” which continues to display the band’s social consciousness and their unwavering support for organized labor. On songs such as “Broken Hymns” and “Cruel” the band explores new territory, incorporating a myriad of sounds and textures with arena-ready drum beats, diverse instrumentation and epic refrains.
Known for their complex distillation of classic punk rock, Celtic folk and American rock ‘n roll, critically-acclaimed Dropkick Murphys have released 10 full-length CDs and sold over 3 million copies worldwide since hitting the scene in 1996. 2007’s The Meanest Of Times–released via the group’s own Born & Bred Records–marked the band’s highest Billboard Top 200 chart debut ever (#20) and is their fastest selling record to date with over 300,000 copies sold worldwide. The Meanest Of Times was #40 on Rolling Stone’s Top 50 Albums Of The Year and “The State Of Massachusetts” came in at #83 on their Top 100 Singles of the year. The group’s single “I’m Shipping Up To Boston”–from 2005’s The Warrior’s Code CD–has sold over 1.25 million copies. “I’m Shipping Up To Boston,” a song with lyrics penned by Woody Guthrie, gained mainstream notoriety after being prominently featured in Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award-winning film The Departed. It can be commonly heard at sporting events and on television as a theme song for many sports teams (even outside of Boston). The Boston Garden plays it at pivotal moments throughout Bruins and Celtics games and Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon uses it as his entrance music when he comes out of the bullpen. The band has sold out shows worldwide and cultivated one of the most fervent fan bases in rock music. They’re an integral part of Boston’s cultural identity and even penned the theme song to the first Red Sox World Series win in 86 years.
The full track listing for Going Out In Style is as follows:
- Hang ‘Em High
- Going Out In Style
- The Hardest Mile
- Cruel
- Memorial Day
- Climbing A Chair To Bed
- Broken Hymns
- Deeds Not Words
- Take ‘Em Down
- Sunday Hardcore Matinee
- 1953
- Peg O’ My Heart
- The Irish Rover
Catch Dropkick Murphys on tour in the following cities:
With Against Me!:
Wednesday, February 23 Niagara Falls, NY The Rapids Theatre
Thursday, February 24 Detroit, MI The Fillmore
Only DKM on this show:
Friday, February 25 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center (Admirals Hockey Game)
With Naked Raygun:
Saturday, February 26 Chicago, IL Congress Theater
With Against Me!:
Sunday, February 27 Chicago, IL Congress Theater
Tuesday, March 1 Denver, CO The Fillmore
Wednesday, March 2 Kansas City, MO The Beaumont Club
Thursday, March 3 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Friday, March 4 Des Moines, IA Val Air Ballroom
Saturday, March 5 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
Sunday, March 6 Cleveland, OH House Of Blues
Tuesday, March 8 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Wednesday, March 9 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Thursday, March 10 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom
Friday, March 11 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom
Festival Show (no Against Me!):
Saturday, March 12 Washington, DC Shamrock Fest at RFK Stadium
With Against Me!:
Sunday, March 13 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
Wednesday, March 16 Boston, MA House Of Blues
Thursday, March 17 Boston, MA House Of Blues
Friday, March 18 Boston, MA House Of Blues
Saturday, March 19 Lowell, MA Tsongas Arena
