Firkin - WHUP (2010)

Firkin s debut album, Firkinful of Beer , was one of the best albums released in 2009.Firkin had a new sound, something different from any other band. However, the CD was mainly a traditional songs and Flogging Molly covers album. Then the big questions were if they could keep that high level and write more original songs. The answers to those questions is Whup! , Firkin s brand new album. What can be heard at Whup! ? More metal, more flutes, more fiddle and more singer antics. Six excellent self-penned songs and a bunch of traditional and cover songs re-worked by the band. Then, the answers to the previous questions are... Yes, they ve done it again. The traditional and the cover songs are top-notch and their own material is better than expected. The best songs are maybe Sailing Away (a great guitar, flute and fiddle work), Beer Almighty (excellent whistling in a song that could rival with Flogging Molly), Keep on Drinking (good drums, guitar, whistle and fiddle in a song that reminds Lady Godiva s best moments) and Highland Games (Imagine The Bothy Band were abducted by Judas Priests) Some traditional covers stand out too: Whup! Jamboree , the track that opens the album, a song that proves that Firkin has also a British Folk-Rock side (a wildest Pressgang). A British Folk Rock side? Sure, they have also covered a Fairport Convention s number ("Crazy Man Michael"). Beggarman , a high speed version. Till now my favourite version was that of Great Big Sea, but I will have to think over that. Lord of the Dance : great guitar riffs, Peter s usual highest level flute and that Pachelbel s Canon clip fiddling. Monto . The best traditional cover of Whup! . Other bands could play that song in a new way, but they won t make it better than Firkin. Firkin musicians know exactly were they want to go. So Whup! is the logical step in their evolution. The band is growing fast (two albums in two years), they have improved both their sound and their horizons and everybody admits now that they are at the forefront of the European paddypunk scene.