DROPKICK MURPHYS
Singles Collection Vol. 1, 1996-1997 (Hellcat)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Before their full length releases Do Or Die and Gangs All Here, the Dropkick Murphy's cranked out a series of legendary 7 inchers that have been unavailable to most of their fans. Those single release pressings ranged from 2 to 10 thousand copies, and there must be millions and millions of Dropkick Murphys fans, right?

Well, there should be, and no matter how many people have been captured by the energy and joy of Boston's best Irish-American punk band, they all deserve to hear these classic cuts. The singles are augmented by a collection of live cuts recorded at the Do Or Die release party in 1998, so this one is all the title promises and much more.

Retrospective looks at rarities don't always work, and practically never work as consistently as this one, but The Singles Collection really is an album no Dropkick Murphys fan should be without, even if they have all the vinyl. It's likely to win them a bunch of new fans, too. Maybe they don't have millions and millions yet, but they should, and if they keep it up, I think they will.

Track List:

Barroom Hero * Fightstarter Karaoke * John Law * Regular Guy * 3rd Man In * Career Opportunities (live) * Never Alone * Take It Or Leave It * Eurotrash * Front Seat * Denial * Billy's Bones * Road Of The Righteous * Guns of Brixton (live) * Cadence To Arms (live) * Do Or Die (live) * In The Streets Of Boston (live) * Never Alone (live) * Get Up (live) * Far Away Coast (live) * Boys On The Docks (live) * Skinhead On The MTBA (live) * I've Had Enough (live) * White Riot (live)

© 2000 - Shaun Dale