With nine albums since 1996, Dropkick Murphys is a must in the American musical and political landscape. While the masters of Celtic punk are deprived of their main reason for living by not being able to tour since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, they still offer us a new opus in which they pour out both their rage and their optimism.
Because "Turn Up That Dial" can be classified in the category of the albums which make good and boost the morale. Of course, Barr, Casey, Brennan & Co. don't fail to throw some raging salvos denouncing the current navel-gazing of our society and particularly the social networks ('H.B.D.M.F'), or the division of the American society through Donald Trump ('Chosen Few'). They take advantage of this title to address to the former president a mocking extract of 'Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye' of Steam, made famous by Bananarama in the 80s. But apart from the poignant ballad 'Wish You Were Here', which pays tribute with dignity and sensitivity to Al Barr's recently deceased father, all the tracks make you want to grab a mug of beer and scream at the top of your lungs in a pub with your mates.
All the figures of the Boston slums are present, whether it's this guy who can't help breaking the rules (the well named 'Middle Finger'), this woman who's not afraid of the eyes ('Queen Of Suffolk County'), this other more or less tidy man who casts a melancholic glance on his past as a bad boy ('Smash Shit Up') or this sailor proud of his origins ('City By The Sea'). Even the former bass player of the Clash has a humorous song ('Mick Jones Nicked My Pudding') and all this company evolves in the middle of accordions, flutes, banjos or bagpipes, with an invigorating energy and unstoppable refrains, as if to fuck all the troublemakers as well as the difficult period we are going through.
After the sweet darkness of "11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory" (2017), "Turn Up That Dial" sounds like a breath of positive energy and optimism. Dropkick Murphys is unparalleled at translating their anger and telling the story of street life with euphoric tracks of infectious energy. It can be translated as an encouragement to turn up the volume or to turn up the clock to get out of the current slump, this opus is a perfect remedy to the moroseness and will happily replace all the antidepressants that could tempt you.