I didn’t even know that Flogging Molly was coming out with a new CD.  Imagine my surprise when I was offered the chance to review it.  I jumped on it.

“Requiem for a Dying Song” is a great opening.  The album has its fair share of songs with a strong rock feel with plenty of Gaelic flavor.  “Paddy’s Lament”, “Lightning Storm”, “Float”, and “Between a Man and a Woman” also stand out from among the other songs, though there were hardly any songs I could call weak links.  “Float” and “The Story so Far” are both slower songs, but carry their own weight in a swaggering emotional swelling.  I didn’t quite like “The Story so Far” as much, but I have a feeling it is one of those songs that grow on you.  

All in all, Float is a good CD.  It doesn’t offer anything spectacularly new, but it feels far from stale.  Flogging Molly sounds the same as they always have, but this album doesn’t have the same feel as Within A Mile of Home, which is my personal favorite of their albums that I have heard.  But that isn’t a bad thing. Float just doesn’t rock in the same way.  I think that is a good indicator, it shows the band and the members have grown.  You can’t record the same type of album twice, and if you try, it usually doesn’t work out.  

So: If you like Flogging Molly, then I imagine you would like this album.  It is a good addition to your collection. If you are new to them, this is a great example of their sound, so you should pick it up if you want to try it out.  This one might turn into a new favorite for me, I'll only know with time.

Ah, we are adding "Requiem for A Dying Song" to Rotation during regular programming on 88.7!  So if you want an early sample, give the lines a jingle at 373-3790, and request it!  Otherwise, you'll have to wait till March 4th.

-Lucas M