Dropkick Murphys

'The Meanest Of Times'

Bighearted Boston loudmouths storm the barricades again.

Spin Rating8 of 10

Despite gaining mainstream exposure on last year's soundtrack to The Departed, Dropkick Murphys haven't softened their rough edges: The band's sixth album is a massive blast of exalted noise via shouted, sore-throat choruses and brain-crushing beats (along with a hint of bagpipes). But The Meanest of Times moves beyond just connecting the dots between working-class punk and ancient Celtic ditties, with surprisingly thoughtful songs that explore lives shaped by drunken violence and Catholicism -- the brute fury of "Shattered" alone provides reason enough to listen up.

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Dropkick Murphys - "The State of Massachusetts" WINDOWS MEDIA

By Jon Young

1 Van Halen 'A Different Kind of Truth'
2 Lana Del Rey 'Born to Die'
3 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
4 Himanshu 'Nehru Jackets'
5 Kathleen Edwards 'Voyageur'
6 Leonard Cohen 'Old Ideas'
7 Imperial Teen 'Feel the Sound'
8 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
9 Of Montreal 'Paralytic Stalks'
10 Skrillex 'Bangarang'

1 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
2 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
3 Kathleen Edwards 'Voyageur'
4 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
5 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
6 Leonard Cohen 'Old Ideas'
7 Escort 'Escort'
8 Escort 'Escort'
9 Escort 'Escort'
10 Himanshu 'Nehru Jackets'

Dropkick Murphys

'The Meanest Of Times'

The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'

Of Montreal 'Paralytic Stalks'

Van Halen 'A Different Kind of Truth'

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