The Rumjacks
Saints Preserve Us!

Celtic punkers from Sydney, Australia called The Rumjacks are celebrating ten years and they do so with this album called Saints Preserve Us! Exclamation mark in the title, how about that? I know I kind of liked the previous album, it also had a good cover – this one has a decent cover as well but probably not as strong. But it is not the cover it is the music that these Celtic Australians has to offer that is the main thing I am looking at, and listening to – as I have done quite a few times now.

And I can say that stylewise it is recognisable for those who know the band, quite similar to the previous album I think. Celtic punkish rock with touches of that style of music and a singer that sounds rather Irish – at least to me. This fourth album by these guys is pretty well produced, the singer fits really well and the sense of pub rock is very strong throughout the album, kind of like that An Irish Pub Song the band did a while back that has now amassed over 45 million plays on youtube, that’s impressive and this album is impressive from that perspective as well. Simple and to the point, not very varied but short enough to avoid feeling too long.

Good stuff, like the previous album it is quite likeable and enjoyable enough, perhaps something to play at your Irish pub – or something. I would say that it is a step forwards compared with the previous album and probably the effort so far by this band, not that there is much in it but I think so nonetheless. But the simplicity and easy-accessible style comes at a cost, a cost that is an album that you grow tired of fairly quickly and after playing it three or four time you start feeling like you’ve had more than enough of it, and I don’t means four times in a row but four times in a few days. So it has both a strength and a weakness in that simple approach, good for the pub and probably for driving as well.

Evidently these guys know their craft and if you like the Celtic or the punkish, or the combination of both, it is probably a good album for you to check out. I kind of like it but I am not sure I want to hear it again after having played it quite a few times now.

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