Flogging Molly

When a band of Flogging Molly’s status continue to release records, it’s easy to slip into Rolling Stones syndrome: reaching a plateau of sorts, where nothing really gets worse but it doesn’t set itself apart from their back catalogue either. With Float, Flogging Molly are nearing said plateau, but still manage to pull enough new tricks out of their hat for at least one more go around. Album opener "Requiem For A Dying Song” is one of the better tracks, less so for its Celtic aspects (a trait that originally set the band apart) and more for the driving punk rock that pushes the song forward. And this tends to be the case with the entirety of Float and what, in the end, sets it apart from the band’s other albums. It’s less about the acoustic guitar, fiddle, accordion and other traditional Irish instruments and more about the driving drums and guitars. While the Celtic roots are as prevalent here as on any of their other records, the band are leaning more heavily towards the punk side of things, which is what really sets this record apart.