Rating: 9/10
Release: 8 March 2019
Label: Deaf Shepherd Recordings

March brings some great Celtic punk every year and this year is no different. Fiddlers Green will release “Heyday” on March 8 and it is a great album. Self proclaimed as Irish speedpunk this legendary band has 13 studio albums and they are known for their amazing live shows. The band continues to improve and they know how to write and perform great songs. Lyrics are well written and fun and the arrangements are layered and meant to played loud. Every instrument can be heard and the album is long but so well done that it never seems long.

 “Heyday” certainly is fast and punk, but the traditional folk really shines as well and with each time I listen to the album I feel more at home in its atmosphere. There’s even a metal vibe in some songs like “Slainte”and “One Fine Day”. The more traditional songs like “Better You Say No” and “The Congress Reel”,crackle with life and energy and every song seems to have a place where the folk sound breaks through and makes you smile ear to ear.  Its tough to pick favorite tracks since the whole album is very good but if I’m forced to choose my favorite tracks I would say standouts “No Anthem” a singalong rebel song, “Slainte” and “Better You Say No”. Other standouts include the instrumental “The Congress Reel” The lighter in the air ballad “Together as One”, and the song you feel compelled to sing along with at high volume, “John Kanaka”.

Fiddlers Green has crafted a wonderful album with “Heyday” and I think it should be on everyone’s St Patrick’s day celebration list. Its meant to played at a volume that will make your neighbors call the cops, so crank it up and have a blast! I think the band has earned a place with the heavyweights of the genre like Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys, however they have a sound all their own and there should be a song on this album that will appeal to almost anyone. On the whole an excellent start to 2019 for Celtic Folk and Punk rock music.

Tracklist

1. Prelude 0:32
2. The Freak of Enniskillen 3:37
3. No Anthem 3:32
4. Limerick Style 3:18
5. Farewell 3:04
6. Born to Be a Rover 3:09
7. The Congress Reel 1:12
8. Sláinte 3:51
9. Better You Say No 3:38
10. Cheer Up 4:13
11. One Fine Day 3:35
12. John Kanaka 2:20
13. Heyday 3:51
14. Steady Flow 2:48
15. Together as One 3:37