I have been writing for Rock Out Stand Out for approximately 6 months now, and although a few great albums have come close, I am yet to give a 10 out of 10…well that’s about to change!
The only reason I would not have given this full marks is because it’s an EP, not an album. But hey, I can’t let that stop me.
I absolutely love this. It had me searching YouTube for more of this group’s work.
THE RAMSHACKLE ARMY, a six piece band from Melbourne, Australia, have been together for ten years, so it wasn’t hard to find a catalogue of great stuff. The track Foreign Soil being the perfect example, with a fantastic banjo intro, great fiddle work and vocals, all supported superbly by the rest of the band.
Back to this EP…
I do enjoy a bit of Celtic Punk, and this gave me everything I hoped it would. THE RAMSHACKLE ARMY are polished yet raw. It’s hard to keep still whilst listening to this EP. The music takes over your body. Your feet instantly start tapping to the beat, and within two to three listens you are singing along at the top of your voice with all of the attitude that this genre of music sparks inside you.
My favourite track from this latest EP is Rise And Fall. Why? Give it a listen, you’ll know. This track has already been released as a single, the EP followed on the 2nd July, being their first recording with Riot Records.
THE RAMSHACKLE ARMY may not be so well known in the UK and Europe, however, they do have a cult following in their home country and have also toured the U.S.A multiple times. It’s only a matter of time before they conquer here too.
They are just about to get back on the road to promote Highflyer. I don’t think the UK is on the list just yet, but maybe, just maybe, with enough interest they might come here when they release their next album (I haven’t read this anywhere, it’s just me thinking aloud and hoping it could happen).
There is only one drawback with Highflyer and that is, it’s only five tracks long, and over way too quickly. On the plus side, it’s a decent taste of what THE RAMSHACKLE ARMY are about and a great introduction to a band I’d previously not heard of…YouTube is a wonderful thing, a way to explore these guys further.
So, this is it, my first 10 out of 10. Something I really enjoyed on a personal level, but also an appreciation of how good it is and how well it sits within its genre.
Make no mistake, if you like Celtic Punk, you will love this. If you’ve never really tried it, then give these five tunes a blast, you will struggle to find a better sample.
Rating: 10/10
Words: Dave Jones
Highflyer is out now.
Find THE RAMSHACKLE ARMY on Facebook.
