Search - Flogging Molly :: Whiskey on a Sunday (W/Dvd)

Mary H. from COLUMBUS, OH
Reviewed on 5/18/2012...

very enjoyable listening

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Pour me a shot, I have been converted.

M. Nichols | West Chester, OH United States | 07/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am now officially a fan of Flogging Molly. I had heard of the traditionally Irish-influenced punk rockers prior to watching the film, Whiskey on a Sunday, but had never heard their music. Now I type as fast as I can, eager to run out to the record store and grab all their records. Ordering online won't be fast enough. After that I need to check local concert listings and camp out wherever they're coming next.



Whiskey on a Sunday flows extremely well, picking up at an undefined date in the midst of the band's tour, and deftly weaves in and out of tour, studio and interview footage with all band members and effectively (and free of narration) tells the band's story, both as group and as individual members.



For the newcomer such as myself it would be relatively easy to toss the band into the Black 47 bin of novelty Irish-folk-rock-punk bands (though aside from the bona fide excellent Pogues, I do not know who else might reside in that bin. House of Pain?). But it becomes quickly apparent that Flogging Molly is a mature, thoughtful, insightful - and above all, professional - unit; and, most importantly, one that is capable of absolutely bringing down the house with rock and roll. They could deliver this message with a polka bent or vis-à-vis gangsta rap and I doubt it would be any less compelling.



Bandleader and songwriter Dave King gets the most screentime, though Whiskey on a Sunday does devote ample time to each band member's present and past, and the viewer is quickly convinced that every lyric to grace the band's records and live shows is hard wrung from his heart and personal experience, explaining the effectiveness of Flogging Molly's music and doubtless the hardcore devotion of their fans as well. There is a naked and painfully personal honesty apparent in Flogging Molly that one can find in only a handful of musical talents; U2, Pete Townshend, Johnny Cash, and the Clash, to name a few, and, to paraphrase Dave King, songs with that kind of honesty cannot go wrong.



Whiskey on a Sunday succeeds as a well-above-average music documentary for several reasons as the band and their story manages to remain absolutely compelling throughout despite no scandal, no apparent internal animosity, no chart hits, and aside from a rabid fan base, I would venture to say that they while may have name recognition, 9 out of 10 folks calling them serious music fans would be hard pressed to name a Flogging Molly song, album or even band member.



The second disc in the set is a full-length music CD soundtrack to the film with live and acoustic performances of many of the songs featured in the film and is an excellent companion, worthy of a separate review itself. This is a no-brainer, this is a must-see that will likely become a must-own within minutes of finishing the film. In this age of bloated DualDiscs and "bonus DVDs" with little real content, this is a gem. An awesome movie, an excellent soundtrack and one of the most exciting "new" bands I've seen/heard in a long, long time.

"

Worth every penny!

S. Kelly | Los Angeles, CA | 07/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I ran out on my lunch break to buy this yesterday. And though I am a very LOYAL fan of FM, and these are all just re-recordings acousticaly and then the 5 lives songs one the LONE new song, It is worth the buy. If you have a great sound system in your car or home, the CD sounds like the live shows. The Acoustic versions take a bit to get used to but the songs they decided to do that w/ were perfect. The only real downside to the DVD is that while they are showing the live shows, which are great b/c you really get the feel of the live shows, the constantly break them up w/ commentary from band. Ya it is a Documentary but come on, they only have two live songs that are full length and thats in the *Bonus Features* They really need to have a DVD of a full, live show. Other than that it is worth the $12-$16 you pay... WELL worth it. They explain the history and formation of the group, interesting stuff. You can take home a wee bit of their awesome and infectious live shows!!"