THE DEVIL OR THE BARREL (2012)

The Devil or the Barrel opens with the original song “Whiskey Chaser” – one of four original songs on the album. Over the course of these thirteen tracks TLB mix and match a variety of influences which make up their sound. For example, the rambling American ballad “Rye Whiskey” (a.k.a. Jack O’Diamonds) shows the diversity with some Sham-Rockabilly styling and Irish Punk Rock attitude. The drunken violence at the core of the Traditional Irish song “Johnny Jump Up” is underpinned by a brooding darkness that is not often explored in drinking songs.

Also included on the album are new studio recordings of three songs that TLB released in 2011 on their live album Drunk, Sick, Tired. “All For Me Grog” (another dark take on an upbeat trad. song about the drink), “Johnny You’re A Roving Blade” and “Real Old Mountain Dew” all are significantly amped up. Going the other way, the band shows a light touch on “The Little Vagabond,” a William Blake poem which was originally put to music by Greg Brown. TLB took this up-tempo bluegrassy song and ironically… slowed it down.