New Dropkick Murphys Album Has Deep Ties to Country World

The Dropkick Murphys may be best known for their loud and aggressive Celtic punk music, but for their next album, they’re taking an entirely different approach, and one that has numerous ties to the independent country realm. Called This Machine Still Kills Fascists, it’s a tribute to Woody Guthrie, who the band calls the original punk, and who has deep ties with the Boston-based band, believe it or not.

To be released on September 30th, the album features 10 songs that were specifically curated by Woody Guthrie’s daughter, Nora Guthrie. Evan Felker of the Turnpike Troubadours and Nikki Lane also contribute vocals on the album, and Dom Flemons also makes numerous instrumental appearances. Jaime Wyatt, despite being portrayed as “pop-country” by The Tennessean, will shirk her saccharine, powder puff pop disposition to open shows on a tour that will feature the Dropkick Murphys playing the album in its entirety.

Don’t expect this to be your usual Dropkick Murphy’s album. Not only did they tone down the guitars for this project, the recorded it completely acoustic, not using any amplifiers at all. And to get that real-world Woody Guthrie magic, they recorded the album in Tulsa, mere miles from Woody’s birthplace. One of the reasons Evan Felker is involved is because he was born in Okemah, Oklahoma—the same place Woody Guthrie was.

“We wanted to get into small town America…Tulsa, into Woody’s roots and not be doing it in New York City or Boston,” says Dropkick Murphy’s co-founder Ken Casey: “Woody Guthrie, he’s the original punk. He went against the grain, he fought the good fight, he spoke up and sang about his beliefs. I’m motivated by reading what he wrote and am inspired by his courage. One man and a guitar—it’s powerful stuff.”

Devoted Dropkick Murphys fans will know this new album is not out of left field. In 2003, the band covered Woody’s “Gonna Be A Blackout Tonight” for their album Blackout. Ken Casey was also inspired by some Woody Guthrie lines about their home of Boston, and turned it into the song, “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” released on their 2005 album The Warrior’s Code.

Nora Guthrie says, “I collected lyrics on all kinds of topics…lyrics that seemed to be needed to be said—or screamed—today. Ken Casey is a master at understanding Woody’s lyrics, which can be complicated, long, deadly serious, or totally ridiculous. Dropkick Murphys is capable of delivering them all.”

The sessions in Tulsa were so productive, they actually came up with two albums instead of one. Vol. 2 will be out some time in 2023. The first single and video from the album “Two 6’s Upside Down” will be released on July 6th. This Machine Still Kills Fascists is now available for pre-order.

TRACK LIST:

1. “Two 6’s Upside Down”
2. “Talking Jukebox”
3. “All You Fonies”
4. “Never Git Drunk No More” (featuring Nikki Lane)
5. “Ten Times More”
6. “The Last One” (featuring Evan Felker of Turnpike Troubadours)
7. “Cadillac, Cadillac”
8. “Waters Are A’risin”
9. “Where Trouble Is At”
10. “Dig A Hole” (featuring Woody Guthrie)

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