The Dropkick Murphys have matured like a fine Bushmills on this record, and the results are just as satisfying. Losing none of their punk rock/Oi! fury, but mixing in some classic rock-n-roll, as well as strengthening their Irish folk, this album blends "Do or Die" seemlessly with "The Gang's All Here."

I've already heard "Sing Loud, Sing Proud" described as a perfect cross between Cock Sparrer and the Pogues, and I'd be inclined to agree, but also toss in a healthy dose of Rose Tattoo and/or AC/DC as well, and you have the makings of another classic from the Boston crew.

Opening with the Boston College fight song, the album is heavy on the cover songs. The old folkie/protest "Which Side Are You On?" works wonders (as good as Billy Bragg's version) and the old Irish standbys of "The Rocky Road to Dublin" and "The Wild Rover" get the proper DKM treatment, as do the remakes of "The Legend of Finn MacCumhail" (one of their best, if not THE best, B-sides) and "Caps and Bottles."

Of the originals, I find myself going back to "Heroes From Our Past" most often and feel that is represents all the DKM strengths to a tee: anthemic, grand lyrics, top notch musicianship, and Spicey's bagpipes all make this my favorite track.

Speaking of the Pogues, Shane Mac turns up for "Good Rats", which to me, is the DKM answer to all those old Clancy Brothers/Dubliners tunes they listened to: a light-hearted story about an infested Dublin brewery. Not meant to be taken too terribly seriously, so don't.

"Forever" and "Fortunes of War" touch on deeper subjects like loss of family and friends and come across as excellent as well.

Rose Tattoo and AC/DC (possibly Slade?) rear their heads on "The Gauntlet" and "Ramble and Roll", a rock-n-roll lifestyle-inspired ditty.

Things also get acoustically anthemic for "The Torch" with it's warnings of racism/hate passing from generation to generation and "A Few Good Men" with it's "Sing Loud, Sind Proud" refrain.

The closer, a jig dedicated to the best piper in punk rock, "The Spicey McHaggis Jig" is great as well, a none to PC romp through a night in the life of Spicy.

All in all, a great third effort from the Dropkicks. Only one complaint: Why is the F.U.'s cover on the Japan-only release?

So, enjoy this album like you would the aged Bushmills: take mass quantities, shoot it down, savor it, and do it all again.

Grab your scally caps and down a Guinness, cuz those no-good-Irishmen are stirring up all kinds of trouble again (and it sounds amazing!). Sing Loud, Sing Proud! perfectly describes the album: every song either forces you to sing along, or demonstrates enough intensity to make you bang your head against the wall (and most songs are a little of both). Bassist Ken Casey steps up with his Clash-style singing and splits the vocal duties with the deeper, throaty grunts of ex-Bruiser Al Barr. Songs like the pro-union anthem "Which Side Are You On?" set the standard for Casey and Barr alternating vocals, and the results are awesome. Dropkick has always paid great respect to their roots, and continues to honor their ancestors on "Heroes From Our Past." "The Rocky Road to Dublin" is one of two traditional Irish songs, combining Casey's vocals with a great jarring beat and tin whistle. They don't waste any time showing off their hometown pride with the opening track "For Boston," featuring bagpipes over the fastest beat I've ever heard from the band. Even legendary Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan contributed some liquored-up vocals on "Good Rats," the honest-to-god tale of the secret "ingredient" in Guinness beer... rat shit. This album shows a great deal of social awareness by the band, such as retelling the story of slain punk Brian Deneke in "The Fortunes of War." Similarly, "The New American Way" makes a great point about the insane rate at which America locks up its citizens. Furthermore, the lyric sheet revolves around a quote from Martin Luther King about unity - just to remind everyone that oi ain't only for the racists. "Forever" shows a suprisingly sensitive side of the band, with a slow, well-written track about a lost loved one. One of the few acoustic selections is "The Torch," which laments passing down the wrong values to the next generation. Surprisingly enough, the album ends on a screw around song about the bagpipe player screwing around with the larger ladies. The second guitarist, bagpipes, tin whistle, and mandolin are now permanent members of the Boston crew. The melodies are great, the chanting is irresistible, and this is surely among the best stuff the band has put together, so sing loud!

I hate popular music. It's all contrite, trendy, and sounds the same. Unfortunately, our generation is pretty much stuck with it, with MTV and the aweful radio, so I was stuck getting my punk fix from trendy punk bands of today, with the occasional touch of Ramones or Dead Kennedys from my brother. (Thank you so much) Then I discovered Dropkick Murphys.

This is the band all you punkers are looking for. This is the band Blink 182 wishes they sounded like. These guys are the last bastion of punk in a dreary, Billboard chart ruled world. Simply put, you can't beat DKM, and this is their best album.

Enough of this. Let's get to the songs:

For Boston - Great sing-along. It's the Boston University fight song. I dare you not to clap along.

GO BUY THIS ALBUM!!! NOW!!!!!!

"Sing Loud, Sing Proud" represents a continued advancement for this great band. With this album, the Murphys have added more of an Irish touch to their aggressive punk, furthering the direction they adopted on "The Gang's All Here." While I don't like Al Barr quite as much as the departed Mike McColgan, you can't really go wrong with either of them, and Ken Casey remains an able co-lead vocalist. Fast-paced anthemic numbers predominate on this disc, and I haven't heard a band that can write a catchy anthem quite like the Murphys; witness the addictive energy of "The Gauntlet" and "Heroes of Our Past." The band, however, augments their punk attack with ample doses of bagpipes, tin whistles, and fiddling. The Murphys also add to their appeal with some meaningful and intelligent lyrics that actually have some relevance to real life. "The Fortunes of War" deals with the wars between factions of youths, "Ramble and Roll" describes the life of the small-time musician, and "Caps and Bottles" exposes the dangers of the hard-living lifestyle that many young people anticipate living. Musically, the album is extremely diverse, with many songs whipping along at breakneck pace, and others slowing things down. The music is strong, with the guitars sounding a little crisper than on previous albums, but still not too refined. I wouldn't call this the best Murphys album, but it still beats pretty much anything you'll find on the airwaves now. The Murphys put on quite a live show as well; I urge anyone to check them out.

I thought "Do Or Die" was alright. Didn't like "The Gang's All Here" at all. So when I saw that there was a new Dropkick's album out, I didn't think much about it. The only reason that I bought the album was because Shane MacGowan is on one track, ("Good Rats"). By the way, you should all own everything that Shane MacGowan has done. Then I put the album on. WOW! I was blown away. Friends of mine, who don't even care for punk, were blown away. This is the punk/Irish album that everyone thought the Swingin' Utters would have put out a while ago. Excellent, fun, hook-filled songs. There's alot of variety in there too, (unlike "Gangs..."Lp). It has everything from flat out punk, to Oi, to reworked traditional Irish songs. And, (unlike past releases), the bagpipes don't sound like a forced gimmick. This is just a good album. So pick up a pint and enjoy it with your friends. Who would have thought that the Murphy's could put out a record this good? I know I didn't.