ALBUM REVIEW: CREEDS CROSS- ‘Gods And Fighting Men’ (2014)‏

Its always great to hear about a new band on the London scene but when that band is super-bloody-fantastic its even better! Creed’s Cross are a relatively new band formed by internationaly celebrated musician Bart Foley. He’s accompanied by some stella fellow performers in Pat McManus of The Mamas Boys and Brian Kelly of The Popes.

Based in the celtic-punk heartlands of North London and hailing from Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Mayo and London these lads are certainly kicking up a storm with their superb debut album ‘Gods And Fighting Men’. Self released on the bands own independent label Fiachra Records the CD itself is a nice wee package that comes with all the lyrics included so for those two reasons alone its well worth purchasing the disc. The name of the band comes from the crossroads from where Bart is from in Ireland and also to symbolise

“that our music welcomes all creeds and colours”

Eleven tracks and just under forty minutes is what you get and its as good a fusion of good old fashioned Irish traditional music and rock/punk/rock’n’roll as you’ll get. Now I’m sure the band won’t mind me saying this but they’re all pretty seasoned muso’s so don’t be coming here if you want your celtic-punk wrapped up with modern influences like a bit of ska here or a bit of dance there as Creeds Cross plough a far more classic route with influences of Irish legends The Horslips to the fore and much more celtic-rock than punk. That does not distract I hope that the band could not cross over into the celtic-punk scene as I am sure they could, and can, hold their own against any of the scene’s finest.

The album begins with the intro titled ‘An Irish Air’ a short slow pipes led piece that soon bounces into ‘The Harvest’ about bringing in the harvest back home. A subject close to every Irish mans heart, unless they come from Dublin. It also rings many a bell to those of us who were taken to Ireland for our summer holidays under the pretense of a holiday only to spend the whole bloody time bailing hay!

A great fiddle led song with a colossal chorus with a shout of “Hay, Hay”, instead perhaps of “Oi!, Oi!”.  Third track is ‘The Irish Band’ perhaps the most punkiest on the album with a great story

“We sang our songs and we played our fiddles,

To London town and the gathering clans,

Both North and South and all in the middle,

will join together for the Irish band”

Being a band made up almost exclusively of emigrants Creeds Cross know what they’re taking about next on ‘One By One’ which talks of that ever present scourge of the Irish, emigration. Betrayed by the politicians at home the rate of emigration from Ireland is again up to new record levels and the parishes of Ireland are emptying of the young once more. The blame lies fair and squarely with the lawmakers who as usual care nothing for the people and are only interested in feathering their own nests. Heartening to see those days could be at an end, with recent election results these charlatans could soon be on the dole themselves. ‘The Sam Maguire Cup’ is a song about the fever that grips Ireland in the run up to the final. The cup is presented to the winners of Ireland’s biggest, but not greatest as that’s the Liam McCarthy Cup, sporting event the All-Ireland Senior Gaelic Football Championship. Being a Tipperary fan its not something I’m very familiar with I must admit… ‘Good Enough’ is a slow song about broken love but with a positive message of reconciliation and coming to terms with what happens and making peace with yourself. The title track ‘Gods And Fighting Men’ is another punky song about drinking it up on a Friday night

“Fridays are for Gods and fighting men”

A great story and clearly sung by Bart with a shitload of gusto. ‘I’m Coming Home’ is the split song to ‘One By One’ with its story of returning home from working away to feed your family. A song that sounds not unlike The Saw Doctors just much much better! The band capture perfectly how it must have felt for the generations who left and were lucky enough to return. Brian Kelly’s banjo playing is top notch and makes a change from the mostly fiddle led songs. ‘The Virgin Mary’ is a droll song about Catholicism and the pressures of being a RC. Growing up is hard when you’re told you’re being watched ALL the time. Great craic this song and told again with great relish by Bart. ‘Half A Chance’ is the story of asking a lass out for the first time. All us Catholic boys remember this with horror… The album finishes with the lovely ballad ‘A Lullabye’ which begins with the piano and is a great way to wind up the album.

An album full to the brim with modern Irish folk and rock anthems that will surely appeal to everyone from trad fans to your absolute most hardcore of celtic-punk rockers. The tunes and the storytelling gel perfectly and are both superb. Feel good music with a message Creeds Cross are not The Pogues or Blood Or Whiskey or The Saw Doctors but a band you can now add to those just mentioned at the top table in Irish music.

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Tagged: Blood Or Whiskey, Creeds Cross, Horslips, Saw Doctors, The Pogues, The Popes