It’s not surprising that a band going by the name of Young Dubliners should return to their roots with an album dedicated entirely to Irish music. However, anyone familiar with the Young Dubliners’ overall MO knows that their take on tradition has more to do with rowdiness than reverence. Indeed, earlier albums Real World, Absolutely and Red were characterized by a boisterous revelry that allowed only the slightest tip of the shamrock towards old country sentiments. Here however, the band changes their tune, both literally and figuratively. Most of the tracks are sewn from hearty folk roots, with song titles like “Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore,” “Rocky Road To Dublin,” and “Raglan Road” vividly evoking the sights and sounds of the Emerald Isle. That’s not to say they wholly abandon their rambunctious ways; rousing fiddle-fueled takes on Shane McGowan’s “If I Should Fall From Grace With God” and “A Pair Of Brown Eyes” provide a contemporary connection. To be sure, for all their jaunty swagger and rugged posturing, Young Dubliners don’t necessarily differentiate themselves from the Waterboys, the Pogues, the Chieftains or any other band that’s explored similar stylistic terrain. And yet, for anyone who’s ever greeted St. Paddy’s Day as a special reason to raise a pint and wear the green, With All Due Respect ably lives up to its title.
~ Lee Zimmerman
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