Genre: Pirate Rock
Rating: R
Target Audience: Grease monkeys, pool hall junkies, and garage rockers that wish they were pirates.

Rather than settle with “Watered-down Rock Scurvy” or “Cut with Baking Soda Rock Scurvy”, the pirate-core band Brine&Bastards has selected nothing short of “Pure Rock Scurvy” for their second album (following Set Sail for Sodomy.) Something of a mini-album featuring only six songs, it nonetheless holds its own as a worthy addition to today’s growing genre of pirate rock.

As with its predecessor, the album begins with an instrumental piece that’s definitive Brine&Bastards. Never Chase A Dog into a Dead-end Alley features tried and true sea shanty tunes re-envisioned through electric guitars and yelling crowds. It’s quick paced, invigorating, and an excellent lead-in to the album’s second song, Drunken Sailor. Again a traditional piece, nothing is changed in the lyrics from what you’d commonly find in traditional versions, but the modern, punk-style vocals and music make this song entirely atypical. While many pirate bands choose to alter the lyrics (most notably by changing the song to “Drunken Pirate”) in order to make it more piratey, Brine&Bastards instead let their musical stylings convey the piracy on its own – and it pays off in every sense.

Shallow Grave is the album’s first original track, being a rollicking tune with a catchy beat and valuable lesson about not sharing secrets with pirates (a dangerous thing to do, as most pirates prefer to silence any potential loose lips.) The Fog follows, and takes a heavier approach to its music as it tells a tale of pirate ghosts.

Shallow Grave and The Fog are both decent songs, but Brine&Bastards are a band that’s at its best when it’s at its worst – meaning depraved. Taste of the East is easily the star of the album, and does not refer to Chinese takeout (well, not in the culinary sense.) Brilliant, quirky, memorable and fun, this is a song about the gift that keeps on giving. It’s a delightfully upbeat song about prostitutes and the STDs they often share with wayward sailors.

The album concludes with F.T.W. (F*ck This World), which might lack the usual pirate references, but certainly carries plenty of pirattitude or, at the very least, profanity. I suppose it could be considered a dedication to a skanky ex, with an oft-repeated message that’s as simple as it is powerful (in short, f*ck this world.)

Pure Rock Scurvy is a fine, fun album for anyone who enjoys some swagger in their rock. It leans a bit more on the rock side than many pirate-core bands, with the instrumentals almost entirely based modern influences than channeling traditional sea shanties. But the lyrics are piratey through and through, and should be well appreciated by those who enjoy the rockier side of pirate-core.

Genre: Pirate rock/folk.
Rating: R
Target Audience: Fans of pirate-rock or rough, swaggering traditional

It wasn’t that long ago that no one had heard of The Pirates Charles – primarily in that they didn’t yet exist. And yet in only a couple short years, they quickly rose from obscurity into what is arguably one of the best known, best loved, and “truest” pirate bands around. The secret is a rare blend of the traditional and new – sea shanties mixed in with just enough rock&roll to, well, rock, but not so much as to wholly modernize their music. Of course, the icing on the cake is that The Pirates Charles both look and sound the parts of true scallywags – an important factor in the evolution from sea songs to pirate songs.

The Return of David Gale is The Pirates Charles’ third album – second if you don’t count New Steez, which is no longer in print. And like its predecessor, Live Scallywags, it’s a wonderfully irreverent mix of the harmonius and gutteral, the unpolished, unwashed, and yet still strangely presentable. And like all the works of The Pirates Charles, it strikes at the very heart of Pirate-Core.

The album begins with its title track, Return of David Gale. Something of a two part song, it starts with a slow drumbeat and deep vocals of a tribal-esque campfire quality. This soon breaks out into rolling guitars that would almost seem light and jazzy if it weren’t for lead singer Spoo’s brilliantly rough vocals. (It now occurs to me that Mr. Spoo Diggity might actually be the only figure in the pirate community with a name as silly as my own. But I digress.)

The album continues in TPC’s usual style with a few traditional songs re-envisioned in their own image, and a whole stack of original pieces. Highlights include several of their all time greatest songs, such as No One Knows, which proudly displays the band’s remarkable ability to be haunting yet raw all at once as they sing a delightful tune of death at sea – narrated by one of the very victims so recently claimed by a watery grave. Why Am I So Thirsty? tells of a lush who wakes up in bizarre and unflattering circumstances with no recollection of the previous night – and with only one question on his mind, “If I had so much to drink at night, then why am I so thirsty?”

Go F**k the Queen will be a much loved song by anyone that rolls their eyes at the courtly customs found at Ren Faire. God Save the Queen? Hardly. This song is rollicking and shameless. Whiskey In the Jar goes on to feature one of the album’s more jig-worthy songs (most are more suited to a pirate mosh-pit full of aimless jumping and bouncing). Less sinister than the well-known Metallica cover, it’s also significantly saltier (but we’d expect no less.)

Rise of the Buccaneers is clearly a definitive TPC song – brazen, aggressive, and perfect for stomping to the beat while Spaniards cower in the deck below. With lyrics full of cutlasses, wounds, and all sorts of other pirate staple items, it just might be one of the grandest pirate songs out there.

The Return of David Gale features 17 tracks. Some stand out more than others, but there’s not a dud amongst them. By my rough estimate, I’d say 12 of these are originals, with the other five being traditional. Oh, and then there’s the 18th track, found tucked into the tail end of the 17th if you listen to the silence long enough. This bonus song is the most heart-wrenching, dramatic rendition of Farewell to Nova Scotia I’ve ever heard, and almost makes the album worth buying all by itself.

This is a definite must-have album. Fans of modern pirate music will love the rock attitude that steeps through the music and lyrics throughout, while even hardcore fans of traditional sea music will enjoy the new takes on their traditional favorites (and I’m not just saying that – I’ve spoken with several traditionalists who don’t give a rat’s ass about Pirate-Core, and yet they know – and love – The Pirates Charles.)

I doubt it comes as a surprise to seasoned Bilgemunky.com readers that I have strong preferences with regards to pirate music. By and large, I want it, well, piratey. Meaning shameless, brazen, and loud. All too often sea shanties are performed in the folk-song manner of your Great Aunt Gertrude (meaning toothless and dry) – or worse yet, a kindergarten teacher just before nap-time. But it’s bands like The Dreadnoughts that show us why traditional sea shanties can still kick ass.

With their first album “Legends Never Die”, The Dreadnoughts hold nothing back as they apply electric guitars, drums, fiddles, accordions, and pub-punk vocals to get the most out of traditional and original songs alike. Old favorites such as Old Maui, Katie Bar the Door, Roll the Woodpile Down, and The Dreadnought are all given a new, modernly-pirate life reminiscent of Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphies. This Irish rock influence is also clear in the album’s original tracks that sound so at home amongst the other shanties that they’re sure to be in danger of being mistaken for traditional. Fire Marshall Willy, Antarctica, A Rambler’s Life, and others all add to the extended pirate rock-out session this album offers.

Of course, the one track that entirely stands out is “Mary the One Eyed Prostitute Who Fought the Colossal Squid and Saved Us from Certain Death on the High Seas, God Rest Her One Eyed Soul.” Easily on par with the rest of this album’s high quality songs, Mary boasts the additional quality of having the most highly braggable title I’ve seen on a pirate album in some long while.

Throughout the album, instrumentals and vocals seamlessly flow from almost-traditional to full out modern. This merger makes Legends Never Die a clear evolution of the traditional sea shanty, rather than a total reinvention. In this way even die-hard fans of true, crusty sea shanties may well find much to enjoy on this album. And as for those who prefer to mosh to true pirate rock? This is definitely their album, as The Dreadnoughts demonstrate Pirate-Core at its truest and finest.

With its cover of what appears to be a young pirate girl staring at the sunset through a telescope (terribly unwise, now that I think about it), The Mad Maggies new pirate album “Skull&Magpies” has the appearance of a children’s CD. The inside art, featuring the band in fun, colorful cartoons as well tends to reinforce this notion. But, while it doesn’t really feature any material inappropriate for the young’ns, Skull&Magpies is hardly a children’s CD. Rather, it’s for anyone who loves pirates and has a taste for the eclectic.

With its opening track, Seaborne, you’re immediately struck by the atypical nature of this music. Tubas, saxophones, trombones and clarinets aren’t the usual tools of pirate bands, but the Mad Maggies aren’t much on conformity, it would appear. Seaborne begins as a gentle rolling tune with some underlying pep. It’s a fun listen, although this instrumental track doesn’t do much to conjure swashbuckling images. This is instead left to the next song, For the Love of Pete, which features drums and guitars to accompany the lyrics in a tale that’s steeped in pirate references – deep seas, whales, Port Royal – even booty. The nature of the music itself remains distinctive in the pirate genre, being peppy and friendly rather than rough and raw.

Next up is Navigate, a song that is essentially the equivelant of Pirate Schoolhouse Rock whereby the singer reminds us that whenever we’re lost we should take our time, recall our studies, and apply our mathematical skills towards proper navigation.

Initially I had some difficulty figuring how to describe The Mad Maggies’ music – almost like a children’s entertainer trying to cut loose, but not quite. But then, during the song High Seas Lament, it all became clear. This song’s strong message of mutiny contrasts vividly against the 70′s, hippy style of the vocals and instruments. The result can only be called pirate freedom folk jazz – something I can’t say I’ve ever crossed before. This unique tack is effectively revisited in Rough Music – again a tale of mutiny, and again befitting a pirate-themed VW Bug. A definite ‘power to the people’ (or rather, power to the pirates) song with powerful lyrics of “heed these sounds of righteous discontent – we shall have proper recompense” that would seem quite at home in a disgruntled sailor’s picket line.

Just as I found a way to quantify The Mad Maggies’ musical style, they shift course with Fair Winds. The opening hearkens of tropical resort music – a pinch of Jimmy Buffet. When the vocals join in the song takes on a more longing flavor as the lyrics sing of being away from home and loved ones. Il Y A Un Bal then follows with a taste of New Orleans Jazz. The initial verse is as unintelligible as is the title (probably just a spell check error ), but then the singer reverts to english to sing a song of partying. Energetic and danceable, but entirely not about pirates. I assume they were just drunk and forgot to add pirate lyrics, so we’ll forgive them.

The above songs are mixed in with occasional instrumental tracks: Dark Matters, The Folly of Fame, Sandglass, Morning Star, and Where to Next? Each is surprisingly varried within itself with definite changes of pace, instruments and tone. Some are more fast and jazzy, others slow and somber. All are good, but like the opening instrumental track Seaborne, they don’t specifically capture the traditional pirate flavor.

Skull&Magpies is definitely a beast apart in the world of Pirate-Core music. Its nearest contemporaries would likely be Rustmonster for the jazziness and The Ben Gunn Society for the quirky, slightly hippified nature of the lyrics. But even these are a stretch for comparison. This album might not be the perfect fit for those looking for traditional pirate music or standard pirate-core, but anyone who enjoys a wider variety – or those with a taste for quasi-folk songs of quiet strength and rebellion – should definitely check it out.

One of my favorite things about Pirate-Core music is when a band takes pirate themes and lyrics and injects them into a musical genre that on its face would seem entirely not-piratey. Sometimes this results in humorous contrasts. Other times, as with the album Sovereign of the Seas, it’s done so flawlessly as to make the combination seem as natural as parrot poop on a captain’s shoulder.

Rockabilly isn’t a style of music that I’d normally equate with pirates. But in the hands of the The Karkadens it seems the perfect vessel – deep bass guitars combined with trombones, drums, and trumpet are utilized to create music that’s heavy, fast, and atmospheric. And the vocals – throaty and aggressive, capture elements of battle, defeat, desperation and victory.

With their hooligan-ska style, The Karkaden’s lyrics are often difficult to follow from beginning to end – this isn’t “listen to the story” music, but rather “stomp along and pick up what you can” music, ripe with pirate references of death at sea, yo-hos, and black sails. Don’t expect to even get “the gist” of a song without close, careful listening – but that’s not the point. Some pirate music is for singing along with, rum in hand. Other pirate music is for commemorating the exploits of pirates – real and imagined. But Sovereign of the Seas is full of music suitable for only one thing – kicking ass at sea, and then moshing in triumph.

If your idea of pirate music ends at High Barbary, then this album might make your head explode. But if you enjoy pirate rock, Flogging Molly, or even an unusually aggressive jig now and then, then Sovereign of the Sea should be a real treat.

As a musical genre, the sea chantey has gone largely unchanged since the age of sail. But where most maritime artists have chosen to embrace and preserve the rich heritage of this music, others have opted to take their fascination with the sea into surprising new directions. This session will explore the development and current state of Piratecore, a relatively young yet incredibly diverse musical genre that blends the traditional sea chantey with such contemporary styles as rock, rap, punk, metal, and more.

Hope ta see ya there!

Genre: Pirate-themed gansta rap
Rating: R+
Target Audience: Immature adults

Where to begin when describing the wonderful oddity that is Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew? By all common sense, such an apparent novelty act should long ago have gone the way of the dodo. But the crew hit the ground with surprising momentum – their first pirate gangsta rap album, Authentic Pirate Hip Hop was a shameless joy to the ears. It seemed an impossible act to follow, and yet, a mere year later, follow it they did with Rimes of the Hip Hop Mariner. But rather than treating us to “more of the same” The Scurvy Crew expanded and developed their hip-hop pirate concept to make for an even better end product. And now, just one year since Rimes, the Scurvy Crew has struck again with their third album, From the Seas to the Streets.

Love them (pirate-core enthusiasts, hipsters, gangstas) or hate them (period reenactors, grandparents, fuddy-duddies), I think we can all agree that Captain Dan and company aren’t ones to rest upon their laurels. For three albums running they’ve reached for new heights, and once again have achieved incredibly surprising and satisfying results. The album begins with the title track From the Seas to the Streets, which starts with a bit of a swashbuckling orchestra that’s soon joined by the rap stylings of usual subjects Captain Dan, Sea Dawg, and Scott Free. A mix of urban and epic adventure, it wakes you right up and lets you know just what you’re in for.

Ship2Ship follows, being a song of battles and seaside warfare. Again we hear the voices of our usuals, but also chiming in is ‘Admirality’ Crawley – the limey who faced off with Captain Dan on Rimes to such great effect as they debated superiority between Pirates and the British Navy. Crawleys inclusion in this second album comes as a fine surprise that adds a brilliant contrast. Burning Sea and Diggin For Gold are two more excellent tracks in the same spirit as Dan’s earlier albums, but Drunken Sailor brings a new twist in being a pirate-rap version of the traditional sailor’s drinking song – it features a fantastic blend of the original tune and lyrics, mixed in with new beats and dialogue. It’s a joy to listen to, and I daresay even a hardcore traditionalist would have to tilt his hat in respect.

Ladies in Scarlet then thows yet another curve ball as it features newcomes Anne Bonney and Mary Read as the primary vocals. A classic “tough chick” rap about how the ladies can kick ass as well as (or better than) the blokes – and these ladies deliver the lyrics with grace and conviction. On the Account and Pirates Code then return to pirate roots, as both were clearly inspired by the actual practices of the pirate and maritime businesses – surprisingly educational for pirate hip-hop (although if you’d rather just dance to the beat, that’s also acceptable.)

While many of Captain Dan’s songs warrant an ‘R’ rating, it seems that each album features one song of truly pornographic ambition. On this album it is clearly Chests O Plenty, which makes brilliant use of a harpsichord combined with the foulest lyrics imaginable. It’s so shocking as to nearly qualify as high art, and I’m ashamed to admit is amongst my favorites on this album (although I have many.) Calypos’s Crabs also pushes the envelope, being a song inspired by the 50 foot voodoo woman from Pirates of the Caribbean (and the fact that she seemed to have a dreadful case of the crabs.) It’s fast paced, energetic, and again features lyrics that will make you spew rum out your nose (assuming you’re drinking rum, of course.)

Blow the Man Down returns us to the slower, swaggering school of pirate rap, and like Drunken Sailor is inspired by a popular traditional song. Again, the influences of the original are clear, but Dan has adapted it to his own purposes and made it his own. A fun piece, and one of the cleaner on this album. The CD then concludes with Pirate Christmas which – as you surely expect – is a pirate rap about Christmas. Featuring slay bells and jolly instrumentals, it talks of piratey wishlists and a kidnapping gone wrong.

With From the Seas to the Streets, Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew have again struck gold – three albums and forty songs without a dud in the bunch. They’ve managed to reinvent themselves along the way so as to stay interesting, while also being true enough to their roots to remain the performers we’ve come to love – and that’s really an amazing achievement. This time around, their inclusion of additional identifiable rappers and new instrument styles (many hearkening to the pirate era, but put to modern rap usage), has led to new complexity and depth to the music, while the lyrics remain strong, spirited, and entirely piratey. Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew are surely a gift from on-high to the Pirate-Core world, and this fact is clearly reflected in each and every track of this new album.

With their second album, The Flight of the Filthy Vicar, Rustmonster continues its unique mix of jazz, funk, and experimental to explore pirate matters in a manner which no healthy mind could ever conceive. No fewer than 20 artists lend their creative talents to impress, entertain, and at times befuddle. There is, after all, nothing in this world quite like manly ‘heave ho’s shouted in time with a saxophone, and it’s thus this album begins with its first track, Blood and Bone. It’s a formula that led to astoundingly fun results with their first album, The Last Voyage of the Black Betty, and it works equally well this second time around.

Of course, you can’t cross into the realms of pirate dementia and not turn up a stinker or two; but you can atone for it – and sometimes you can do both within a single track. This is what Rustmoster does with Andrew Lane, a nerve-wrenching song performed in an obnoxious manner with peculiar, pompous vocals. But then the singer is shot dead a third of the way in, and the remainder of the track is indeed his less-than-flattering eulogy. You can’t argue with results.

Digging deeper into the album we find the circus vaudeville-esque style of Brutal Pirate. It’s a fun, catchy song in which the singer tells how he used to be a good boy, but has since become a pirate. It has a vaguely epic quality about it, which makes for a fine quirkiness. The Storm, in contrast, is reminiscent of The Stray Cats, with a back alley jazzy rock quality. It’s a surprisingly peppy tale of regret as a pirate realizes his fate isn’t what he’d hoped when first signing articles.

Lost Not Found begins with a comedian on a cruise ship full of pirates (titled the S.S. Bilgemunky* by strange coincidence). The song then takes off and reveals itself to be an energetic song of soulful piracy performed an a manner reminiscent of 70′s disco. “Doo-waas” and retro-laser “pew pews” abound as the singer shares his piratey life story. Bully in the Alley, however, is perhaps the closest Rustmonster ever comes to traditional shanties. It’s a historical song performed in a primitive – and very drunken – manner. Actually, the primitive nature is an illusion as the drums, cranking noises, and other sounds become quite complex as they intertwine. Bully in the Alley as you’ve never heard it before, and it is grand.

The album ends with Poop Deck, a terribly (and intentionally) goofy song that I’d liken to doing shots of Jaegermeister – it’s not necessarily pleasant going down and it leaves you feeling strange afterwards, but you’ll keep doing it until you pass out. I have a feeling this track was the product of a dare. Something like a children’s sing along, something like watching cartoons drunk, it’s just all out difficult to describe.

As before, Rustmonster remains a band with little to offer the traditional shanty ear – but all others should pay attention to this lot. Strange, diverse, fun, humorous, and PIRATEY, The Flight of the Filthy Vicar is a piece of swashbuckling oddity that you should really check out.
*Note – artists take note, using Bilgemunky’s name in your music (in a complimentary fashion, of course) guarantees a full star extra when your album is judged!)**

**No, not really! Rustmonster’s star rating is a full and accurate reflection of my opinion of this album, the use of my name regardless. Even though them using my name is entirely awesome!!!

Since the very beginning, Captain Bogg & Salty has always walked a fine line. On the face of it they’re children’s entertainers, and therefore sing silly songs of a kid-friendly nature. But the genius of their first album, Bedtime Stories for Pirates, was that – rather than sounding like preschool teachers like so many other childrens’ “pirate” entertainers – Bogg & Salty lent the impression of being real pirates; actual buccaneers, albeit good-natured ones, doing their level best to “keep it clean” for the duration of the album. This made Bogg & Salty a rare beast, being a pirate band that could be enjoyed by kids and their parents (and even angsty teens and 20-somethings) alike.

Bedtime Stories set a strong precedent that surely proved a challenge to maintain on subsequent albums. Peg Leg Tango featured what became some of Bogg & Salty’s most beloved songs of all time (Pieces of 8ight, Scallywagg), but in my opinion also featured some of the weakest (I’m a Pirate, Nellie the Elephant, Sea Monster). Prelude to Mutiny then went on to reclaim the lost ground with a host of pirate brilliance, including Mutiny of the Hispaniola, Wind, Dead Men Tell No Tales, Hoist the Grog, and Part of Your World. So as the tides between adult and kid-friendly have already shifted time and again, where does Captain Bogg & Salty’s fourth and latest album, Emphatical Piratical wind up?

The album begins with the title track Emphatical Piratical, a friendly, energetic song that fits well with what seasoned listeners might expect of this band. Next up is the somewhat goofy Don’t Drink Seawater, which is the sort of pirate silly song that kids likely love, but adults not so much. It does, however, teach an important lesson about the dangers of drinking seawater (so stick to rum, kiddies*). Port Side, however, gets us right back on track with an 80′s retro style rap song about the parts of a ship – a decent piece that reflects Bogg & Salty’s love of experimenting with various genres.

Treading the Seas for Pirate Gold is a remake of a Hucklescary Finn song, altered slightly to offer a respectful nod to Kevin Hendrickson’s previous Pirate-Core bands, Hucklescary Finn and Pirate Jenny. A fine piece that particularly stands out in the use of the beloved “ribcage” xylophone. Bunnyjacks is a definite children’s song, and a followup of sorts to one of the most famous lines in their earlier song Scurvy. Frogg Island again demonstrates the genre-bending nature of Bogg & Salty with a breezy, island style easy listening song in the style of Jimmy Buffet and such – relaxin’ on the beach after a hard day of plunderin’.

Skipping ahead a bit (reasons made clear later), Sea Monster II is another children’s tune. I wasn’t really a fan of Sea Monster I, finding it far too youth-targeted and “soft” to satisfy my more grown-up piratical music cravings. Never Smile at a Crocodile is a remake of a Disney song, and seems a mix between Bogg & Salty’s earlier works Sea Kings and A Part of Your World – it’s very fun, very energetic, and like Don’t Drink Seawater imparts valuable life lessons. Waltz of the Waves is slow and sentimental, but in my opinion falls rather flat. The album then concludes with Who’s at Captain’s Table, which has a definite Hucklecary Finn air about it and makes for a fine children’s pirate tune, although it too probably lacks the extra “oomph” needed to attract adult ears.

Coming back to the middle of the album, Purple Tiki and Plank Walker I want to mention together, as they warrant special consideration. Tiki is a tribal, two part song that begins slow and spoken and ends fast and sung. It’s silly and certainly kid-friendly, but not so exclusively as to scare off adults. Plank Walker is more of a fifties style, drive-in creature feature song with great guitar work and spooky vocals. Bothof these songs feature pirate elements, both are approachable to kids and adults alike – and neither really stood out to me on first listen. These songs, and indeed much of this album, seemed to lack that extra “pirattitude” in the lyrics needed to really command my attention. But on second and third listen (that last time via my best stereo system, rather than my car’s garbage audio) I realized that while Bogg & Salty may indeed have left this key strength by the wayside on much of this album, they had also built upon another strength – that of the music itself.

Bogg & Salty’s music has always been fantastic, but it’s the piratey lyrics that have pushed it over the top. With this album, and Tiki and Plank Walker in particular, I felt most of the lyrics lacked that extra punch. But the music… never before has this band sounded so incredible. Purple Tiki has the sort of beat that you can’t help but dance to, while Plank Walker so perfectly captures that 1950′s Halloween spook show style it seeks to emulate.

While I do miss the strength reflected in the lyrics of the other albums, I’d be entirely remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that the some of the music on this album is a noteable success of another sort. This album leans slightly towards the younger audience, as kids will surely adore Bunnyjacks, Sea Monster, Crocodile, and Captain’s Table. Adult fans will no doubt enjoy Emphatical Piratical, Port Side, and Treading the Seas, but it’s songs like Frogg Island, Purple Tiki, and Plank Walker that are in danger of being overlooked and under appreciated. If you’re listening for classic Bogg & Salty over-the-top pirate lyrics, you’ll be disappointed as I nearly was. But keep a fresh mind and let the songs – and particularly the music – stand on its own and this album certainly turns up some gems.

*note – DON’T stick to rum, kiddies

www.therebepirates.net

Drink & the Devil, by There Be Pirates, is an album that begins absolutely perfectly. Storm-brewed winds are met with a steadily growing drum beat, and then a shanty-styled introductory male voice begins the opening lyrics to High Barbary. But then the song quickly launches into a charged mix of energized instrumentals and vocals. This is still High Barbary as you know it, but reenvisioned in such a way as to remain true to its roots, but fresh and virile.

High Barbary sets the stage for an album that’s comprised of familiar shanties and sea songs, but performed in such a way as to make them truly stand out from anything else out there. There are no losers in the bunch – this CD is a gem from stem to stern – but several songs do merit some additional attention. Banshee’s Whale is a touching fiddle scratching against an ocean surf accompaniment – a transitional track to be sure, but also perfectly atmospheric and a quality addition to the album. South Australia has a nice, almost whimsical feel about it as it combines a didgeridoo with the more traditional shanty instruments, while the harmonica utilized in All for me Grog lends an additional (and appropriate) hobo flavor to the song.

The Bonnie Ship the Diamond is as close to “rockin” as you can get without departing the traditional style entirely. This song starts strong and does’t wait for anyone, so try and keep up. The Derelict, on the other hand, is slow, somber, and in no hurry whatsoever. It’s truly the crown jewel of this album, being a 10 minute 44 second rendering of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, but done-so in a smokey lounge style. Dusky and gorgeous, with a mix of male and female vocals this is one of my favorite versions of this song.

I’ve not mentioned the albums other fine tracks, such as Haul Away Joe, Sugar in the Hold, Paddy Lay Back, New York Gals, and Fiddle Aire – each is fine, fine work, and easily worth a listen or two in themselves. The album then concludes with Banshee’s Whale (reprise), which is again a scratchy fiddle against an atmospheric background. It’s an appropriately gentle sendoff to an album that is certainly worthy of benchmark status in the Pirate-Core genre.